A sector-first collaboration between three universities and six Western Sydney schools will improve equity and access to higher education for students from low socio-economic backgrounds.
The NSW Equity Consortium – supported by funding from the NSW Department of Education – is a five-year partnership between UNSW Sydney, the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and Macquarie University, working with teachers and careers advisors to encourage students to cultivate more “expansive futures”.
In collaboration with schools and teachers, the Consortium has developed the Imagined Futures outreach program targeting underrepresented students in whole-cohort year-groups between Years 7 and 9. The project will build student and school capacity for accessing higher education and improving learning outcomes post-school.
Dr Sally Baker, senior lecturer from the School of Education, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture, said literacy is fundamental to addressing disadvantage in schools.
“When we're thinking about gaps between expectation and attainment, attainment is impacted primarily by things like literacy. Literacy is not the only factor but it's a very important factor,” Dr Baker said.
“For example, the challenges that can come with not being at age-appropriate reading and writing levels can lead to entrenched patterns of disengagement and then disadvantage for particular cohorts.”
The project encourages students to expand their aspirations with the support of teachers and careers advisors, and to approach education as a lifelong project.
“The theory of change that drives this project is the idea of the map, the compass and the key,” Dr Baker said.
“So, to imagine a future – whatever that future is – to be able to imagine beyond where you are in Year 7, 8 or 9, for example, you need to have some understanding of what the options are. So, being able to see the landscape of different career options, that's the map.”
However, Dr Baker said young people also need to “be able to get from where they are to where they want to go”.
“Young people need to understand what kind of routes and pathways they can take, and understand, importantly, that university is not the only pathway… So that's the compass.”
‘Literacy is the foundation for all students’ learning’
In recent years there has been a worrying slump in students’ reading and writing outcomes. The latest PISA results show that since 2000, Australia’s mean score has declined by the equivalent of around three-quarters of a year of schooling.
Tom Richardson, CEO, LiteracyPlanet, said it is important to teach literacy in all content areas as it is “the foundation for all students’ learning”.
“Teachers rely on their students having an appropriate level of literacy in order to provide instruction and to develop their understanding of a content area,” Richardson told The Educator.
“Throughout their studies, students will be asked to perform many tasks from describing to analysing.”
Richardson said that by building their vocabulary and skills in written critical analysis, hypotheses, visual representations, and researching, educators will enable students to become “meaning-makers” who will go on to apply these skills throughout their lives.
“It will also allow them to contextualise situations and set them up to confidently pursue their abilities and passions.”
Richardson said ed-tech, when used in the right way, can engage a student and instil a sense of accountability for their own learning in which they are actively involved.
“It’s a powerful resource to complement other teaching practices as it motivates and improves overall academic value. In our experience, a good digital learning resource will personalise the student’s education, providing the appropriate level of extension or intervention each individual requires,” he said.
“It aligns with the curriculum for added assurance of learning progressions being reached, while automating many aspects of teaching administration—such as assigning tasks, assessing learning levels, and marking—which give teachers time back to spend on their students.”