Using new technologies to support the learning of Aboriginal pre-service teachers

Teaching and learning have changed in many ways over the last decade. As new technologies are developed, their use has been adapted to meet educational needs. At the tertiary level, university systems have changed, with much of the interaction occurring online, for example, through online enrolments, library services, lectures, website information about courses and units, interaction with tutors and lecturers via email, and with other students via discussion boards and chat rooms. Current University student populations have also changed. In the main these students come into University computer literate, with a high degree of visual literacy, able to multitask and to attend to inputs from several sources seemingly simultaneously. They expect to interact with their environment in complex ways and are likely to be bored by 'chalk and talk' types of lectures. While the preceding description of students holds true for some Indigenous students it is not the case for all. The action research study reported here is with Aboriginal preservice teachers who study in mixed mode, attending University for usually 2 week blocks of teaching twice each semester that is supplemented by online learning outside these teaching periods. This study is one of several action research projects that form the second stage of a large joint project between CDU and UWS. The purpose of the joint research is to investigate how to better provide career preparation and support the learning of students from targeted equity groups, including Indigenous Australians, students whose first language is a language other than English (LOTE) and those undertaking a transition from VET studies. The significance of the project lies in the fact that (a) both CDU and UWS have considerable numbers of students from equity groups living large distances from their campuses, that (b) deployed properly, ICT enabled learning may be a key factor in attracting and retaining such students, and (c) the research literature in this area is mostly silent on how equity groups engage with ICT enabled learning. The first stage of the project assessed the knowledge and usage of ICT enabled learning amongst equity groups at UWS and CDU and set the direction for the second stage.