1

CON08748 A Sporting Chance for Aboriginal Students in Western NSW: An Intervention to Improve Student Outcomes through a Sports Focus.

Doreen Conroy

Centre for Educational Research, University of Western Sydney

A federally funded initiative “Sporting Chance- School Based Sports Academies” was established in 2007. Over twenty sporting academies have now been established under this initiative with the primary purpose of improving retention, attendance, and literacy of Aboriginal students in secondary schools across Australia through a sports focussed program that is supplemented by academic activities. The present research tests the longitudinal impact of one of these programs on Aboriginal students’ psycho-social drivers, educational outcomes, and school climate. This paper will examine the first year of the research. The sports academy, Girri Girri Sports Academy for Indigenous Students is based in Western NSW and has currently 130 students enrolled. Self-concept, self-efficacy, and identity theory and research (Averis, 2003; Bandura, 1983; Craven, 2005; Falk, 2003; Purdie, 2003; Sharp, 2005) has influenced the intervention strategy employed by Girri Girri. The aim of this research is to test the longitudinal impact of one Sporting Chance program on Western NSW Aboriginal secondary students’: psycho-social drivers of life potential (e.g., multi-dimensional self-concepts), educational outcomes and schooling climate. The research uses a multi-method and multi-occasion multi-cohort (MCMO) methodology. Quantitative data focuses on a student questionnaire administered at the beginning of each calendar year and in November for a period of two years from multiple cohorts of students participating in the Girri Girri sports academy. Students’ academic outcomes in Mathematics, English and PD/H/PE will be tracked over the two year period as well as retention data sourced from school records. The qualitative data comprises of focus groups with students, teachers, parents, and Aboriginal Education Assistants

Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education, Brisbane, November 2008. Correspondence concerning this paper should be sent to Doreen Conroy, Centre for Educational Research, Bankstown Campus, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia or via email to Doreen.Conroy@det.nsw.edu.au

2

In NSW, 51% of Indigenous students remain at school to complete Year 12. However in Western NSW, the figure is much less with only 29% of Indigenous students completing Year 12, and for most of the Western schools in this research the retention rate is between 13% and 20%. As few Aboriginal students are remaining to complete Year 12, the result is that Aboriginal students in Western NSW are limiting their future life choices, the number of career options, and further study possibilities available to them. (Dusseldorp Skills Forum, 2007).

A number of strategies have been tried in the Western NSW region, but the retention data has not moved in the upward direction over the past five years .This may be due to a number of factors, such as not having in place a coordinated approach to addressing the retention issue, individual student support, quality teaching and engagement strategies. This research based on the Sporting Chance focuses on a regionally coordinated intervention which is underpinned by research findings based on self-concept as an important part of adolescent development and plays a significant role in educational outcomes.

Partially funded by the Australian Federal Government, the Sporting Chance Program supports 20 school-based sports academies for Indigenous secondary students, including students from remote locations who are at risk of not completing their schooling. The aim of the academies is to improve the educational outcomes of participants, including their attendance, retention and completion rates to Year 12, or its vocational equivalent. The development of sports skills and participation in sport are subsidiary outcomes. Thirteen academies began operating in four States and the Northern Territory in 2007. The scope of the educational programs and strategies offered by the academies is broad, crossing a variety of government sectors. For example, academies are delivering career planning, vocational qualifications, traineeships, mentoring, motivational workshops, diet and nutritional programs, sports science and sports medicine courses, sports coaching and training, first aid certificates, umpiring and club management programs.

The present investigation provides an evaluation of the first year of a longitudinal study to test the impact of the Sporting Chance initiative on student outcomes of increased retention and attendance rates and improved literacy in one academy. It will examine if a change in school belonging, motivation, and academic resilience impacts on these outcomes. Six high schools and one central school in Western NSW form Girri Girri Sports Academy. Students from Years 8, 9, and 10, from the seven schools were selected by their school to be part of the program based on students’ current attendance patterns and interest in sport. Each school selected between 10 and 15 students in the initial recruitment for the academy in 2007 and up to 20 students per site in 2008.

The Girri Girri Sports Academy aims to develop self-efficacy of the students across a number of domains. Additionally, it aims to; a) Develop positive relationships; b) Foster competencies across a number of domains- emotional, cognitive and behavioural; c) Encourage self-determination and responsibility; d) Nurture a clear and positive identity; e) Foster a belief in the future; f) Recognise a supportive positive environment, and; g) Provide opportunity for social involvement.

Each school determines the selection criteria for the students to enrol in the academy. The school management teams are best placed to determine the criteria for their school site. The current practice is to engage those students, who are currently underachieving, have poor attendance patterns and low literacy and who have a keen interest in sport.

3

Theoretical Framework The theoretical basis for the formulation of this Academy lies in findings from a

number of different research traditions (e.g., Bandura: 1996; Craven: 2005; Falk and Battolini: 2003; Purdie et al: 2000; and Sharp: 2005) and the NSW Quality Teaching framework.

One focus of the intervention strategy is to enhance each student’s self- efficacy in academic achievement. Bandura (1996) perceived that self efficacy is the belief one has about one’s capabilities and this in turn enhances personal well being in many ways. The students in Girri Girri Sports Academy come to the academy with high self- efficacy in sport and it is this belief in their ability in sport that the academy attempts to transfer to academic self efficacy. It is believed that a student’s positive self-identity is likely to be associated with school success and to achieve a positive self-identity students need to perceive value in schooling (Craven 2005). Craven evaluated Indigenous students’ aspirations and her results in relation to Self-Concept suggest that Indigenous students do have lower Self-Concept in relation to academic facets of Self-Concept. Falk and Ballatti (2003) link identity to vocational education and illustrate that people connect to their communities of practice through valuing place and its impact on learning. They suggest effective programs in vocational education incorporate a place in the learning process and capitalise on what learners bring with them. The intervention used in the Sporting Chance Program includes factors suggested in research findings which contribute to the development of positive self-identity of young Indigenous students (Purdie et al: 2000, Sharp et al: 2004, 2005). These factors include: (a) Significant people within the school included in the program; (b) School systems and activities, curriculum, vocational education and indigenous cultural events; (c) Role models- particularly Indigenous role models; and (d) Family and wider Indigenous community. In the intervention students have the opportunity to be peer leaders in teaching primary partners new sporting skills and young leaders in Indigenous cultural events. The co-ordinator plays a significant role in the program as a ‘significant other’. The co-ordinator’s role is to deliver a quality teaching program which engages the students which includes vocational education and a curriculum which leads students to receiving credentials across a range of areas such as first aid, referee tickets etc. The Sharp,C.,Schagen I. & Scott E (2004) evaluation of the impact of ‘Playing for Success’, a United Kingdom schools’ program with outcomes similar to those of Sporting Chance noted that selecting the students most likely to benefit, developing a positive ethos which encouraged and welcomed students, and emphasising personalised learning with constant feedback, contributed most to the success of the program and student outcomes. This same ethos was established early in this intervention.

It is generally believed that the longer students stay at school, the greater the opportunity they have of gaining employment, further education, and training, and therefore improved life choices. In ‘How Young People are Faring in 2007:At a Glance’ (August 2007) it is reported that in May 2006 of students who had completed Year 12 only 20% were not fully engaged in study or work. This compared with Year 11 (45%) and Year 10 (50%).This report suggests that completing Year 12 matters when seeking employment or further study. This retention to Year12 is an important factor of the sports academy and students in the academy are given information, advice and support to stay at school and complete Year 12.

Twigger-Ross and Uzzell (1996) suggest that ‘feelings of self efficacy are maintained if the environment facilitates or at least does not hinder a person’s everyday lifestyle’. Finn (1989) suggests that participation in extra curricular activities promotes self

4

worth and resilience. Students who participate in extra curricular activities are believed to have a stronger sense of belonging and hence an identity of place is developed. It is understood that students who develop a positive relationship with school are more likely to become lifelong learners and are more likely to complete Year 12. The Girri Girri Sports Academy provides opportunity for students to be involved in a number of extracurricular activities. Throughout the year students in the academy can be involved in additional sporting opportunities, excursions and camps.

There are many factors which can contribute to a greater commitment and connection to school and Purdie, Tripcony, Boulton-Lewis, Fanshawe and Gunstone (2000) suggest that a positive self-identity, which includes who we are and what we think we are, will result in improved outcomes for Indigenous students. Purdie and her associates believe that a number of factors impact on outcomes for Indigenous students including the ‘significant other’, or as Bandura (1986) states a vicarious experience provided by role models. Other factors include the school, teachers, curriculum and support and encouragement given from family, peers and community. Curriculum issues highlighted by Purdie et al. include career education, vocational education and cultural understanding. All these factors have been included in the delivery of the academy. Averis (2003) argues that many Indigenous students face significant additional challenges on their journey to adulthood including socio-economic exclusion, lower life expectancy, youth suicide, and barriers to access employment. Averis recommends that a involving young people in the decision making process, developing skills and involving community in models of practice best provides young people with opportunities to help them meet the challenges on their journey. Girri Girri Sports Academy supports the building of strong communities where each member is respected and valued ,develops leadership skills and team work and develops skills through structured activities sequenced to build on previous experience, and strengthening connections with community through relationships, participation, and contributions to the community. Students in the sports academy work closely with primary school partners to build upon sports skills and communication skills. Another initiative to strengthen community is regular community meetings with students’ invited guests (mums, aunts, nans and dads).The community meetings have developed solid links between home and the academy. The numbers of participants have increased over the past twelve months. The objectives developed for the Girri Girri Sports Academy are:

• Involve academy members in all levels of planning and decision making. Students are represented on the Advisory Committee and play a major role in academy presentations to the school and community.

• Develop cultural identity of academy members. To enhance knowledge and understanding of cultural identity the academy members are in leadership roles in the schools’ NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week activities. Academy students organise and deliver sports skills sessions to their primary partner school students.

• Provide opportunities to gain understanding of future training pathways and options. Through the support of academy partners (Local Community Partnerships) students gain knowledge and understanding about the world of work and further educational opportunities.

• Strengthen the interconnectedness of social networks. The positive value of the sites combining for activities has been demonstrated in 2007. Students had the opportunity to build relationships at a number of combined events (three day camps), through the web page (www.girrigirrisportsacdemy.org.au ) and through regular video conferences.

5

• Enhance self esteem, self reliance and self confidence. Students, through learning new sports skills and coaching skills, are able to involve younger students from their primary partner schools in new sports skills development. As a result students are developing confidence through a range of leadership activities.

• Build better communications skills. Students enhance their literacy skills through delivering to primary students sports skills, writing and reading the web page, through emails to each other and communicating with role models in the community. Figure 1

Girri Girri Sports Academy Operational Plan

The Present Investigation The research aims to test the impact of an intervention strategy to improve

Aboriginal secondary students’ educational outcomes in Western NSW. This paper reports on some of the preliminary findings of the first year of the Girri Girri Sports Academy and was carried out in 2007.

Method Participants

Students enrolled in the sports academy in 2007, and participated in a students’ questionnaire and varying focus groups to determine the impact of academy on educational

6

outcomes. Over the next two years, a control group will be established, and that group will participate in the questionnaire allowing a comparison between the two groups to determine if the academy changes attitudes towards schooling, motivation and self-concept.

In 2007, focus groups with Aboriginal Education Assistants and teachers provided data to measure the impact of the sports academy in the first year of implementation. Focus groups with other stakeholders will be included over the next two years. Principals, Sports Academy co-ordinators and parents will also inform the data regarding the impact of the academy on student outcomes. Measures

Self-Concept. Seven domains of self-concept were measured using the Self Description Questionnaire II (Marsh, 1992). This scale has been shown to be psychometrically sound. Details of the factors measured in this scale, its psychometric properties, number of items, and response scale used are presented in Table 1. Self-concept (SDQ) (Marsh, 1992);

Physical ability, emotional stability, verbal self-concept, mathematics self-concept, general school self-concept and global self-esteem.

Strength of Cultural Identity (Craven, 2005);

Affective identity self-concept, cognitive identity self-concept, affective cultural identity within school and cultural respect within school.

Optimism (Life orientation test) (Scheirer, Carver, & Bridges, 1994).

Intrinsic orientation, cooperative orientation and orientation to approach success.

Motivation (ISM) (McInervey 2003)

Effort goal orientation.

School belonging (SBS) (Parada, 2006)

Support (school), rule acceptance (school) and attachment (school)

Academy belonging (adapted from SBS – posttest only)

Support (academy), rule acceptance (academy) and attachment (academy).

Resilience (academic resilience scale) (Martin, 2006);

Academic resilience

School enjoyment (school enjoyment scale) (Craven, 2005)

School enjoyment

Motivation (SMQ (Craven & Marsh, 2003)

Mastery orientation., intrinsic orientation, co-operative orientation, orientation to approach success

Table 1 In addition, the questionnaire tests if being in the academy changes attitudes to schooling in general and brings about a change in self-concept and identity.

Academic achievement. Other quantitative data includes academic progress (students’ school reports, half yearly and yearly results in English, Mathematics and PD/H/PE) and retention data to measure the impact of the academy on student outcomes.

Attendance Data. Each term students’ attendance at school and in Girri Girri Sports Academy is collected and comparison between the two sets of attendance data is made to

7

measure impact of the sports academy on attendance. Data collected over the three years of the academy will inform findings.

Retention Data. The number of students completing Year 11 and Year 12 contributes to the quantitative data collected and measures if participating in the academy has impacted on students completion of schooling to year 12. Focus groups

Qualitative data includes focus groups and examines the impact of the academy on students’ outcomes. Focus groups will be held during term 4 of the intervention and will include the following participants-

• Students (8 students per site) • Aboriginal Education Assistants (all sites in one group) • Coordinators (all sites in one group) • Parents (8 parents per site). • Teachers (2-3 teachers per site) & Principals

The students’ questions aim to elucidate the extent to which Indigenous secondary students’ participation in GGSA has enhanced their perceptions of school life, the extent to which Indigenous secondary students’ participation in GGSA has enhanced their perceptions of the acceptance of their cultural identity at school and the impact of participating in GGSA on Indigenous secondary students’ multidimensional self-concepts utilising a construct validity approach to the study of intervention effects. The questions also aim to determine if the student’s motivation toward learning has been improved as a result of their participation in the program and if there is student optimism about future schooling. Procedure

The research includes the administration of a student attitudinal questionnaire at the beginning of each school year and in November. Academic achievement includes school reports mid-year and final yearly report. Attendance rates each term are used to compare school attendance and academy attendance. Retention rate is calculated at the end of each school year. Focus groups occur each year in November. Statistical Analyses

The research uses a multi-method and multi-occasion, multi-cohort (MCMO) methodology. Composed scales (Likert scales) were used to create variables and cross tabulations will be made to show relationships. Results Figure 1

0123456

PhysicalAbility

EmotionalStability

Verbal Self-Concept

Maths Self-Concept

GeneralSchool Self-

Concept

Global Self-Esteem

Apr-07Nov-07

Self-Concept (SDQ)

8

Figure 1 shows the results of the questionnaire and Self-Concept scores. The

students were required to circle their response using the Likert Scale, where 1=Strongly Disagree and 6= Strongly Agree. An examination of the means shows that students’ mean Self-Concept scores were higher than the scores from April 2007 in Physical Ability (+0.78), Verbal Self-Concept (+0.60), Maths Self-Concept (+0.60), General School Self Concept (+0.66) and Global Self-Esteem (+0.90).The results of self-concept Physical Ability and Global Self Esteem appear to be similar in these early results. The future investigation of results should elucidate if the intervention and the focus on sport does have the impact on global self-esteem. The anomaly is emotional stability and this trend down is positive. The emotional stability questions asked in the questionnaire included. “I get upset easily, I worry about a lot of things, I often feel confused and mixed up, I worry more than I need to, and I am a nervous person”. So a decrease in this result is a positive trend. These results are only preliminary findings and a further investigation with a control group will elucidate if belonging to the academy does have an impact on self-concept and academic achievement.

Figure 2

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

School Support Rules Acceptance AttachmentSchool

AcademicResilience

SchoolEnjoyment

MasteryOrientation

InstrinsicOrientation

CooperativeOrientation

Orientation toApproach

Effort GoalOrientation

Apr-07Nov-07

The School Belonging Figure 2 shows an increase across all domains. School

Support as perceived by the students has increased by the greater amount (+0.9) and Attachment (School) and Co-operative Orientation both improved by (+0.78).These results indicate that students have an improved attitude toward their school and sense of belonging has increased. Further testing of this will occur over the next two years comparing these results with the control group and other qualitative and quantitative data.

School Belonging

9

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Affective identityself-concept

Cognitive identityself- concept

Affective culturalidentity

Cultural respectwithin the school

Optimism lifeorientation

Apr-07Nov-07

Figure 3

Figure 3 shows the results of Strength of Cultural Identity. The most improved area was in the area of Cognitive Identity Self-Concept (+1.62) and the area to make only a small improvement was Cultural Respect within the School (+0.18). This result will challenge the direction of academy’s curriculum to ensure more advances in this area. Qualitative Data

The key themes which emerged in three focus groups held in November 2007 include:- Students

• School enjoyment and belonging had increased since the students had joined the academy. Student comments- ‘you get to meet other people’,’ get to go places you have never been before’, ‘coz you learn new stuff’, ‘you get to wear your t-shirt to say that you are Girri Girri’, ’being part of Girri Girri it’s one of the best things that’s happened since I have been at this school’, ‘we use to get jealous of xxx High School ‘coz they got everything, now we got Girri Girri’. This comment refers to another high school located in the same town.

• Respect from other students and respect within the school. Students overall did not believe that there had been much change in respect within the school but change had occurred with respect from other students. Student comments-‘I think the younger ones (referring to Year 7 & 6/5 students) takes us as a role model because we are like the first ones’, ‘there’s some in the school that don’t respect us but there’s some who do’(referring to teachers in the school).These comments indicate that respect from teachers had not yet been achieved by the students in this focus group. Bringing about the change will be a challenge of the intervention.

Strength of Cultural Identity

10

• About learning new things, students said, ‘Jane used to have a fear of heights but now since we did the ropes she’s got over it’, ‘ a bit more about careers’, ‘like before we did that netball thing. I did not have a clue about playing netball but now I know how to play netball’, ‘That internet stuff you showed about what job we want to do like what we want to do and ticked it and at the end it gave us like choices’

Teachers from the schools where an academy is located (not academy co-ordinators)

These comments are in response to the question “What changes have you observed with the students enrolled in the academy?”

• ‘Improvement in John, not major improvements mind you, he had a long way to go. Certainly improved, much more settled. Peter much more settled but John prior to this was very …but he is now manageable’.

• ‘It is also reflected in kids in year 7 asking about it. I spoke to James (Coordinator) yesterday we have three really exceptional kids who are wanting to go into it. So the students are obviously talking about it.(Girri Girri)’

• ‘But still some of the same problems still exist, like going on excursions, not bringing notes in and other like things’.

• ‘I think they are (changing) because they feel as though they’ve got someone looking out for them. Like James is of that type, person who does really present as a caring type person’.

Comments about any changes with staff • ‘Don’t know if it has done anything that I am aware of’. • ‘Most teachers would not know anything about Girri Girri’. • ‘They (teachers) only know that James (Co-ordinator) is there to help the kids.

Not much more’. Aboriginal Education Assistants

These comments are in response to the question “What changes have you observed with the students enrolled in the academy?”

• ‘I’ve noticed that the students are more outgoing with regard to relating to teachers, they are more confident about approaching teachers. Sadly to a point I think that Girri Girri can create such a diversion that they tend to forget a little bit about their academic work. Which isn’t something that can’t be changed. Just a matter of reminding them’.

• ‘To be honest I think it has had very little effect. Not due to Girri Girri’s fault but there is a certain apathy in the school’.

• ‘I think it is too early to tell to be honest , it is in its first year ,it is too early to make a decision about that’.(student outcomes)

• ‘I think they are much more positive about themselves especially those students who I see’. The focus groups data reflects the data obtained from the questionnaire. Students

are enjoying being at school and being part of the sports academy. Teachers and Aboriginal Education Assistants were still unsure of benefits after one year of the implementation of the sports academy but recognised that the academy was having some impact on students’ positive feeling about themselves. The students’ comment that they perceived that cultural respect within the school had ‘not really changed’ and this is reflected in the student

11

questionnaire results of respect within the school (+0.18) improvement. Further focus groups to include Co-ordinators and Principals over the next two years will further enrich this data.

Discussion

The preliminary findings of 2007 indicate that the school based sports academy, Girri Girri Sports Academy, is making a difference to the retention of students. While only a small number of Year 10 students were enrolled in the academy in 2007, all of these students progressed onto Year 11, and the academy provided three graduands with school based traineeships in Sports Coaching.

The results also point to a need to change strategies within the program to bring about an enhanced improvement in cultural respect within the school. The results were the students’ responses to the following questions; ‘my school respects my culture’, ‘I feel comfortable about my culture at school’; and ‘my teachers have a good understanding of my culture’. Scoring a low result indicates that students’ perceptions of cultural respect within the school needs to be addressed.

The quantitative and qualitative methodology provides a mixture of responses to enhance the data collected for this research. Whether the tracking of changes over the period of the research will inform practitioners that such a model can make a difference to Aboriginal students’ outcomes will be tested over the next two years.

These early results would indicate that the implementation of the intervention is making a difference to educational outcomes for Aboriginal students in the academy in this research. But if the model is to be adapted for use as a state-wide system intervention further data and measuring the impact will be necessary. This data and discussion will be completed over the next two years.

12

References Averis Ros, Senior Policy Adviser AUSYOUTH A Discussion Paper April 2003

Commonwealth of Australia Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory.

Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Craven, R.G. (1989). An examination of self-concept: The interrelationship of teachers',

parents and children's perceptions of self-concept, and their influence in enhancing self-concept. Unpublished B.A. Honours Thesis, University of Sydney, Australia.

Craven, R. G., Marsh, H. W., & Burnett, P. (2003). Cracking the self-concept enhancement conundrum: A call and blueprint for the next generation of self-concept enhancement research. In H.W. Marsh, R. G. Craven, & D. McInerney (Eds.). International Advances in Self Research. Volume 1, (pp. 91-126). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing. ISBN: 1593110057.

Dusseldorp Skills Forum(April 2007) Falk, I & Balatti, J (2003). Role of identity in VET learning. Refereed paper in conference

proceedings for Enriching Learning Cultures: 11th Annual International Conference on Post-compulsory Education and Training Crowne Plaza, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast Queensland, 1-3 December. Centre for Learning Research, Griffith University.

Falk, I. & Kilpatrick, S. (2000). ‘What is social capital? A study of interaction in rural community’, Sociologia ruralis, vol.40, no.1 pp.87-110.

Falk I & Ballati J (2003) Identity of Place :The Power and Consequences for VET Charles Darwin University AVETRA 2004 Conference

Fine, M. (1991). Framing dropouts: Notes on the politics of an urban public high school. State University of New York Press. Albany, New York.

Marsh, H. W., Byrne, B. M., & Shavelson, R. (1998). A multifaceted academic self-concept: Its hierarchical structure and its relation to academic achievement. Journal of Educational Psychology 80, 366-380.

Purdie, N (2000) ‘Self-Identity for Indigenous Students and Its Relationship to School Outcomes’ Commonwealth Department of Education and Training & Youth Affairs. July 2000 ISBN 0642448841

Sharp,C.,Schagen I. & Scott E (2004)Playing for Success: The Longer Term Impact a Multilevel Analysis. National Foundation for Education Research. Research Report RR593

Twigger-Ross, C.L. & Uzzell, D.L. (1996). ‘Place and Identity processes’, Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol.16,pp 205-220.

.