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What is INISSS?
Improving Numeracy for Indigenous Students in Secondary School (INISSS), is a well organised project of the Aboriginal Education Unit, Tasmania. Prior to the project, any educational measure demonstrated that Indigenous students performed less well in mathematics than non-Indigenous students. In working to turn this situation about, Vicky Nicholson, project manager, developed a program of residential conferences and in-school experimentation which, to date, has stretched over two years. One part of the program was to resource teachers from twenty schools with the Queensland version of the Task Centre Kit for Aboriginal Students and provide workshops in its use.
The project also provided teachers with input related to Aboriginal perspective through the involvement of Aboriginal Education Workers and others from the Aboriginal community. These people helped teachers focus on the perspective of their Aboriginal students and, through both planned sessions and the informal nature of the residential conferences, extended teachers' understanding of Aboriginal culture.
Specifically, teachers from twenty schools influencing almost 2000 Year 8 students were involved in professional learning sessions to:
- develop cross cultural awareness
- develop inclusive classroom practice
- trial practical and relevant teaching materials
- accommodate a range of learning styles
- encourage collaborative inquiry amongst students
- trial innovative assessment and reporting procedures
- record and review classroom and workshop practice using video
- share good practice
- develop inter-school support and communication systems
Further details about the project's history and current development can be obtained from the project leader Vicky Nicholson.
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