School leadership and Aboriginal student outcomes: systematic review

ABSTRACT

This paper reports one part of a broader Aboriginal Voices Project that has been undertaken by 13 Australian researchers bringing together 10 systematic reviews on Aboriginal School Education. The extent of collaboration and engagement between school and community leaders is important to influence joint decision-making and required to attain lasting change. This review investigates how leadership in both the school and community can contribute to effecting a sustained change in Aboriginal student learning and social outcomes. It also examined the impacts of school policy, governance and decision-making. Findings from the systematic review have highlighted six themes that exemplify the importance of leadership in establishing successful collaborations in Indigenous educational settings to impact positively on student social and academic outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational Leadership
• schools
• Aboriginal
• Indigenous
• school leadership
• systematic review

Acknowledgments

This paper is part of the Aboriginal Voices systematic review project.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Karen Trimmer

Karen Trimmer is Professor (Educational Leadership) with the University of Southern Queensland. Her focus is professional development of leaders to impact education and social justice policy.

Roselyn Dixon

Dr Roselyn Dixon is Academic Coordinator of Inclusive and Special Education in the School of Education, at the University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia.

John Guenther

John Guenther is the research Leader for Education and Training with Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, based in Darwin, Northern Territory.