This document outlines a new approach to a Preparation for Tertiary Success (PTS) course designed to help Indigenous Australian students transition successfully to university. The new course focuses on identifying student strengths and learning needs, incorporating Indigenous knowledge, and developing a lifelong learning identity. Key changes include exploring concepts like identity, resilience and success; emphasizing group learning; and using tools like the Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory to support students through shared understanding of learning dimensions. Initial results are promising, with more students successfully completing the course.

1. Preparation for Tertiary Success
(PTS)
Michaela Wilkes and the PTS team

2. PTS new approach
Using
Learning
Power as
our lever
Unit Code/ Module title 2

3. Previous PTS
Preparation for Tertiary Study
 Aim: to assist students to learn academic skills
and successfully transition to the university
and subject of their choice
 Focus on academic skills which students
needed to master
 Large attrition rate
 Number of students successfully completing
the course each semester: 1 or 2
Unit Code/ Module title 3

4. Who are our students?
What are their needs?
What are their motivations for study?
What skills and knowledge do they bring to the
situation?
What do they need to learn so they can achieve
their dreams?

5. Teaching and Learning kit bag
ELLI
Adult learning Effective
principles Lifelong
Learning
4MAT
Academic skills
Bothways
ESL
8 learning design
questions
Brain theory
Art
therapy
Unit Code/ Module title 5

6. New PTS Course
1. PTS001 Learning Identity
2. PTS002 Strength & Success
3. PTS003 Learning in Communities
4. PTS004 Discipline Inquiry
5. PTS005 Reading & Reflection
6. PTS006 Ways of Knowing
7. PTS007 Introduction to Mathematics
8. PTS009 Introduction to Science
9. PTS010 Inquiry Project
10. PTS011 Advanced Mathematics
Unit Code/ Module title 6

7. PTS001 Learning Identity
• Identify your own
learning behaviours
• Recognise successful
learning behaviours
• Become a lifelong
learner

8. PTS002 Strength & Success
• Identify Indigenous
role models of
strength & success
• What is success?
• What does it mean
to be strong? To be
resilient?

9. PTS003 Learning in Communities
• When do you learn in groups?
• What are learning relationships?
• As part of a group, what are the
values, language and behaviours
of successful learning?
• How does intergenerational
learning occur in Indigenous
contexts?

10. 4MAT as a unit/lesson design tool
Perform / Celebrate / Integrate Learning Power – til now
Coaching Discussion – post it’s
Communication Forum
Refining your work
What’s it
going
Your project
Assignments to take? Learning Power - future
Assessments
Reading & Writing
Learning Power
Skills practise Managing my learning
Inquiry
ICT & tools
Unit Code/ Module title 10

11. Valuing what the students bring as
Indigenous learners
Unit Code/ Module title 11

12. Realisations about success
We are all successful
learners
Unit Code/ Module title 12

13. Art therapies, brain theory, symbols
Unit Code/ Module title 13

14. It’s a ‘learning journey’ for us all!
ELLI gives a shared language and understanding of the
seven learning dimensions
• Students
- way to deal with negative self talk
- strategies to move forward using learning strengths
- lecturers & students participate in this conversation
• Lecturers
- conversations with colleagues about creative &
enabling ways to support students using dimensions
Unit Code/ Module title 14

15. Progress this Year
 4 students successfully completed in semester 1, 2012
 10-15 students expected to complete in semester 2, 2012
 Degree courses PTS students have transitioned into:
Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Teaching & Learning
Bachelor of Land & Sea Management
Bachelor of Law
Bachelor of Language & Linguistics
 34% growth in student numbers this semester
Unit Code/ Module title 15

16. Thank you from PTS!
Unit Code/ Module title 16

17. References
Many of the images used in this presentation have been created by the PTS
classes of 2011 and 2012. They have been photographed by Michaela Wilkes
and Marilynn Willis.
Talent release forms completed by all students, providing permissions for art
work to be shared.
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Unit Code/ Module title 17