A little bit about BIITE and what motivates me

I know I work in an interesting place and so I'd be very happy to share some of what I do and what the Institute is.

Working with some of our ladies from Wadeye

Batchelor Institute has been around for over 30 years in various guises but is always driven by the principles of 'Both-ways' learning. We deliver  both Higher education and VET to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We also have a vibrant research division, including a small cohort of masters and PhD students. Our HE students come from all over Australia like any tertiary institution but our VET students are primarily from very remote, remote or regional Aboriginal or Torres Strait communities. Many of our students are highly literate in their own languages but have English as a second, third or fourth language or even sometimes more. Concepts of numeracy also differ and many have never been in a library or opened a book. Quite a challenge for the library and the Institute!

"While they are learning at Batchelor, they are building on their knowledge and skills. Students have these in both Indigenous knowledges and ways of learning; and in Western knowledges and ways of learning. Students, lecturers and support staff all journey together. Through this journey a rich and supportive teaching and learning environment is created. This learning is situated sometimes on campus, and sometimes on the community, sometimes at work. Some students do workshops at home; some students travel to campus for workshops. The learning at Batchelor builds on learning from home and also contributes to the knowledge that students share in their home communities. For many students, this means validating their new knowledge and learning with their elders. Batchelor graduates are highly skilled, bicultural leaders with a strong identity and skills in learning and problem-solving".
(Ober, R & Bat, M 2007, Paper 1:Both-ways: the philosophy', Ngoonjook; a Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, no. 31, pp.64-68