Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme

Introduction

The Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme Tertiary Tuition (ITAS TT) program provides funding for supplementary tuition to support eligible Indigenous students studying university award level courses at eligible ITAS funded institutions.  Tuition is managed by education providers and is available only for subjects in a student's formal education program.  It is not usually available for basic literacy, numeracy, enabling and bridging courses.

Goals

ITAS TT is intended to accelerate educational outcomes for Indigenous Australians beyond those which could reasonably be expected from mainstream and the providers own source of funding alone.

ITAS TT aims to improve educational outcomes of Indigenous Australian students in tertiary courses to the same levels as those for non-Indigenous Australians.

ITAS TT represents supplementary assistance.  It is intended to supplement normal teaching resources and cannot be used to substitute or replace them.

Student eligibility

A student may need to be determined to be in need of tuition if he/she:

  • Is failing the course/subject and the lecturer believes that the student's performance would be improved through additional tuition;
  • Was just passing the course and the lecturer believes that the student's performance would be improved through additional tuition;
  • Was previously performing satisfactorily but is having difficulties with a new component of the course and is in danger of failing, or falling behind; and
  • Requires tutorial assistance to achieve an academic level or ranking required to proceed to a subsequent stage or course of study.

Tutor eligibility

The primary objective of a Casual ITAS TT Tutor is to provide supplementary tutorial assistance to Indigenous Australian students enrolled in an award level course at University. Casual ITAS Tutors must have empathy with, and understanding of, students’ educational needs and an ability to support those needs. 

Detailed duties
  • To provide tutoring support to students who have identified a need for ITAS support;
  • To provide tutoring support for up to two (2) hours per subject per week each semester;
  • To provide five (5) hours additional tutoring support for exam preparation;
  • To complete a tutor work program with students and submit to the supervisor
  • To submit timesheets to the supervisor on a fortnightly basis;
  • To complete a tutor assessment form in week 13; and
  • To attend a cultural awareness workshop delivered by the University.
Selection criteria

Prospective ITAS Tutors must:

  • Be qualified, either through formal education or relevant experience, to be eligible to deliver tutoring under ITAS TT;
  • Be available to deliver support up to two (2) hours per subject to assigned student/s on a weekly basis;
  • Demonstrate willingness and ability to negotiate suitable learning goals and strategies for the tutoring support program in consultation with assigned student/s;
  • Wherever possible, suitably qualified Indigenous people should be selected as ITAS tutors. 
  • Tutors must be sensitive to, and able to relate to, the educational needs of Indigenous students; and
  • Not be a member of the students immediate or de-facto family and not be the student's usual class or subject teacher, lecturer or tutor. 
Tertiary students as tutors

Tertiary students eligible for ITAS TT may request another tertiary student as their tutor. The proposed tutor must be:

Studying a major sequence of units in the subjects which the student needs tutoring support;

  • At least two academic years ahead of the student;
  • Able to show evidence of sound academic progress; and
  • Not receiving ITAS tuition in that subject/course area.

Tuition delivery

  • ITAS TT must ensure that tuition is delivered according to the work program and that tuition meets students' educational needs;
  • ITAS TT is not available for subjects outside the student's formal educational or structured training program;
  • ITAS TT may use small group tuition rather than individual tuition, however, the tuition must be appropriate to the needs of all students in the group; and
  • ITAS TT can assess students' needs for tuition in consultation with the course coordinator or subject lecturer where practicable; or other appropriate staff of the institution.

Tutor and student responsibilities

Toward the end of the tuition period, the student and his/her lecturer/tutor must complete a tuition assessment to provide feedback to the provider and DEEWR about the effectiveness of the tuition. 

For all ITAS TT forms please contact:

Maatakiri Te Ruki
Indigenous Services Officer
Tel: +61 7 5459 4439
Email: mteruki@usc.edu.au

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