As the year draws to a close, we want to take the time to celebrate the wonderful work of our alumni. The results of our recent Stronger Smarter Alumni Census highlight that, despite the challenges all educators have faced this year, there continues to be an outstanding level of ongoing engagement and commitment towards transformation for Indigenous education. Our Census … Read More

Four school leaders in northern NSW describe how they have used strategies from the Stronger Smarter Specialists Program to deepen their understandings and skills to work with staff to build a culture of high expectations across their schools. Stronger Smarter facilitator Damian Bisogni has been talking to some of his colleagues in Ballina about how they are using the Stronger … Read More

The Stronger Smarter Approach Framework  There has been so much written about what needs to happen for transformative change in Indigenous education, but very little about ‘how’ we can achieve this.  The Stronger Smarter Approach provides a framework to lead educators through the ‘how.’  With this framework, we believe we can rewrite the narrative of our schools to one of engagement, … Read More

Our History   Since 2005, schools across the country have been implementing the Stronger Smarter Approach.  This began after the Institute’s founder, Dr Chris Sarra became the first Aboriginal principal of Cherbourg State School in the late 1990s.  Dr Sarra conceptualised the ‘strong and smart’ philosophy which challenged the whole school community to hold higher expectations for their children’s schooling and … Read More

Jardibirrijba group and facilitators at Redcliffe QLD First Nations Women have long been the strong backbone that provide support and structure to Indigenous communities across Australia. The Stronger Smarter Institute’s acknowledges this strength through a new initiative known as the Teachers of STEM Initiative (ToSI).     ToSI ‘s primary focus is to provide various supports and mentoring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to assist them in their journey to becoming qualified teachers specialising in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The Institute … Read More

Delta Kay Nation: Arakwal Bundjalung Currently working as an Aboriginal Education Officer with NPWS in her traditional homelands in Byron Bay. Delta’s stories have been handed down from her mother and her aunties. Her passion is sharing her Arakwal Bundjalung culture through story, dance and sensory experiences aimed at all age groups from early childhood to adults. Come, walk with … Read More

HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT SUPPORTS EDUCATION TO ENSURE BETTER FUTURES FOR THE TARIBELANG BUNDA COMMUNITY It is with great pleasure that today we announce the launch of Impact with Indigenous Education, a unique partnership program between the Taribelang Aboriginal Corporation, Gladstone Ports Corporation, the Port Curtis Coral Coast Trust, the Queensland Department of Education and the Stronger Smarter Institute. This partnership, … Read More

  This Reading Review is based on a national evaluation report of the targeted Indigenous STEM approach taken by CSIRO as part of their successful procurement of a $28 million grant from BHP Billiton Foundation. The Indigenous STEM Education Project report by Tynan and Noon (2017) expands more specifically into the Indigenous STEM space by providing a comprehensive Literature Review … Read More

This Reading Review explores the paper Postcolonial Computing: A Lens on Design and Development by Irani, Vertesi, Dourish, Philip & Grinter (2010). This paper was suggested by Associate Professor Chris Lawrence from the University of Technology, Sydney. The insights and research from Irani et al. is used by Associate Professor Lawrence as a foundational framework for projects he is currently undertaking to … Read More

Max Lenoy is Kuku Yalanji on his Dad’s side from Mossman and the Gulf area. Through his Mother, he connects to Hughenden and the Djirrbal and Warungum mobs. Max is leading our SSiSTEMIK Masterclass in Digital Technologies at the Australian Catholic University at their Banyo, Brisbane campus.  Max is an educator who has spent significant time teaching pre-service and master … Read More