'Proper Deadly': Student memories of adult education under Indigenous control: Tranby, 1980-2000

Abstract

The voices of students about the early days of Indigenous-controlled adult education providers are hard to find. In historical research for Tranby National Indigenous Education and Training and the University of Technology Sydney 24 former participants of Tranby courses from 1980 to 2000 gave in-depth interviews, which were analysed alongside Tranby’s archival holdings for the first two decades under Indigenous CEOs and Board Chair. Tranby drew students from across the country with goals ranging from improving literacy to gaining skills for community roles, accessing further education or allowing promotion. Informal interviews with seven former Tranby teachers added information on subject design and teaching strategies.  The former students’ interviews focussed on Tranby’s atmosphere and learning environment, strongly valuing the perspectives they learned from their fellow Indigenous students. Most felt that, while formal courses were useful, these contextual and informal experiences were more useful in their later careers.