Factors contributing to educational outcomes for First Nations students from remote communities: A systematic review

Education for Australian First Nations students living in remote communities has
long been seen as an intractable problem. Ten years of concerted effort under Closing
the Gap and related policy initiatives has done little to change outcomes beyond
small, incremental improvements. Programmes and strategies promising much have
come and gone, and most have died a quiet death. This apparent failure leaves the
context of remote education ripe for the picking. If we can demonstrate what works
and why, it may provide an answer to the problem. This systematic review aims to
uncover what research reveals about what does make a difference to outcomes for
students. The review found 45 papers that provide considerable evidence to show
what is and is not effective. The review also found several issues that have little or
no evidence and which could be the subject of more research.