Forging strengths-based education with non-traditional students in higher education

Widening access to higher education is a key aspiration of Australian educational policy. Drawing on a sample of non-traditional undergraduate Health and Physical Education (HPE) students, this study argues that an inclusive curriculum recognises and builds on the resources represented by students from various socio-cultural backgrounds. Aligned with a strengths-based approach, this paper draws on Yosso’s notion of community cultural wealth to explore the perceptions of 11 non-traditional students from an undergraduate HPE program regarding the resources they brought to higher education. Findings suggest a need to move beyond a traditional deficit approach and promote students’ engagement and capital building in their higher education experiences. Implications for an inclusive curriculum with regard to the use of a strengths-based learning and teaching strategies for non-traditional HPE university students are also discussed.