title: Students' learning wellbeing in an Innovative Learning Environment

authors: Richmond, Anke

subjects: Learning

abstract: In the New Zealand context, students, whānau (extended family) and the wider community as well as the Ministry of Education have identified students’ learning wellbeing as a matter of priority. Learning wellbeing is understood to be essential for students to feel safe and confident in themselves, and to engage and achieve in education and life beyond schooling. Correspondingly, in 2020, the New Zealand Government announced a funding initiative to promote the development of positive attitudes in students that would help them address learning challenges and achieve a sense of belonging and community. A particular focus within this initiative related to explicitly teaching about resilience and teachers developing ways of creating satisfying learning experiences for students. This initiative was introduced at a time when new design standards specifications regulated how refurbished classrooms and new schools were to align with the principles of Innovative Learning Environments (ILE). Interest in ILEs has arisen in response to national and international policy directives on the redesign of learning spaces. As yet, little is known about students’ perceptions of their learning wellbeing in such new types of learning spaces. My study aimed to contribute to addressing this gap.
To investigate relationships between students’ learning wellbeing and new learning spaces, I used a single case study design with purposive sampling. Through this approach, I investigated students’ perceptions of their learning wellbeing in a newly built ILE school. For the purposes of my research, I defined students’ learning wellbeing as a predominantly positive mood and attitude towards school learning experiences and challenges. Students demonstrating high learning wellbeing have positive relationships with other students and teachers, demonstrate everyday academic resilience, and experience a sense of satisfaction with their learning. For my project, I defined an ILE as an open-plan learning area where teachers facilitate personalised learning contexts. Other studies have found students are organised differently in these spaces from traditional classroom settings, with more than one teacher assigned to a larger cohort of students. These teachers commonly co-teach and combine subject areas, connected by cohesive teaching and assessment tasks. Other infrastructure elements include ubiquitous Wifi and a focus on learner agency. Both students and teachers participated in my research. Data collection took place via participant-driven photo-elicitation, focus group and individual interviews, and documentary data analysis. I analysed participants' comments on their learning wellbeing thematically and inductively. By modifying the portraiture technique, I crafted three descriptive profiles of students’ learning wellbeing. The portraits allowed me to make participant students’ views visible, while protecting them as individuals, and create three categories of learning wellbeing.
My findings illustrate the value of the school’s proactive approach to learning wellbeing through its learning wellbeing framework. It has three parts: 1) a dispositional curriculum focusing on students’ everyday academic resilience, learner agency and self-regulation skills which are summed up in the CLOAK acronym; 2) Learning Advisors who foster the CLOAK values through individual, high quality mentoring, and 3) a badging system that functions as a recognition programme whereby students receive badges for displaying CLOAK values. Student data indicated that the three aspects of the learning wellbeing framework mutually inform and support each other to foster students’ sense of learning wellbeing. The three-part learning wellbeing framework assisted students to make personalised learning choices in their curricular learning.
The three fictional portraits illustrate the characteristics of students with high learning wellbeing (HWB), medium learning wellbeing (MWB) and low learning wellbeing (LWB), offering a nuanced insight into students’ various perspectives on their learning wellbeing. The portraits highlight that students’ learning wellbeing is linked to their ability to make and act on positive learning choices: HWB students were distinguished by how they thrived in making learning choices while MWB and LWB students needed more support to make positive decisions for themselves as learners. The portraits point to a need to better understand the complexities in students’ learning wellbeing in ILEs.

text: Students' learning wellbeing in an Innovative Learning Environment In the New Zealand context, students, whānau (extended family) and the wider community as well as the Ministry of Education have identified students’ learning wellbeing as a matter of priority. Learning wellbeing is understood to be essential for students to feel safe and confident in themselves, and to engage and achieve in education and life beyond schooling. Correspondingly, in 2020, the New Zealand Government announced a funding initiative to promote the development of positive attitudes in students that would help them address learning challenges and achieve a sense of belonging and community. A particular focus within this initiative related to explicitly teaching about resilience and teachers developing ways of creating satisfying learning experiences for students. This initiative was introduced at a time when new design standards specifications regulated how refurbished classrooms and new schools were to align with the principles of Innovative Learning Environments (ILE). Interest in ILEs has arisen in response to national and international policy directives on the redesign of learning spaces. As yet, little is known about students’ perceptions of their learning wellbeing in such new types of learning spaces. My study aimed to contribute to addressing this gap.
To investigate relationships between students’ learning wellbeing and new learning spaces, I used a single case study design with purposive sampling. Through this approach, I investigated students’ perceptions of their learning wellbeing in a newly built ILE school. For the purposes of my research, I defined students’ learning wellbeing as a predominantly positive mood and attitude towards school learning experiences and challenges. Students demonstrating high learning wellbeing have positive relationships with other students and teachers, demonstrate everyday academic resilience, and experience a sense of satisfaction with their learning. For my project, I defined an ILE as an open-plan learning area where teachers facilitate personalised learning contexts. Other studies have found students are organised differently in these spaces from traditional classroom settings, with more than one teacher assigned to a larger cohort of students. These teachers commonly co-teach and combine subject areas, connected by cohesive teaching and assessment tasks. Other infrastructure elements include ubiquitous Wifi and a focus on learner agency. Both students and teachers participated in my research. Data collection took place via participant-driven photo-elicitation, focus group and individual interviews, and documentary data analysis. I analysed participants' comments on their learning wellbeing thematically and inductively. By modifying the portraiture technique, I crafted three descriptive profiles of students’ learning wellbeing. The portraits allowed me to make participant students’ views visible, while protecting them as individuals, and create three categories of learning wellbeing.
My findings illustrate the value of the school’s proactive approach to learning wellbeing through its learning wellbeing framework. It has three parts: 1) a dispositional curriculum focusing on students’ everyday academic resilience, learner agency and self-regulation skills which are summed up in the CLOAK acronym; 2) Learning Advisors who foster the CLOAK values through individual, high quality mentoring, and 3) a badging system that functions as a recognition programme whereby students receive badges for displaying CLOAK values. Student data indicated that the three aspects of the learning wellbeing framework mutually inform and support each other to foster students’ sense of learning wellbeing. The three-part learning wellbeing framework assisted students to make personalised learning choices in their curricular learning.
The three fictional portraits illustrate the characteristics of students with high learning wellbeing (HWB), medium learning wellbeing (MWB) and low learning wellbeing (LWB), offering a nuanced insight into students’ various perspectives on their learning wellbeing. The portraits highlight that students’ learning wellbeing is linked to their ability to make and act on positive learning choices: HWB students were distinguished by how they thrived in making learning choices while MWB and LWB students needed more support to make positive decisions for themselves as learners. The portraits point to a need to better understand the complexities in students’ learning wellbeing in ILEs.

year: 2022

title: Contract cheating and academic integrity in higher education: what can universities, governments and quality assurance agencies do to understand, prevent and respond to the challenge?

authors: Williamson, Myra Elsie Jane Bell

abstract: Powerpoint presentation (48 slides) which supported my paper presentation at the 6th Annual International Conference organised and hosted by the Kuwait International Law School in 2019. Conference was held in Doha City, Kuwait from 1-2 May 2019. Theme of the conference was: "Contemporary Legal Developments: Issues and Challenges" My paper was presented in the 2nd Session with the session theme: "Tools for Activating Legal Education and Quality Assurance".

text: Contract cheating and academic integrity in higher education: what can universities, governments and quality assurance agencies do to understand, prevent and respond to the challenge? Powerpoint presentation (48 slides) which supported my paper presentation at the 6th Annual International Conference organised and hosted by the Kuwait International Law School in 2019. Conference was held in Doha City, Kuwait from 1-2 May 2019. Theme of the conference was: "Contemporary Legal Developments: Issues and Challenges" My paper was presented in the 2nd Session with the session theme: "Tools for Activating Legal Education and Quality Assurance".

year: 2019

title: An exploration of wellbeing in Hapū Wānanga through a Te Wheke framework analysis

authors: Hawaikirangi, Lena

subjects: Antenatal education

abstract: Before colonisation, Māori had comprehensive knowledge and practices around pregnancy and childbirth. With colonisation, traditional maternity knowledge and practices were replaced by western medical practices. In more recent times, antenatal education classes have played an essential role in providing information on pregnancy, birth and caring for newborns. Research reports that Māori are less likely to attend antenatal programmes and  have suggested that culturally responsive programmes may encourage better engagement by Māori. Hapū Wānanga is a kaupapa Māori antenatal education programme. No previous research has explored how whānau experience wellbeing through Hapū Wānanga. This research explores how participants experience wellbeing within the Kia Wana  Lakes Baby Service Hapū Wānanga. Three participants, including one couple, and three facilitators were interviewed. Transcripts were analysed through a framework analysis using the Te Wheke model (Pere, 1997), a comprehensive Māori model of health. Findings showed that Hapū Wānanga caters to Māori holistic views of wellbeing, as demonstrated through the Te Wheke Model (Pere, 1997). All participants reported negative experiences with mainstream antenatal services; however, whānau enjoyed their experience at Hapū Wānanga. The two dimensions that influenced participants most were whānaungatanga (kinship ties) and hā ā koro mā ā kuia mā (cultural heritage). Although whānau were empowered by their experience at Hapū Wānanga, they wanted to learn more about parenting and postpartum, mental health. Overall, my findings highlighted that culturally adapted programmes that cater to  holistic models of wellbeing could engage Māori service users in an enjoyable and empowering way. If healthcare providers are to be successful in improving indigenous peoples' wellbeing, they need to prioritise culturally adapted programmes based on holistic models of wellbeing.

text: An exploration of wellbeing in Hapū Wānanga through a Te Wheke framework analysis Before colonisation, Māori had comprehensive knowledge and practices around pregnancy and childbirth. With colonisation, traditional maternity knowledge and practices were replaced by western medical practices. In more recent times, antenatal education classes have played an essential role in providing information on pregnancy, birth and caring for newborns. Research reports that Māori are less likely to attend antenatal programmes and  have suggested that culturally responsive programmes may encourage better engagement by Māori. Hapū Wānanga is a kaupapa Māori antenatal education programme. No previous research has explored how whānau experience wellbeing through Hapū Wānanga. This research explores how participants experience wellbeing within the Kia Wana  Lakes Baby Service Hapū Wānanga. Three participants, including one couple, and three facilitators were interviewed. Transcripts were analysed through a framework analysis using the Te Wheke model (Pere, 1997), a comprehensive Māori model of health. Findings showed that Hapū Wānanga caters to Māori holistic views of wellbeing, as demonstrated through the Te Wheke Model (Pere, 1997). All participants reported negative experiences with mainstream antenatal services; however, whānau enjoyed their experience at Hapū Wānanga. The two dimensions that influenced participants most were whānaungatanga (kinship ties) and hā ā koro mā ā kuia mā (cultural heritage). Although whānau were empowered by their experience at Hapū Wānanga, they wanted to learn more about parenting and postpartum, mental health. Overall, my findings highlighted that culturally adapted programmes that cater to  holistic models of wellbeing could engage Māori service users in an enjoyable and empowering way. If healthcare providers are to be successful in improving indigenous peoples' wellbeing, they need to prioritise culturally adapted programmes based on holistic models of wellbeing.

year: 2021