title: Viruses without vaccines, or valuing indigenous research? The tensions of introducing Western research assessment practices into an indigenous university

authors: Bruce Ferguson, Pip

abstract: Over my past twenty-five years of educational practice, I have striven to develop a better understanding of indigenous ways of being and doing (in New Zealand’s case, this involves the values and knowledge of Māori). I have done this by visiting and occasionally staying on marae (Māori gathering-places); by reading relevant literature; by engaging in conversations with knowledgeable scholars and by researching the impact of Western practices on indigenous peoples.

In 2003 I managed a research team for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, a Māori tertiary institution with branches across the country. Our Tertiary Education Commission had just introduced a variation of the English RAE, called the Performance-Based Research Fund, through which government research funds would henceforth be distributed. In collaboration with Māori colleagues, we chose to enter this process, believing that Māori research would be recognised and funded by our participation.

While this proved to be the case, there were significant examples of values clashes, such as the requirement for people to ‘boast’ of their research achievements in a context where such boasting is anathema; to claim ownership of knowledge where tradition often indicates that knowledge is not the property of individuals; and worst, at one point I found myself accused by my Māori manager of introducing ‘viruses without vaccines’. By this he meant Westernised ideas and practices which appeared to be benevolent but in fact were toxic (the idea derives from white settlers who apparently gave native Americans blankets permeated with a virus, causing thousands to die).

In this paper I will explore tensions of operating cross-culturally, and whether/how we can protect people from unintended toxic consequences of intended benevolent actions.

text: Viruses without vaccines, or valuing indigenous research? The tensions of introducing Western research assessment practices into an indigenous university Over my past twenty-five years of educational practice, I have striven to develop a better understanding of indigenous ways of being and doing (in New Zealand’s case, this involves the values and knowledge of Māori). I have done this by visiting and occasionally staying on marae (Māori gathering-places); by reading relevant literature; by engaging in conversations with knowledgeable scholars and by researching the impact of Western practices on indigenous peoples.

In 2003 I managed a research team for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, a Māori tertiary institution with branches across the country. Our Tertiary Education Commission had just introduced a variation of the English RAE, called the Performance-Based Research Fund, through which government research funds would henceforth be distributed. In collaboration with Māori colleagues, we chose to enter this process, believing that Māori research would be recognised and funded by our participation.

While this proved to be the case, there were significant examples of values clashes, such as the requirement for people to ‘boast’ of their research achievements in a context where such boasting is anathema; to claim ownership of knowledge where tradition often indicates that knowledge is not the property of individuals; and worst, at one point I found myself accused by my Māori manager of introducing ‘viruses without vaccines’. By this he meant Westernised ideas and practices which appeared to be benevolent but in fact were toxic (the idea derives from white settlers who apparently gave native Americans blankets permeated with a virus, causing thousands to die).

In this paper I will explore tensions of operating cross-culturally, and whether/how we can protect people from unintended toxic consequences of intended benevolent actions.

year: 2012

title: Ngaa tongikura o te Kiingitanga - He tongi takapou nui, he kura takapou roa

authors: Paki, Nga wai hono i te po

subjects: Tongikura

abstract: Mai anoo, mai anoo i te waa o ngoo taatou tuupuna, ko te iere o te reo, ko te tangi o te kupu te waka kawe i ngaa whakaaro me ngaa kare aa-roto o oo taatou tuupuna. Inaa hoki raa te hoohonu o te whakaaro me te huhua o ngaa kura huna kua rarau ki ngaa kupu tuku iho o oo taatou tuupuna. I roto i a maatou, o Tainui waka, o Waikato iwi, o te Kiingitanga, ko ngaa tongikura te ritenga.

Kei teenei tuhinga te whakamaaramatanga, te whakamahukitanga o teenei taonga te tongikura. Ahakoa, inaa raa ngaa tini tongikura o te Kiingitanga kua tongikuratia ko taa teenei tuhinga whakapae he tuuhura i ngaa kura huna e whakapaetia nei, he oranga kei roto i ngaa tongikura hei painga moo te tangata. Noo te orokohanganga mai o te Kiingitanga tatuu iho raa ki teenei rangi tonu kei ngeenei tongikura ngaa kupu taurangi, ngaa tohutohu nui aa te raangai upoko ariki o te Kiingitanga ki ngaa iwi. I roto i te whakapaparanga o te Kiingitanga kua kitea taatou i te nui o te whakamahinga o ngaa tongikura hei aarahi, hei takitaki i a taatou a Tainui waka, i a Tainui tangata.

Kua haoria ake raa ko ngeetehi kohinga tongikura hei whewheratanga maaku i roto i teenei tuhinga e kite ai taatou i te mauri ora o ngaa tongikura ki roto i te iwi o Waikato, ki roto anoo hoki i ngaa iwi o te Kiingitanga. E haangai mai ana ngeenei tongikura ki te ora o te iwi, e purutia ana hoki hei kura waananga maa ngaa reanga whakatupuranga o te inamata, ki te anamata. Tiikina ake raa ko te kupu wairua, kia tuu te tongikura, ko te aakinga te mea nui, tau ki runga ki teenei tuhikura. Haere, tomokia mai te whare tongikura, he tongi takapou kura, he kura takapou roa.

text: Ngaa tongikura o te Kiingitanga - He tongi takapou nui, he kura takapou roa Mai anoo, mai anoo i te waa o ngoo taatou tuupuna, ko te iere o te reo, ko te tangi o te kupu te waka kawe i ngaa whakaaro me ngaa kare aa-roto o oo taatou tuupuna. Inaa hoki raa te hoohonu o te whakaaro me te huhua o ngaa kura huna kua rarau ki ngaa kupu tuku iho o oo taatou tuupuna. I roto i a maatou, o Tainui waka, o Waikato iwi, o te Kiingitanga, ko ngaa tongikura te ritenga.

Kei teenei tuhinga te whakamaaramatanga, te whakamahukitanga o teenei taonga te tongikura. Ahakoa, inaa raa ngaa tini tongikura o te Kiingitanga kua tongikuratia ko taa teenei tuhinga whakapae he tuuhura i ngaa kura huna e whakapaetia nei, he oranga kei roto i ngaa tongikura hei painga moo te tangata. Noo te orokohanganga mai o te Kiingitanga tatuu iho raa ki teenei rangi tonu kei ngeenei tongikura ngaa kupu taurangi, ngaa tohutohu nui aa te raangai upoko ariki o te Kiingitanga ki ngaa iwi. I roto i te whakapaparanga o te Kiingitanga kua kitea taatou i te nui o te whakamahinga o ngaa tongikura hei aarahi, hei takitaki i a taatou a Tainui waka, i a Tainui tangata.

Kua haoria ake raa ko ngeetehi kohinga tongikura hei whewheratanga maaku i roto i teenei tuhinga e kite ai taatou i te mauri ora o ngaa tongikura ki roto i te iwi o Waikato, ki roto anoo hoki i ngaa iwi o te Kiingitanga. E haangai mai ana ngeenei tongikura ki te ora o te iwi, e purutia ana hoki hei kura waananga maa ngaa reanga whakatupuranga o te inamata, ki te anamata. Tiikina ake raa ko te kupu wairua, kia tuu te tongikura, ko te aakinga te mea nui, tau ki runga ki teenei tuhikura. Haere, tomokia mai te whare tongikura, he tongi takapou kura, he kura takapou roa.

year: 2022

title: Bringing ESL students out of their shells: Enhancing participation through online discussion

authors: Campbell, Nittaya

subjects: ESL student

abstract: The Majority of international students at my university are ESL students, mainly from East Asia and Southeast Asia. Although student diversity makes for a more exciting and interesting classroom, teaching a culturally mixed class is not without its challenges, one of which is that ESL students tend not to participate in class discussion. This article describes how instructors can use online discussion to integrate these students and enhance their participation.

text: Bringing ESL students out of their shells: Enhancing participation through online discussion The Majority of international students at my university are ESL students, mainly from East Asia and Southeast Asia. Although student diversity makes for a more exciting and interesting classroom, teaching a culturally mixed class is not without its challenges, one of which is that ESL students tend not to participate in class discussion. This article describes how instructors can use online discussion to integrate these students and enhance their participation.

year: 2007