title: Towards a model of best practice in facilitating critical thinking in secondary education.

authors: Shafer, Derek

abstract: Research has identified critical thinking to be important for short and long term student achievement, but there appears to be inconsistent theoretical understanding and pedagogical approaches to its transfer (Abrami et al., 2015). Even with a perceived value of critical thinking embedded in the minds of educators, and its prominence among the objectives of school curriculums across sectors, there is a gap of research that specifically focuses on how it is perceived and developed in Secondary School classrooms (Davies & Meissel, 2015). This presentation will share mixed methods research findings of how 28 New Zealand secondary teachers across the subject areas of English, Science and Social Science perceive and develop critical thinking as part of their instructional practice. It will also explore the outcomes of what a professional development focus on critical thinking has in supporting or shifting their views and practices. It is through these outcomes that this presentation hopes to empower educators to explore and develop their models of best practice, as well as help ensure secondary students receive purposeful critical thinking instruction.

text: Towards a model of best practice in facilitating critical thinking in secondary education. Research has identified critical thinking to be important for short and long term student achievement, but there appears to be inconsistent theoretical understanding and pedagogical approaches to its transfer (Abrami et al., 2015). Even with a perceived value of critical thinking embedded in the minds of educators, and its prominence among the objectives of school curriculums across sectors, there is a gap of research that specifically focuses on how it is perceived and developed in Secondary School classrooms (Davies & Meissel, 2015). This presentation will share mixed methods research findings of how 28 New Zealand secondary teachers across the subject areas of English, Science and Social Science perceive and develop critical thinking as part of their instructional practice. It will also explore the outcomes of what a professional development focus on critical thinking has in supporting or shifting their views and practices. It is through these outcomes that this presentation hopes to empower educators to explore and develop their models of best practice, as well as help ensure secondary students receive purposeful critical thinking instruction.

year: 2019

title: Climate change is here:  Teachers’ and students’ perceptions about education for It

authors: Bevins, Patricia Anne

subjects: Climate change

abstract: Climate change is the greatest threat humans have ever faced. The unprecedented anthropogenic activity impacting on the environment is having catastrophic effects across the globe and could continue for thousands of years. Mitigation to prevent further environmental harm and adaptation to the already-changing conditions are essential strategies in addressing climate change and, therefore, education for these strategies is imperative. Educators have an opportunity to prepare our learners with the knowledge and skills they will need to combat the impacts and effects of climate change. Climate change education offers young people a chance to develop their knowledge, critical and creative thinking and problem-solving skills while building their resilience and adaptive capacity to act in this crisis. But are our young people getting these learning opportunities?
This was an interpretive study that focused on the perceptions of climate change and climate change education of students, teachers and leaders at a secondary school in the Waikato region of New Zealand. A mix of quantitative and qualitative data was gathered by using an on-line questionnaire and focus groups with students and semi-structured interviews with their teachers and leaders. The data were divided into four sections: beliefs, knowledge, attitudes and actions for both the student data and the teachers’ and leaders’ data, and were thematically analysed using NVivo. 
The data clearly showed in this study that the students were worried about how climate change was going to affect their future lives and the lives of the people closest to them and most wanted to change their behaviour and take action to try and reduce the effects of a changing climate. In order to do this, the students wanted to learn more about climate change, raise their awareness, and the awareness in their community, so that everybody could be prepared for the changing climate. The findings indicated that the teachers all agreed that climate change education is important for students and wanted to know more about climate change so they could inform their students about climate change through education. The leaders indicated that it is vital that the students’ are thoroughly prepared for the changing climate and a change in behaviour, but they also felt that the teachers needed to be supported as well, and not just those teaching about climate change, but to make sure everyone is prepared for an uncertain future. 
This study recommends the Ministry of Education to firstly, consider how climate change education can be made available to all children and young people, and then to provide guidance on how educators in schools and teacher education throughout New Zealand could teach about climate change to all our learners.

text: Climate change is here:  Teachers’ and students’ perceptions about education for It Climate change is the greatest threat humans have ever faced. The unprecedented anthropogenic activity impacting on the environment is having catastrophic effects across the globe and could continue for thousands of years. Mitigation to prevent further environmental harm and adaptation to the already-changing conditions are essential strategies in addressing climate change and, therefore, education for these strategies is imperative. Educators have an opportunity to prepare our learners with the knowledge and skills they will need to combat the impacts and effects of climate change. Climate change education offers young people a chance to develop their knowledge, critical and creative thinking and problem-solving skills while building their resilience and adaptive capacity to act in this crisis. But are our young people getting these learning opportunities?
This was an interpretive study that focused on the perceptions of climate change and climate change education of students, teachers and leaders at a secondary school in the Waikato region of New Zealand. A mix of quantitative and qualitative data was gathered by using an on-line questionnaire and focus groups with students and semi-structured interviews with their teachers and leaders. The data were divided into four sections: beliefs, knowledge, attitudes and actions for both the student data and the teachers’ and leaders’ data, and were thematically analysed using NVivo. 
The data clearly showed in this study that the students were worried about how climate change was going to affect their future lives and the lives of the people closest to them and most wanted to change their behaviour and take action to try and reduce the effects of a changing climate. In order to do this, the students wanted to learn more about climate change, raise their awareness, and the awareness in their community, so that everybody could be prepared for the changing climate. The findings indicated that the teachers all agreed that climate change education is important for students and wanted to know more about climate change so they could inform their students about climate change through education. The leaders indicated that it is vital that the students’ are thoroughly prepared for the changing climate and a change in behaviour, but they also felt that the teachers needed to be supported as well, and not just those teaching about climate change, but to make sure everyone is prepared for an uncertain future. 
This study recommends the Ministry of Education to firstly, consider how climate change education can be made available to all children and young people, and then to provide guidance on how educators in schools and teacher education throughout New Zealand could teach about climate change to all our learners.

year: 2020

title: Te Raupatu o Tauranga Moana = The confiscation of Tauranga lands. [Volume 1]

authors: Stokes, Evelyn

subjects: Tauranga lands

abstract: A report providing a historical and geographical overview on the confiscation of Tauranga lands. In two volumes, volume one comprises a narrative of the events described as the raupatu, the confiscation of lands in the Tauranga Moana tribal area under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863.  Volume two is a collection of documents, edited and annotated which were compiled in support of the report. These documents include personal accounts, tribal history, land purchases, lands returned and crown transactions.

text: Te Raupatu o Tauranga Moana = The confiscation of Tauranga lands. [Volume 1] A report providing a historical and geographical overview on the confiscation of Tauranga lands. In two volumes, volume one comprises a narrative of the events described as the raupatu, the confiscation of lands in the Tauranga Moana tribal area under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863.  Volume two is a collection of documents, edited and annotated which were compiled in support of the report. These documents include personal accounts, tribal history, land purchases, lands returned and crown transactions.

year: 1990