title: Using narrative inquiry to explore mathematics curriculum

authors: Bailey, Judy

subjects: curriculum

abstract: Curriculum can be interpreted broadly to include not only what is taught but how a subject is taught or enacted. Over recent years reflection has become an accepted practice as educators seek to develop their awareness about both what and how they teach. Narrative inquiry is one way in which educators can engage in such reflection. In this paper I describe narrative inquiry, briefly outline my own experience of how narrative inquiry supported a deeper exploration of my thinking about mathematics curriculum (the what and how), and propose that narrative inquiry is a valuable means to deepen one’s understandings of curricula.

text: Using narrative inquiry to explore mathematics curriculum Curriculum can be interpreted broadly to include not only what is taught but how a subject is taught or enacted. Over recent years reflection has become an accepted practice as educators seek to develop their awareness about both what and how they teach. Narrative inquiry is one way in which educators can engage in such reflection. In this paper I describe narrative inquiry, briefly outline my own experience of how narrative inquiry supported a deeper exploration of my thinking about mathematics curriculum (the what and how), and propose that narrative inquiry is a valuable means to deepen one’s understandings of curricula.

year: 2008

title: Academic tutors’ beliefs about and practices of giving feedback on students’ written assignments: A New Zealand case study

authors: Li, Jinrui

subjects: assessment

abstract: Teachers’ feedback on students’ written work is an important aspect of pedagogy. However, theoretical views differ on what constitutes ‘good’ feedback, both among applied linguists and academics in other disciplines. In-depth research needs to be carried out into the contextual difficulties of evaluating and assessing academic assignments, and the awarding of grades, especially by those who are relatively inexperienced in this work. This article reports aspects of a case study which explored the beliefs and practices of a group of untrained and inexperienced part-time tutors in a New Zealand university. Data were collected from a preliminary survey, individual interviews, ‘think aloud’ and stimulated recall sessions, and focus group meetings. Extracts from the collected data are presented and discussed. The findings indicate that these tutors initially stated their belief that the purpose of providing feedback was to assist the students to improve their academic writing skills; however, it emerged that their primary concern was to justify the grades that they awarded. It is suggested that using a multi-method approach to data collection can bridge the gap between theoretical perspectives on what constitutes ‘good’ feedback and what tutors actually believe and do in their everyday work.

text: Academic tutors’ beliefs about and practices of giving feedback on students’ written assignments: A New Zealand case study Teachers’ feedback on students’ written work is an important aspect of pedagogy. However, theoretical views differ on what constitutes ‘good’ feedback, both among applied linguists and academics in other disciplines. In-depth research needs to be carried out into the contextual difficulties of evaluating and assessing academic assignments, and the awarding of grades, especially by those who are relatively inexperienced in this work. This article reports aspects of a case study which explored the beliefs and practices of a group of untrained and inexperienced part-time tutors in a New Zealand university. Data were collected from a preliminary survey, individual interviews, ‘think aloud’ and stimulated recall sessions, and focus group meetings. Extracts from the collected data are presented and discussed. The findings indicate that these tutors initially stated their belief that the purpose of providing feedback was to assist the students to improve their academic writing skills; however, it emerged that their primary concern was to justify the grades that they awarded. It is suggested that using a multi-method approach to data collection can bridge the gap between theoretical perspectives on what constitutes ‘good’ feedback and what tutors actually believe and do in their everyday work.

year: 2011

title: Māori women’s perspectives of leadership and wellbeing

authors: Ruru, Stacey Mariu

subjects: Māori women leadership

abstract: This research sought to understand how Māori women leaders maintain their wellbeing within their leadership roles. Semi-structured interviews acknowledging kaupapa Māori theory (Māori philosophy, framework) principles were used to gather the leadership journeys of five Māori women leaders from academic and business backgrounds across the North Island, New Zealand. Kaupapa Māori principles such as kānohi kitea (greeting, meeting face to face), ako Māori (learning, teaching, reciprocity, cultural pedagogy) and manāki ki te tangata (caring, hosting people) provided a methodological framework to follow during interviews with Māori women leaders. From the interviews, thematic analysis was undertaken and patterns, similarities and differences were uncovered that led to the identification of eight main themes: Humility, collective work, the influence of others, overcoming boundaries, balance between te taha hinengaro (mental or psychological wellbeing) and te taha tinana (physical wellbeing), fostering pathways, quieting the mind, and whānau (family) connections. Secondary analysis further developed and explored the themes using indigenous whakataukī Māori (Māori proverbs), which became the overarching theme and connected the eight themes to the five whakataukī. The study found that balance between te taha hinengaro (the psychological, mental wellbeing dimension) and te taha tinana (the physical dimension) from Te Whare Tapa Whā (the four corners of a house) and Te Wheke (the octopus) Māori wellbeing models supported Māori women leaders’ waiora (health, wellbeing). Central to the success of these Māori women leaders was being connected to whānau and friends, and being influenced by tāmariki (children), tauira (students) and employees. These social connections made Māori women leaders strong and resilient to change and challenges. Māori leadership practices and values such as hūmarie (humility), mana wahine (Māori women’s leadership style), manākitanga (caring) and aroha (compassion, love) contributed to leadership drivers that enhanced Māori women within their leadership roles. Finally, recommendations include enhancing practices such as those that encourage mana (influence, power, and identity), mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and ako Māori for future generations to follow.

text: Māori women’s perspectives of leadership and wellbeing This research sought to understand how Māori women leaders maintain their wellbeing within their leadership roles. Semi-structured interviews acknowledging kaupapa Māori theory (Māori philosophy, framework) principles were used to gather the leadership journeys of five Māori women leaders from academic and business backgrounds across the North Island, New Zealand. Kaupapa Māori principles such as kānohi kitea (greeting, meeting face to face), ako Māori (learning, teaching, reciprocity, cultural pedagogy) and manāki ki te tangata (caring, hosting people) provided a methodological framework to follow during interviews with Māori women leaders. From the interviews, thematic analysis was undertaken and patterns, similarities and differences were uncovered that led to the identification of eight main themes: Humility, collective work, the influence of others, overcoming boundaries, balance between te taha hinengaro (mental or psychological wellbeing) and te taha tinana (physical wellbeing), fostering pathways, quieting the mind, and whānau (family) connections. Secondary analysis further developed and explored the themes using indigenous whakataukī Māori (Māori proverbs), which became the overarching theme and connected the eight themes to the five whakataukī. The study found that balance between te taha hinengaro (the psychological, mental wellbeing dimension) and te taha tinana (the physical dimension) from Te Whare Tapa Whā (the four corners of a house) and Te Wheke (the octopus) Māori wellbeing models supported Māori women leaders’ waiora (health, wellbeing). Central to the success of these Māori women leaders was being connected to whānau and friends, and being influenced by tāmariki (children), tauira (students) and employees. These social connections made Māori women leaders strong and resilient to change and challenges. Māori leadership practices and values such as hūmarie (humility), mana wahine (Māori women’s leadership style), manākitanga (caring) and aroha (compassion, love) contributed to leadership drivers that enhanced Māori women within their leadership roles. Finally, recommendations include enhancing practices such as those that encourage mana (influence, power, and identity), mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) and ako Māori for future generations to follow.

year: 2016