title: A critical analysis of the place of culture in evaluation

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

abstract: For the past 100 or so years formal evaluation has taken its lead from frameworks that originate from a culturally blind standpoint. Worldwide the major influence on evaluation practice comes from the United States of America. The absence of non-dominant (or indigenous) culturally constructed frameworks has been replicated around the world. Before the formation of the Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association (ANZEA), as a New Zealand specific evaluation group, practitioners generally belonged to the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) and joined in the sharing, adoption and adaptation of USAs Program Evaluation Standards. However, the context of evaluation in New Zealand has been somewhat different from the rest of the world, becoming more culturally centered than other countries. The role and place of the Treaty of Waitangi has been acknowledged as an attributing factor (ANZEA, 2011). Four indigenous “By Maori for Maori” health & wellbeing programmes externally evaluated were case studies within my research. I draw upon examples from the cases studies to highlight the vulnerable and contentious position indigenous service providers and indigenous evaluators were in. Adapting Sandra Grande’s (2004) analysis, I critiqued the context of the case study evaluations that commissioners considered as Kaupapa Maori. In this presentation I argue that while stakeholders perceived the work to be an indigenous evaluation, the case studies demonstrate that whitestream evaluation was prevalent.

text: A critical analysis of the place of culture in evaluation For the past 100 or so years formal evaluation has taken its lead from frameworks that originate from a culturally blind standpoint. Worldwide the major influence on evaluation practice comes from the United States of America. The absence of non-dominant (or indigenous) culturally constructed frameworks has been replicated around the world. Before the formation of the Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association (ANZEA), as a New Zealand specific evaluation group, practitioners generally belonged to the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) and joined in the sharing, adoption and adaptation of USAs Program Evaluation Standards. However, the context of evaluation in New Zealand has been somewhat different from the rest of the world, becoming more culturally centered than other countries. The role and place of the Treaty of Waitangi has been acknowledged as an attributing factor (ANZEA, 2011). Four indigenous “By Maori for Maori” health & wellbeing programmes externally evaluated were case studies within my research. I draw upon examples from the cases studies to highlight the vulnerable and contentious position indigenous service providers and indigenous evaluators were in. Adapting Sandra Grande’s (2004) analysis, I critiqued the context of the case study evaluations that commissioners considered as Kaupapa Maori. In this presentation I argue that while stakeholders perceived the work to be an indigenous evaluation, the case studies demonstrate that whitestream evaluation was prevalent.

year: 2015

title: Planning for the protection and enhancement of marine environments' wellbeing

authors: Barnsdall, Aaron

subjects: marine

abstract: The wellbeing of marine environments has a direct relationship with the types of whenua (land, placenta) use and management practices that go from the mountains to the sea. In Aotearoa, activities that are carried out in this land-marine interface, including those related to Nature-based Solutions (NbSs), are regulated by national, regional, and district policies (e.g., New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, regional plans, and district plans). However, due to its novel character, not all current policies account for the realisation of NbSs nor are NbSs’ potential for addressing the wellbeing of our marine environments well understood.

This dissertation focuses on Tauranga Moana (the seas of Tauranga) as the chosen locality for the case study area, to:

i) investigate how the Ngapeke 7 Trust’s community participants in the Ngāti Pūkenga area of Tauranga Moana understand and value NbSs for addressing the wellbeing of their marine systems; and,
ii) review current planning policies and mechanisms to identify barriers, enablers, and gaps that support or hinder the implementation of NbSs in Tauranga Moana, observing through a Kaupapa Māori lens.

Findings emphasize that integrating mātauranga Māori and Māori Ecological Knowledge (MEK) with scientific knowledge offers a holistic approach to environmental management, enhancing decision-making, education, and policy. Key Māori values, including whakapapa, mauri, and kaitiakitanga, are central to this approach.

The research identifies gaps in policies regarding NbS realization and a need for greater understanding of NbS potential and Māori perspectives. Implications include the necessity of integrating MEK into environmental practices and policies, and the value of NbSs for effective and equitable environmental outcomes. Limitations include sample size and scope, which focused on the Ngapeke 7 block. This research contributes valuable insights for environmental planning and management by centring mātauranga Māori and values in NbS implementation for marine health.

text: Planning for the protection and enhancement of marine environments' wellbeing The wellbeing of marine environments has a direct relationship with the types of whenua (land, placenta) use and management practices that go from the mountains to the sea. In Aotearoa, activities that are carried out in this land-marine interface, including those related to Nature-based Solutions (NbSs), are regulated by national, regional, and district policies (e.g., New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement, regional plans, and district plans). However, due to its novel character, not all current policies account for the realisation of NbSs nor are NbSs’ potential for addressing the wellbeing of our marine environments well understood.

This dissertation focuses on Tauranga Moana (the seas of Tauranga) as the chosen locality for the case study area, to:

i) investigate how the Ngapeke 7 Trust’s community participants in the Ngāti Pūkenga area of Tauranga Moana understand and value NbSs for addressing the wellbeing of their marine systems; and,
ii) review current planning policies and mechanisms to identify barriers, enablers, and gaps that support or hinder the implementation of NbSs in Tauranga Moana, observing through a Kaupapa Māori lens.

Findings emphasize that integrating mātauranga Māori and Māori Ecological Knowledge (MEK) with scientific knowledge offers a holistic approach to environmental management, enhancing decision-making, education, and policy. Key Māori values, including whakapapa, mauri, and kaitiakitanga, are central to this approach.

The research identifies gaps in policies regarding NbS realization and a need for greater understanding of NbS potential and Māori perspectives. Implications include the necessity of integrating MEK into environmental practices and policies, and the value of NbSs for effective and equitable environmental outcomes. Limitations include sample size and scope, which focused on the Ngapeke 7 block. This research contributes valuable insights for environmental planning and management by centring mātauranga Māori and values in NbS implementation for marine health.

year: 2025-04-16

title: Factors affecting students' sense of inclusion in the undergraduate engineering program at Waipapa Taumata Rau (The University of Auckland)

authors: Dhopade, Priyanka

subjects: belonging

abstract: Background:
Women, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQIA+ people have historically been excluded from the engineering profession. When they do pursue engineering, they often face challenges within both education and industry. Retention is a growing issue; for example, women in industry have significantly higher turnover rates than men.

Purpose/Hypothesis:
Feelings of belonging, satisfaction, and perceptions of one's future career are important for retention in engineering education. However, little is known about the factors that impact these constructs in tertiary education—where foundational engineering experiences occur—for a range of potentially intersectional social identities in contexts other than the United States.

Methods:
We designed an online questionnaire (n = 379) and a series of focus groups (n = 17) with engineering students at Waipapa Taumata Rau (The University of Auckland) in Aotearoa (New Zealand). We applied thematic analysis to extract a list of common factors that influenced students' experiences in this unique context.

Results:
Students who were unsure of or did not want to disclose parts of their identity reported the lowest sense of belonging and satisfaction. The factors that specifically impacted historically excluded groups included unsupportive working environments, not being respected academically, and exclusionary course content.

Conclusion:
Our findings identify factors that contributed to students' experiences that may impact retention in Aotearoa but have implications for other contexts. Finally, we make recommendations to engineering education practitioners on how to support (and retain) students from historically excluded groups, including dedicated learning and social environments, inclusive course content, and awareness education on inclusivity.

text: Factors affecting students' sense of inclusion in the undergraduate engineering program at Waipapa Taumata Rau (The University of Auckland) Background:
Women, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQIA+ people have historically been excluded from the engineering profession. When they do pursue engineering, they often face challenges within both education and industry. Retention is a growing issue; for example, women in industry have significantly higher turnover rates than men.

Purpose/Hypothesis:
Feelings of belonging, satisfaction, and perceptions of one's future career are important for retention in engineering education. However, little is known about the factors that impact these constructs in tertiary education—where foundational engineering experiences occur—for a range of potentially intersectional social identities in contexts other than the United States.

Methods:
We designed an online questionnaire (n = 379) and a series of focus groups (n = 17) with engineering students at Waipapa Taumata Rau (The University of Auckland) in Aotearoa (New Zealand). We applied thematic analysis to extract a list of common factors that influenced students' experiences in this unique context.

Results:
Students who were unsure of or did not want to disclose parts of their identity reported the lowest sense of belonging and satisfaction. The factors that specifically impacted historically excluded groups included unsupportive working environments, not being respected academically, and exclusionary course content.

Conclusion:
Our findings identify factors that contributed to students' experiences that may impact retention in Aotearoa but have implications for other contexts. Finally, we make recommendations to engineering education practitioners on how to support (and retain) students from historically excluded groups, including dedicated learning and social environments, inclusive course content, and awareness education on inclusivity.

year: 2025