title: Governance strategies towards organising for action sports: A national structure for New Zealand skateboarding

authors: MacFarlane, John Douglas

subjects: Sport Governance

abstract: This study examines the processes and politics involved in the sportisation and institutionalisation of skateboarding in Aotearoa, New Zealand. In 2016, the IOC announced that skateboarding would debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and its governance was given to the ISF World Skate (i.e. a partnership between the Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports and International Skateboarding Federation). However, in many countries, including New Zealand (NZ), skateboarding was largely an informal activity, ungoverned and lacking structure, and with some resistance to Olympic inclusion. This research explores and documents the views of various skateboarding-related stakeholder groups, and governmental and national sport bodies regarding establishing a governing structure for NZ skateboarding between 2016-2022.
Employing a social constructionist approach, I draw on qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews, participant observations, document analysis, and secondary data exploration, to document the perceptions of key individuals involved in the organisational development and/or institutionalisation of NZ skateboarding. Twenty-five interviews were conducted across sport and skateboarding-related organisations involved in this process, including Skateboarding New Zealand (i.e. SBNZ, a new skater-led organisation), New Zealand Federation of Roller Sports (Skate NZ), New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC), Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ), regional skateboarding associations, skate schools, and skateboarding event owners/organisers. The project includes an organisational ethnography focused on the evolution of the skater-led association SBNZ between late-2018 and mid-2022. 
Drawing on sport sociology, sport management and organisational studies, this project maps the development of skateboarding culture, industry, its organisation and those stakeholder groups that provide for NZ skateboarding. It reveals the unique structures and social dynamics evident in the community-led events, media and venues (i.e. skateparks). The research also reveals the processes and politics involved in developing “legitimate” forms of governance in the NZ skateboarding context. There are competing external factors as SBNZ seeks to manage its “regulative legitimacy” with the Mainstream Sport Governing Bodies (MSGBs): Skate NZ, Sport NZ, NZOC, and World Skate Oceania. Simultaneously, SBNZ experiences cultural challenges to its “cultural legitimacy” or “authenticity” with the NZ sport-skateboarding community. The traditional (and familiar) “umbrella” and federated sport models provide the MSGBs with the comprehension and predictability they need to govern SBNZ. In contrast, for SBNZ, adopting the traditional sport model is challenging and development-inhibiting as the organisation lacks the pre-existing infrastructure, necessary funding, expert knowledge/support, and the desire to institutionalise in such a manner. However, there are some mutual benefits in the SBNZ/Skate NZ relationship, mainly where there is room for flexibility regarding the umbrella governance’s processes and responsibilities.
The research suggests a need for MSGBs to be more open to recognising alternative forms of governance and structure for action sports. However, this will require a philosophical shift in how MSGBs view governance, structure and sport, and funding models. As well as contributing to the international literature on the institutionalisation of action sports, this study will also usefully inform future developments in the national and international sports context to facilitate inclusion, recognition and support for current and future forms of sport engagement for both action and mainstream sports.

text: Governance strategies towards organising for action sports: A national structure for New Zealand skateboarding This study examines the processes and politics involved in the sportisation and institutionalisation of skateboarding in Aotearoa, New Zealand. In 2016, the IOC announced that skateboarding would debut at the Tokyo 2020 Games, and its governance was given to the ISF World Skate (i.e. a partnership between the Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports and International Skateboarding Federation). However, in many countries, including New Zealand (NZ), skateboarding was largely an informal activity, ungoverned and lacking structure, and with some resistance to Olympic inclusion. This research explores and documents the views of various skateboarding-related stakeholder groups, and governmental and national sport bodies regarding establishing a governing structure for NZ skateboarding between 2016-2022.
Employing a social constructionist approach, I draw on qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews, participant observations, document analysis, and secondary data exploration, to document the perceptions of key individuals involved in the organisational development and/or institutionalisation of NZ skateboarding. Twenty-five interviews were conducted across sport and skateboarding-related organisations involved in this process, including Skateboarding New Zealand (i.e. SBNZ, a new skater-led organisation), New Zealand Federation of Roller Sports (Skate NZ), New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC), Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ), regional skateboarding associations, skate schools, and skateboarding event owners/organisers. The project includes an organisational ethnography focused on the evolution of the skater-led association SBNZ between late-2018 and mid-2022. 
Drawing on sport sociology, sport management and organisational studies, this project maps the development of skateboarding culture, industry, its organisation and those stakeholder groups that provide for NZ skateboarding. It reveals the unique structures and social dynamics evident in the community-led events, media and venues (i.e. skateparks). The research also reveals the processes and politics involved in developing “legitimate” forms of governance in the NZ skateboarding context. There are competing external factors as SBNZ seeks to manage its “regulative legitimacy” with the Mainstream Sport Governing Bodies (MSGBs): Skate NZ, Sport NZ, NZOC, and World Skate Oceania. Simultaneously, SBNZ experiences cultural challenges to its “cultural legitimacy” or “authenticity” with the NZ sport-skateboarding community. The traditional (and familiar) “umbrella” and federated sport models provide the MSGBs with the comprehension and predictability they need to govern SBNZ. In contrast, for SBNZ, adopting the traditional sport model is challenging and development-inhibiting as the organisation lacks the pre-existing infrastructure, necessary funding, expert knowledge/support, and the desire to institutionalise in such a manner. However, there are some mutual benefits in the SBNZ/Skate NZ relationship, mainly where there is room for flexibility regarding the umbrella governance’s processes and responsibilities.
The research suggests a need for MSGBs to be more open to recognising alternative forms of governance and structure for action sports. However, this will require a philosophical shift in how MSGBs view governance, structure and sport, and funding models. As well as contributing to the international literature on the institutionalisation of action sports, this study will also usefully inform future developments in the national and international sports context to facilitate inclusion, recognition and support for current and future forms of sport engagement for both action and mainstream sports.

year: 2023

title: The Solomon Islands mathematics: Pedagogy in transition?

authors: Calder, Nigel Stuart

subjects: teacher education

abstract: This article examines the transition of the Solomon Islands School of Education's primary and secondary mathematics education programme from a focus on content knowledge and teacher transmission, to a more activity-based, problem-solving, learner-centred approach. The ways the development team co-constructed that change so that it incorporated current mathematics education pedagogy, the Solomon Islands' Mathematics Curriculum document, and elements of Solomon Islands mathematics are described. How the team attempted to manage the dilemma between local educational imperatives and the globalisation of mathematics education is considered. Central to this are comparisons with international research on mathematics education pedagogy, while giving recognition to the situating of these within localised contexts. The article describes the ways the transition evolved, and how issues related to the change process, such as trust, culture, pedagogy and power, were engaged with, both proactively and incidentally. It will also consider lecturer/student reflection on the programme and the ways the changes may have influenced teaching. This article contends that change that is co-constructed and hinged to respectful partner relationships, will lead to greater participant autonomy and enhance the sustainability of the change. Finally, it poses questions that require subsequent examination for the transition to be sustainable.

text: The Solomon Islands mathematics: Pedagogy in transition? This article examines the transition of the Solomon Islands School of Education's primary and secondary mathematics education programme from a focus on content knowledge and teacher transmission, to a more activity-based, problem-solving, learner-centred approach. The ways the development team co-constructed that change so that it incorporated current mathematics education pedagogy, the Solomon Islands' Mathematics Curriculum document, and elements of Solomon Islands mathematics are described. How the team attempted to manage the dilemma between local educational imperatives and the globalisation of mathematics education is considered. Central to this are comparisons with international research on mathematics education pedagogy, while giving recognition to the situating of these within localised contexts. The article describes the ways the transition evolved, and how issues related to the change process, such as trust, culture, pedagogy and power, were engaged with, both proactively and incidentally. It will also consider lecturer/student reflection on the programme and the ways the changes may have influenced teaching. This article contends that change that is co-constructed and hinged to respectful partner relationships, will lead to greater participant autonomy and enhance the sustainability of the change. Finally, it poses questions that require subsequent examination for the transition to be sustainable.

year: 2011

title: Te ahunga atu ki ngā ōhanga oranga Māori: Towards Māori economies of wellbeing - Ngā whānau i te pokapū o te oranga

authors: Spiller, Chellie

abstract: Nau mai ki tēnei kohinga o ngā whakaaro me ngā tikanga e pā ana ki te oranga ohaoha Māori. Ko tō mātou kaupapa matua ko te whānau; e hiahia ana mātou ki te whakaatu i ngā huarahi ki te ora pai mō te whānau i roto i ngā horopaki ohaoha. Ko te ao Māori tō mātou tūāpapa. E whakakao ana tēnei pukapuka i te huhua o ngā reo me ngā tirohanga nō te ao Māori, me ētahi atu wheako e hāngai ana. Kua kotahi mātou ki raro i te taumarumaru o te kaupapa tūturu kotahi: arā, te oranga pai mō ngā whānau. Ko te tūmanako ka tautoko, ka whakaohooho anō hoki tēnei pukapuka i ngā tāngata kia hōhonu atu tā rātou hono ki tēnei kaupapa whaitake, kia whai māramatanga whaihua hoki rātou.

Welcome to this collection of thoughts and practices related to Māori economic life. Our primary focus is the whānau; we want to show ways to live well for the whānau in economic contexts. Our foundation is te ao Māori. This book brings together many voices and perspectives from the Māori world and other relevant experiences. We are united in one true purpose: the good livelihood of whānau. We hope this book will support and inspire people to connect more deeply with this critical topic and gain valuable insights.

text: Te ahunga atu ki ngā ōhanga oranga Māori: Towards Māori economies of wellbeing - Ngā whānau i te pokapū o te oranga Nau mai ki tēnei kohinga o ngā whakaaro me ngā tikanga e pā ana ki te oranga ohaoha Māori. Ko tō mātou kaupapa matua ko te whānau; e hiahia ana mātou ki te whakaatu i ngā huarahi ki te ora pai mō te whānau i roto i ngā horopaki ohaoha. Ko te ao Māori tō mātou tūāpapa. E whakakao ana tēnei pukapuka i te huhua o ngā reo me ngā tirohanga nō te ao Māori, me ētahi atu wheako e hāngai ana. Kua kotahi mātou ki raro i te taumarumaru o te kaupapa tūturu kotahi: arā, te oranga pai mō ngā whānau. Ko te tūmanako ka tautoko, ka whakaohooho anō hoki tēnei pukapuka i ngā tāngata kia hōhonu atu tā rātou hono ki tēnei kaupapa whaitake, kia whai māramatanga whaihua hoki rātou.

Welcome to this collection of thoughts and practices related to Māori economic life. Our primary focus is the whānau; we want to show ways to live well for the whānau in economic contexts. Our foundation is te ao Māori. This book brings together many voices and perspectives from the Māori world and other relevant experiences. We are united in one true purpose: the good livelihood of whānau. We hope this book will support and inspire people to connect more deeply with this critical topic and gain valuable insights.

year: 2025