title: A collaborative community education model: Developing effective school-community partnerships

authors: Eames, Chris W.

abstract: Despite school-community partnerships having much potential to provide educational organisations with authentic teaching and learning opportuni- ties through community-based action projects, they remain under-utilised largely due to the structural constraints and pressures faced by teach- ers. This study helps ll a gap in scholarly discourse about the speci c ways in which school-community partnerships can effectively be developed by providing an in-depth account of an 18-month pilot project with the aim to develop a conservation education program (Kids Greening Taupo ̄) through a partnership structure in Aotearoa New Zealand. An evaluation of the pilot project was conducted using an ethnographic approach, which sought stakeholder perspectives about the program’s developmental pro- cess through an interpretive lens. Qualitative data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews and document anal- ysis, and then thematically analysed. The ndings provided in this arti- cle illuminate stakeholder insights and perspectives about the structures established and processes utilised over the three broad stages of pro- gram planning, implementation and maintenance, and the resultant envi- ronmental initiatives and programs. Through this study, a Collaborative Community Education Model has emerged that may serve as a potential framework or starting point for those interested in creating a new school- community partnership or to modify an existing one.

text: A collaborative community education model: Developing effective school-community partnerships Despite school-community partnerships having much potential to provide educational organisations with authentic teaching and learning opportuni- ties through community-based action projects, they remain under-utilised largely due to the structural constraints and pressures faced by teach- ers. This study helps ll a gap in scholarly discourse about the speci c ways in which school-community partnerships can effectively be developed by providing an in-depth account of an 18-month pilot project with the aim to develop a conservation education program (Kids Greening Taupo ̄) through a partnership structure in Aotearoa New Zealand. An evaluation of the pilot project was conducted using an ethnographic approach, which sought stakeholder perspectives about the program’s developmental pro- cess through an interpretive lens. Qualitative data were collected through participant observation, semi-structured interviews and document anal- ysis, and then thematically analysed. The ndings provided in this arti- cle illuminate stakeholder insights and perspectives about the structures established and processes utilised over the three broad stages of pro- gram planning, implementation and maintenance, and the resultant envi- ronmental initiatives and programs. Through this study, a Collaborative Community Education Model has emerged that may serve as a potential framework or starting point for those interested in creating a new school- community partnership or to modify an existing one.

year: 2018

title: Assessment of the ecohydrological functioning of Otakairangi Wetland, Northland

authors: Campbell, David I.

abstract: Otakairangi is the largest wetland remnant on the floodplain of Northland’s Wairua River near Hikurangi. Extensive peat deposits many metres deep accumulated over thousands of years on the valley floors of the Otakairangi and Riponui valleys, as they did elsewhere within the former Hikurangi “Swamp”. The present‐day Otakairangi Wetland, with an area of 2.6 km², represents around 20% of its former extent.
This report provides an assessment of the ecohydrological functioning of Otakairangi Wetland in its current state, based on information gathered during a field survey, discussions with landowners, and other sources. The wetland, which contains representative communities of rare peatland plants, is a good candidate for restoration, including re‐introduction of the now locally extinct climax peatland plant species Sporadanthus ferrugineus.  
Hydrological modification to Otakairangi over the past century has included a deep central drain that has largely eliminated the natural diffuse flows of the former Otakairangi Stream as it traversed the wetland, and lowered water tables. Deep drains bordering the wetland’s south western and south eastern edges have also contributed to a modified hydrological regime. Over much of the past century water table lowering and frequent fires led to dominance by tall manuka, reduced peatland biodiversity, and severe peat degradation.
There is good evidence of fairly recent changes to Otakairangi’s vegetation towards greater dominance, especially in the east, of the key peat‐forming plant and ecosystem engineer Empodisma robustum, including vigorous growth of raw fibrous peat. As the dense manuka cover has declined,
Empodisma and allied plants have been able to naturally colonise and spread. Despite encouraging signs of some natural vegetation recovery within Otakairangi Wetland, there remain many unanswered questions about the trajectory of this recovery and the ongoing effects of drainage, as well as inundation by flood flows from the highly modified upstream catchment. Also, fire remains a constant threat that could reverse this trajectory. A number of key research questions are provided in this report that will guide the development of a research plan in support of ongoing restoration and monitoring efforts.
A number of restoration options are presented that should be considered at Otakairangi. These include minor to more major hydrological manipulations, which will require careful investigation and flow modelling in addition to working closely with affected landowners. As a first step, detailed surveys are required of drain invert levels and wetland and farmland surface levels. Monitoring of drain and wetland water tables should be initiated as soon as possible, to support research into wetland hydrological regimes and to further understand the spatial effect of water table lowering

text: Assessment of the ecohydrological functioning of Otakairangi Wetland, Northland Otakairangi is the largest wetland remnant on the floodplain of Northland’s Wairua River near Hikurangi. Extensive peat deposits many metres deep accumulated over thousands of years on the valley floors of the Otakairangi and Riponui valleys, as they did elsewhere within the former Hikurangi “Swamp”. The present‐day Otakairangi Wetland, with an area of 2.6 km², represents around 20% of its former extent.
This report provides an assessment of the ecohydrological functioning of Otakairangi Wetland in its current state, based on information gathered during a field survey, discussions with landowners, and other sources. The wetland, which contains representative communities of rare peatland plants, is a good candidate for restoration, including re‐introduction of the now locally extinct climax peatland plant species Sporadanthus ferrugineus.  
Hydrological modification to Otakairangi over the past century has included a deep central drain that has largely eliminated the natural diffuse flows of the former Otakairangi Stream as it traversed the wetland, and lowered water tables. Deep drains bordering the wetland’s south western and south eastern edges have also contributed to a modified hydrological regime. Over much of the past century water table lowering and frequent fires led to dominance by tall manuka, reduced peatland biodiversity, and severe peat degradation.
There is good evidence of fairly recent changes to Otakairangi’s vegetation towards greater dominance, especially in the east, of the key peat‐forming plant and ecosystem engineer Empodisma robustum, including vigorous growth of raw fibrous peat. As the dense manuka cover has declined,
Empodisma and allied plants have been able to naturally colonise and spread. Despite encouraging signs of some natural vegetation recovery within Otakairangi Wetland, there remain many unanswered questions about the trajectory of this recovery and the ongoing effects of drainage, as well as inundation by flood flows from the highly modified upstream catchment. Also, fire remains a constant threat that could reverse this trajectory. A number of key research questions are provided in this report that will guide the development of a research plan in support of ongoing restoration and monitoring efforts.
A number of restoration options are presented that should be considered at Otakairangi. These include minor to more major hydrological manipulations, which will require careful investigation and flow modelling in addition to working closely with affected landowners. As a first step, detailed surveys are required of drain invert levels and wetland and farmland surface levels. Monitoring of drain and wetland water tables should be initiated as soon as possible, to support research into wetland hydrological regimes and to further understand the spatial effect of water table lowering

year: 2017

title: Māori academic success: Why the deficit perspectives?

authors: Aporosa, S. 'Apo'

subjects: Māori

abstract: Academics have long discussed the power of communication to both motivate and discourage. Concerning education, Paulo Freire (1997) had explained the dialogical learning process and the empowerment that comes from the inclusion of student knowledge. Alternatively, Carlson & Dimitriadis (2003) describe disempowerment and underachievement among Afro-American students resulting from societal expectations that they will fail. In a recent education environment scan focused on the Waikato-Tainui rohe, 28 kaupapa Māori education providers were identified as sites of high educational success, with one described as “outshining private schools and bucking national trends” (Carson, 2013). This aside, perceptions of generalized educational failure among Māori are commonplace in Aotearoa New Zealand. These impressions are fed by the media, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and in some cases, academic publications. This paper discusses the power of deficit models and counter-narratives to academic underachievement. This will be juxtaposed with commentary on why some students and their education providers within the Waikato-Tainui rohe appear to be unaffected by these counter- narratives and deficit theorizing.

text: Māori academic success: Why the deficit perspectives? Academics have long discussed the power of communication to both motivate and discourage. Concerning education, Paulo Freire (1997) had explained the dialogical learning process and the empowerment that comes from the inclusion of student knowledge. Alternatively, Carlson & Dimitriadis (2003) describe disempowerment and underachievement among Afro-American students resulting from societal expectations that they will fail. In a recent education environment scan focused on the Waikato-Tainui rohe, 28 kaupapa Māori education providers were identified as sites of high educational success, with one described as “outshining private schools and bucking national trends” (Carson, 2013). This aside, perceptions of generalized educational failure among Māori are commonplace in Aotearoa New Zealand. These impressions are fed by the media, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and in some cases, academic publications. This paper discusses the power of deficit models and counter-narratives to academic underachievement. This will be juxtaposed with commentary on why some students and their education providers within the Waikato-Tainui rohe appear to be unaffected by these counter- narratives and deficit theorizing.

year: 2016