title: Fostering children’s working theories: pedagogic issues and dilemmas in New Zealand

authors: Peters, Sally

subjects: working theories

abstract: Working theories and learning dispositions are key learning outcomes in the early childhood curriculum in New Zealand. However, while there has been a focus on learning dispositions in recent years, less is known about the development of children’s working theories or the pedagogy to support this. The aim of this study was to explore children’s working theories in action in a number of Playcentre settings. The authors were interested in children’s problem-seeking and -solving, theorising, acting and interactions as they engaged in everyday inquiries and conversations with others. This paper discusses some of the dilemmas for educators, including defining and recognising working theories, and deciding what to respond to, and how to respond. When attention was paid to the subtle nuances of moment-to-moment interactions it provided new insights into pedagogy. The findings have implications for early childhood educators as they seek to develop episodes of sustained shared thinking and support the development of children’s working theories over time.

text: Fostering children’s working theories: pedagogic issues and dilemmas in New Zealand Working theories and learning dispositions are key learning outcomes in the early childhood curriculum in New Zealand. However, while there has been a focus on learning dispositions in recent years, less is known about the development of children’s working theories or the pedagogy to support this. The aim of this study was to explore children’s working theories in action in a number of Playcentre settings. The authors were interested in children’s problem-seeking and -solving, theorising, acting and interactions as they engaged in everyday inquiries and conversations with others. This paper discusses some of the dilemmas for educators, including defining and recognising working theories, and deciding what to respond to, and how to respond. When attention was paid to the subtle nuances of moment-to-moment interactions it provided new insights into pedagogy. The findings have implications for early childhood educators as they seek to develop episodes of sustained shared thinking and support the development of children’s working theories over time.

year: 2011

title: A Needs Assessment of Conservation Educators within the Department of Conservation

authors: Bianchi, Valerie

subjects: conservation education

abstract: The Department of Conservation (DOC) is the government body that is responsible for conserving Aotearoa/New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage. Although education has not been a primary part of what DOC does, the organisation participates in education in a variety of ways. In order to coordinate and strategize their involvement in education, a new policy has been put in place. This policy, outlined in the National Education Strategy 2010-2030 aims to set the intentions and objectives for education at DOC. A companion to this, the National Education Strategy Implementation Plan, provides some guidance on how goals may be achieved. This emphasises DOC educators’ work in partnership with teachers, which may represent a change in how DOC staff have worked in the past. Since the recent coordination of education at DOC may be different to the way some staff work, a needs assessment of DOC educators’ professional support requirements was called for. Understanding what professional development, support and resources DOC educators need could allow for effective professional support to be put in place. Having adequate professional support could have an ongoing influence on DOC educators’ ability to achieve DOC’s outcomes. Non-formal environmental educators, such as those working at DOC, are key players in environmental education/education for sustainability (EE/EfS). This group of educators have historically been engaged by formal educators to deliver EE/EfS into their classrooms, and in addition, some scholars have claimed that much of what occurs to educate people about the environment is in the non-formal setting. Non-formal educators need considerable professional support; including professional development, organisational support and resources to do their jobs and see outcomes are achieved.

This thesis was conducted as an interpretive, mixed methods study directed at understanding what professional development, support and resources DOC educators working in education need to do their jobs. Methods for data collection included document analysis, interviews and a survey. Document analysis of key DOC education documents as well as interviews with national education staff allowed for context to be understood regarding the current factors influencing education and educators at DOC. In order to get a sense of DOC educators’ beliefs and opinions about education and the work they are doing, a survey was conducted with DOC staff who self-identified as educators. The data generated from the survey was further elucidated by interviews with DOC educators. The findings of the study revealed that while there is a clearly articulated approach to education at DOC as well as a general level of acceptance among DOC educators, organisational support is needed to help staff understand DOC’s role in education and how to practically implement that into work. DOC educators indicated that they need greater support in order to authentically incorporate Māori views into conservation education, work with teachers and understand EE/EfS best practice. In addition, while DOC’s education policy was put in place to get higher quality outcomes, it will require a substantial amount of time to implement. Time was found to be a resource that DOC educators needed more of. In order to move forward in education, DOC educators need adequate and on-going professional development to increase skills and knowledge. In addition, organisational support and networks are needed as well as a reasonable allotment of time in order to uphold what is being asked of them.

text: A Needs Assessment of Conservation Educators within the Department of Conservation The Department of Conservation (DOC) is the government body that is responsible for conserving Aotearoa/New Zealand’s natural and historic heritage. Although education has not been a primary part of what DOC does, the organisation participates in education in a variety of ways. In order to coordinate and strategize their involvement in education, a new policy has been put in place. This policy, outlined in the National Education Strategy 2010-2030 aims to set the intentions and objectives for education at DOC. A companion to this, the National Education Strategy Implementation Plan, provides some guidance on how goals may be achieved. This emphasises DOC educators’ work in partnership with teachers, which may represent a change in how DOC staff have worked in the past. Since the recent coordination of education at DOC may be different to the way some staff work, a needs assessment of DOC educators’ professional support requirements was called for. Understanding what professional development, support and resources DOC educators need could allow for effective professional support to be put in place. Having adequate professional support could have an ongoing influence on DOC educators’ ability to achieve DOC’s outcomes. Non-formal environmental educators, such as those working at DOC, are key players in environmental education/education for sustainability (EE/EfS). This group of educators have historically been engaged by formal educators to deliver EE/EfS into their classrooms, and in addition, some scholars have claimed that much of what occurs to educate people about the environment is in the non-formal setting. Non-formal educators need considerable professional support; including professional development, organisational support and resources to do their jobs and see outcomes are achieved.

This thesis was conducted as an interpretive, mixed methods study directed at understanding what professional development, support and resources DOC educators working in education need to do their jobs. Methods for data collection included document analysis, interviews and a survey. Document analysis of key DOC education documents as well as interviews with national education staff allowed for context to be understood regarding the current factors influencing education and educators at DOC. In order to get a sense of DOC educators’ beliefs and opinions about education and the work they are doing, a survey was conducted with DOC staff who self-identified as educators. The data generated from the survey was further elucidated by interviews with DOC educators. The findings of the study revealed that while there is a clearly articulated approach to education at DOC as well as a general level of acceptance among DOC educators, organisational support is needed to help staff understand DOC’s role in education and how to practically implement that into work. DOC educators indicated that they need greater support in order to authentically incorporate Māori views into conservation education, work with teachers and understand EE/EfS best practice. In addition, while DOC’s education policy was put in place to get higher quality outcomes, it will require a substantial amount of time to implement. Time was found to be a resource that DOC educators needed more of. In order to move forward in education, DOC educators need adequate and on-going professional development to increase skills and knowledge. In addition, organisational support and networks are needed as well as a reasonable allotment of time in order to uphold what is being asked of them.

year: 2016

title: Māori and pacific infant and toddler cultural pedagogy: Reclaiming a cultural lens

authors: Glasgow, Ali

abstract: An Indigenous cultural renaissance emerged in the 1980’s in Aotearoa New Zealand. Communities established early childhood programmes that reflected native spirituality, values, and Indigenous knowledge, with instruction in local, Indigenous languages (Hunkin-Tuiletufuga, 2001). Indigenous communities sought ownership over the education of their children, within a culturally driven framework that focussed on retention of knowledge, language, and cultural identity.
These strong early stages have lost traction, with increasing numbers of Māori and Pacific community services unable to meet the rigorous regulatory criteria, assurance auditing processes, funding restraints, and other considerations that have impacted the numbers of families using these services. Nowadays, a mere percentage of those once in operation remain, with the majority of Māori and Pacific children and their families enrolling in mainstream early childhood education services (Ministry of Education, 2013).
Central to the educational success for Māori and Pacific children is an understanding that they are culturally located and the acknowledgement that effective education must encompass their culture. A cultural discourse gaining prominence reveals the need for culturally sound pedagogical practice for Māori and Pacific communities (Rameka & Glasgow, 2016; Rau & Ritchie, 2011). This trend is gaining impetus in the wider Pacific region (Glasgow, 2012), thus driving a movement for reclaiming and reframing education for Pacific peoples (Sanga, 2012).

text: Māori and pacific infant and toddler cultural pedagogy: Reclaiming a cultural lens An Indigenous cultural renaissance emerged in the 1980’s in Aotearoa New Zealand. Communities established early childhood programmes that reflected native spirituality, values, and Indigenous knowledge, with instruction in local, Indigenous languages (Hunkin-Tuiletufuga, 2001). Indigenous communities sought ownership over the education of their children, within a culturally driven framework that focussed on retention of knowledge, language, and cultural identity.
These strong early stages have lost traction, with increasing numbers of Māori and Pacific community services unable to meet the rigorous regulatory criteria, assurance auditing processes, funding restraints, and other considerations that have impacted the numbers of families using these services. Nowadays, a mere percentage of those once in operation remain, with the majority of Māori and Pacific children and their families enrolling in mainstream early childhood education services (Ministry of Education, 2013).
Central to the educational success for Māori and Pacific children is an understanding that they are culturally located and the acknowledgement that effective education must encompass their culture. A cultural discourse gaining prominence reveals the need for culturally sound pedagogical practice for Māori and Pacific communities (Rameka & Glasgow, 2016; Rau & Ritchie, 2011). This trend is gaining impetus in the wider Pacific region (Glasgow, 2012), thus driving a movement for reclaiming and reframing education for Pacific peoples (Sanga, 2012).

year: 2017