title: Māori Cultural Identity and Education

authors: Hawaikirangi-Pere, Charmaine

subjects: Identity

abstract: Underachievement of Māori students in mainstream schools has been a major topic of discussion by politicians and educational researchers in recent years. Research has shown that a secure cultural identity can enhance a person’s overall well-being and furthermore improve their chances of educational success. However, in reality, statistics show that a high percentage of the Māori population have little or no knowledge of their language and culture. The research question in this study will ask Māori whānau how they perceive cultural identity in relation to their children’s education.
Principles of Kaupapa Māori, Takepū and indigenous research and qualitative research methods have been used to ensure that participants were culturally and ethically respected. Participants interviewed in this study are members of my own whānau and some close friends. As an insider researcher I was committed to ensuring that my whānau were treated with respect and dignity throughout the research process. 
The interview data has exposed some unexpected issues specifically relating to their educational experiences and cultural identity. In the context of historical records and education for Māori, the findings of this study suggest that the educational experiences of Māori whānau have been, and continue to be, strongly influenced by government policies enforced before and during the period in which they attended school. All the whānau interviewed acknowledged their ethnic identity as Māori, however, most of them had little or no knowledge and understanding of Te Reo Māori nor had they taken part in cultural practices. Government policies restricted the use of the Māori language, disengaged them from their culture and curriculum provision limited expectations for both males and females. Mixed ethnicity and urbanisation were also identified as factors in the loss of their cultural identity. Data also shows that cultural identity loss has progressed on to future generations and influenced Māori whānau priorities and choice of school. 
The aim of this study is to provide educational policy makers with an in-depth understanding of the perspectives of Māori whānau determine their specific needs in education and propose some suggestions on how to improve achievement of Māori whānau in mainstream schools.

text: Māori Cultural Identity and Education Underachievement of Māori students in mainstream schools has been a major topic of discussion by politicians and educational researchers in recent years. Research has shown that a secure cultural identity can enhance a person’s overall well-being and furthermore improve their chances of educational success. However, in reality, statistics show that a high percentage of the Māori population have little or no knowledge of their language and culture. The research question in this study will ask Māori whānau how they perceive cultural identity in relation to their children’s education.
Principles of Kaupapa Māori, Takepū and indigenous research and qualitative research methods have been used to ensure that participants were culturally and ethically respected. Participants interviewed in this study are members of my own whānau and some close friends. As an insider researcher I was committed to ensuring that my whānau were treated with respect and dignity throughout the research process. 
The interview data has exposed some unexpected issues specifically relating to their educational experiences and cultural identity. In the context of historical records and education for Māori, the findings of this study suggest that the educational experiences of Māori whānau have been, and continue to be, strongly influenced by government policies enforced before and during the period in which they attended school. All the whānau interviewed acknowledged their ethnic identity as Māori, however, most of them had little or no knowledge and understanding of Te Reo Māori nor had they taken part in cultural practices. Government policies restricted the use of the Māori language, disengaged them from their culture and curriculum provision limited expectations for both males and females. Mixed ethnicity and urbanisation were also identified as factors in the loss of their cultural identity. Data also shows that cultural identity loss has progressed on to future generations and influenced Māori whānau priorities and choice of school. 
The aim of this study is to provide educational policy makers with an in-depth understanding of the perspectives of Māori whānau determine their specific needs in education and propose some suggestions on how to improve achievement of Māori whānau in mainstream schools.

year: 2013

title: Stemming the colonial environmental tide

authors: Joseph, Robert

subjects: human activities

abstract: Stemming the colonial environmental tide supports an Aotearoa New Zealand context that fundamentally acknowledges mātauranga and tikanga Māori law and shared co-governance and concurrent jurisdiction through 7 Aotearoa New Zealand EBM principles.

text: Stemming the colonial environmental tide Stemming the colonial environmental tide supports an Aotearoa New Zealand context that fundamentally acknowledges mātauranga and tikanga Māori law and shared co-governance and concurrent jurisdiction through 7 Aotearoa New Zealand EBM principles.

year: 2022-05

title: An Exploration of Senior High School Student Learning in Biology in Taiwan

authors: Lu, Tan-Ni

subjects: a social constructivist view of learning

abstract: This thesis explores senior high school student learning in biology in Taiwan. The Confucian-heritage culture and beliefs associated with high stakes examinations influences the learning context in biology. There is a considerable body of international research on teaching and learning in senior high biology. There appears to be limited research on student and teacher views of learning in biology in this context. A social constructivist view of learning underpins this study. Using an interpretive paradigm, this study explores student and teacher perceptions of student learning experiences in senior high school biology. There are three phases in this study. In the first phase, Grade 11 and Grade 12 students and teacher perceptions of the existing teaching and learning situation in biology was explored. In the second phase, an intervention was designed and implemented for Grade 12 students. In the third phase, the intervention was evaluated.

The findings of this study indicate that most students take biology to increase their options for entering tertiary education. Noticeably, they were using learning approaches that they most disliked to increase their biology marks. Most of them considered the current biology classes were very effective in coping with the major examination, but the teaching was monotonous and teaching content as seemingly unrelated to real life. The teachers perceived that student learning was passive, which contributed to the teachers feeling of exhaustion. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated that both the students and teachers were dissatisfied with the current teaching and learning situation. A more interactive teaching and learning approach and more student responsibility in investigations were suggested by the respondents.

An intervention programme based on a social constructivist view of learning, including interactive teaching and open investigation, was designed and implemented. The intervention (70% lecture classes and 30% experiment classes) problematised the traditional lesson structure (90% lecture classes and 10% experiment classes) of senior biology in Taiwan, seeking a more cohesive and integrated overall structure for learning biology. Evaluation of the intervention programme suggested that through student-teacher and student-student interactions student conceptual and procedural understanding of biology was facilitated and their attitudes towards learning were enhanced. A few of the students could not accept the intervention as it conflicted with their view of learning in an examination culture. The implications of this research are that more teacher-student and peer interactions and open-ended investigations can lead to enhanced learning in biology in Taiwan for most senior high school students. Social constructivist approaches to teaching and learning are viable in a Taiwanese biology classroom context. The study also showed the potential for open investigations in this context.

text: An Exploration of Senior High School Student Learning in Biology in Taiwan This thesis explores senior high school student learning in biology in Taiwan. The Confucian-heritage culture and beliefs associated with high stakes examinations influences the learning context in biology. There is a considerable body of international research on teaching and learning in senior high biology. There appears to be limited research on student and teacher views of learning in biology in this context. A social constructivist view of learning underpins this study. Using an interpretive paradigm, this study explores student and teacher perceptions of student learning experiences in senior high school biology. There are three phases in this study. In the first phase, Grade 11 and Grade 12 students and teacher perceptions of the existing teaching and learning situation in biology was explored. In the second phase, an intervention was designed and implemented for Grade 12 students. In the third phase, the intervention was evaluated.

The findings of this study indicate that most students take biology to increase their options for entering tertiary education. Noticeably, they were using learning approaches that they most disliked to increase their biology marks. Most of them considered the current biology classes were very effective in coping with the major examination, but the teaching was monotonous and teaching content as seemingly unrelated to real life. The teachers perceived that student learning was passive, which contributed to the teachers feeling of exhaustion. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated that both the students and teachers were dissatisfied with the current teaching and learning situation. A more interactive teaching and learning approach and more student responsibility in investigations were suggested by the respondents.

An intervention programme based on a social constructivist view of learning, including interactive teaching and open investigation, was designed and implemented. The intervention (70% lecture classes and 30% experiment classes) problematised the traditional lesson structure (90% lecture classes and 10% experiment classes) of senior biology in Taiwan, seeking a more cohesive and integrated overall structure for learning biology. Evaluation of the intervention programme suggested that through student-teacher and student-student interactions student conceptual and procedural understanding of biology was facilitated and their attitudes towards learning were enhanced. A few of the students could not accept the intervention as it conflicted with their view of learning in an examination culture. The implications of this research are that more teacher-student and peer interactions and open-ended investigations can lead to enhanced learning in biology in Taiwan for most senior high school students. Social constructivist approaches to teaching and learning are viable in a Taiwanese biology classroom context. The study also showed the potential for open investigations in this context.

year: 2006