title: Brokering practices among international EAL students at a New Zealand university

authors: Lee, Sherrie

subjects: academic support

abstract: The numbers of international students enrolled in higher education in Anglophone countries have increased in the past decade, with the majority of students originating from Asian countries such as China. While it is in the interest of these universities to support international students during their study, there is a tendency for institutions to view students’ learning in a deficit mode, for example, characterising students in terms of their limited English proficiency. Many studies of students for whom English is an additional language (EAL) are situated in formal instructional contexts that privilege Western academic norms, an environment which constrains students’ agency. In order to make visible the agency of international EAL students, as well as to contribute to the limited research on students’ informal academic learning, this study set out to examine a phenomenon in cross-cultural contexts known as brokering. Brokering refers to help-seeking social interactions, where students seek assistance with unfamiliar academic texts and practices from brokers who are able to bridge knowledge gaps.
A multi-methodological approach underpinned by a social constructionist paradigm was used to investigate the nature of brokering practices among 10 first-year, international EAL students, nine of whom were ethnic Chinese, at one New Zealand university. The study employed focused ethnography, where regular semi-structured interviews were conducted during students’ initial 15-week semester. Records of brokering interactions associated with three key informants were also collected in the form of audio-recorded observations and screenshots of instant message exchanges on mobile phones. The data analysis was informed by brokering-related concepts from sociology and studies on immigrant communities, as well as conversation analytical concepts such as epistemic asymmetry, and politeness theories in pragmatics.
The study found that participants sought brokers among peers and non-peers for their academic needs. Brokering practices encompassed language brokering, literacy brokering, and resource brokering, with each type of brokering addressing particular aspects of academic learning. Unlike non-peer brokering, which was typically facilitated by English-speaking staff, peer brokering mostly took place in homophilous interactions, that is, between those of similar ethno-lingual backgrounds. Peer brokering relationships were also found to be valued not only for instrumental action in terms of obtaining knowledge, but also for expressive action in terms of engaging in shared sentiment. The analysis of the key informants’ brokering interactions further demonstrated how agency was enacted through the seekers’ maintenance and negotiation of relative knowledge positions, which was supported by politeness and face-management strategies. Peer brokering dynamics afforded greater scope for student agency, while the hierarchical social relations in non-peer brokering did not.
By integrating theoretical frameworks from different disciplines, this thesis has provided a unique conceptual lens for understanding international EAL students’ academic-related brokering practices. It has also highlighted the need for international education practitioners to be sensitive to first-year international students’ needs for culturally appropriate support. The thesis concludes that if institutions are aware of international EAL students’ brokering practices, and take on a brokering role themselves, they will better serve the intercultural goals of international education.

text: Brokering practices among international EAL students at a New Zealand university The numbers of international students enrolled in higher education in Anglophone countries have increased in the past decade, with the majority of students originating from Asian countries such as China. While it is in the interest of these universities to support international students during their study, there is a tendency for institutions to view students’ learning in a deficit mode, for example, characterising students in terms of their limited English proficiency. Many studies of students for whom English is an additional language (EAL) are situated in formal instructional contexts that privilege Western academic norms, an environment which constrains students’ agency. In order to make visible the agency of international EAL students, as well as to contribute to the limited research on students’ informal academic learning, this study set out to examine a phenomenon in cross-cultural contexts known as brokering. Brokering refers to help-seeking social interactions, where students seek assistance with unfamiliar academic texts and practices from brokers who are able to bridge knowledge gaps.
A multi-methodological approach underpinned by a social constructionist paradigm was used to investigate the nature of brokering practices among 10 first-year, international EAL students, nine of whom were ethnic Chinese, at one New Zealand university. The study employed focused ethnography, where regular semi-structured interviews were conducted during students’ initial 15-week semester. Records of brokering interactions associated with three key informants were also collected in the form of audio-recorded observations and screenshots of instant message exchanges on mobile phones. The data analysis was informed by brokering-related concepts from sociology and studies on immigrant communities, as well as conversation analytical concepts such as epistemic asymmetry, and politeness theories in pragmatics.
The study found that participants sought brokers among peers and non-peers for their academic needs. Brokering practices encompassed language brokering, literacy brokering, and resource brokering, with each type of brokering addressing particular aspects of academic learning. Unlike non-peer brokering, which was typically facilitated by English-speaking staff, peer brokering mostly took place in homophilous interactions, that is, between those of similar ethno-lingual backgrounds. Peer brokering relationships were also found to be valued not only for instrumental action in terms of obtaining knowledge, but also for expressive action in terms of engaging in shared sentiment. The analysis of the key informants’ brokering interactions further demonstrated how agency was enacted through the seekers’ maintenance and negotiation of relative knowledge positions, which was supported by politeness and face-management strategies. Peer brokering dynamics afforded greater scope for student agency, while the hierarchical social relations in non-peer brokering did not.
By integrating theoretical frameworks from different disciplines, this thesis has provided a unique conceptual lens for understanding international EAL students’ academic-related brokering practices. It has also highlighted the need for international education practitioners to be sensitive to first-year international students’ needs for culturally appropriate support. The thesis concludes that if institutions are aware of international EAL students’ brokering practices, and take on a brokering role themselves, they will better serve the intercultural goals of international education.

year: 2019

title: Education outside the classroom in Aotearoa New Zealand - A comprehensive national study: Final Report

authors: Hill, Allen

abstract: Education outside the Classroom (EOTC) has a long and rich history in Aotearoa New Zealand schools (Lynch, 2006), contributing positively to the lives of many young New Zealanders. The purpose of this study was to gain a contemporary and comprehensive understanding of what EOTC is currently occurring in schools across, the value that schools see in/ascribe to EOTC, and the various challenges and factors that influence the provision of EOTC.  
Data for the EOTC Comprehensive National Study was gathered from late 2017 throughout 2018 utilising a multiphase mixed methods research design. Data collection involved a national EOTC questionnaire (NEOTCQ) completed by school leaders and EOTC coordinators’ (n=523), specific EOTC inventories from a small sample of schools (n=23), and individual and focus group interviews with school leaders and teachers (n=28), students (n=140) and LEOTC providers (n=9).
This executive summary provides a succinct overview of the key findings from the comprehensive final report. The summary comprises four key sections addressing: what schools are doing with EOTC, teacher and student perspectives on the value of EOTC, how school leaders and teachers view challenges associated with EOTC provision, and enablers of flourishing EOTC in schools.

text: Education outside the classroom in Aotearoa New Zealand - A comprehensive national study: Final Report Education outside the Classroom (EOTC) has a long and rich history in Aotearoa New Zealand schools (Lynch, 2006), contributing positively to the lives of many young New Zealanders. The purpose of this study was to gain a contemporary and comprehensive understanding of what EOTC is currently occurring in schools across, the value that schools see in/ascribe to EOTC, and the various challenges and factors that influence the provision of EOTC.  
Data for the EOTC Comprehensive National Study was gathered from late 2017 throughout 2018 utilising a multiphase mixed methods research design. Data collection involved a national EOTC questionnaire (NEOTCQ) completed by school leaders and EOTC coordinators’ (n=523), specific EOTC inventories from a small sample of schools (n=23), and individual and focus group interviews with school leaders and teachers (n=28), students (n=140) and LEOTC providers (n=9).
This executive summary provides a succinct overview of the key findings from the comprehensive final report. The summary comprises four key sections addressing: what schools are doing with EOTC, teacher and student perspectives on the value of EOTC, how school leaders and teachers view challenges associated with EOTC provision, and enablers of flourishing EOTC in schools.

year: 2020

title: Te rima tekau ngahurutanga o Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

authors: Dixon, Ngahuia

subjects: Tohu mātauranga

abstract: E te Whare Wānanga o Waikato – te tohu o te mātauranga, tēnā koe.  Tēnā koe i roto i tō rima tekau tau ngahurutanga.  Kua pakeke haere koe.  Kua tau atu koe ki tērā kaumātuatanga nō reira me mihi ka tika.  He hōnore nui tēnei mōu ake i te mea nāu te moana o mātauranga i roto o Waikato i tuku kia rere, kia pari, ka rere anō.  He wai marino ēnei i ētehi wā, he rehutai i ētehi atu,  he wā anō ka karekare, ka haruru rānei i te pai o te rere o āu mahi.  Ahakoa ēnei huringa o ngā awa o te wā, kei te rere tonu te moana nei, me ōna pikonga ki uru, ki rāwhiti, ki tonga, ki raki rānei, arā ki ngā pito katoa o te ao.  He mātauranga ēnei i tukuna e koe kia pīoioi i te ao.  Hei aha - hei whakawhānui ki te mātatoru o te tangata, he aha kei ō whare kōrero, hei whakakīkī haere i ā rātou kete mātauranga, ahakoa Māori, tauiwi huri noa.  Koinei ngā korowai mō ngā manu i kai i te mātauranga nāu i rumaki.   Ināianei arā te kōrero:

Nō rātou, nō mātou, nō tātou te ao 

E kore e mimiti ēnei huarahi tautoko āu, - nā mēnā ka tūwhera tonu tō ngākau ki ngā kete kōrero, mātauranga āku ake a ngāi-Māori, kei hea mai tō mana.

text: Te rima tekau ngahurutanga o Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato E te Whare Wānanga o Waikato – te tohu o te mātauranga, tēnā koe.  Tēnā koe i roto i tō rima tekau tau ngahurutanga.  Kua pakeke haere koe.  Kua tau atu koe ki tērā kaumātuatanga nō reira me mihi ka tika.  He hōnore nui tēnei mōu ake i te mea nāu te moana o mātauranga i roto o Waikato i tuku kia rere, kia pari, ka rere anō.  He wai marino ēnei i ētehi wā, he rehutai i ētehi atu,  he wā anō ka karekare, ka haruru rānei i te pai o te rere o āu mahi.  Ahakoa ēnei huringa o ngā awa o te wā, kei te rere tonu te moana nei, me ōna pikonga ki uru, ki rāwhiti, ki tonga, ki raki rānei, arā ki ngā pito katoa o te ao.  He mātauranga ēnei i tukuna e koe kia pīoioi i te ao.  Hei aha - hei whakawhānui ki te mātatoru o te tangata, he aha kei ō whare kōrero, hei whakakīkī haere i ā rātou kete mātauranga, ahakoa Māori, tauiwi huri noa.  Koinei ngā korowai mō ngā manu i kai i te mātauranga nāu i rumaki.   Ināianei arā te kōrero:

Nō rātou, nō mātou, nō tātou te ao 

E kore e mimiti ēnei huarahi tautoko āu, - nā mēnā ka tūwhera tonu tō ngākau ki ngā kete kōrero, mātauranga āku ake a ngāi-Māori, kei hea mai tō mana.

year: 2016