title: Ngā Akoranga pai o te Tuhinga Pūrākau. Lessons from the heart of learning stories

authors: Fabian, Katalin

subjects: learning stories

abstract: This study investigated how New Zealand teachers in Early Childhood Education (ECE) gathered, documented and utilised assessment information about children’s learning. It utilised phenomenological inquiry, with data being gathered through semi-structured interviews with ﬁve experienced ECE teachers. Theﬁndings highlight the complexity of the predominant narrative assessment format used by the teachers: Learning Stories. The strong reliance on teachers’ fundamental competencies and understanding of the writing process was central to narrative assessment. On the other hand, ﬁndings emphasised the beneﬁtsof well-written Learning Stories and highlighted interesting ways they can be utilised. This article focuses on two important aspects of ECE assessment. Firstly, the teacher who is the heart of the Learning Story-writing process, and who possesses a complex skillset to connect with people, collect information and articulate an important message about the child as a learner. Secondly, on the Learning Story itself, its beneﬁts and the ways that assessment information can be utilised from them.

text: Ngā Akoranga pai o te Tuhinga Pūrākau. Lessons from the heart of learning stories This study investigated how New Zealand teachers in Early Childhood Education (ECE) gathered, documented and utilised assessment information about children’s learning. It utilised phenomenological inquiry, with data being gathered through semi-structured interviews with ﬁve experienced ECE teachers. Theﬁndings highlight the complexity of the predominant narrative assessment format used by the teachers: Learning Stories. The strong reliance on teachers’ fundamental competencies and understanding of the writing process was central to narrative assessment. On the other hand, ﬁndings emphasised the beneﬁtsof well-written Learning Stories and highlighted interesting ways they can be utilised. This article focuses on two important aspects of ECE assessment. Firstly, the teacher who is the heart of the Learning Story-writing process, and who possesses a complex skillset to connect with people, collect information and articulate an important message about the child as a learner. Secondly, on the Learning Story itself, its beneﬁts and the ways that assessment information can be utilised from them.

year: 2023

title: A mentoring approach to learner centred education in Tanzania : a case from the grass roots

authors: Collin, Anney

subjects: Mentoring

abstract: Over the past twenty years there has been an attempt to reform classroom pedagogy in Tanzania by implementing a learner-centred model of education. Even though government policy and curriculum design provide the policy conditions for implementing Learner Centred Education, research suggests that many teachers continue to implement teacher-centred approaches. This study reports on the findings of an instrumental case study that aimed to identify the strategies used by six mentor teachers to support teachers to effectively implement learner-centred education. The findings of this study revealed five strategies that mentors used to support the implementation of pedagogical change. These include; 1) supporting the development of teacher identity, 2) modelling flatter power relationships, 3) developing reflective practice, 4) modelling a learner centred environment and 5) engaging teachers in continuing professional development. The research also identified some of the challenges that mentors experienced, such as large class sizes, lack of resources and incongruent assessment and inspectorate policies.
These findings suggest that if learner-centred pedagogies are to be successfully implemented in Tanzania, an ongoing continuing professional development program based on a mentoring model provides an effective strategy for enabling the implementation of LCE.

text: A mentoring approach to learner centred education in Tanzania : a case from the grass roots Over the past twenty years there has been an attempt to reform classroom pedagogy in Tanzania by implementing a learner-centred model of education. Even though government policy and curriculum design provide the policy conditions for implementing Learner Centred Education, research suggests that many teachers continue to implement teacher-centred approaches. This study reports on the findings of an instrumental case study that aimed to identify the strategies used by six mentor teachers to support teachers to effectively implement learner-centred education. The findings of this study revealed five strategies that mentors used to support the implementation of pedagogical change. These include; 1) supporting the development of teacher identity, 2) modelling flatter power relationships, 3) developing reflective practice, 4) modelling a learner centred environment and 5) engaging teachers in continuing professional development. The research also identified some of the challenges that mentors experienced, such as large class sizes, lack of resources and incongruent assessment and inspectorate policies.
These findings suggest that if learner-centred pedagogies are to be successfully implemented in Tanzania, an ongoing continuing professional development program based on a mentoring model provides an effective strategy for enabling the implementation of LCE.

year: 2019

title: Indigenous Psychology in Aotearoa: Realising Māori Aspirations

authors: Levy, Michelle Patricia

subjects: Maori

abstract: Indigenous psychology in Aotearoa positions the aspirations of Māori as central.  The aim of this thesis is to describe and contribute to the development of a psychological discipline which is relevant and of benefit for Māori communities.  Part One sets the scene in Aotearoa, examining the relationship between Māori development and psychology.  Part Two explores the indigenous psychology literature base, identifying strategies which may be relevant to Aotearoa.  The key themes of context, critical mass, and mechanisms to support indigenous psychology development are identified as being relevant to Aotearoa.  Part Three explores indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  Data from a range of sources is qualitatively analysed to develop five themes which describe the current status of Māori development in psychology, the importance of the critical mass and the notion of collective responsibility.  Part Four, drawing from the analysis in Parts One, Two and Three, identifies 'reaching the point of irreversible change' as the next phase of indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  This is the point at which indigenous psychology development becomes self-sustaining.  

The point at which irreversible change occurs is when: Māori knowledge bases are a legitimate part of psychology in Aotearoa; resistance to the legitimacy of Māori knowledge bases in psychology is not a characteristic of our landscape; environments supportive of indigenous psychology development are commonplace; and responsibility for contributing to indigenous psychology development is shared among and sustained by the collective capacity of the Leaders and Producers.  Consolidation, the process by which multiple and interrelated pathways are connected to form a unified whole, is fundamental to reaching the point of irreversible change.  An original interactional framework for consolidation is proposed.  This framework is based on two key consolidating mechanisms: a working description of Kaupapa Māori Psychologies; and a Kaupapa Māori Psychologies Research and Training Centre.  Psychologies relevant and of benefit to Māori communities which contribute to the realisation of Māori aspirations are the cornerstones, with all elements of the framework leading back into this fundamental foundation.

text: Indigenous Psychology in Aotearoa: Realising Māori Aspirations Indigenous psychology in Aotearoa positions the aspirations of Māori as central.  The aim of this thesis is to describe and contribute to the development of a psychological discipline which is relevant and of benefit for Māori communities.  Part One sets the scene in Aotearoa, examining the relationship between Māori development and psychology.  Part Two explores the indigenous psychology literature base, identifying strategies which may be relevant to Aotearoa.  The key themes of context, critical mass, and mechanisms to support indigenous psychology development are identified as being relevant to Aotearoa.  Part Three explores indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  Data from a range of sources is qualitatively analysed to develop five themes which describe the current status of Māori development in psychology, the importance of the critical mass and the notion of collective responsibility.  Part Four, drawing from the analysis in Parts One, Two and Three, identifies 'reaching the point of irreversible change' as the next phase of indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  This is the point at which indigenous psychology development becomes self-sustaining.  

The point at which irreversible change occurs is when: Māori knowledge bases are a legitimate part of psychology in Aotearoa; resistance to the legitimacy of Māori knowledge bases in psychology is not a characteristic of our landscape; environments supportive of indigenous psychology development are commonplace; and responsibility for contributing to indigenous psychology development is shared among and sustained by the collective capacity of the Leaders and Producers.  Consolidation, the process by which multiple and interrelated pathways are connected to form a unified whole, is fundamental to reaching the point of irreversible change.  An original interactional framework for consolidation is proposed.  This framework is based on two key consolidating mechanisms: a working description of Kaupapa Māori Psychologies; and a Kaupapa Māori Psychologies Research and Training Centre.  Psychologies relevant and of benefit to Māori communities which contribute to the realisation of Māori aspirations are the cornerstones, with all elements of the framework leading back into this fundamental foundation.

year: 2007