Several strategic influencers or drivers were identified as shaping the different stages that TEOs were at in their approaches. These factors either facilitated the development of professional development, or were factors identified as explaining why professional development was underdeveloped or just developing. They included: TEC / government priorities focused on Māori and Pasifika learners investment, impetus and importance given to professional development by TEO’s governance and management organisation accountability and reporting structures (e.g. clear strategic requirements; external stakeholder advisory group) dedicated internal staff appointed to identify professional development needs and to oversee development and implementation bi-cultural organisation focus a priority over a multi-cultural one organisation mergers / restructures. A consistent theme across the interviews was that it was essential for organisations’ leadership to value the importance of professional development for Māori and for Pasifika. It was important for TEOs’ leadership to actively demonstrate the importance of this professional development and to drive its implementation and embed it through effective policies and practices. “It is costly but an important investment. It needs to be driven and expected by governance and management who need to create an understanding of why it is important. You need to have a philosophy, commitment and dedicated resources.” (PTE) 2.2 More established for Māori? Overall, professional development specifically focused on enhancing responsiveness to Māori seemed to be at a more advanced stage than for Pasifika. For some TEOs, professional development focused on Pasifika learners was at a very developmental phase, or comprised only a very small amount of current or intended activity. Factors contributing to this focus included organisations having much larger numbers of Māori learners than Pasifika or the capability to provide internal professional development relating to Māori but not Pasifika – “we don’t really have a Pasifika academic community here” (ITP). For example, one organisation with a high number of Māori learners and less than 10 percent Pasifika, identified that professional development targeted to engaging Māori was established, but professional development needs were not assessed by Pasifika identity. Some participants also observed that teaching qualifications (e.g. the National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education) while incorporating a Māori cultural component, have no equivalent in relation to Pasifika.
4. Main professional development focus Two areas of professional development have been most commonly engaged in recently by TEOs to enhance responsiveness to both Māori and Pasifika learners: Enhancing engagement with Māori and Pasifika learners, families and communities. Understanding culture and cultural concepts. Supporting teacher self-reflection and self-assessment has also been a common focus. “staff developers and teacher educators now almost universally recognise that reflection on practice is a critical element in professional learning and development.” (Prebble et al., 2004, p.32) These areas align with key broad inter-related categories of professional development that TEOs most commonly identified as of most importance to enhancing responsiveness to both Māori and Pasifika learners. Figure 2: Most important areas of professional development for Māori and Pasifika Most important culturally specific PD Understanding Māori and Pacific cultures and cultural context Teaching approaches, practices and pedagogy proven to work well for Māori and for Pasifika Attitudes, assumptions, and about Māori and Pacific cultures and learners and own culture and values Most important ‘non-culturally’ specific PD Capability in numeracy, literacy and assessment Predominantly, these areas of professional development center on developing a core or foundational understanding of Māori and Pasifika cultures and cultural context, strong teaching approaches to effectively engage Māori and Pasifika learners and their families, and professional development to facilitate teachers’ own understanding awareness
Careerforce ITO Dr. Nicky Murray Joel Rewa Morgan Research Manager Business Development Consultant Māori and Pasifika Eastern Institute of Technology Claire Hague Deputy Chief Executive Māori and Pasifika Martin Hautus, The Pacific Peoples Learning Centre Pulotu Selio Solomon Chief Executive Pasifika NZ Management Academies Nimi Kaur Annette Tofaeono Charlotte Cogel Director, Academic Quality LLN Facilitators Māori and Pasifika Primary ITO Peter MacGregor Kaihautu, Te Kauta team Māori Sir George Seymour Deborah Dove Learning & Development Manager Māori and Pasifika Te Tari Puna o Aotearoa/ NZ Childcare Assoc. Jane Ewens Director, Education Māori and Pasifika Turanga Ararau Sharon Maynard Hannah Hohapata Manager Quality Developer Māori Unitec Linda Aumua Director, Pacific Centre Pasifika
Unitec Sandy Thompson Professional Development Facilitator for Ako Aotearoa Lecturer, Programme Leader, Community and Health Services Pasifika Unitec Dr Teorongonui Josie Keelan Dean, Teaching & Learning, Mātauranga Māori Māori Whitireia Warren Thompson Willis Katene Human Resources Manager & Professional Development facilitator Director, Te Manawa Dean, Te Wānanga Māori Māori and Pasifika Workforce Development Anne Greenhalg National Foundation Learning Manager Māori and Pasifika References Airini, McNaughton, S., Langley, J., & Sauni, P. (2007). ‘What educational reform means: lessons from teachers, research and policy working together for student success’. Educational Research Policy Practice, v.6, pp.31-54.