The primary objective of this research project was to investigate the specific interventions that make the biggest difference to Maori students' academic motivation and in-school engagement within one Kahui Ako in Aotearoa New Zealand. Student, whanau, school leader, and teacher perspectives were examined to understand which interventions were…

This study highlights how principal leadership of goal-directed practices impacts outcomes. Over 2 years, three academics partnered with three principals and a small "project team" comprising one or more teachers, and one or more middle or senior leaders. In this report, the authors reflect on some of the key changes that occurred from…

Current research into, and definitions of, historical literacy do not adequately acknowledge the cultural backgrounds of indigenous learners across the historical disciplines and levels. Nor do they recognise the vital role of historical literacy in empowering indigenous students. In talanoa (conversations) with Maori and Pasifika students and…

The authors of this report explored children's informal learning outside of school and then investigated how this knowledge can enhance teaching and learning practice in the classroom. The authors worked alongside children to develop a conceptual framework of the variations in how Year 5 students learn informally in their everyday lives outside…

Writing is a demanding, multidimensional process that is, cognitively and socially, highly complex. Success in writing is vital to success in education and in the workforce. Writing is increasingly used to demonstrate learning through schooling and has the potential to contribute toward understanding and learning in the content areas. The project…

Te Kopae Piripono (TKP), Maori immersion early childhood education (ECE) centre, was recognised by the Ministry of Education in 2005 as a Centre of Innovation (COI), funding a 3-year practitioner research project which looked at whether "Whanau Development at Te Kopae Piripono fosters leadership across all levels of the whanau enhancing…

This 2-year collaborative research project focused on young children's working theories about identity, language, and culture, how early childhood teachers can nurture and encourage this learning, and how this in turn impacts on children's participation in early childhood education (ECE) communities. The project builds on a previous Teaching and…

In this report the authors signal the plurilingual nature of children's and teachers' learning and teaching experiences. Plurilingualism introduces a dynamic view of bilingualism in educational settings and refers to an individual's ability to draw upon her/his total language resources for learning and teaching (Cummins & Early, 2011; Garcia…

This project came about after discussions with the general manager of the Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association and Jeanette Clarkin-Phillips (University of Waikato) about setting up a research partnership to support the teachers at Taitoko Kindergarten in Levin. The teachers were establishing an integrated community centre (the whanau…

The overarching aim of this research in the proposal was the following: In a number of early childhood centres and early years school classrooms that have already begun to explore in this area, to investigate effective pedagogy designed to develop five learning competencies over time. This project was developed in response to curriculum reform in…