Māku anō e hanga, i toku nei whare - I will build my own house

Project Description

This project positions kaiako and community as key to advancing aspirations for their tamariki. It involved working alongside five kaiako and their ākonga in a Modern Learning Environment (MLE) to explore and enhance pāngarau (mathematics) teaching and learning experiences.

Aims

The goal of this project was to explore ways that student engagement and achievement in pāngarau in a Māori Medium MLE setting could be enhanced. This project explored the challenges and advantages of teaching and learning pāngarau in one Years 4-6 MLE in a wharekura. In the first year we explored existing pāngarau teaching and learning experiences, understandings, attitudes and beliefs. In the second year we worked together to trial and refine innovative pāngarau teaching approaches that take advantage of the affordances of the MLE to strengthen success for kaiako (teachers) and ākonga (students). Findings contributed insights into MLE pāngarau experiences generally in Aotearoa and more specifically, those in a Māori Medium (MM) MLE setting. Project findings will be of interest as well to other international indigenous contexts seeking to enhance mathematics learning for their ākonga.

Why is this research important?

Early research suggests that MLEs are settings requiring different thinking regarding use of space and physical elements (buildings, furniture) and non-physical elements (pedagogy). There is little research about how to teach pāngarau effectively in MLEs in Aotearoa, especially in Māori Medium (MM) settings. This research is imperative when considering current government policies emphasising the importance of enhancing Māori ākonga engagement and achievement in pāngarau.

As well as informing Māori and English Medium settings about the potential of MLEs as sites of innovative teaching and learning in pāngarau, it provided kaiako with experiences into inquiry processes by offering them opportunities to reflect on and develop their pedagogical knowledge for this relatively new teaching context.

What did we do?

There are two phases to this research. As part of Phase 1, Ākonga completed an online survey about their learning experiences. Kaiako were interviewed about their teaching experiences and 8-10 ākonga about their learning in the MLE.

Phase 2 invited kaiako to select a particular aspect to focus on for future teaching. Lessons which explored the potential of the MLE space to accelerate pāngarau learning and motivation were co-constructed and co-taught. Ākonga and kaiako were invited to share their views about the effectiveness of the teaching and learning practices.

Our partners

Kaiako, ākonga and senior leadership team from Te Wharekura o Rākaumanga in Huntly are our partners.

Contact details

Leeana Herewini
Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240
leeana.herewini@waikato.ac.nz
027 240 8942

Ngārewa Hāwera
Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240
ngarewa.hawera@waikato.ac.nz
027 471 7676