National Teaching & Learning conference 2010 - day 3

Last morning of the conference, with two keynotes and a workshop (where I have a ‘round table’ session to extend on keynote presentation yesterday).


First keynote of the morning from Dr. Kirsty Weir, the research manager from Ako Aotearoa who spoke on ‘enhancing learner outcomes through evidence-based teaching’. How can research be used to build up a evidence base to improve outcomes for students. She began with current state of play in research (agenda, methods, dissemination). Challenges – researchers working in isolation leading to use of a narrow range of methods & dissemination to small / academic audiences. Need to improve quality and impact of research to educational change. At the agenda stage, need to engage practitioners, researchers and policy makers together to work on research questions which will help to drive policy. Methods can be improved by embracing diverse methods (need to match research question to method not just use method most familiar to researcher), systematically measuring (measure actual change not just perceptions) outcomes (e.g. as proposed by Sir Mason Durie on day 1) and employ inferential analyses (to judge if interventions are effective). During dissemination, need to ensure research goes to practitioners and policy makers (using most appropriate channels) by making research accessible, actively target audience (e.g. practice focused summaries for practitioners), scale up application (share key points and work at generalization to applications beyond research context). Used the Carl Weiman based improving the learning of science project as an example. Therefore research agenda needs to have collaboratively set priorities, methods include providing Ako Aoteaoroa funding to build research capability and developing improved mechanisms for dissemination (e.g. Ako Aotearoa good practice publication grants).

Important pointers in Kirsty’s direction to planning towards future projects :)

Workshop session followed with a small number of keen participants. I managed to garner feedback on the presentation I have been working on for an Adult Learning Symposium in Singapore at the end of October. The overall approach to link the metaphor of belonging, becoming and being (b3) to help students learn ‘judgment’ and importance of feedback in the process. Participants also worked on using the b3 metaphor to assist with development or evaluation and re-development of curriculum and teaching plans and staff development.

Closing keynote from Dr. Billy O’Steen from University of Canterbury, assisting as to work out ‘where to from here? Applying your conference learning journeys’. Based his presentation on having the conference participations work out what they have gained from the conference based on the 4 keynotes : Where have we come from (Tamati), where have you been during the conference / motivations (Mason), what will you take from here (Kirsty) and where to from here – the continuing journey of becoming and being a teacher (Selena). A good session to unpack the large amount of learning that takes place when one engages with conference activities. Particularly, how to apply new ideas to enhancing student engagement (can be defined from student behavior or systems institutions use to help students learn and measured by surveys like AUSSE).

Conference proceedings will be archived on Ako Aotearoa website in a couple of weeks. Conference closed with a poroporoaki. Next year’s conference (early October) will be organized by Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT).

National Teaching & Learning Conference 2010 - day 2 afternoon

My keynote came up after lunch where I presented on 'Belonging, Becoming and Being: Learning from narratives of apprentices and trades tutors. My main objective was to provide background on concepts of vocational identity formation and to provide the metaphors of belonging, becoming and being as metaphors for forming a shared understanding for teachers to work towards processes which will enhance learning for students. 

After afternoon tea, open conference session with two streams - teaching and learning and elearning.
The teaching and learning stream had groups working on teaching large classes, motivating students, managing assessment for learning. In elearning there are groups discussing eportfolios, social networking, misuse of technology, evaluating confidence with digital literacy and how to embed literacy in elearning.

National Teaching & Learning Conference 2010, day 2 morning

Day 2 began with keynote with Tamati Waaka – Te Whare o Wanaga Awanuiarangi, an uplifting and cogent presentation to start the day off well. Tamati began with his whakapapa (his genealogy from his father and mother and the landmarks which are important waymarkers). His presentation centred around ‘learning in a Maori way’ covering Maori ontology (Maoritanga), epistemology (matuaranga) and methodology (and the role of proverbs (whakatauki) in their epistemology. Using his whakapapa, he explained the various aspects of Maori approaches to learning.


Whakatauki included:

Tu kit e marae tau ana – learn your skill in a safe environment and your will thrive

Iti te kupu nui te korero – small words have large meanings

When through various teaching methods as examples – eg. Role play to learn whakapapa, concept maps, mind maps and structured word maps to learn waiata (archaic chants).

Ako Aoteaora publication on teaching and learning for success for Maori in tertiary settings includes 5 main points.

After morning tea, a series of workshops. I chose to attend Alison Viskovic’s session on ‘how do you learn to be a tertiary teacher’. Alison was my M ed. supervisor and now associate dean of the arts faculty at Whitireia Polytechnic. She did an overview of work from her Phd and a literature review on evaluating tertiary teacher training in NZ completed for Ako Aotearoa as a precursor to the Ako Aotearoa commissioned stocktake of tertiary teachers qualifications. A workshop followed to discuss approaches to questions like – do tertiary teaching qualifications matter?; how can informal learning about teaching in teachers’ local communities of practice to be better support? How different or similar are the teaching development needs of university or polytec teachers?; if courses / qualifications matter, what should NZ provision be like? How useful to us are standards set in the UK by the Higher Ed. Academy and the Further Ed. (lifelong learning sector?

National Teaching & Learning Conference - Day 1 afternoon

Sir Mason Durie's, vice chancellor - maori & pacifica studies - Massey university, presentation Maori student success addressing determinants of sucess in order to achieve best outcomes for Maori students through positive learning enviroments. tertiary ed delivers dual benefits of personal and societal.

Began with an overview of how Maori educational transformation since 1984 starting with the emergence of the Kura Kaupapa Maori and Whare Kura (kohanga reo movement). following that educational policies which recognise Maori aspirations and knowledge increased choices for Maori. Availability of multiple tertiary education pathways also assisted as did information derived from the building of research capability. Participation rate of Maori in tertiary education now higher than average (over 20% compared to just under 15%) although higher partipation rate with female Maoris( 2/3 - 1/3), generally students are 'older'.

Determinants of success include macro (social) variables, learners, teaching institutes and teacher attributes. Post-treaty Iwi aspirations will lead to a change in present relationships between Maori and govt./others. In next 25 years, there will be a move to grow capability and to harness resources which will lead to an emphasis on education to meet future objectives. Best outcomes need to NOT only be measured in academic outcomes, other outcomes include collegial networks, personal, career and cultural. The learning environment is an important contributor to better student outcomes, should include campus experience, modes of learning, generic support and whanau (wider family) support. Suggest engagement (whakapiri), enlighten (whakamarama) and empower (whakamana) students important. engagment needs to be a two way process (bilateral). enlightenment includes cultural enrichment, healthy lifestyle, learning outcomes/intellectual insights and social cohesion. empowerments involves attainment of a qualification which has worth in society including career and leadership opportunities.

Govt. policies indicate need to target qualified students (less open entry), less opportunities for second chance learners, more blended learning, higher expectations of students and perhaps working towards more than one qualification plus a moved to student centred learning. Some movement now with collaborative programmes between tertiary institutes and Iwi.

Panel discussion on Maori ways of knowing followed chaired by Ian Rowe, operations manager from Ako Aotearoa Central Hub. Panel included Sir Mason and staff and students from UCOL. Questions arouse in response to govt. direction as detailed by Hon. Steve Joyce this morning and the recommendations proposed in Sir Mason's presentation. For instance, outcomes need to be viewed wider than just completion of qualification but encompasse other aspects of personal growth and social contribution.

National Teaching & Learning Conference 2010 - day one morning

A wonderful powhiri welcome to Ucol and the annual (4th) National Teaching & Learning Conference at UCOL in Palmerston North.  Annette Aubrey, one of the organisers opened the proceedings with usual housekeeping and plans for the other conference sessions. Official welcomes from UCOL CE Paul McElroy and UCOL council chair, Trevor Goodwin followed.

Opening address was from Hon. Steven Joyce, Minister for Tertiary Education who provided a succinct but clear overview of why the tertiary sector is important to New Zealand and how it can better contribute to the betterment of New Zealanders' lives.  He summarised the need to move away from the consumption and economy based economy growth in the past years towards the need to have productivity growth in the contributing sectors which contribute to the economy (agriculture for one, education another example). Need to provide quality education, improve performance (through measuring and setting performance targets) and obtain value for money by removing low performance entities and financial incentives to improve student performantce.

The minister is supportive of ensuring the continued development of capability in the tertiary sector (better teachers) to ensure government goals of better outcomes for all NZers can be attained.  On to the afternoon with workshop sessions, keynote by Dr.Mason Durie and panel discussion.