AI NZ AI blueprint

 The AI forum in New Zealand - has published a blueprint for charting NZ's AI powered future. 

It is a follow up from a blueprint published in 2024. The blueprint is a high level strategic document providing rationale and recommendations.

The main items are:

- supporting and encouraging adoption of an AI strategy for Aotearoa by government

- making good governance possible for responsible, accessible and affordable AI for all.

- Encouraging upskills across the existing workforce.

- providing Māori with voice and guidance for the intersection of Te Tiriti, Te Ao Māori and AI.

- telling stories that bring life to how AI is used across Aotearoa.

The blueprint then shares the frameworks , recommendations and guidelines to action the main items. 

Attitudes towards Muslims in New Zealand - presentation by Dr. Usman Afsali

Below are notes taken at a presentation late last week on the attitudes of Kiwis on Muslims. I usually keep these as 'notes to self' rather than posting them. However, over the weekend, I read this news report on the government's response to the Terror Attack (March 15th 2019 - where 51 Muslims were killed in the mosque in Christchurch, NZ) Royal Commission recommendations. 8 of the 44 recommendations would be 'dropped' and all the rest would be re-assigned to various other agencies. The meeting itself was short and to a small audience, with the invitation to the meeting delivered at short notice. In all, poor public relations and although, the moves were pragmatic, the lack of regard for all the people affected is not what is expected of a country, working towards being inclusive (sigh). 

Notes below:

Attended a presentation by Dr. Usman Afzal from the University of Canterbury. Presented on findings from longitudinal study on attitudes in NZ to non-mainstream groups. In the presentation, the focus was on New Zealanders' perceptions and attitudes toward Muslims.   

The NZAVS - NZ attitudes and values survey - has been going for 15 years and is planned to go on for 20. A postal questionnaire to 48,000 participants selected from the electoral rolls. The survey has 'content blocks', some changing after 3 -4 years. Covers a range of social issues including environmental, political, immigration, life satisfaction, self-esteem, perceived discrimination, patriotism, nationalism etc. etc.

Articles usually published open access, provide evidence base for advice to government and considered to be a well-regarded research.

Provided the rationale for including studying the attitude toward Muslims by NZers, especially after the 2019 Mosque shootings. In NZ, nationalism has not risen over the last decade but there is a substantial prejudice against Muslims. 

In NZ, the is ethnic and nationality diversity amongst Muslims. 25% are born in NZ with Muslims coming from across the world. Projected increase in Muslims to become the main religious group by 2070. 

Therefore important that democracies educate people to have greater acceptance of diversity. 

Muslims in NZ, hold stronger religious dogma beliefs when compared to other religions. From other surveys, if the majority are more accepting, there can be a change in acceptance of minority religions. However, in NZ, the reverse seems to take place :( True Nzers defined as being Pakeha/Maori, able to speak English, has NZ citizenship and following NZ laws and policies. Pakeha.Maori and English speakers still did not consider Muslims to be considered as full NZers.

After the mosque shootings, the warmth towards Muslims increased and this effect has been maintained. 

Discussed the considerations of the Muslim sample in the NZAVS (n=70). An increase in the sample size will help so a 'new' study has begun - the Muslim Diversity Study (MDS) (n=3000 across 6 NZ sites but presently only 500 collected). Survey began last year and will run for 3 years. Focus on finding out about wellbeing, resilience, diversity, perceived discrimination and similarities or differences between Muslims on these with other religions. Detailed the various initiatives undertaken to connect with the Muslim communities across NZ to obtain their participation. Building trusts of the Muslim community to outside institutions is important to encourage participation (which is now eroded even more by the events summarised in the first paragraph).. 

Reshaping vocational education and training in Aotearoa New Zealand - book link and overview

 

Disclaimer: I am co-author for this book. 

This book, the fruit of two years of effort by many authors from across Aotearoa New Zealand, records the many initiatives, innovations and developments across the vocational education and training (VET) sector as the country enacts the outcomes of the recent reform on VET (RoVE). Industry Training Organisations (ITOs) with 30 years of history and service to their industries, and Institute of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs), many with contributions of over a century to VET, all merge into Te Pūkenga, the NZ Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST) as of January 2023. 

There are 20 chapters: 4 chapters covering the histories of the ITOs and ITPs, along with the rationale, outcomes and possible implications of RoVE. There are chapters on how ITOs and ITPs work towards addressing inequitable access and outcomes especially for Māori, Pacific, workplace learners and women in the trades. "Innovations" across the sector are also covered, including the application of design thinking towards development and deployment of a culinary arts degree programme, degree apprenticeship in infrastructure asset management, networked/distributed learning in degree midwifery programmes, collaborative development and delivery of the Bachelor in Engineering Technology (BEngTech) programme across 6 ITPs, recognition of prior learning, learning design for practice-based learning, definitions of distance and online learning, and the need for ongoing professional development to assure quality VET provision.

All in, the book makes a contribution towards recording the sector as it moves towards new ways of collaborating and managing VET in Aotearoa NZ consolidates. 

NZ Association for Research in Education (NZARE) blog

 Although mainly with a school-based learning slant, the blog (Ipu kereru) maintained by the NZ Associaiton for Research in Education (NZARE), provides for an overview of research undertaken in this discipline.

Of note is the recent work undertaken to address racism in Aotearoa, use mobile technologies effectively in teaching and learning, and the 2020 summer reading list. These reflect the current emphasised themes within the Aotearoa NZ educational research community around equity, the commitment to meet the partnership enshrined in the Tiriti o Waitangi, and technology's influence and integration into learning and teaching. 

The blogs draw on recent/current research studies and provide a good overview of work undertaken by Aotearoa researchers. 

NZ COOL - elearning from home for school kids - impact on tertiary education in NZ

A flurry of activity in the NZ blogsphere and slight reactions in the news media from NZ Minister of Education's recent announcement. Minister Hekia Parata advocated for schools to keep up with 21st century learning and the use of technology to allow students to complete schooling from home called COOL - community of online learning.

NZ has a history of distance education at the school level due to it's small population and geographical spread. The NZ correspondence school - te aho o te kura pounamu has a history going back almost a century of providing distance education to students living in remote country farms.

Generally positive reaction was provided by Derek Wenmouth from CORE ED and Dr. Steve Maharey, vice chancellor at Massey University. Both cautioned for the need to be circumspect. COOL should not just be about shifting to a different mode of learning. 21st century learning is to ensure students gain knowledge and skills to allow them to participate and contribute to the society they live in.

Critiques abound, with opinion pieces from education journalist, overviews from opposition parties and a summary from the Science education sector. Overall, good to see actual discussion on the topic.

In tertiary and vocational education, elearning has been percolating for two decades. There are some excellent examples of good practice in the NZ ITP (polytechnics or community colleges / further education) sector, but they are small when the scale of things is considered. The MAIN observation from my point of view, as an observer over the last 20 years and a contributor to the cause, is the following. NOT all vocational / applied learning is suitable for conversion to on-line learning. To work well, both students and teachers require digital literacy / fluency and learning to learn skills before on-line learning is embarked on. Careful selection of the types of learning that will work well for on-line learning is a key. Then, its a matter of 'listen to the learners', building confidence and capability with teachers and continual monitoring and support. Only then, will outcomes from on-line learning match the ones we currently meet with f2f delivery.

world class education - NZ documentary

Probably required viewing for anyone in NZ who works in education or is a parent trying to understand the complexities of the educational system. The documentary - World Class - Inside NZ education : A special report fronted by Bryan Bruce  - provides for much food for thought.

In a short 45 minutes, the various initiatives undertaken by successive NZ governments though the last 30 plus years is overviewed and discussed. Comparisons to countries  / cities (Finland, Shanghai) successfully featured as 'world class' as per testing regimes like PISA are trotted out.

Usual reviews were usually positive in the NZ media via stuff - summary,  'does not disappoint' , and opinion piece. In short, there is call - supported by much research - for early (pre-school) learning to be better supported and for parent 'education' / support where needed. As a child learns much in the first years of life, parents as 'first teachers' are an essential component of any 'educational outcome'. Given NZ's rising disparity between the haves and the have nots, there is mounting need to support those who struggle. Otherwise, the gap between the educational outcomes of the better off and the less better off, will be always difficult to bridge.

One interesting comment struck me as worth thinking through. An American academic urged NZ to NOT be focused on tests scores (ie. PISA and similar). His question was apt. Why should a small country like NZ, concentrate on producing learners who could just 'pass tests'. Surely, it is more important to ensure a small country like NZ, prepares future citizens to be ready for the future. To be creative, innovative, thinkers who lead the world, not drones to work in repetitive, mechanised and conformist organisations.

Ditto therefore relevant to the vocational education sector. We currently have a very important mechanism for changing the focus of voc, ed, in NZ. The NZQA targeted review of all qualifications in NZ has shifted qualifications from emphasis on 'unit standards' and a rational (quantitatively) approach to delivery and assessment of vocational skills to graduate profiles. In this article, I argue for leveraging off the opportunity provided by a shift to graduate profiles, to recognise more relationally (qualitatively), the skills, knowledge and attitudinal voc. ed. attainment through concepts like 'becoming' - as per occupational identity formation which formed part of my PhD thesis.

Much work still be be done to shift industry training and pre-trade / on-going voc. ed, through polytechnics and institutes of technology (NZ ITPs). However, the opportunity has now be provided and it is up to the 'users' to make the most of it.