Hui Rangahau Graham Nuthall Research Symposium 2026

 Notes taken from the annual Graham Nuthall Symposium at University of Canterbury yesterday evening.

Posters were put up by Post-graduate students across a variety of educational research projects in the foyer. 

Two streams of presentations precede the keynote. I attend the two summarised below:

Data informed evidence for learning and teaching, achievement (DELTA) – Volarie Sotardi and Professor John Everatt. Summarised strands of research for large scale national and international assessment, centre for assessment and monitoring school data and school partnered studies producing applied research data. Objective to use data to answer questions – exampled by socio-emotional learning, affective experiences, absentieeism and school belonging; school claimate, eqity and academic achievement, classroom disorder etc.

Examples of some projects :1) What lies behind the ethnic achievement gap? PISA 2022 data linked to MoE records, 15 year olds in 167 schools (4600 students) – school climate matters, but groups differ little in it; large gap still remained – the Chinese students’ advantages was not explained by these factors; policy to narrow ethnic achievement gap. 2) University – ethnicity gap in firs retention. Higher for Maōri and Pacific compared to non. 3) TIMSS data on how factors impact maths assessment scores, also impact of classroom space on CAM English and Math test scores (no differences between traditional and innovative environments).

Assessment futures: Gen AI, social justice, and principles for equitable design. Professors Cheryl Brown, Dr. Helena Cook, Dr. Kay-Lee Jones, Professor Kathryn MacCallum, Komathi Ramaya and Associate Professor Christoph Teschers. A faculty wide project to explore beyond AI tools. AI is not simply another technology. It is reshaping education – what and how we assess, who benefits and what educators need to know. Perspectives across Ai literacy, educator knowledge, social justice to rethink assessment in the age of Ai.

Research question – what knowledge gaps exists, and how might these contribute to epistemic injustice, and the marginalisation of diverse knowledge systems; How Gen Ai transforms assessment practive. Important as assessment is not neutral -assessments decisions shape whose knowledge is valued, whose capabilities are recognises and who can succeed. What can AI bring, but also what is left out or taken out.

Every assessment design decision has potential equity implications. Shared the research method – onboarding and ethics (October to December 2025); literature framework mapping (Jan to Sept.2026) case studies (July to Nov) expert think tank and co design (Oct – Dec) resources and June (resources and tool development).

Shared initial / preliminary findings through interviews with UC lecturers.

Strict Gen AI bans are unrealistic, but over-reliance risks undermining academic integrity, critical thinking and foundational skills. Gen AI outputs omit context and reinforce stereotypes. Gen AI assisted (translation) and polished submissions complicate things. Students’ ethical objections and inconsistent expectations across educators created challenges for fair assessment. Balancing the fostering of Gen Ai literacy with the presavation of human connection.Unequal access to paid tools. Inconsistent institutional policies. Ai can generate excessive content. Effective Ai integration requires training, equitable access and careful management of bias, privacy and technical reliability.

Next steps, across the think tank is to find how to assure equity, given the challenges.

Then the Graham Nuthall lecture with Dr. Hana O-Regan, Associate Professor Frauke Meyer and Dr. Pam O' Connell. Gemma Stewart (Kāiarahi Māori) opened with introductions in Māori. Professor Cheryl Brown introduced the history of the series and Professor Graham Nuthall’s scholarly legacy.

Hāpaitia te ngākau aroha: using virtual reality to elevate teacher empathy.

Overview – why so we do something different (context, history and present - Hana); where we want to get to (shifting to equity mindsets- Pam); trying something different (anti-bias training and VR intervention - Frauke).

Despite decades of concerted effort, only incremental change. We need to keep at it. The need to understand the causes of inequity, still required to shift racism. Aotearoa has a story of everyone having a fair and equal opportunity. However, affirmative action to address inequity is seen to be unfair. Present politics unhelpful. These views and words have power. Presently, end to race based policies, one law for all, treat everyone the same, stop privileging Māori. There has been intentionality of inequality.

Argues that if evidence shows policy will have a disportional impact on Maori, we are doing it anyway, intentionally ignoring it.

In education, Māori are still disportionately penalised. We have the information, we must not ignore and we need to intentionally question the objectives. Need to develop consciousness as a basis of conscience.

To shift and sustain educational practices, there is a need to shift mindsets, design equity interventions and take equity action. How to move from information to intention. Nuthall (2008) The Hidden Lives of Learners– brought up cultural myths of teaching and learning. “What matters is the sense the student is making of the experience. In most teachers’ minds, the criteria for successful learning were the same as the criteria for successful management”.

Sumnmarised the research on equity mindsets – surfacing and challenging beliefs and mindsets that cause harm for learner through – dissonance/data, research/data on high expectations, learner voice/experiences and utilising community influence. References include:

- Timperley, H.S., Robinson, V.M. Achieving School Improvement through Challenging and Changing Teachers' Schema. Journal of Educational Change 2, 281–300 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014646624263

- Rubie-Davies, C. M. & Rosenthal, R. (2016). Intervening in teachers' expectations: A random effects meta-analytic approach to examining the effectiveness of an intervention, Learning and Individual Differences, 50. 83-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2016.07.014

- Bishop, R. & Berryman, M. (2006) Culture Speaks: Cultural Relations and classroom learning. Wellington, NZ. Huia.

Shared research from Te Tahua Tangahau mō ngā  Hapori – where collectivism of Te āo Māori is pitched against the individualism of the Western education system. Also the effects of streaming on Māori students. Much has been learnt but the dial is not shifting. 

Detailed the anti-bias training and VR intervention initiative. A VR scenario was developed – an embodiment scenario (being in the shoes of someone else). Designed to reflect common experiences of Māori students, create a character to avoid ‘virtual blackface’ . Portrays implicit bias and microaggressions vs explicit bias and overt racism and the impact of small individual acts accumulating over time. A 15 minute VR scenario, a 12 year Māori student, depicting six scenes of a ‘typical school day’. Shared video providing information on the simulation.

Training content supports the simulation covering history of inequity, inequity by design and coloniality; principles of high expectations teaching practices. Also goal setting and follow through. Detailed the introduction and evaluative process on the project. In general, enabled perspective-taking and reflection, reduced discomfort and bias, and less impact on beliefs related to practice. Still more work to be done but VR enabled perspective taking and increased empathy, motivated reflection and served as a discussion starter.

A good application of VR as one of its most powerful advantages is to engage the socio-emotional. In doing, feelings cause strong emotional responses, anchoring the experiences into our brains. I will need to keep an eye on how the project develops.