Te pakeke hei ākonga: Māori adult learners

1. Introduction

The purpose of this research project, Te pakeke hei ākonga: Māori adult learners, is to capture the perspectives of learners, tutors and providers as to how language, literacy and numeracy in foundation learning programmes can best be optimised for adult Māori learners.

An earlier literature review, by Benseman et al. (2005a), noted an absence of studies relating to foundation programmes for indigenous people. This current research proposal begins to fill a gap in knowledge about adult Māori learners in foundation programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The research aims to explore the following key questions in relation to adult Māori learners:

• Where are we at?
• Where could we move to?
• What has made a difference for those learners who consider their teaching/learning to have been successful?
• What will it take to meet/achieve learner, community and iwi aspirations in language, literacy and numeracy?

1.1 The literature

This review of relevant literature focuses on concepts central to the project’s aims. In particular, the review centres on recent publications regarding optimum learning conditions for Māori learners. While these publications have their focus mainly on the compulsory education sector, there are generic principles regarding learning which, we argue, cross sectors. Also addressed in this review are recent research findings and information from a literature review which examines language, literacy and numeracy in foundation programmes at the tertiary level.

Ministry of Education publications demonstrate an awareness of and concern for the underachievement of Māori students. In 2005, only 33 percent of Māori students attained NCEA Level 2 (the Pasifika rate was 45 percent), 25 percent of Māori school leavers left secondary school with little or no formal attainment, and only 73 percent of Māori stayed in secondary school until Year 12 (Ministry of Education, 2006). While Māori participation rates in tertiary education are high in comparison with other ethnic groups, their involvement tends to be at sub-degree level (Ministry of Education, 2006). State-funded foundation tertiary programmes, which scaffold learners into tertiary learning, are a partial response to concerns based on unsatisfactory secondary school statistics.

The research conducted by Bishop et al. (2001) examines effective learning and teaching strategies for Māori-medium education. The authors describe how successful teachers create a “culturally responsive context for learning” (p. 206). The effective teachers they describe create culturally appropriate and responsive contexts for learning by:

• creating caring relationships
• creating structured, positive and cooperative environments
• recognising and building on prior learning and experiences
• using feedback
• sharing power.

Bishop et al. (2001) place considerable emphasis on the importance of Māori learners being secure in their identity. Being proud of who one is and where one comes from appears to be an important overall factor for academic success.

Macfarlane  (2000) describes an approach to behaviour management that is an amalgam of contemporary theory and traditional Māori discipline. More recently, in Kia hiwa ra (2004), Macfarlane focuses on culturally responsive pedagogy. He argues that infusing the five cultural concepts of whanaungatanga (relationship building), manaakitanga (an ethic of caring), rangatiratanga (teacher effectiveness), kotahitanga (bonding), and pumanawatanga (classroom morale and teacher attitude) is likely to have a positive impact on students’ learning and on teachers’ teaching.

In a review of the literature on Māori pedagogies, Hemara (2000) states that information on Māori pedagogy is patchy and the written record is limited. He maintains that:

According to Hemara (2000), there was a close relationship between the traditional curricula and the spiritual, social, intellectual and physical well-being of the learner and their community. Formal learning usually took place in a whare wānanga but much of the learning was carried out informally in social settings, sometimes in one-to-one situations. This allowed for the development of social interdependence. Kaumatua with their vast knowledge, wisdom and reflection were deemed to be essential to the learning process. Different media, metaphors, allusions and relationships helped to render the unfamiliar more familiar.

Although preferred Māori pedagogies have been described as group-oriented, this does not preclude individualised or one-to-one interactions taking place (Hohepa et al., 1996; Ka’ai, 1990). Two studies carried out in Kohanga Reo demonstrate that group activities and group settings are widely favoured, but there are many extended dyadic and personalised interactions (Hohepa et al., 1996; Ka’ai, 1990). The discourse in these Māori pedagogical settings differs from the typical discourse patterns that one would expect to see in a Western educational context. The concept of whānau is embedded in Kohanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori contexts (Smith, 1997; Royal Tangaere, 1997) as the children learn about whānau responsibilities of caring and sharing, and looking after each other. However, it is argued:

In a research study with Māori learners at a tertiary institution, Martin et al. (2004) highlight positive lecturer characteristics and pedagogical practices as defined by the adult Māori learners, including being positive, approachable and committed to students, and encouraging collaborative and cooperative work. Whakawhanaungatanga (making or renewing relationships), is an integral aspect of the lecturers’ practices as they provide activities that encourage interaction and the establishment of positive working relationships between the Māori staff and Māori students. Staff encourage a whānau atmosphere and students call them whaea (mother or aunty) and matua (father or uncle).

Various studies have articulated the importance of relationships in the teacher/learner interaction. This is especially important when students are members of minority ethnic or marginalised groups (Bishop et al., 2001; Carpenter et al., 2004; Hawk et al., 2002). The study by Hawk et al. (2002) includes a section on the tertiary context. It appears that, whatever the age group of the minority ethnic group learner, it is preferable that a relationship is established with a teacher prior to any formal instruction taking place. The prior relationship better facilitates successful learning outcomes.

The study by Benseman et al. (2005b), Pedagogy in practice: an observational study of literacy, numeracy and language teachers, is one of the few empirical studies based on the observation of practice. The authors observed 15 literacy, language and numeracy teachers working in New Zealand tertiary institutions. Their overview of the context has relevance for this project as they describe, in a sense, the macro set in which the subset of foundation learning programmes targeted specifically at Māori sits. The authors identified issues to do with:

• teacher status and background (only a small number held specific qualifications related to adult education or literacy, numeracy and language)
• physical environment and teaching resources (varied, with computers mainly used for word processing rather than computer-aided teaching)
• generic teaching (there were committed, positive, supportive teachers, teachers talked more than learners, questioning was important, there was limited discussion and debate)
• forms of provision (one-to-one and group teaching were both effective)
• the teaching of literacy, numeracy and language skills (e.g. there was a small range of teaching methods, there was limited deliberate teaching of reading, writing and spelling, numeracy teaching was linked to diagnosed learning needs, speaking and listening skills were seen as important means of building social and personal skills).

A further study by the same authors, Benseman et al., (2005a), found that quality tutors:

• have positive attitudes
• are approachable
• create positive and supportive learning environments
• use learners’ experiences in learning contexts
• are supportive in times of crisis
• help learners set realistic goals
• balance challenge and support for their learners.

These characteristics have links to this current study.

As evidenced above, there are a growing number of New Zealand-based research studies on foundation learning programmes. None to date relate to teaching in te reo Māori, or to Māori programme provision. This project’s purpose is to capture the perspectives of learners, tutors and providers as to how language, literacy and numeracy in foundation learning programmes can be optimised for Māori learners.

The following section describes the methodologies used to address the project’s purpose.

1.2 Methodology

There were two main Māori researchers involved in carrying out this research: Colleen McMurchy-Pilkington and Kimai Tocker. The first step was to gain ethics approval from the University of Auckland Human Participants Ethics Committee. There was a purposeful selection of participants to cover a range of providers of foundation programmes for adult Māori learners. Email and phone contacts were made to providers and tutors. Oral explanations were given of the research project and this was followed up with letters. Written permission was received from those who agreed to participate.

A range of providers took part in this research from the following areas: Auckland, Whangarei, Whakatane and Gisborne.

Two advisory group meetings were held, although not everyone attended both meetings. The author attended for one day aLearning for Living training session for tutors run by a Ministry of Education facilitator. This was a valuable exercise because it enabled the author to experience some of the pedagogical strategies, to become familiar with some of the resources, and to network with some tutors and providers.

Throughout this researchproject an effort was made to ensure there was a Māori-centred approach (Jahnke & Taiapa, 1999; Smith, 1997) that followed tikanga Māori whenever possible and the mana of the participants was foremost in the planning and processes.

Kaupapa Māori research is an attempt to retrieve space for Māori voices to be heard (Mead, 1996). This report is heavily laden with the voices of Māori participants in the study. Their voices are rich in detail. In kaupapa Māori research there is a strong link between cultural values and practices, and emancipatory goals (Smith, 1997). One of the aims of the research is to ascertain what some of the factors are that benefit adult Māori learners in foundation programmes. It is expected that the findings will be empowering for Māori learners and give important messages for tutors of Māori learners.

Smith (1997) writes about some characteristics of kaupapa Māori research. These include a centring of Māori philosophy and principles and being Māori. Kaupapa Māori research reinforces the importance of Māori language and culture and takes for granted the validity and legitimacy of being Māori and of Māori knowledge. Māori processes, unlike Pākehā ones, include whakawhanaungatanga (making or renewing relationships), settling the wairua (inner sense of well-being or spirituality), manaakitanga (respecting Māori customs and striving for a collaborative process).

The research methods in this study involved qualitative individual and focus group interviews, as kanohi ki te kanohi approaches are considered culturally relevant for Māori communities (Mead, 1996). All the participants and the two researchers were Māori. Language contexts used were largely English although some responses were bilingual.

To manaaki our participants we provided kai (food) before or during the interviews, and provided a koha (donation) of a book on action learning for use by the student participants in their classrooms.

Triangulation of the data was achieved through interviewing three groups of participants: students, some of their tutors, and in three institutions the CEO as the provider’s representative.

The group interview for the students was a valuable process because the participants who were known to each other were able to share ideas and support each other. It was also considered a culturally safe environment because there was no pressure on an individual participant to talk all the time; having others present allowed for quiet reflection of thoughts as needed.

In this research, adult Māori learners were asked questions designed to draw out what they perceived as important factors and conditions for their successful learning. These questions were designed to gain responses about students’ perceptions of themselves, learner factors, learner gains, teaching and learning factors, and environmental factors.

Further questions explored student aspirations, perceptions of their abilities, their achievement, and their learning prior to and during their studies, motivation for attending and continuing their studies, what assisted their learning (including teacher pedagogy), and what some barriers to their learning might be. Social, cultural and economic factors that may have enhanced or hindered their learning were explored.

Tutors were asked some questions about demographics, to explain their teaching practice, how they supported Māori learners in their learning, their teaching strategies, how they perceived their own abilities in literacy, numeracy and language, their teaching environment and how they were supported (or not) by their institution.

Providers were asked about their aspirations for Māori learners, the goals of the foundation programme, the level of support they provided for both staff and Māori students in the foundation programme, funding sources, barriers to their support, how staff were selected and professional development provided, facilities and support provided for Māori students, and what it would take to meet their aspirations for the future.

Iwi groups were asked questions similar to other providers, as well as their aspirations for their tamariki and mokopuna for the future and what it would take to meet these aspirations for the future.

In total there were interviews with five CEOs, eight tutors, and 12 groups of adult Māori learners (often referred to as students in this report), making a total of 92 students. Quotes from the participants are used extensively throughout this report as they had important stories to relate. Tutors’ and providers’ and some adult learner quotes are indicated after the quote. Where the quote is not referenced, the speaker is an adult Māori learner.

The following table is a breakdown of those interviewed for the project.