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    Children’s participation in curriculum decision-making : supporting their rights to be self-determining : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025-05-30) Dacre, Maria
    Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989; United Nations, n.d.) gives all children the right to participate in decisions on matters of interest to them. Although children spend a significant part of their childhood in school, research demonstrates that children’s participation rights in education are often approached in paternalistic or tokenistic ways by adults. This research study explored how children in a Year 5/6 classroom in Aotearoa New Zealand participated and influenced curriculum decision-making, and specifically how children influence their learning in the classroom. Instigating youth participatory action research (YPAR), I worked alongside children and their teacher in their classroom over three school terms. The children’s experiences were documented and analysed, resulting in a case study that includes three case narratives: (i) curriculum-based learning, (ii) teacher-initiated inquiry, and (iii) child-initiated inquiry. The findings showed the multiple roles children and teacher played in curriculum decision-making, and illustrated how children can be enabled to have active participation in their own learning within the classroom. Using Rogoff’s planes of analysis, the results demonstrated how children engaged in the learning and classroom life through the community, interpersonal, and personal planes. This showcased the role of classroom structures, routines, and peers in how children learn. Through these classroom interactions with peers and teachers, children appropriated new knowledge, skills, and understandings about themselves and their peers. This research demonstrates that children developed self-determining ways of being through their collaborations in learning. A key factor for children’s active participation and influence in curriculum decision-making was their sociocultural participation in classroom activities and events that fostered a collaborative community of practice, connecting to the children’s cultural identity, whānau, prior knowledge, and interests. Autonomy-supportive teaching as a pedagogical approach was evident, highlighting benefits for both children and teacher in supporting children to participate and influence curriculum decision-making. The research offers practical examples of how teachers can engage in a pedagogical partnership with children that gives children opportunities to be self-determining and active agents in their learning, relationships, and school life.
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    Making it count : teacher actions to support the development of multiplicative reasoning through the use of choral counting conceptual starters : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Mathematics Education at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Frazerhurst, Lauren Kaye
    Learning to think multiplicatively is one of the most challenging transitions primary aged students must make in their journey of mathematical learning. This study explores the development of multiplicative reasoning among Year Five to Eight students in Aotearoa New Zealand through a conceptual starter activity involving choral counting. Additionally, it examines the pedagogical actions used by teachers to support students in engaging in collaborative discourse and advance students’ multiplicative reasoning through the enactment of mathematical practices. Relevant literature is examined to illustrate how students develop multiplicative reasoning and what key mathematical concepts they must first understand. The literature review provides evidence of the important role of teacher pedagogical actions that support students’ multiplicative reasoning through facilitating their participation in investigating, noticing, conjecturing, explaining, justifying, and generalising. An interpretivist approach was taken for this qualitative classroom-based case study. A collaborative planning and reflective partnership was established with two teacher participants to support the lesson development. Teacher interviews, video recorded observations, and classroom artefacts made up the data collection. On-going and retrospective data analysis was used to form the findings of this study. The findings revealed important advances in students’ multiplicative reasoning as the teachers facilitated collaborative discourse. Students were provided with many opportunities to share and clarify their thinking while building on the ideas of others. This occurred as explicit counting, place value, and multiplicative concepts were explored. The research findings provide insights into ways teachers can support students to develop conjectures, explanations, justification, and generalisations as they engage with the choral count starter activities. The results of this study suggest that student participation in choral count starter activities where teachers emphasise the enactment of mathematical practices through collaborative discussion support their development of multiplicative thinking.
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    Developing 11-13 year old students’ conceptual understanding of rational numbers : a case study investigating effective teacher pedagogical actions in a mathematics classroom : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Mathematics Education at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Sheppard, Kelly Ann
    Rational numbers, encompassing fractions, percentages, and decimals, are challenging for many students to understand. Research often focuses on the teaching and learning of these topics in isolation, rather than as part of the broader concept of rational numbers. However, there is limited research on the teaching practices that effectively support students’ overall understanding of rational numbers. This study explores the teacher actions that help students develop a conceptual understanding of rational numbers and examines how students demonstrate their growing understanding. A case study and qualitative methods were chosen for this research. The study involved one teacher and a class of 24 Year 7 and 8 students from an urban school in New Zealand. The teacher facilitated eight lessons focused on rational numbers, which included collaborative mathematical discussions. A variety of data were collected and analysed, including interviews, video recorded classroom observations, and examples of student work. The findings revealed that when teachers design lessons around real-world mathematical tasks, promote collaborative discourse, and encourage the use of mathematical practices, students develop a deeper understanding of rational numbers. Additionally, using visual representations and explicitly connecting different forms of rational number representations helped enhance students’ mathematical understanding. This study contributes to the literature on how primary school teachers can effectively support students in developing a strong understanding of rational number concepts. It highlights that teacher content knowledge, combined with purposeful teaching strategies, can provide greater opportunities for students to develop a deeper understanding of rational numbers.
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    Supporting 5 – 6 year old students to know and use mathematical practices : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Mathematics Education at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2024) Pearce, Emily Louisa
    Supporting students to be mathematically proficient at school, begins from their first formal mathematics lesson. For students in Aotearoa, the refreshed curriculum outlines the expectation that students engage in mathematical explanations, justification, argumentation, representations and generalizing. Whilst there is sufficient literature on these mathematical practices with older students, there is limited research focusing on how to enact mathematical practices with young learners. This study examines the teacher actions used within students first formal mathematics lessons and the ways in which the teacher engaged the young learners to explain, justify, argue mathematically, represent their thinking and generalise mathematical ideas. Drawing upon qualitative research methods within a single bounded case study this study was set within a semi-rural school in Aotearoa. One teacher was selected to participate with ten young students aged five years old and one student aged six years old. Data collection occurred during these students first seven formal mathematics lessons. A range of data were collected and analysed, including field notes, video recorded classroom observations, photographs of student work samples and a teacher questionnaire. Findings revealed the complex nature of engaging young learners in mathematical practices. However, when students are expected to and provided with opportunities to reason mathematically, young learners can succeed. Initially the teacher actions included specific questioning and conversational moves to draw out the thinking from the students. Over the duration of the study these teacher actions shifted to include open prompts requesting the students engage in a mathematical practice. This study provides insight to the progression of teacher actions used and offers a contribution to the literature regarding how young learners can mathematically reason. It is acknowledged that for such practices to occur teachers must value mathematical conversation and constantly provide opportunities for young learners to reason.
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    Striving toward equity : a story of positioning and status : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2022) Leach, Generosa Angela
    This study explores how teachers construct equitable learning environments in primary school mathematics classrooms as a means of striving toward equity. The deep complexity of classrooms and numerous connected elements that influence students’ access and opportunities for learning mathematics are highlighted. Under consideration are the different pathways teachers take as they develop and maintain responsive and adaptive approaches to position all students to learn mathematics in ways that meet the aims of equity in mathematics education. A qualitative design research methodology was employed to explore the complexities and challenges of teacher learning and change within primary school classroom settings. The design approach supported the development of a model of professional learning and frameworks of teacher instructional actions to establish and maintain mathematics classrooms focused on equity. Data collection over the school year included study group meetings, participant observations, video-recorded observations, documents, and teacher and student recorded reflections and interviews. Retrospective data analyses drew the results together to be presented as cases of two teachers, their classrooms, and students. The findings show that constructing equitable mathematics learning environments is a gradual and complex process. It involves teachers reconstructing their beliefs and enacting specific instructional actions to position all students to learn mathematics. Reconceptualising mathematics teaching and learning requires transforming the social and organisational structures within classrooms and disrupting assumptions of uniformity across all students from a strength-based approach. Of importance is how the findings highlight possible ways of meeting the needs of diverse, and often marginalised groups of students in New Zealand schools. Significant implications based on these findings include how the aims of equity in mathematics education can extend beyond policy and into practice within primary school mathematics classrooms in the New Zealand context.
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    Parents' perceptions and experiences of parent-led learning : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Teaching and Learning) at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Thompson, Aleyce Isabella
    Parents have a significant and irreplaceable role in their child’s learning, a role that has the potential to counteract social, cultural and economic disadvantages, and improve children’s educational outcomes. However, for parents to succeed in their role, they need to view their contributions as important, feel valued in their role, and have confidence in their ability to succeed. Existing research on parental roles has had limited scope, viewing parental contributions as supplementary to formal schooling. A mixed methods explanatory sequential research study explored parents’ role perceptions and experiences of parent-led learning (PLL). The term PLL places parents, rather than teachers, at the centre of learning. This study, based in London, UK, asked parents of children in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 (KS1) in one primary school to rate their perceived importance and enjoyment levels of 11 predetermined home learning activities (HLA). Survey results identified a positive correlation between parents’ perceived value, and enjoyment levels, of HLA. Thematic analysis of open-ended questions resulted in three main themes: parents’ understanding of learning processes and their child’s needs, parents’ understanding of themselves and their capabilities and, the practicalities of PLL. A follow up focus group was held to deepen understanding of the survey results. Findings revealed parents as: having high aspirations for their children, competent, and willing to help their children learn. Parents strongly viewed their role as important and invaluable, and particularly suited to relationship-based learning experiences due to the intimate nature of parent-child relationships. Significant value was placed on positive experiences of learning. Although findings of this study are localised to the participant school, and have limited generalisability, they may provide school leaders with insight into parents’ experiences in their school. Other educators may be inspired to reflect on their relationships with parents, power dynamics and perceptions of learning.
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    An investigation of two models of professional development to support effective teaching through play practices in the primary classroom : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Aiono, Sarah Miriam
    The use of play as a pedagogical tool in schools and early learning settings is experiencing a rise in popularity. In recent years, primary teachers have shown an increased interest in how play can be implemented in junior primary school classrooms but have also expressed a need for further support to understand how to use play and intentional teaching to meet expected learning outcomes of the curriculum. While teachers have expressed support for, and knowledge of, the benefits of learning through play, the way in which they teach through play is less well understood. The aim of this study was to identify teachers’ beliefs, knowledge and practices when implementing teaching through play in the primary school setting and investigate the impact of a professional learning and development (PLD) intervention on teachers’ subsequent implementation of play pedagogies. The study utilised a mixed methods intervention research design. Participants were assigned to one of two PLD conditions: 1) professional learning workshops only; or 2) professional learning workshops in combination with practice-based coaching. The study utilised both quantitative and qualitative data collection strategies, including questionnaires, classroom observations, and individual interviews. The creation of a Play-Based Learning Observation Tool (P-BLOT) enabled the researcher to observe and quantify the frequency and implementation fidelity of evidence-based teaching practices, desirable in an effective play-based junior school classroom. Pre-intervention findings suggested a tension between what teachers know and believe about play as a pedagogical tool, and how they implemented teaching through play practices with fidelity in their classrooms. Post-intervention findings suggest that while participating in workshop-style PLD successfully increased teachers’ knowledge about play pedagogies, it was participating in PLD that included practice-based coaching that positively influenced teacher behaviour and practices. These findings contribute to the growing international PLD literature identifying the value of more intensive PLD support over an extended period to ensure implementation fidelity of the complex teaching practices required of play pedagogy. PLD that combines workshop and coaching interventions can potentially support teachers to effectively implement play pedagogies and ensure the implementation of intentional teaching methods through both child and adult-guided play experiences.
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    Dynamic assessment as an early screening tool for identifying New Zealand children at risk of reading difficulty upon school entry : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Bisschoff, Susan
    The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of a dynamic assessment as a screening tool for identifying children at risk of reading difficulty. Unlike traditional static assessment, dynamic assessment includes a teaching stage within the assessment and aims to determine what the child can do independently as well as what they have the potential to do when given quality input. At the start of their formal schooling, 165 New Zealand children were administered a dynamic assessment of phonological decoding, along with several static measures of emergent literacy skills. At the end of their first year at school, these same children’s reading abilities were assessed using multiple early reading measures. The results were analysed to determine whether measures administered at the beginning of formal schooling significantly predict future reading ability, and whether there is a significant difference in the ability of the static and dynamic measures to predict future reading difficulty and in their respective predictive classification accuracy. Results indicated that the dynamic assessment of decoding was able to predict future reading difficulty with a high level of accuracy and that it provided superior predictive ability and classification accuracy to that of the static measures of emergent literacy. Furthermore, combining the dynamic and static measures did not improve the overall ability of the dynamic measure alone to predict future reading difficulty. The ease and efficiency of administration of the dynamic assessment, as well as its ability to provide information pertinent to supporting remedial intervention, provided evidence of this measure’s acceptability as an effective universal screening tool. Taken together, the findings indicate that a dynamic assessment of decoding can accurately predict future reading difficulty and that it has the potential to meet the other important characteristics of an effective universal screening tool. This provides support for the use of a dynamic assessment of phonological coding as a universal screening tool for the prediction of reading difficulty at the start of children’s formal schooling.