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    Democracy, freedom, and school : realigning power in Aotearoa New Zealand's secondary schools : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023-10-30) Smith, Kylie
    This comprehensive study explores positive impacts of democratic systems enacted within secondary schools on students. Responses to democratic practices within schools (including collective decision-making, deliberative discussion, diverse ways of being, and freedom of movement and expression) are examined and analysed. Additionally, the hidden curriculum created by structures and processes inherent in democratic participation is critically reflected on, including consideration of how democratic processes relate to individual and collective well-being within the school environment. The study adopts a qualitative grounded theory research methodology to comprehend the outcomes of learning within democratic settings. Participants, including alumni and staff from two different democratic school environments, share their perspectives through semi-structured one-on-one interviews and question-and-answer emails. Data collection and analysis were conducted concurrently, and the data analysed using constant comparative analysis. Democratic building blocks, based on a foundation of respect for the student as a whole human, emerged from the data. Organising school structures around democratic ideals, reflective of indigenous models of democracy, and aligned with Lundy’s model of space, voice, influence, and audience aimed at implementing Article 12 of the UNCRC, is seen to cultivate a learning environment where diversity is embraced and respected. Effective communication skills are honed through authentic and meaningful deliberative dialogue, enabling students to value diverse perspectives. Alumni valued the challenge of navigating agency in a safe supportive learning environment and felt empowered to contribute and participate towards a strong collective school community. Implications from the research underscore the potential of democratic systems to create more equitable educational environments, enhancing well-being by aligning the hidden curriculum with critical and culturally sustainable pedagogies. The study highlights the importance of continual dialogue and reflection and advocates for active integration of democratic principles within schools to facilitate challenges to oppressive structures. It further stresses the need for adults to approach schooling from an epistemology of trust in and support for the student, enabling genuine equitable dialogue and fostering a sense of dignity, significance, and belonging among students. Ultimately, the research offers tangible examples of schools where student-defined well-being is prioritized and provides a forward-thinking approach based on democratic principles to empower students.
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    High school teacher motivation to engage in continuing professional development (CPD) : a mixed method research study : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Alghamdi, Yahya
    Numerous studies have confirmed that continuing professional development (CPD) is a significant contributor for improving teacher effectiveness. A number of studies also emphasise that teacher motivation to engage in CPD is critical in order to achieve the desired goals of CPD. However, investigations of teacher motivation to engage in CPD is scarce in the literature, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study attempts to address that gap by exploring the motivation of high school teachers in Saudi Arabia to engage in CPD. In addition, the study aims to investigate what influences teacher motivation to engage in CPD. The study adopted a mixed methods research (MMR) approach for collecting and analysing the data. Specifically, it used a sequential explanatory design that starts with a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase. To collect the quantitative data, an online questionnaire designed in Google Forms was used. The total sample of online questionnaire participants comprised 425 high school teachers from throughout the country. For the qualitative phase, 29 high school teachers who lived in Jeddah made up six focus groups comprising up to 5 teachers per group. The findings showed that high school teachers were motivated to engage in CPD. Moreover, they highly valued CPD for their professional development. The findings also identified 48 influential factors that highly enhanced teacher motivation to participate in CPD. These factors were organised into four categories: government and policy, school, CPD and personal factors. Based on the findings from the study, a conceptual framework was developed that has the potential to contribute to the knowledge base on teacher motivation to engage in CPD. In conclusion, the study made recommendations that can assist stakeholders to ensure that teachers are motivated to engage in CPD, as well as providing some suggestions for future research.