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    The politics of teacher professionalism in teacher unions : a case study of Aotearoa New Zealand : 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, 2023) Niu, Huidan
    Teacher unions are important policy actors in many English-speaking jurisdictions; however, few studies have examined the role of teacher unions in shaping teacher-related education policies. This study critically analyses how teacher unions frame teacher professionalism discourses in New Zealand. Adopting a critical education policy scholarship approach, the study positions teacher professionalism discourses within their socio-political contexts. It explores how the meanings of teacher professionalism have been constructed and how teacher unions have shaped these discourses since the late 1980s. This study chose the two main teacher unions in Aotearoa New Zealand, the New Zealand Educational Institute, Te Riu Roa (NZEI) and the New Zealand Post-Primary Teachers’ Association, Te Wehengarua (PPTA). Data were collected from documents and archival material, as well as through elite interviews with 24 union leaders, including national presidents, secretaries, executive members, and senior union officials. Data analysis followed a broadly grounded theory method: from codes to themes. Findings highlight the political nature of the teaching profession. Three key findings are identified in this study. First, the teacher unions articulate explicitly counter-professionalism discourses to those of dominant official discourses. The teacher unions tend to emphasise the complexity and relational aspects of teaching, collaboration and collegiality, and trust in the teaching profession. Second, the teacher unions are often actively involved in developing democratic professionalism by mobilising teachers to exercise their agency and by collaborating with other policy actors. Third, the meanings of the professional role of the teacher unions have been enlarged over the last 30 years, explicitly expressing their concern about broader educational and social issues. By doing this, the teacher unions intend to improve their legitimacy as teachers’ representatives and increase their political influence. Overall, this study suggests that the teacher unions, as collective actors, navigate the tensions and sometimes conflicts between the teaching profession and government in the process of constructing teacher professionalism discourses.
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    The impact of postgraduate initial teacher education on beginning teachers' professional preparedness to cater for diverse learners : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2021) Safa, Abdelhamid Helmy
    This thesis investigates the impact of an exemplary post-graduate initial teacher education (ITE) programme, the MTchgLn, on beginning teachers’ professional preparedness to cater for diverse learners. In comparison to similar cohorts in other OECD countries, a huge gap exists between high-achieving Pākeha students and low-achieving 1 priority learners (Education Review Office, 2012; OECD, 2015). With existing studies mapping the exemplary ITE terrain, the research field is now moving towards building a sounder basis on which to benchmark equity-centred ITE programme design. For this purpose, a mixed-methods approach was adopted to assess the effectiveness of the programme on the Graduate Teachers’ (GTs) practice. Twenty-five GTs completed an online questionnaire to assess their perceptions of confidence to teach all learners, as well as to assess their perceptions of the value of the programme in enabling them to teach all learners. Interviews were then conducted with 12 GTs and four Lead Teachers (LTs) to better understand the GTs’ responses and to investigate the LTs’ perceptions of the GTs’ professional preparedness. The present study findings indicate that most GTs were confident in developing the professional standards required for the profession and felt that their learning was supported by the programme’s innovations: (i) extended clinical placements in partner schools; (ii) evidence-informed inquiry; (iii) exemplary school visits; (iv) culturally responsive practices; and (v) community placements. Likewise, all the LTs felt that the GTs were professionally prepared with the necessary skills and competencies to teach diverse students effectively and improve their outcomes. This study has provided evidence of the positive contributions of an equity-centred ITE programme’s design to create an informative learning experience for the GTs to ensure informed links between research and practice, driven by equity and social justice. Implications based on these findings are considered for ITE educators and education policy makers to respond to the challenges of today’s multicultural education by prioritizing equity.
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    Enhancing teacher development through teacher appraisal : 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, 2021) Simon, Marianne
    Teacher appraisal in New Zealand appears to be skewed too far towards the accountability end of the continuum and too little towards the development end. However, there is a lack of research that examines how appraisal systems can be used to not only address accountability but also focus on meeting the teacher development requirements. Therefore, this study aims to examine how New Zealand schools enhance teacher development and integrate the accountability and development requirements of teacher appraisal. The study adopted a qualitative case study approach and data were collected from two primary schools in New Zealand through semi-structured in-depth interviews, participant observations and document analysis. Thematic analysis of the interviews, observations, and document analysis resulted in a holistic understanding of how the two schools established appraisal systems and processes that were developmentally focused and integrated the accountability and development requirements. Through the thematic analysis, the study identified factors that supported and enhanced the integration and developmental focus of the appraisal systems. The study found that a love for learning underpinned the school culture, leadership approach, and school systems, enabling the developmental focus and integration. There were three main leadership styles identified in the study to support and enhance the love for learning culture: transformational, pedagogical, and distributive leadership. The leadership team were eager to support teachers to improve and grow pedagogically, and the leaders provided meaningful experiences that influenced the mindset and focus of teacher development. There was active learning through reflection, self-assessment, feedback, dialogue, and questioning. The schools also used collaborative practices that influenced the integration of the accountability and development aspects of teacher appraisal. The mentors played a crucial role in introducing the love for learning culture of the school to the beginner teachers by being role models, and regularly encouraging and extending mentee’s practice. The teaching portfolio, which was a collection of reflections and evidence, was effective in supporting teacher learning because it was instrumental in the teachers’ continual reflection, self-assessment, and updating of their portfolio. Each of the elements discussed in the portfolio contributed to the developmental focus and integration of the accountability and development aspects.
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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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    A critical investigation into the challenges and benefits in developing a culturally responsive framework in a mainstream Kāhui Ako/Community of Learning : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Master of Education, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Aim, Daryl
    In late 2014 the government announced the ‘Investing in Educational Success’ initiative with a $359 million budget. The initiative invited schools to form into local school clusters called Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako (CoL). Ninety-three per cent of these clusters and CoLs, identified culturally responsive practice as a core objective. The Ministry of Education has through a number of initiatives attempted to address the achievement disparity between Māori and non-Māori that has resulted in a clear directive for teaching and learning to shift towards a pedagogical practice of ‘culturally responsive teaching.’ The intention of this research was to examine one CoL that ostensibly focussed on raising Māori student achievement. A qualitative case study approach was utilised that involved participants directly included in one Community of Learning that focussed on Māori achievement in State education, disparity, educational initiatives, and implementing the aspirations of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The critical issue was whether there was evidence of tangible and measurable success for Māori students, and what, if any, barriers the CoL confronted in achieving its intended goals. The research shows that there were benefits to the schools and staff operating as members in the Community of Learning, such as the opportunity to network and work alongside colleagues from other schools. A strong view to emerge was that Across School Teacher (AST) positions benefitted substantially (and perhaps excessively) in the form of professional development, leadership opportunity, classroom release and increased pay. There was an absence of evidence to indicate any significant benefit to regular classroom teachers. The most damning finding of this research is that after four years of operation and over $2 million dollars there is no tangible evidence of any improved educational outcomes for Māori students. The CoL initiative, although meritorious in design, has in this specific CoL case study has failed to deliver any measurable benefit to priority learners. The Investing in Educational Success, with regard to the CoL can be considered, like a number of other initiatives, another lost opportunity for Māori. Further research into the impact of the Investing in Educational Success and Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako (CoL) initiative is therefore warranted and highly recommended.
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    An investigation into the preparedness for and experiences in working with Māori nursing students among New Zealand tertiary institutes, schools and nurse educators : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education, Massey University, Manawatū, Aotearoa New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2020) Roberts, Jennifer
    Nursing education in Aotearoa New Zealand is situated in a unique bicultural context. Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand have overall, poorer outcomes in health and education compared to non-Māori, which relate to the colonial legacy of the nation. One strategy to address Māori health outcomes is to increase the Māori nursing workforce. Despite a range of strategies in tertiary education and in nursing, the number of Māori nurses remains relatively static, and overall Māori nursing students do not have equity of educational outcomes in nursing. With a critical lens informed by Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, this explanatory sequential mixed method study uses a questionnaire followed by interviews to understand the experiences and preparedness of nurse educators in working with Māori nursing students. The findings of the questionnaire demonstrate that throughout New Zealand, nursing schools and the educational institutes in which they are situated are informed by a range of strategies aimed at supporting Māori learners. Overall, nurse educators felt prepared to work with Māori, but the questionnaire also revealed resistance to Māori as priority learners. This finding was followed up in the interviews. Interview findings demonstrated that environments encompassing te ao Māori (the Māori world) and staff practises that aligned with this were enabling for Māori nursing students. Despite this, a counter-narrative described many barriers to this becoming fully realised in nursing education practice. Ongoing colonising practices in education, racism, varied understandings and practices of Cultural Safety and dissatisfaction with current Cultural Safety regulatory guidelines were found to be hindering a nursing culture that is responsive to Māori. The research posits that the nursing profession needs to develop a shared critical consciousness and refocus efforts to position Cultural Safety as a critical concept in nursing education and practice. One method proposed to achieve this is in returning to the original intent of Kawa Whakaruruhau/ Cultural Safety and begin to apply it as a decolonising model for nursing education and practice.
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    Transition to school for children with challenging behaviours : family/whānau and teachers' perspectives : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Educational Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) MacMillan, Gina Marie
    Challenging behaviours are complex and are exhibited in a range of ways as a result of many different personal and environmental factors. When a child who is already predisposed to exhibiting these behaviours transitions from early childhood to primary school, the new and unknown circumstances can add to those challenging behaviours and create a negative experience for the children, families and teachers involved. Upon reviewing existing literature on transitions to school, there is an apparent gap in the literature on how to create a positive transition experience for children with challenging behaviours, particularly in the New Zealand context. This study started to address this gap by gaining the perspectives of parents and teachers on the transition to school for children with challenging behaviours. Semi-structured interviews involving 11 adults (parents, teachers/management) who were involved in transitioning three children to school in the last 12-18 months were used to draw out their voices. A qualitative approach within the framework of appreciative inquiry placed positive experiences as the focus. This meant barriers were addressed as a starting point for positive change. A thematic analysis was used to identify positive factors and barriers to successful transitions. The findings of this research highlighted that the building of positive, collaborative and trusting relationships, and open communication within transition teams was at the centre of positive transition practices, whether it be for children with challenging behaviours or for all children. The study also highlighted the importance of ecological adaptations needed in both the early childhood centres and schools for transitions to be effective. Children and parents needed to be well prepared for what to expect when starting school. This drew attention to the importance of bridging existing pedagogical gaps and gaps in policy between early childhood education and primary school. As is common in the New Zealand context, where Māori values such as aroha, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga are well integrated into practice, the teachers in the study were committed to providing children and their families with the best level of support possible during their children’s transition. However, issues of funding, time and professional expertise were identified as barriers. It is hoped that changes proposed under the government’s Learning Support Action Plan (Ministry of Education, 2019) will be a step in the right direction to address these barriers.
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    First language usage in multilingual international school classrooms : a study of teacher beliefs and student attitudes : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Applied Linguistics at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Axam, Karen
    International schools offer a unique style of education and are comprised of a diverse student body and teaching faculty in terms of both language and culture. Many of these schools have both students and teachers who are bilingual or multilingual. This means that English is the Lingua Franca as the classrooms have students and teachers who do not have English as their first language (L1). In language teaching education there has been a lot of discussion in regards to students using their L1. L1 usage is often viewed as an impediment to gaining English language fluency, although many now view L1 usage more positively than in previous years. In many schools, the place and role of students’ L1 is defined within the school language policy; this may be in keeping with government laws and policies as to how schools need to support language learners. This thesis explores the beliefs and practices of a small group of teachers towards students using their L1 in the classroom and how these beliefs influence their classroom practice. The data was gathered using a qualitative approach. Additionally, an intervention period provided an opportunity for students to trial L1 strategies to see if they perceived them as effective, while also examining if the strategies had an impact on teachers’ beliefs and practices. The setting for this research was within a range of multilingual classrooms in an International school in Doha, Qatar. Results indicate that while most teachers are aware that L1 use is beneficial and that there should be some encouragement to allow students to use it, many teachers have a number of concerns regarding students using their L1. The teachers were also unaware of the school’s position on L1 use as they did not know anything about the school’s language policy. The student responses revealed that students not only enjoyed using the L1 strategies during the intervention period, but found them to be beneficial both in terms of their learning and improving their sense of well-being within the classroom. To conclude, this thesis makes a number of recommendations on how to improve students’ class engagement through L1 usage, as well as stressing the importance of all teachers knowing and understanding the language policy of the school in which they are working. Furthermore, the school has a responsibility to ensure that its language policy is reflective of current language teaching pedagogy and that all teachers are adequately trained to work with EAL (English as an Additional Language) students.
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    Perspectives on the role of teacher aides and the implications for inclusive practice in Aotearoa classrooms : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Inclusive Education) at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2018) Woodhams, Claire M.
    Every young person has the right to experience school, learning alongside their peers, building friendships with classmates and gaining a sense of autonomy. Teacher aides have traditionally been placed in classrooms to support students with disabilities and diverse learning and behavioural differences. An overreliance on teacher aide support, however, may lead to students becoming stigmatised and dependent. Through thematic analysis of interview data gathered from six teachers and eight teacher aides, supplemented by survey responses from 23 teachers 14 teacher aides, this thesis examines the perspectives on the teacher aide role and the implications for inclusive practice in Aotearoa classrooms. It identifies four prevalent role types perceived by participants, the teacher aides as: an aide to the teacher; a coeducator; a student aide (in class); and a student aide (outside class). Some roles, particularly the co-educator, are more conducive to social interaction and facilitating students’ independence. Others, particularly the student aide role, risk further isolating particular students. This thesis argues that it is teachers rather than teacher aides who are the primary agents of inclusive practice. As teachers adapt their practice to ensure that learning and achievement are possible for every student in their class, the need for one-on-one teacher aide support can be reduced. Teacher aides can work alongside teachers as co-educators overseeing the entire class, instructing small groups and checking-in with various students as needed, enabling teachers to work with students who benefit from more nuanced instruction. School leaders must examine the roles they assign to teacher aides and the associated practices in schools and classrooms. This will ensure that teacher aides are not viewed as the sole mechanisms for instructing and caring for students with disabilities and other diversities. Teacher aides are valuable members of the school community and can play a key role in contributing to inclusive practice in Aotearoa classrooms.
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    The influence of teachers’ knowledge and teaching practice on outcomes for beginning readers : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Massey University, Manawatū Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Braid, Christine Louise
    New Zealand has a problem with reading achievement, in spite of ongoing efforts to address the issue. The current study selected to investigate the influence of teachers’ knowledge and teaching practice in teaching beginning reading. The study was a two-phase, mixed methods, explanatory sequential design, involving 30 teachers from 12 urban, state schools located in New Zealand’s lower North Island. Teachers participated in professional learning and development (PLD) workshops focused on teacher knowledge and explicit teaching practice for beginning readers. The study used data from 109 New Entrant children from the PLD classrooms and from a non-PLD comparison group of 61 new entrant children. The first phase of the study involved obtaining and analysing data about teachers’ linguistic knowledge, self-confidence for teaching literacy, teaching practice, and reading prompts. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and t-tests. The findings showed that teachers’ knowledge of linguistic constructs and self-confidence in teaching the code component of reading increased significantly. Observations showed a significant change in teaching practice, from implicit teaching to explicit teaching. Teachers’ prompts changed significantly to using code-cue prompts. For some teachers, teaching practice remained implicit and prompts remained context-based, regardless of an increase in their teacher knowledge. The second phase of the study involved interviews with four teachers to identify barriers for teachers in changing to explicit teaching. Student reading skills were measured and data analysed using a series of MANOVAs and ANOVAs to identify any differences between the implementation and comparison groups. The student data showed significantly better outcomes for the implementation students, with a notable positive difference for students from schools located in lower socio-economic neighbourhoods. Findings suggest that when teachers are equipped with knowledge and practice to teach the code component explicitly to beginning readers, improvement in reading outcomes is possible. Recommendations from the study include that changes are required at a policy level, in teacher training, and for teaching resources, with a particular need for increased cognisance of studies from the science of reading.