The Genesis of Te Kotahitanga
Te Kotahitanga
Phase 5
2001: The Scoping Exercise
Research initiated by:
• Professor Russell Bishop (Māori
Education Research Institute, University of
Waikato)
• Mere Berryman (MOE SE Poutama
Pounamu Research and Development
Centre, Tauranga)
2001: The Scoping Exercise
Researchers sought to understand more
about what was behind the ongoing
discrepancies in Māori students’ educational
achievement compared with their non-Māori
peers.
2001: The Scoping Exercise
In order to do so they:
• interviewed a selection of Māori students
and some of their educators from a range
of secondary schools using a Kaupapa
Māori research approach
• examined national and international
literature
Findings of The Scoping
Exercise
Participants could clearly theorise their
education experiences.
There was a clear mismatch between the
descriptions and explanations of the students
and their teachers.
Findings of The Scoping
Exercise
Teacher student relationships and
interactions, together with structural issues,
impeded and limited the progress of Māori
students.
Findings clearly revealed the value of a
Kaupapa Māori research approach for
identifying and talking about solutions.
Te Kotahitanga Phase I
2001 – 2002
Researchers sought to:
• understand more about what was behind
the ongoing discrepancies in Māori
students’ educational achievement
compared with their non-Māori peers
• identify how to raise Māori student
achievement
Te Kotahitanga Phase I
Research in 5 secondary schools by
talking with:
• Year 9 and 10 Māori students
(engaged and non-engaged)
• Their whānau
• Principals
• Teachers
2001 - 2002: Te Kotahitanga
Phase 1
• Each group provided rich narratives of
experience from which the basis for the Te
Kotahitanga professional development
intervention emerged.
• The intervention worked well for Māori
students with a few trained teachers in these
schools, but traditional relationships and
interactions outside of these contexts and
within the wider school proved to be
counterproductive.
2002 - 2003: Te Kotahitanga Phase 2
• Te Kotahitanga Phase 2 trained more of the
teachers in 3 schools in order to maximise
the effects of the intervention across each
school.
• The intervention worked well for many of
the trained teachers, and learning
opportunities for Māori students in these
settings undoubtedly improved.
2002 - 2003: Te Kotahitanga Phase 2
• The collection and use of evidence of
student learning outcomes to monitor and
inform new learning was less commonly
applied.
• Professional communities, rather than
professional learning communities
emerged.
2003 - 2009: Te Kotahitanga Phase 3
• In-school facilitators in 12 schools were trained to
work with cohorts of teachers to implement the
professional development cycle in their schools.
• Teachers were trained by in-school facilitators.
• Greater emphasis on the effective use of student
learning outcomes to monitor and inform new
learning.
2003 - 2009: Te Kotahitanga Phase 3
• Review of Practice and Development in
observations, feedback and co-construction for
both formative and summative purposes.
• GPILSEO: Sustainable school wide
implementation
2006 – 2009: Te Kotahitanga Phase 4
Facilitation teams from 21 new schools began
training in October 2006. Since 2006 ongoing
professional development for facilitation teams
through:
•Out-of school face to face PD hui
•In-school face to face Review of Practice and
Development visits in 2008 and 2009
•Distance support through online community and
0800 number
University of Waikato
Māori
Māori students
Non-Māori
Ministry of Education