Research

USING ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING Facebook WITH STUDENTS IN LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT “As teachers, we respect our trusted position in society and recognise the influence we have on learners, their understanding of the world and the future wellbeing of our society.” –NZ Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession . My interests in this topic is huge as is the nature of the topic, which has moral and ethical issues that are applicable to learners within New Zealand education system and its code of conduct. Both, teacher and student are obliged to be responsible in their code of conduct but the teacher is more responsible and accountable as they are in a position to be the role models to the young learners. We live in a world which is conditioned with certain social and societal norms that have a common understanding of what makes a good behavior. Every culture has its own set of code of conduct depending on what they could tolerate and w

The most important and significant aspect of Education is to facilitate learning needs that suit every learner from all walks of life. The cultural, social and economic criteria have always been a driving factor in disseminating the necessary education system that is adaptable to different situations. The bi-cultural situation in Aotearoa New Zealand has a binding agreement under the Treaty of Waitangi, to make available the rights to the partnership, protection, and participation of all learners, Maori (iwi) and non-Maori (Paakehaa and Tauiwi). The need for the accelerated pathway of change towards equity, excellence, and belonging, was prioritized by the Ministry of Education for every student. Within this context Maori students were identified as priority learners and that every school in NZ is supported and facilitated with a program that would enable the school to develop and implement a relational pedagogy within a classroom and every other learning environment. This initi

My current teaching and art practice exists in a situation that is constantly shifting its paradigm. Arts education and the notion of education is currently undergoing a huge transformation after decades of conventional teaching methods and educational programs. Both, Gardner (1991) and Robinson (2007) have advocated and contributed their invaluable research to establish a learner-centered educational philosophy that could enable a shift in educational paradigm. Gardner (1991) looked at the psychological point of view while Ken Robinson locates the significance of creativity in the contemporary life of a 21 st Century learner from a post-industrial perspective. The two most significant aspects of educational paradigms in the current educational systems particularly in the developed countries are adopting relational pedagogy and learner-centered education. The relational pedagogy identifies the cultural context with an education system. In New Zealand, the education policy is frame

Marlborough Boys College is located in a rural region with is surrounded by farmlands and vineyards. The local businesses cater to this community, which comprises of minimum commercial outlets in the center of the city. As per the school statistics, the community is made up of diverse cultural groups with approximately around 30% being non-pakeha. This percentage is shared by Maori, Pasifika, Asian and other European cultures with Maori being the highest. The socio-economic status of the whanau is at its extreme with high-income group one hand and the low on the other. The disparity between the income groups is wide and the aspirations and expectations reflect the student’s choices and interest in a subject. This is evident in the pathways the student chooses. However, it is interesting to note that majority of the students from a low-income group are either from a Maori community or are immigrants from Pacific islands. My analysis of parent’s interest’s levels and students aspiration

Learning a teaching goes hand in hand with my practice. To me, teaching is learning as its context is the community.  Within this community, the learning organizations are constituted by and participate in social learning systems. According to Wenger and Synder (2000) “their success depends on their ability to design themselves as social learning systems and also to participate in broader learning systems such as an industry, a region, or a consortium. As I teach Art and Design, on one hand, I am also practicing artist within the arts industry. This makes my teaching and learning boundaries wider and beyond the local communities. My reflection of my teaching practice allows me to improvise my art practice and vice versa.   My community or practice includes my school, which comprises or fellow teachers, students, learning groups, online NZ visual arts group, international online artist groups, Mindlab, online learning/education communities, parents, wider whanau and my family at ho