How is health education being taught and experienced? A literature review

The purpose of this review was to analyse qualitative studies on health education and highlight how it is taught within the classroom, including the implicit messages about health expressed and the particular pedagogies embraced. Connected to this, post-primary student experiences in health education are explored. Reviewed literature included qualitative and peer-reviewed research from 2009 to 2022. Despite some of this research stemming from international contexts, the resulting findings and discussions presented will directly relate to health education in Aotearoa New Zealand. The review revealed the persistence of two dominant and somewhat contradictory themes: dependence on fear- and risk-based discourses, and the utilisation of critical pedagogy. The review also highlighted a discrepancy between junior and senior health education. Implications for educators, future research and teacher education programmes are also discussed with a focus on the Aotearoa New Zealand context. This review will lend itself to broadening the pedagogical approaches taken by health educators and the effects these have on student experiences

The role of teachers in supporting students’ mental health

This literature review investigates the perception of secondary teachers about their role of supporting and promoting students’ mental health and whether teachers feel equipped to fulfil the requirements of this role. Analysis of 13 research articles published between 2008–2022 indicated that most secondary teachers, across five countries, understand the role they play in their students’ lives and that supporting students' mental health is an aspect of their role. However, it was also found that many teachers do not feel well-prepared to adequately support students’ mental health due to a lack of adequate mental health training. Implications for practice, training, and future research within an Aotearoa New Zealand context are discussed in relation to schools and teachers providing support to students with mental health concerns and the promotion of positive mental health

Schools as promoters of active lifestyles: A review

Living an active lifestyle is one way to living a healthier life. The purpose of this review was to analyse empirical studies that show how schools can effectively promote active lifestyles for their students. Using online databases, a total of 15 empirical studies were found, all published from 2012 to 2022. The findings of this review highlight effective practices for active lifestyle promotion such as school-wide policies, interventions, encouraging participation in extracurricular sports, and increasing physical education time. This review also provides insight into some current issues that are present and how promoting active lifestyles in New Zealand schools can help address these

An introduction to the Special Issue: Ngā Timatanga Hou: Fresh perspectives on education

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Reducing mathematics anxiety in the classroom

The purpose of this review was to analyse empirical studies related to reducing mathematics anxiety in the classroom. A scoping process was used to locate literature, and a thematic method was used to analyse and group the data obtained from the studies. A total of 14 articles published between 2014 and 2022, mostly using mixed-methods approaches, were analysed. The data indicated that mindfulness strategies, sustained exposure and support, and addressing affective factors, such as distractions, negative emotions, and motivation, has been shown to reduce mathematics anxiety levels of students. Possible implications for reducing maths anxiety in the classroom and opportunities for further empirical research are presented

Meeting the principles of inclusion in mainstream education for students with Autism/Takiwātanga in Aotearoa: A scoping review

This review provides an overview of the literature related to inclusive education for students with autism/takiwātanga in Aotearoa. A search of peer-reviewed literature identified 49 potentially relevant publications; of these, 13 met the inclusionary criteria. The reviewed publications addressed issues of how best to achieve inclusive education in Aotearoa as well as teachers’ and teacher aides’ impact on teaching and learning. Findings suggest a need for more support and professional development for teachers and teacher aides in order to effectively create inclusive classroom/school environments which support the learning needs of students with autism/takiwātanga. The need for a whole-school approach to inclusion is highlighted as a key pathway towards inclusive education. These ideas are discussed in relation to implications for further research and the provision of effective mainstream education for autistic students in Aotearoa

Hope, engaged pedagogy, and educating teachers as transformative intellectuals

In this commentary article, the authors discuss the significance of conceptualising teacher education as critical, intellectual work both for student teachers and the educators who support their professional learning. As former classroom teachers and current researchers and teacher educators, the authors position the current socio-political landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand as concerning for the field of education, but also recognise that in moments of upheaval there are opportunities for hope and change. Rather than allowing shrinking resources to narrow our scope, we believe it is a significant moment to assert a belief that all students in Aotearoa deserve to be taught by engaged, transformative educators

Ki Te Ao Mārama: Experiences of Māori inclusion in English-Medium schools

Through the creation of a mātauranga Māori framework, termed Te Kūnenga, this review has investigated how Māori teachers and Māori students have experienced inclusion in English-medium schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Reviewed literature included qualitative published research and government reports from 2004–2022, when Ministry-led initiatives and policies focused on supporting Māori to achieve success as Māori, an era I have termed Te Ao Mārama. The findings of this review show that Māori exclusion in schools continues to persist, particularly for kaiako Māori. The findings in this review identify the need for further research into the intersectionality of Māori identities and experiences in primary and secondary English-medium schools. Furthermore, this review emphasises the importance of biculturalism in English-medium schools and the inclusion and belonging of Māori to academic success

The changing landscape of relationships and sexuality education in Aotearoa New Zealand secondary schools

This literature review seeks to offer understanding about how relationships and sexuality education (RSE) has evolved in the 21st century in Aotearoa New Zealand secondary schools. The perceived demand for schools to address significant social issues, such as how youth navigate the world of relationships and sexualities, can be a challenge for the education sector. A traditional-narrative review was conducted to investigate how the experiences of RSE have changed from 1999 to 2022 to understand if RSE is evolving adequately for young people. Thirteen empirical studies were analysed that explored experiences of RSE programmes, which were discussed alongside relevant literature. Findings in the literature highlight gaps in policy and practice, with suggestions for further work that could keep RSE heading in a direction that empowers youth

Factors of engagement: Secondary Pasifika student learning

Education within Aotearoa has not effectively engaged Pasifika students (Ministry of Education, 2023a), and has led to Pasifika students being less likely to continue to tertiary level education (Ministry of Education, 2023b). This review focuses on the published literature about factors that improve the conditions of schooling in Aotearoa to facilitate higher levels of engagement in Pasifika students. For this paper, 20 studies that were carried out in Aotearoa secondary schools with Pasifika students were collected. These studies were then analysed to understand what factors increased their engagement in secondary school. The findings suggest that student-teacher relationships, teachers’ perceptions of Pasifika students, and effective implementation of culturally responsive pedagogies have the greatest impact on Pasifika student engagement in their secondary school career