Taangaanga te Peu Rarotonga: investing Rarotongan core values

This study explon'd Harotongan COl'C values that eldcrs in Harotonga cousidered Illight he important lill' inclusion in a physical education progranl. To date, there has heen no stndy on Harotongan COl'Cvalnes in physical edllcation. The stndy or Harotongan core valncs will benl'l'it Harotongan schools in the arca of physical edncation. This will revive SOlIll' or til(' cllltlll'al traditional practices that have been discouraged. Harotongan COl'(' values will ('nconrag(' students' participation in physical cdncation. FiJl(]ings or thc stndy address the needs of a policy that will enhance stndcnts' participation in physical cdncation if used in a cultnrally responsive way

Culturally responsive pedagogy, creating opportunities for teacher professional development in the Cook Islands

Cultural responsive pedagogy provide Cook Islands teacher’s an opportunity to overcome challenges and therefore create opportunities for teachers’ professional development. This plays a significant role in providing teacher training as a lifelong professional experience. This paper investigates how culturally responsive pedagogy could be used in overcoming the challenges and generating opportunities for teachers’ professional development in Cook Islands schools which is central to this argument. This paper also draws on evidence from a multi-faceted research study into culturally responsive pedagogy (Airini et al, 2007). Broadly viewed, the research seeks into further understandings of indigenous education and the conversion of educational theory into practices that support positive futures for indigenous peoples. More narrowly, the research explores culturally responsive pedagogy in a specific context, that of the Cook Islands

A critical view of female aggression and the implications of gender, culture, and a changing society A Cook Islands perspective

The form and function of female aggression have been for many years an important social issue that demands investigation. Many studies of female aggression have focused on the perpetration and victimization of girls and young women from western countries. As a result, existing theoretical models and empirical foundations of girls' aggression are based on these defining constructs. The purpose of this article is twofold. The present study of adolescent females in the Cook Islands seeks to understand the role that perpetrators play in the type and the target of aggressive behaviour. It also examines the qualitative findings of girls' aggressive behaviour by boys, girls and their teachers and its gendered relationship inside the Cook Islands environment. The outcomes inspect the cultural context of girls in the Cook Islands that make their understanding and experiences of physical aggression and relational aggression unique and highlight the difficulties of young women positioned themselves between Cook Islands traditional values and asserting their contemporary Cook Islands' identity. The discussion highlights that aggression by girls in the Cook Islands is derived from a particular past and present that can in turn shape understandings of addressing aggression in the future

How the Tivaevae Model can be used as an indigenous methodology in Cook Islands education settings

This paper explores an Indigenous research methodology, the tivaevae model, and its application within the Cook Islands education system. The article will argue that the cultural values embedded within its framework allow for the successful implementation of this Indigenous methodology. The model draws from tivaevae, or artistic quilting, and is both an applique process and a product of the Cook Islands. It is unique to the Cook Islands and plays an important part in the lives of Cook Islanders. The tivaevae model will be explained in detail, describing how patchwork creative pieces come together to create a story and can be used as a metaphor of the past, present and future integration of social, historical, spiritual, religious, economic and political representations of Cook Island culture. Further, the paper will then make links with the model to teaching and learning, by exploring secondary schools’ health and physical education policy and practices. Finally, the efficacy of the model in this context and its research implications will then be discussed

Cook Islands students\u27 attitudes towards physical education

Teacher education has the potential to bring changes within educational systems that can shape the knowledge and skills of future generations. Teaching in a culturally responsive manner is an important part of developing teachers to serve as key change agents in transforming education and society through research, from the perspectives of student learning and achievement in health and physical education. It was expected in this study that students’ recognition of cultural activities could inspire them to engage in physical education. The aim of the study was to examine student awareness of teaching that included cultural activities, with an emphasis on Cook Islands traditional cultural values. One hundred and one students and three teachers from three different schools participated in the study. Only 5% of the student population were non-Cook Islanders. A quantitative methodology was used to analyse the results and findings of the data using an initial Exploratory Factorial Analysis (EFA) and then group comparisons. The implications of identifying Cook Islands cultural values in the curriculum of physical education and what this means for teacher education are discussed

Identity, language and culture: Six frames

Asking a group of educational researchers to conceptualise the relationship between identity, language and culture, and then to collaboratively prepare a one-page theme statement that represents the views of the group, is guaranteed to stir up some stimulating and challenging discussions. In 2013, a community of practice called the Identity, Language and Culture theme group was established to increase research dialogue and interaction between researchers and research students at Charles Darwin University. This paper reviews aspects of individual theme statements and identifies dominant discourses that can be used as research ‘frames’. The paper examines key areas of difference, contention and overlap; discusses the challenges and benefits of researchers’ contributions to theme discussions; and identifies six discourses or ‘frames’, on the ILC theme. These frames are evaluated in the light of their usefulness as ‘entry point discourses’ for research students, enabling them to gain access to a research community. The frames can also be used to identify and challenge the traditional boundaries established by discursive and pedagogical traditions in the humanities and social sciences that construct and maintain specialised and ostensibly discrete domains of knowledge

Monkey bars, noodles and hay bales: a comparative analysis of social interaction in two school ground contexts

The school playground is recognised broadly in the literature as a crucial setting for children to develop social behaviours by engaging in a diverse range of physical and social activities. In this study, we examined children’s social interactions in two distinctly different primary school playgrounds – a school playground with fixed equipment, and a school playground with moveable play equipment. The aim of this research was to explore how primary school children’s social behaviours in schoolyard activities vary in two different playground contexts. Through field notes and observation scheduling, descriptions of the range of children’s social behaviours in the two school playgrounds emerged. This study provides some insights into how the development of schoolchildren’s social and emotional well-being can be supported, or hindered, by the physical design of playgrounds made available to children

Training manual for teaching working with Pacific students: engaging Pacific learners

The Centre’s vision is to “Embrace Pacific Cultures to enhance student experience through improvement of student engagement and achievement so that students become valued leaders and contributors to Pacific communities and New Zealand society”. The main function of the centre revolves firstly, around providing academic and pastoral support for Pacific students. Secondly, through the provision of advise and support for academic lecturers. Finally, through engagement and working closely with Pacific families and communities. The Nakuita, which is Fijian for octopus was developed by the Pacific Centre’s Director, Linda Aumua in 2008, to inform the work of the centre. The octopus has one central body which metaphorically refers to the centre and its tentacles as the Pacific support provided through the learning development lecturers infiltrating the departments and services. The concept started out with the centre employing learning development lecturers. The learning development lecturers are nurtured at the centre before they are placed in the departments, usually in the staff member’s area of expertise. The idea is that the staff member will be able to provide content support and learning development support for Pacific students. The flexibility of the octopus framework enabled the centre to collaborate with departments to co-employ the learning development lecturers with the aim of the departments picking up full employment of the Pacific staff. The success of the Nakuita has extended into the area of staff support. This include providing professional development workshops on understanding Pacific learners; engaging Pacific learners; providing input into curriculum development around embedding Pacific dimensions into the curricula and collaborating with staff on Pacific research. Through collaboration with the two lecturers in the Graduate Diploma in Not-For-Profit Management, Sandy Thompson and Fraser McDonald we are also able to produce this training resource. This collaboration started with the centre providing support for the Pacific students on their programme. This has extended to a co-employment of a Pacific staff member to provide focus support for students in this programme. This manual is divided into five sections. Section 1 is the introduction and includes a triangulation of a literature review on engagement of Pacific learners, students’ evaluation and tutors learning experiences. Section 2 draws on the experiences of the above Unitec staff and looks at meaningful ways to engage Pacific learners in classroom discussions and class content. Section 3 provides some example of teaching plans and Section 4 consist of a list of references used in this work. Finally, Section 5 is a resource/information section that will provide additional information and resources to support the work of teachers