Indigenous Tertiary Hui Unites Māori Educators

11 Poutūterangi / March 2012

New Zealand’s Māori tertiary whānau and iwi leaders will unite to discuss and debate issues impacting on the success of learners at a two-day national conference at the end of this month (March).

The second Māori tertiary education hui – Tuia Te Ako 2012 – will be held at Wellington’s Pipitea Marae on Thursday 29 and Friday 30 March 2012. Expert keynote speakers include esteemed elder Dr Huirangi Waikerepuru and leading academics Professor Tīmoti Kāretu, Professor Michael Walker and Dr Catherine Savage. The conference is hosted by Ako Aotearoa, New Zealand’s National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, and led by its Māori Caucus, Te Rūnanga Māori.

Ngahiwi Apanui – Kaihautū Māori (Senior Māori Development Manager) at Ako Aotearoa – says this is the ideal forum for the Māori tertiary sector to share and discuss existing models of good teaching practice with a focus on assisting iwi to achieve the aspirations they have for their learners and educators.

“Building on the discussion from the inaugural Tuia Te Ako in 2010, the hui will encourage debate on future economic, social and political trends that impact on Māori in tertiary education,” says Mr Apanui. “The programme showcases innovative Māori research projects designed to enhance teaching and learning as well as promoting practical resources that have been developed to support that. There will be a strong focus on identifying pathways for improving Māori learner engagement, retention and pass rates.”

Champions of excellence in tertiary teaching and learning in New Zealand, Ako Aotearoa provides strategic and sustainable support for Māori educators and learners. For more information, go to www.akoaotearoa.ac.nz.

Tuia Te Ako 2012 is the second national conference focused specifically on enhancing Māori tertiary teaching and learning.
The two-day hui is strategically positioned as an opportunity for Māori in tertiary education as well as iwi, hapū and Māori community representatives from throughout the country to come together to share in discussion and debate on a range of issues that impact on the success of Māori learners.

Hītori – History
The need to establish a hui for Māori educators to come together to discuss and share learning about aspects of tertiary teaching and learning was discussed within the Māori Caucus of Ako Aotearoa in 2009. It was agreed that there was a need for such a gathering and that the event would be an ideal forum to share and discuss existing models of good teaching practice with a focus on assisting iwi and Māori communities to achieve their aspirations. In December 2009, a committee of Māori tertiary sector representatives was convened and the inaugural Māori tertiary education hui, Tuia Te Ako 2010, was held in August 2010.

Kaupapa – Themes
The overarching kaupapa of Tuia Te Ako 2012 is:
Toi te ākonga, toi te whenua, toi te mana

Emphasise the learner, provide the resources, build self esteem

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Further details of talks and speakers can be found here.

ENDS

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