Student attitudes – Teaching & Learning Research Initiative

The Apiscope Buzz: A mixed methods action research project investigating STEM to STEAM using the Apiscope as a tool for differentiated teaching and learning

Introduction This Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) project was a 2-year exploratory study focusing on differentiating the curriculum in response to individual learner differences. The project was designed to explore learning and teaching of differentiated scientific content through observational processes and the expression of that learning through the creative arts. This exploration was undertaken in two classrooms at Avalon Intermediate School and Newlands Intermediate School that were each provided with an observational beehive called an Apiscope. These observational beehives were central to the project, which explored how the study of bees can be used to facilitate the teaching of key concepts related to living systems—sustainability, work, survival, structures, patterns—that, in

Leading effective goal-setting to improve school outcomes

Introduction Our study highlights how principal leadership of goal-directed practices impacts outcomes. Over 2 years, three academics partnered with three principals and a small “project team” comprising one or more teachers, and one or more middle or senior leaders. All principals were relatively new to their schools; one had been there 2 years, and the other two had been there 12 months prior to the beginning of the project. Two schools were secondary schools (Schools A and C) serving low socioeconomic communities. The other school was a primary school (School B) serving a high socioeconomic community which was challenged by having large numbers of new immigrants—particularly from Asia—and with students with

Pathways to the Past: Effective Pedagogies for Māori and Pasifika Students in the Historical Disciplines

Summary Current research into, and definitions of, historical literacy do not adequately acknowledge the cultural backgrounds of indigenous learners across the historical disciplines and levels. Nor do they recognise the vital role of historical literacy in empowering indigenous students. In talanoa (conversations) with Māori and Pasifika students and teachers of a range of ethnicities from across the historical disciplines, we asked: How can we inspire indigenous students to feel at home in the historical disciplines, do well in them, and make them their own? The students and teachers saw historical literacy as predominantly textual in nature, and critical historical literacy as often culturally alien to Māori and Pasifika students. They revealed

The impact of children’s everyday learning on teaching and learning in classrooms and across schools

Tū mātātoa, kei kiriora tō tū[1] Stand strong lest you become complacent A child in this study told us that he had learned he was brave by travelling on a Halloween train journey that engendered fear and trepidation. Months later, this child asked a researcher that his teacher be told he was ‘the brave one’. When asked why, he explained that his teachers would feel comfortable giving him more difficult tasks: “I am brave to give it a go … I’m not scared so it would help me because I wouldn’t be scared, I’d be brave. She would know that I’m not scared of anything so she doesn’t have to be

Capturing learning in undergraduate mathematics: a Learning in Undergraduate Mathematics: The Outcome Spectrum (LUMOS) report

Dedication Judy Paterson sadly passed away during this research project. However, her contribution was a major one, co-leading the design and grant application team, taking responsibility for the Team-Based Learning innovation, conducting interviews, and contributing strongly in several of the learning output observation groups. We dedicate this report to her memory. – Bill Overview of the project The LUMOS Project had two parts: the development of three innovative methods of undergraduate mathematics course delivery, and the identification and observation of a wide range of desired learning outcomes. This project sought to link these aspects. The research questions were: What practical, pedagogical, administrative and curricular barriers need to be overcome to establish

Exploring eLearning practices across the disciplines in a university environment

This two-year project used case studies to explore information and Communications technology (ICT) and eLearning practices across different tertiary disciplines and with students from diverse backgrounds, instructional levels, and learning experiences. ongoing, team-based critical discussion and sharing of ideas about the role that ICT and eLearning plays within tertiary teaching enhanced professional knowledge building for lecturers. Creative use of ICT also led to increased opportunities for students to bridge from the conceptual world of the tertiary classroom to real-life experiences in their particular subject areas. Key findings ICT and eLearning provide effective means for supporting diverse and changing tertiary cohorts, but these practices need careful curriculum design and monitoring. The use

Student Engagement: What Is It and What Influences It?

Introduction This paper seeks to answer two questions: “What is student engagement?” and “How do teachers, external factors and student motivation influence it?” It is an overview paper reporting findings from a project funded by the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) entitled “Learning Environments and Student Engagement with Learning in Tertiary Settings”. This two-year project involved nine tertiary institutions: two universities, four institutes of technology or polytechnics, one wānanga, one community organisation and one private training establishment. The project attempted to answer the research question: “How do institutional and non-institutional learning environments influence student engagement with learning in diverse tertiary settings?” There were two approaches to the research. Engagement in