Tertiary Bridging Tracks: Holistic Teaching and Learning Practices of Pacific PTEs

Project Background Te Rau Awhina – The Guiding Leaf: Good Practice Examples of Māori and Pasifika Private Training Establishments (2008) First Pacific Peoples’ Project Funding Stream – Ako Aotearoa National Project Fund (2009) Tertiary Bridging Tracks: Holistic Teaching and Learning Practices of Pacific PTEs – launched 2010, report expected Aug 2011

Project Overview Objectives Qualitative focus group research to explore aspects and effectiveness of good practice teaching and learning that are successful for Pacific learners s in self-identified Pacific PTEs Present focus group findings in the context of learner completion and progression

Project Overview Research Questions What are the teaching and learning/pastoral care practices that the selected PTEs utilise as part of a holistic approach? How is Pacific culture woven into the teaching and learning practices of the selected PTEs? How do Pacific students in the selected PTEs perceive their outcomes as related to the application of the holistic teaching and learning practices identified and elaborated on in this study?

Methodology Blend of Western and Pacific models Kakala (Tongan royal garland) model - Konai Helu-Thaman (2002) Talanoa interview approach reflecting collectivity, reciprocity and flexibility – Fono interview groups – koha for each participant Thematic Analysis – Braun and Clarke (2006)

Definition of Good Practice Established and credible in the tertiary sector (over 5 years in existence) and sufficient size to provide a representative data sample ( students across campuses) High overall average retention rates: 79% - 87% across selected PTEs High overall average completion rates: 72% - 85% across selected PTEs Te Rau Awhina: “Consistently meeting targets for positive learner outcomes in relation to attaining employment or moving to further training within the tertiary sector, credit and/or qualification achievement, and course completion and personal/cultural development.”

Participants and Tools Sample: Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island Māori, Tokelauan and Fijian learners enrolled in three Pacific PTEs Two sets of fono : term 2 and term learners in fono 1, 42 retained in fono 2 Level 3 (Foundation) – Level 5 (Tertiary)

Progress to Date 6 transcripts analysed compiling 25 learners from fono 1: 10 Foundation, 15 Tertiary: 19 female, 6 male, age % course completion (5 total of 56 DNC) 13 progressed to further study with same PTE 6 full-time employment 6 Unknown (harder to track Tertiary as non-funded) learners

Key Findings to Date Resultative motivation – triggering engagement in subject Organisation as Learning Destination Initial impetus to study not driven by academic goal 88% Resultative motivation – triggering engagement in subject 48% “ I only took it for my benefit to keep running, but then I just got hooked on how interesting it was. So yeah, this is my career path, computings.” – Female student, 18 yrs

Key Findings to Date Flexibility of Teaching Approaches Must cater to different learning needs/styles 60% Key Role of Tutors in Support and Guidance Day by day monitoring and encouragement 68% “ Oh cause…I am kind of slow at understanding… So like the one that’s having the most problems, she’ll come and when she has time, she’ll sit down with us and she’ll just go through it to make sure that I’m understanding what I’m learning. So she’ll take her time, she’ll like re-read notes and she’ll help me out with, like she’ll use examples of like how I would understand how to do this particular assignment. And yeah, it gets me through and then I end up completing the papers, so.” – Female student, age 19

Project Next Steps Complete transcript analysis Draft final report expected August 2011 Disseminate findings through Pacific media and community channels

Q & A