Without strong roots even the greatest kāuri tree will fall
Muka Tangata is committed to supporting Māori to learn in ways that enable them to learn, develop and perform as Māori, and contribute to the talent base available to all businesses and workplaces including Māori, iwi and hapū industry.
We have heard from our partners that successful Māori-centric models are not sufficiently widely known or accessible. Our platform enables us to respond to this by acknowledging and promoting existing successful practices and supporting providers and industry to develop their own systems that better work for Māori ākonga (learners) and kaimahi (staff).
The following is extracted from the Te Whakatōnga report ›
The Vocational Excellence Framework comprises a set of rubrics developed to establish and maintain a consistent set of criteria to measure the level of vocational educational excellence achieved in the design and delivery of Vocational Education and Training (VET) services for the food and fibre sector.
The framework details the attributes and examples of factors that allow movement from acceptable, good, and excellent practices across different functions, including work-based learning, for underserved learners, pastoral care, and assessment methods.
‘Ākonga Māori’ is still in development and is thus a work in progress. Developing rubrics around te ao Māori practices within vocational education would support the intent of this project.
The challenge remains around the varying skills and expertise of providers to fulfill these duties to an appropriate level. Solutions could include championing an iwi partnership to allow iwi the autonomy to practice their tikanga within programmes, and simultaneously building capability system for providers.
The project was one of three which aimed to create a model that could underpin substantial increases in Māori participation in workplace based learning through taking a holistic view that included the requirements of the employer as well as the education provider.
The project identified key engagement partners who were consulted. These included Ngai Tukarirangi Orchard Trust, Managatawa Trust, Te Pūkenga, Muka Tangata, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Lincoln University, Apata Coolstore & Packhouse, DMS Progrowers, NZKGI, Seeka Group Limited, Māori cadets within the Kiwifruit workforce and the parents of the cadets.
A key concept discussed in this research was collectivism. Collectivism is a core value of Te Ao Māori that is often known but not prioritised. For this to be prioritised and enacted, providers and programme designers need to reflect that when developing and facilitating fit-for-purpose programmes.
This draft framework informs equity action plans across Te Pūkenga and puts ākonga at the centre of a holistic approach. In the Te Rito Insights from Learners and Staff Part One findings, the need for holistic and ao Maori approaches within teaching and learning environments echoes throughout.
This framework demonstrates how providers can put ākonga at the centre in a way that enhances their experience and tackles, barriers that traditionally prevent greater engagement. Enabled learning environments, wellbeing focussed, that voices are heard and equitable access are way to ensure positive outcomes and experiences for ākonga.
Whiria Te Ako is the proposed name for the Learning and Teaching Framework of Te Pūkenga. This signifies a transformative approach to ako (learning), where mātauranga Māori is elevated, and provides context to and informs all parts of learning and teaching in line with the proverb:
Throughout the design process, being able to implement the framework to allow regional responsiveness and relevancy has been front of mind. Rather than designing everything centrally, Te Pūkenga sees its academic centre as key to supporting the implementation at a regional and contextual level. It is the Whiria Te Ako framework that will inform this.
Kaikaikaroro is a conceptual framework developed by Hannah Simmonds and funded by Ako Aotearoa. Its purpose is for sharing the knowledge and outcomes of the ‘Enhancing Student Success’ report and presenting the opportunity for ongoing development.
Kaikaikaroro serves as a window into te ao Māori and is a crucial step in the journey of Māori-dom.
Kiwi Can Do’s approach to embedding te ao Māori into work-based training revolves around genuine relationships and implementing kaupapa Māori practices into day-to-day operations.
Ākonga are at the centre of everything that they do. This model of Māori value-based relationships plays a crucial role in Māori learner and trainer outcomes. Tuakana/teina systems, where learners have a role model and mentor to guide them, impacts the learner outcomes substantially.
The report highlights that genuine relationships and connections should be seen as an absolute minimum requirement when engaging all ākonga, but especially Māori, Pacific peoples, and tangata whai kaha.
Te Ako Tiketike was created by Ako Aotearoa and utilised by Primary Industry Training Organisation in several of their programmes, including Tu Te Ngana Hau (The Breath of Endeavour), and a two-year research project on the Whanganui awa (river) aimed at creating pathways that lead to further education, training and employment for the local iwi, Te Ati Haunui-ā-Pāpārangi.
Te Ako Tiketike provided facilitators from Primary ITO with the opportunity to develop their ao Māori knowledge and understanding of Māori ways of being through the way they facilitated the workshops with whānau. They utilised the tuakana/teina, relationship-focused and whānau support aspects of the model to hold the engagement of the participants in a way that catered to the iwi needs.
Ako Aotearoa have developed cultural capability resources to support ākonga, educational outcomes and ākonga Māori success.
Tuakana/teina is a concept founded in te ao Māori (the Māori world), which describes a relationship dynamic that involves mentoring and learning. It is useful practice that is used to pass down knowledge is effective in work-based learning, classroom, on the job, and all other contexts in the food and fibre sector.
Whare tapawhā is a Māori concept that represents the four dimensions of well-being: taha wairua (spiritual well-being), taha hinengaro (mental and emotional well-being), taha tinana (physical well-being), and taha whānau (family and social well-being). Incorporating whare tapawhā principles can help promote holistic well-being among learners, kaimahi (staff) and organisations.
