EDUC 787 : Researching Māori Education

Education and Social Work

2021 Semester Two (1215) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An examination of how best to approach educational research with, by and for Māori. The course is of interest to all social science researchers in Education. Includes the politics and ethics of research involving Māori and other indigenous groups. Particular attention is paid to the development of advanced academic writing skills for research.

Course Overview

EDUC 787 is an approved Research Methods course, which is a prerequisite before students are able to enrol in postgraduate research (a dissertation or thesis). EDUC 787 is taught by senior researchers in Te Puna Wānanga and is the only Research Methods course offered in the Faculty of Education and Social Work that focuses on research in Māori and Indigenous educational contexts.

Course Requirements

To complete this course students must enrol in EDUC 787 A and B, or EDUC 787

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Master of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Evaluate through description and critique, Kaupapa Māori research approaches, research ethics, and key studies on Māori and indigenous educational research. (Capability 1.1, 1.3 and 2.3)
  2. Evaluate and apply key methodological approaches to educational research. (Capability 3.2)
  3. Articulate and apply skill in conducting advanced literature searches, write a good literature review and understand the significance of a literature review. (Capability 4.1 and 4.3)
  4. Apply skills in starting Masters-level thesis writing and research work in a field of Māori and indigenous education, or related fields. (Capability 1.2, 5.2 and 6.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Research article analysis 20% Individual Coursework
Literature review 30% Individual Coursework
Research proposal essay and seminar 10% Individual Coursework
Research proposal essay 40% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Research article analysis
Literature review
Research proposal essay and seminar
Research proposal essay
To pass this course students must submit all assessment tasks and get an overall course mark of at least 50%.

Taumahi 1 Assignment 1: Research Article Analysis
(2500 - 3000 words)
Write a commentary that compares two articles in Māori education (understood in its broadest sense) selected from lists supplied in class, or others with lecturer agreement. Indicate your understanding of the elements of an academic argument, including question, rationale, literature review, key concepts, method, evidence and conclusion.

Taumahi 2 Assignment 2: Literature review (4000 - 5000 words)
This assignment is an opportunity to explore your own research ideas and to clarify a research question and your preferred research methods and methodology.
Find articles related to your research ideas, preferred methodology and methods.
What have other researchers and writers said (or not said) that is relevant to your thinking about your research question and its significance? You need to show the relationship between your question and this prior research. Refer to a minimum of 10 articles.
Provide a rationale for your choice of research methodology and research method.

Taumahi 3 Assignment 3: Research Proposal Essay & Seminar
Taumahi 3A: In-class Seminar Presentation
Present a seminar to the class on your work in progress for Taumahi 3B (below). Powerpoint slides may be used. Presentation guidelines will be given out in class.
Taumahi 3B: Research Proposal Essay (4000 - 5000 words)
Write a research proposal using these headings:
  • Working title of research
  • Overall aim of study (describe what you plan to do)
  • Rationale (provide reasons why this research is important)
  • Research questions (state the specific question/s for the research. How…? Why …? What…?)
  • Methodology (e.g. Kaupapa Māori, narrative/pūrākau)
  • Methods (briefly describe how you plan to collect information)
  • Ethics (if applicable)
Key references (include a minimum of 15 references to support your research questions, methodology and methods)
The assignment requires you to revise and refine your literature review (Assignment 2). The literature review might: indicate why the question is important; examine existing evidence/argument related to the question; indicate possible gaps or blind spots in the relevant research literature, or show how that literature can be applied to a different question; give reasons for your method/s and methodology; demonstrate skilled critical reading and writing. Incorporate the results of the literature review in a description of proposed research you might carry out in order to investigate your question. Further guidelines will be supplied in class. 

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 30-point course.

A typical semester including the study/exam period totals approximately 15 weeks. On average, students are expected to spend 20 hours per week in each 30-point course that they are enrolled in.

For this 30-point course you should expect to commit 36 hours to delivery of the course. You can also reasonably expect to commit approximately 200-240 hours to independent learning. This may include reading (and more reading), note-taking, face-to-face and/or online discussion, writing, engaging in collaborative group work, problem solving, undertaking practical tasks, reflecting on learning, accessing learning and study resources, and assignment preparation and completion.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials will not be available as recordings.

The course will not include live online events.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

There is no required textbook for this course. A range of articles and course materials will be provided through Talis, the University’s online reading list management system.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 30/11/2020 02:59 p.m.