Symposium focuses on Maori education

Maori research projects came under the spotlight at an inaugural symposium at Maungatapu Marae in Tauranga yesterday.

The Iwi Research Symposium brought together community, iwi and indigenous researchers in a one-day forum that examined projects in education, health, iwi, runanga and post-treaty settlement.

The symposium, convened by professor Patricia Johnston of Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, included a series of presentations that highlighted significant changes in the research arena involving Maori.

The symposium also acted as the launch of the Ngai Te Rangi language regeneration project, Te Reo o Nga Kainga (Language of the Home).

The launch was the result of a year-long research project that worked with nine Ngai Te Rangi families to identify barriers and solutions to re-establishing te reo Maori as the main form of communication in Maori homes.

The Iwi Research Symposium came ahead of a three-day conference on educational research, convened by the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE).

More than 250 people were expected to attend the conferences this week, held at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic's Windemere campus from today until Thursday.

The theme of the conferences was Captured By The Dawn, which reflected how educational research was an ever-developing field, said co-convenor Rosina Taniwha of Ngai te Rangi.

Keynote speakers include professor Robert Tierney of the University of Sydney, professor Wally Penetito of Victoria University and professor Roger Boshier of the University of British Columbia, Canada.

It is the first time Tauranga has hosted the event and NZARE president Dr Cheryl Stephens said the conference venue allowed for a broader range of people to participate.

In another event yesterday, NZARE's Early Childhood Special Interest Group gathered for a workshop on academic writing, led by University of Auckland's Professor Alison Jones.