Tutor practices that increase completion for Māori PTE students

Last updated by: ako_admin (Ako Administrator) on 30 January 2012 - 1:41pm

This project focused on the identification of key tutor practices, in relation to delivery of content, student engagement, and cultural awareness, that correlated to successful outcomes for Māori students in a PTE. The results highlight the effectiveness of a bicultural approach to tutoring adult students.

Authors

  • Anne Greenhalgh, Workforce Development
  • Sue Walker, Workforce Development
  • Kare Tipa-Rogers, Workforce Development
  • Rebecca Hunter, Workforce Development

Date - March 2011

 

 

Executive Summary

The focus of this research project is the identification of key tutor practices for successful Māori outcomes, in particular for “second chance” students in a Private Training Establishment (PTE) environment. The research initiates the identification of the tutor characteristics (in relation to delivery of content, student engagement, and cultural awareness), which have resulted in quality teaching practice and learning environments for Māori. The intention of this report is to provide the groundwork for further exploration with the identified tutors of their delivery practices.

The retention and completion data from the three disciplines (niches) at Workforce Development for the three years: 2007, 2008, 2009 was collated for next stage analysis; in doing this, the tutors involved in programmes that achieved high retention/completion rates with Māori were identified. Interviews and questionnaires were developed and administered, providing further student generated data to complement the quantitative data already held.

Characteristics of practice identified through the questionnaires and focus group discussions with students inform the direction of this research. It has been observed (Tankersley, 2004) that to be healthy, Māori need access to learning their language, to education and qualifications, to employment and to have their culture valued. The results of this research do indeed indicate that many of the above identified needs are being provided to students at Workforce due to the supportive relationships they form with their tutors and the interactive delivery methods used. The results have highlighted the effectiveness of a bicultural approach to tutoring adult students; where Māori students were a minority in their class, they did not feel culturally alienated and achieved success rates that compare favourably with all other students. It is expected that further development of the results of this research will identify models of tutor practice that impact positively on successful completion rates for Māori students within the PTE environment.

Futher research

A further report which reveals practices consistently demonstrated by tutors who have ongoing success in delivering courses to Māori learners is also available. >find out more

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