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Argues for proper engagement between educational philosophical inquiry and Maori "ways of knowing the world." Critiques positivism, hermeneutics, critical theory, and Foucault's notion of power/knowledge in this regard. Examines the success of Maori educational initiatives based in "Kaupapa Maori" theory and the need to evaluate other social interventions on the basis of Kaupapa Maori principles. (Contains 28 references.) (SV)

The New Zealand National Qualifications Framework (NQF) is a new qualifications, credit, and assessment system. This report explores the difference the NQF makes for young people. It is the first report of a longitudinal study that will follow two cohorts of students in seven North Island (New Zealand) high schools to see the impact the NQF has on them. This research suggests that the NQF is likely to be followed as if it were the old set of practices it was designed to replace. On the basis of responses from 49 interviews with sixth-form students, interviews with 10 teachers, and a study of documentation during 1996, research findings show the following: most students had heard of the NQF and standards-based assessment, but no student could describe the structure in any detail; about three-quarters of students could describe something about the unit standards, but none had seen an actual standards document; most students could not describe the functions of the credits in the new system, nor did they know how many they had earned nor how they related to their futures; only four students knew anything about the proposed new national certificate; most students were interested in the structure of the NQF when it was explained to them; teachers, however, were sure that students understood the new system; students had some experience with assessment under the new system, but few understood anything about the competency-based subset of standards-based assessment; nearly all students referred to assessment as synonymous with written tests; most students thought that examinations, rather than the new unit standards, would allow employers and tertiary educational institutions to identify more accurately what they knew; and most students did not see a correspondence between the unit standards they were assessed on and their future employment plans. Many changes will be required for the NQF to be implemented fully, and better communication of its aims and methods will be a necessity. (Contains 29 references.) (SLD)

This literature review compares international and New Zealand research and international program information on teacher competencies and preservice and inservice teacher education, addressing two issues: (1) what literature identifies as key competencies required by quality beginning and practicing teachers in the current social, economic, and educational climate and (2) which international and New Zealand teacher education programs are best practice sites and what characterizes their definition of teacher competencies, student intake, program design and delivery, funding, and regulatory environment. The report examines: the project; the policy context (the complexity of teaching, impact of changing environments, and complexity of teaching); competence (attributing competency from performance, the uncertain nature of teaching, generic competencies, a broader view of competence, and unresolved issues); competencies required for teaching (knowledge base, self competence, competencies derived from school curriculum requirements, competencies derived from assessment, competencies for entry to teacher education, and competency in the U.S., United Kingdom, and New Zealand); teacher education standards (in the United Kingdom, U.S., and New Zealand); trends in teacher education in the U.S., United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, Australia, and Asia-Pacific Region; trends in teacher education in New Zealand; and relating teacher competencies to teacher education (complexity of competency, paucity of best practice sites, and implications for New Zealand's teacher education). An appendix presents the proposed revised requirements for all courses of initial teacher training from the Teacher Training Agency in the United Kingdom. (SM)

Perpetual training is the new rationale for education and training in advanced industrial countries, providing the link between education and the economic system. This paper is concerned with Skill New Zealand, a "seamless" education system integrating all education levels with workplace training. The paper examines this new program's policy contest, its underlying human capital theory, and its relationship to recent administrative and training developments. (Contains 47 references.) (MLH)