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Young people of Pacific heritage living in Aotearoa New Zealand experience poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Current understandings of Pacific youth sexual and reproductive experiences are limited and efforts to deliver culturally appropriate sexuality education are made difficult by lack of resources and cultural sensitivities and taboos. This study aimed to understand Pacific youth experiences of sexuality education within the school setting to ascertain culturally responsive approaches to sexuality education for Pacific youth. The study used the Pacific "talanoa" methodology to conduct group discussions with young people aged 16-18 years old. A total of six group discussions were carried out over a three-month period. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study found a lack of information provided at school. Discussion of abstinence, sex before marriage and asking questions at home was aligned to Pacific values of family, taboo, and gender. Perspectives on trust, privacy and confidentiality within the school setting were important to young people, many of whom were not familiar with being able to speak freely about sexual health topics. Pornography and social media were easily accessible to youth and influenced their ability to explore and understand sexual and reproductive health issues and needs.

With the introduction of the Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum in 2022 (Ministry of Education, 2022), educators are encouraged to engage students in understanding the bicultural foundations of Aotearoa New Zealand society, shaped by Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This curriculum refresh emphasises Maori history as foundational and ongoing, examining how colonisation and settlement have shaped the nation and highlighting the importance of reflecting on these processes. The goal is to foster an inclusive and culturally responsive education system that equips students to contribute meaningfully to Aotearoa New Zealand's diverse society (Ministry of Education, 2022). This reflection explores how Riverdale Primary School teaches Te Tiriti o Waitangi through its inquiry-based learning framework, Te Ako Ritenga (Riverdale Primary School, 2023). The reflection focuses on a 10-week inquiry in the Pae Ake classroom (year 2 & 3), where students explore Te Tiriti o Waitangi by examining its articles and principles -- paying special attention to the relationships, perspectives, and negotiations that shaped it -- and then collaboratively develop their own classroom tiriti [treaty] that outlines expected learning behaviours within their classroom community. This approach illustrates how interactive and culturally responsive teaching methods can enhance students' understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, helping them see it as a living document that continues to shape our country. By moving beyond traditional history lessons that focus on memorised facts, such as key dates and notable figures, students are encouraged to explore the process involved in developing agreements like Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including the diverse relationships and perspectives that shape them. As a result, students develop a more meaningful connection to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its ongoing relevance in Aotearoa.

The Education and Training Act 2020 requires schools to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. However, the newly elected National coalition-led government has sent contradictory messages about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which may be confusing educators. For example, recent actions by the government, such as repealing laws, are harming their relationship with iwi Maori and have undone decades of Maori progress. While the government may be sending educators contradictory messages, educators play a crucial role in teaching students about Te Tiriti o Waitangi which can promote a unified understanding. Suppose all educators and students have a sound knowledge of Te Tiriti, they can better comprehend the historical injustices that Maori have endured and the intergenerational effects that continue to impact Maori today. With contradictory messages from the government and different interpretations about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, what should educators be teaching students about Te Tiriti o Waitangi? This article aims to contribute to a collective understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in education by discussing the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Treaty of Waitangi. I also offer suggestions for how schools could give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi despite the confusing messages being received by the government.

Five early childhood teacher educators in Aotearoa New Zealand explored a range of literature to respond to the question: What does literature tell us about Maori leadership and how are our findings relevant to leadership in early childhood education (ECE) in Aotearoa? The process of finding and reviewing literature sources about Maori leadership led us to think critically about how Maori values, concepts, and customs have been diminished or sustained in fields such as education and business. ECE in Aotearoa is shaped by the bicultural curriculum Te Whariki and underpinned by obligations to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Although education and leadership structures and processes in Aotearoa are overwhelmingly produced within Westernised perspectives, ECE curriculum and practice foregrounds Maori ways of knowing, being, and doing. Through the literature review process, we shared insights and critical discussions that enriched our perceptions of leadership by and for Maori, and of relevance to ECE leadership through shared values. The literature reviewed provided examples from education and business settings where Maori leadership grounded in values of whanaungatanga/reciprocal relationality originating in Maori traditional beliefs and societal structures has been sustained, remembered, and reclaimed through processes of navigating and negotiating present-day colonised contexts. Literature also provided examples of official programmes and policies that seek to acknowledge and enhance Maori leadership in education.

This article provides a comprehensive literature review examining virtual learning in the Aotearoa New Zealand schools sector, with a specific focus on understanding and addressing the needs of Maori learners in these online environments. It begins by tracing the historical development of virtual learning in Aotearoa New Zealand -- from early correspondence courses to the emergence of e-learning clusters and increasing digital technology use. The authors highlight the differences between teaching and learning virtually compared with traditional face-to-face classrooms, exploring unique pedagogical approaches, challenges, and the support structures required for effective online instruction and student engagement. Emphasis is placed on the crucial role of fostering strong teacher--student relationships in virtual settings. The article then reviews culturally responsive pedagogies and strategies identified as effective for engaging and supporting Maori learners, and discusses potential frameworks for translating these approaches to online learning environments. The potential of virtual learning to provide more equitable educational opportunities for Maori students, particularly in rural areas, is examined. However, pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities and the digital divide exacerbated by COVID-19 are noted as barriers. Overall, the author underscores the scarcity of research specifically examining Maori students' experiences and needs in virtual learning contexts. They call for further investigation to better understand and address these gaps, striving to ensure culturally responsive and equitable virtual education opportunities for Maori learners. The paper provides a valuable synthesis of literature and insights into this important issue in Aotearoa New Zealand education.

Long Bay College places a strong emphasis on effective change leadership and trust to foster a responsive and innovative teaching environment. Founded in 1975 into what was then a rural area, the College now serves approximately 1,800 students in a suburban setting. By embracing the autonomy granted by New Zealand's 1989 Tomorrow's Schools reform, the school has cultivated a dynamic approach to education. In 2019, the school's Board of Trustees and staff committed to continuous professional development, leading to the creation of the "Tino Akoranga" approach to teaching and learning. This approach centres on personalised, research-informed education, cultural responsiveness, and cognitive science considerations, all within a framework that prioritises professional learning. To support exceptional teaching and learning, Long Bay College emphasises trust-based classroom observations and collaborative post observation conversations under the "Mahi Tahi" initiative. This initiative seeks to normalise peer observations and discussions, enhancing teaching practices on a foundation of trust, professional safety and collaboration.

Cultural resilience in disaster management is crucial for Indigenous communities. The Action 15 Resilience Hub Network Project on the Hawaiian Island of O'ahu addresses resilience planning gaps through community-based research led by undergraduate students at Kapi'olani Community College. Though the project initially utilized a Western urban resilience planning framework, it evolved to integrate Indigenous methodologies based on feedback from students and community members. This adaptive pedagogical strategy was essential for effectively engaging Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students, as well as other students from underrepresented groups, by recognizing and valuing their cultural backgrounds and knowledge systems. It not only enriched student learning experiences but also highlighted the importance of culturally responsive research and teaching practices in academic institutions. Lessons learned, future suggestions, and reflections from students and community members are reported. This collaboration successfully engaged over 3,000 residents through an island-wide survey and 110 outreach events, including 17 workshops.

This paper relates Indigenous Peoples' moral philosophies to modern Western ethical thinking that is evident in leading contemporary theories of educative leadership. It introduces Indigenous ethics in general and explains the philosophical research methodology used. It then reports Celtic, Maori, North American Indian and Canadian First Nations, Australian Aboriginal and Emirati ethical frameworks in greater detail and relates them to modern Western ethics prominent in contemporary theories of transformational, instructional, distributed, and ethical leadership. It finds that Indigenous philosophies emphasise the interconnectedness of humans and nature, spirituality in ethical decision-making, and collectivism, while Western frameworks often prioritise individualism and separate the spiritual from the secular. It suggests that leaders consider incorporating Indigenous perspectives on sustainability, social responsibility, and spirituality into curricula and educational practices, promoting global citizenship and ethical awareness. This will entail recognising customary laws and traditions, supporting decolonisation efforts, and ensuring accurate representation of Indigenous knowledge. By fostering mutual respect and understanding of diverse ethical traditions, educative leaders can create more inclusive, equitable educational environments that value the contributions of both Indigenous and Western moral philosophies.

Pacific Studies is an interdisciplinary field that began in the twentieth century in Australia, Aotearoa, and the United States (Mawyer et al., 2020). The field sought to understand the area and region of Oceania, but later, many scholars took more critical approaches to Pacific Studies. These approaches have provided more perspectives from those connected to and in relation to Oceania. The authors provide a historical account of Pacific Studies being introduced into Hawai'i (first within the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and the University of Hawai'i-West O'ahu) to then illustrate how it has become situated within the Ko?olauloa region of O'ahu where Brigham Young University-Hawai'i (BYUH) is located. The purpose of sharing this historical account of Pacific Studies in Hawai'i, and more specifically BYUH, is to provide invaluable insights into the evolution of the academic discipline. There is a deeper appreciation for the present state of Pacific Studies and its potential future direction when past decisions and outcomes are recognized and understood within institutions and places. The authors look forward to fostering transparency, critical reflection, and informing decision-making processes to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of the Pacific Studies field.

Little research exists on the specific ways that Indigenous Knowledge is integrated into institutions of higher education across the U.S.-affiliated islands of Micronesia. This research study highlights the existence of Palauan Knowledge within Palau Community College. An Indigenous paradigm (Wilson, 2003) is utilized to align with Palauan values of respect (omenguul), responsibility (ngerachel), care and compassion (klechubechub). Through interviews (chelededuch) with nine collaborators, in addition to field notes, observations, and archival documents, this study was guided by the following questions: How is Indigenous Knowledge incorporated within Palau Community College (PCC)? Secondly, how do stories from Indigenous teachers and Indigenous learning environments inform PCC? Findings from this study reveal experiences of separation from Palauan Knowledge and the actions some collaborators took to preserve Palauan Knowledge. Collaborators' narratives highlight several instances where Palauan knowledge is honored within the college through visual and oral representations and with academic and community programming. Continuity of Palauan Knowledge through ongoing opportunities to sustain practices in and outside the college is explored in the final reflections of collaborators. They continue to challenge perspectives that Indigenous Knowledge is in the past and instead is evolving. Ultimately, this study lays a foundation for continued inquiry and reflection of the college to continue to interrogate the ways that Palau Community College elevates Indigenous Knowledge.

Equity in action starts with a leader's critical consciousness in relation to their identities, ideologies, and positionalities. In this essay, the following factors: ideologies, identities, and positionalities are explained and emphasized as they are essential factors that impact equity work. Leaders who center equity must explore their own critical consciousness through an equity lens so that they prioritize equity at the forefront while leading, collaborating, and making decisions in their leadership positions. The positionality of leaders is also critical on how they use their power to influence their community and amplify the voices of the underrepresented. One subset of the findings, Equity in Action, from my dissertation, "Asian American Community College Presidents: The Power of Identities, Ideologies, and Positionalities" is included in this essay. To set the foundation of the dissertation, the SEL framework, also known as the shared equity leadership framework (Kezar et al., 2021) is used to analyze how leaders build their own capacity in equity work. In addition, my positionality and development as an equity leader are reflected in this essay.

This research overview outlines the catalyst for a proposed research project which stems from an interest in trauma and its effects, particularly in early childhood. It argues that there should be a stronger focus on Trauma Informed Practice in Aotearoa New Zealand, with two foci-firstly in ITE programmes, empowering graduating kaiako with the tools to support tamariki who have trauma through pedagogical practice, so that they can work in collaboration with external services rather than relying on them. Secondly, with the creation of a model to measure trauma which is designed for use in Aotearoa New Zealand, takes into consideration te Tiriti o Waitangi, the history of colonisation in this country and the specific needs of Maori.

Strong teacher-family partnerships are vital for children's educational success. Educational policies influence how teachers perceive and engage in these significant relationships. Critical policy analysis focuses on the language, and underlying meanings and beliefs that reify certain understandings and positions in policy. We trace changes in positioning teacher-family relationships in three versions of policy, illustrating the prioritisation of dominant non-Pacific cultures over Pacific languages, cultures, and identities. We propose embracing Samoan concepts like va tapuia (sacred relationships) and teu le va (looking after relationships) as ethical imperatives for teachers to value and nurture respectful relationships with Pacific peoples. We recommend an open-minded approach, including strengths-based visits to Pacific children's family homes. Drawing from successful projects in Aotearoa New Zealand, we urge policymakers and educational leaders to ensure teachers have the time and resources for the dialogue and reflective activities before and following visits that are needed to transform practice.

Maori aspirations in education have not been served by past national policies. It is hard to extinguish the influence of monoculturalism, whereby schools were used to colonise Maori by enforcing linguistic and cultural assimilation. The history of debate on Innovative Learning Environments (ILE) and Flexible Learning Spaces (FLS) demonstrates the ongoing dominance of this Eurocentric, monocultural approach. Official New Zealand education policy and practice follows international trends in school design, moving away from traditional single-cell classrooms towards more open and inter-connected spaces, despite no real evidence concerning the relative effects on learning of each classroom type. Meanwhile, school marae have been around for several decades, but largely ignored in national ILE and FLS policy and research literature. Our experiences lead us to suggest that Maori identity must be 'built in' not 'added on' to monocultural ILE frameworks, and for this reason, spatiality is crucial in Maori teaching and learning spaces. This article explores the notion of 'Maori learning spaces.'

This paper examines the self-reported culturally responsive practices of curriculum leaders (n = 53) and teachers (n = 105) from six state funded secondary schools in New Zealand. Participants were surveyed to examine the relationship between middle leader self-reporting of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) for improving Maori student engagement and teacher perceptions of those practices. School contextual factors and student academic achievement were also compared with the response ratings to understand any association between culturally responsive middle leadership and student academic outcomes. The study found that middle leaders with more experience generally reported greater confidence in their leadership of CRP. Furthermore, there was some indication that teacher perceptions of middle leader's use of CRP practices may be higher in schools with more experienced middle leaders. However, despite the crucial role middle leaders have in supporting the use of CRP in their departments, no relation was found between the confidence of middle leaders regarding CRP and student academic achievement (155).

Inspired by Martin Thrupp's deep commitment to teachers and teaching as a profession, we consider from our perspectives as teacher educators how critical engagement with educational developments and social issues is important for student teachers. Martin was concerned about a neoliberal trend to de-professionalise teaching and championed the role of teachers (including student teachers) as informed, skilled, critical professionals. We blend theory and experience to examine how critical engagement with policy, practice and contemporary educational issues is central for student teachers in becoming teaching professionals and for teacher educators. We reflect in turn on student teachers' capacity for critical engagement with challenges they experience in learning to teach, developing complex hope as a Pacific teacher educator who is responsible for the development of ITE courses about cultural responsiveness and Pacific as priority learners, and the importance for teachers to have critical understanding of curriculum and assessment developments. Counter to the politics of blame and a prominent deficit discourse that positions new teachers as lacking and teachers in general as somehow responsible for perceived educational failures, we posit a hopeful view of student teachers as critically attuned professional educators.

There is much to celebrate about the liberal-progressive approach championed by New Zealand, which continues to be a prized feature of New Zealand education. Many liberal-progressive practices developed in New Zealand and contextualised for New Zealand students that sought to expand and enrich education were borrowed from Native Schools, Maori teachers, and Pakeha perceptions of preferred Maori pedagogies, giving rise to the perception that New Zealand education is bi-cultural in nature. This article offers critique of the key philosophies that have underpinned New Zealand education for the past 100 years to consider some of the challenges of liberal-progressive education for Maori. The philosophical foundations of a cutting-edge, creative, student-centred schooling system remain problematic for Maori and have been largely unsuccessful in expanding or enriching schooling for many Maori. A te ao Maori perspective of the foundational education philosophies highlights that the negative socio-political and educational positioning of Maori in New Zealand has been purposeful and well-coordinated.

Firearm suicides among adolescents have increased in the US and rates vary across racial and ethnic groups. In this study, we examined contextual information around adolescent firearm suicides and analyzed how incident characteristics vary across racial and ethnic groups. We analyzed firearm suicides among adolescents (ages 10-18 years) from 2004 to 2020 using data from the National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System (NFR-CRS). There were 4,153 firearm suicides during that period. Suicides often involved males, older adolescents (15-18 years), and handguns. Most firearms belonged to the primary caregiver and incidents frequently occurred at home. However, we found that characteristics varied substantially across racial and ethnic groups. Overall, we provide new information on firearm suicides among adolescents in the US using a larger dataset than previous studies and found significant differences in characteristics and demographics across racial and ethnic groups. This finding suggests the need for tailored prevention strategies.

Religion is an important aspect in Pacific cultures and may influence how Pasifika students learn anatomy. Traditional constructs in Pacific cultures, such as "tapu" (forbidden/taboo) and sacred relationships, and/or Christian values are where spirituality is most commonly perceived among Pacific people. Although Pacific people are not homogenous, tapu is a concept that permeates all of Pacific cultures. Understanding the significance of tapu in Pacific communities will help govern relationships and interactions between male and female students/educators, as well as between the dead (e.g., body donors) and the living (e.g., students/educators). In Pacific communities, breaching tapu can lead to serious repercussions, thus strict adherence to cultural practices is important. Institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand, however, are governed by Western processes and values which are often incompatible with Pasifika worldviews and values. Pacific values, including in education, are holistic in understanding and action, and considers not only the physical but the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects. The lack of cultural competency and responsiveness from universities continues to be a barrier for Pasifika learners. Supportive action from educators requires appreciation and understanding of Pacific values and practices. Throughout this article, we discuss Pacific perspectives on how religiosity plays a role in anatomy learning for Pasifika students. Key topics discussed here include the Bible, "tapu" (sacred/taboo), "tulou" (permission/excuse), "va tapu'ia" (sacred relationship), nudity, organ donation, and perspectives on working with deceased human bodies. Given the increasing number of Pasifika students enrolled in universities across Aotearoa New Zealand, education institutions should be more culturally-responsive to Pasifika students' needs to enhance their academic success in anatomy education.

Epidemiological research over the past two decades has highlighted substance use disparities that affect Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth, and the lack of effective approaches to address such disparities (Okamoto et al. in Asian American Journal of Psychology 10(3):239-248, 2019). The Ho'ouna Pono curriculum is a culturally grounded, teacher-implemented, video-enhanced substance use prevention program that has demonstrated efficacy in rural Hawai?i in a large-scale trial (Okamoto in Asian American Journal of Psychology 10(3):239-248, 2019). Despite its potential to ameliorate health disparities and address youth substance use, prevention programs such as Ho'ouna Pono have been poorly disseminated and implemented across Hawai?i, raising the question: "Why are effective prevention programs not used in communities that most need them?" The present study used concept mapping to understand previously identified implementation barriers and develop implementation strategies for Ho'ouna Pono. Seven Hawai?i Department of Education (HIDOE) educational leaders and administrators sorted Ho'ouna Pono implementation barriers (e.g., "There is a lack of HIDOE funding to support prevention curricula"), named concepts, and rated barriers' perceived impact and difficulty. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis yielded a five-cluster solution: (1) Kumu (Hawaiian word for teacher) Controlled, (2) School Level Buy-in, (3) Curriculum, (4) Student Attitudes + Mindsets (Family + Community), and (5) Policy. Participant ratings identified eight high-impact and low-difficulty barriers. Discussion revealed important intersections among barriers indicating the need for coordinated and cross-level implementation strategies to support Ho'ouna Pono sustainment. Brainstormed implementation strategies using participants' own language highlighted a need for participatory methods in school settings to bidirectionally share ways to best sustain substance use prevention programs.

This paper outlines the development of a new Indigenous research methodology: Indigenous Literature Re-view Methodology (ILRM). In the rejection of the idea that Western, dominant forms of research 'about' Indigenous peoples are most valid, ILRM was developed with aims to research in ways that give greater emphasis to Indigenous voices and knowledges, foregrounding Indigenous ways of being, doing and knowing. The advantages of ILRM include identifying themes as 'relevant' as opposed to 'common'. This method is based on relatedness, which is framed by Aboriginal ontology, axiology and epistemology, or ways of being, ways of doing and ways of knowing. Describing and employing ILRM to re-view Indigenous Australian boarding school literature, it was found there is a modest but robust body of research that has emerged in the past 20 years. Sixty-six written sources (i.e. journal articles, reports, theses and books) which were published in 2000 onwards and focussed on a topic of contemporary Indigenous boarding schooling were analysed. Sources that included a chapter or section on boarding as part of a publication focussed on other topics were not included in this re-view. Seven major themes emerged, including home, student experience, transitions, access, staff, health and evaluation. This paper focusses on the development and use of ILRM as an Indigenous methodology for researchers in Indigenous fields of study.

A multitude of educational programs attempt to facilitate young people's engagement with ideas and practices of active citizenship. For young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or Indigenous people in Australia, such interventions are often subject to complex experiences of senses of belonging and non-belonging. This paper responds to calls from researchers to develop better understandings of young Indigenous people's own senses and practices of belonging and to better understand the ways in which these perspectives and practices are spatially influenced at the level of local communities, 'country' and cultural groupings, and within larger state, national or transnational settings. Their testimonies illustrate the tensions that young Indigenous people must navigate in a settler colony that has never truly recognised Indigenous sovereignty but show that sovereignty remains intact. Focus groups were conducted with 58 young Indigenous people in Melbourne and regional Victoria who were participating in an Indigenous youth leadership program designed to foster formal and informal active citizenship practices, and to nurture a strong, affirming sense of Indigenous identity. The testimonies of these participants provide valuable insights into educational sites as spaces in which young people experience a spectrum of weak to strong senses of belonging. They also provide insights into the possibilities of engaging the challenges faced by many young Indigenous people in educational settings, challenges that include race discordance and exclusion, deficit discourses and gaps and distances in educational practice. They highlight the need to recognise the aspirations of young Indigenous people and the capacities of colonial education systems to meet them, and the imperative to celebrate young Indigenous identities in meaningful, non-tokenistic ways.

Maori and Pacific learners in Aotearoa New Zealand have been identified as 'priority learners' by the Ministry of Education. The 'Pacific picturebook project' is ongoing research focussed on picturebooks selected to support the languages, cultures, and identities of Pacific learners in keeping with our government, Teaching Council and Ministry of Education expectations. This phase of the research was located in a kindergarten where teachers and children identify as Maori, Pakeha and from several Pacific Island nations. Teachers shared a selection of Pacific picturebooks with the children and recorded their own and the children's responses to them over a kindergarten term. Thematic analysis of data showed that Pacific picturebooks were significant pedagogical tools for language learning, to support identity, and to contribute to the kindergarten's emergent and localised curriculum. These findings clearly illustrate what pedagogy looks like when it is entrenched in key documents relevant to early learning in this country.

At the heart of sustainability is the relationship between humans and the planet. The binary of anthropocentric or ecocentric worldviews appears to be powerful in defining this relationship. Sustainability requires nuanced approaches which go beyond simple binaries, and therefore a dialectic approach which works to synthesise the binaries may be helpful. This paper draws on Maori cultural understandings of fire to trouble the ecocentric versus anthropocentric binary. Maori oral traditions of fire identify the connections between people and the planet and see people as part of fire and fire as part of people. By exploring Maori oral traditions, it is possible to see fire as more than purely an element that contributes to environmental problems and reveals the pedagogical potential of campfires to reignite the relationship between humans and the planet.

Background: Historical trauma and cultural loss resulting from colonialism have contributed to educational and health disparities among Pacific youth. Recognizing the protective factors is essential for mitigating disparities and enhancing the overall well-being of these youth. Objective: This review provides evidence about the current state of youth development among Pacific youth. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature published between 2010 and 2020, including the fields of education, social, psychological, and medical sciences. We employed qualitative data analysis of 35 peer-reviewed studies. Results: The majority (69%) of the studies focused on program interventions among 10-19-year-old youth at-risk primarily in New Zealand among Maori (51%) and in the U.S. among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (46%). Health interventions were common in Hawai'i, while the New Zealand studies focused more on measuring youth resilience. Among the three outcomes identified, health/well-being was the most studied area, followed by social-emotional, and cognitive development. The outcomes suggest mainly positive effects on health and well-being, socio-emotional, and cognitive development related to Pacific youth. Conclusions: While the last decade has seen a growth of culturally anchored programs, more research is needed to account for wider social, economic, and political dynamics that impact youth development, which was largely unaccounted for in the extant studies. There is a need for broader developmental frameworks that would, first, align with the context and culture of the youth's community, and second, expand our horizon of the developmental patterns as they occur in diverse sociocultural contexts.

Studies have found early detection of autism is protective for an individual and their family. Fewer Pacific children are diagnosed with autism compared with non-Pacific children, and those who have significantly higher needs, suggesting an undercount of those diagnosed. The purpose of this study was to explore any association between parental education and autism in Pacific children living in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This was a national cross-sectional study using data from New Zealand's Integrated Data Infrastructure, including Pacific and non-Maori non-Pacific children in the 2013 Census. A novel method was employed to capture autism, while years of parents' education was estimated from their highest attained qualification level. Apposite regression models were used to analyse the relationship between parental education and autism. We found that autism was identified in 1.1% of Pacific children compared with 1.6% of non-Maori, non-Pacific children. A year of education among parents of Pacific children was associated with increased identification of autism (odds ratio = 1.10; 95% confidence interval = 1.06-1.15). The findings show education plays a positive role in receiving a diagnosis for Pacific autistic children but suggest a systemic failure to support Pacific parents to navigate existing health systems for themselves or their children.

As in many countries, for decades in Aotearoa (New Zealand), we have heard the story of the Pacific and Maori achievement gap in mathematics. This has become a widely accepted part of beliefs constructed across multiple communities about students and schools and who can do and learn mathematics successfully. A common response by policy makers and educators alike is to fix the problem of those deemed academically bleak by putting in place a range of interventions. In this article, we challenge the positioning of Pacific students as a problem to be fixed and instead focus on how we can address the practices inherent in historical forms of institutionalised racism related to colonisation. We use an Indigenous research model - Tivaevae - to develop an exemplary case study of the teachers and students from one low socio-economic urban school as they were involved in conscientisation and the reconstitution of educational practices to privilege indigenous knowledge systems. The findings highlight one model of how teachers and students can change institutionalised Western world practices in the mathematics classroom. We argue that the shift to honouring indigenous knowledge systems and a strength-based approach provided opportunities for Pacific students to learn mathematics in ways that supported them to build strong mathematical dispositions, and rather than being assimilated, retain their cultural identity.

Decades of research has documented the consequences of allocating school students into a hierarchy of classes with narrow ranges of mathematics attainment, a process known as streaming, tracking, setting, or "ability" grouping. The purported benefits of streaming are inconsistent and disputed, but the harms are clear, in particular, (1) the limiting curriculum often available in low streams and (2) the loss of self-confidence that results from being positioned in a low stream. Building on this foundation, we discuss streaming in mathematics as tied to systemic racism in Aotearoa New Zealand, where the harmful effects of streaming fall most heavily on Maori and Pasifika students. Previous analyses of race and streaming have focused primarily on the racial composition of streamed classes, bias in stream allocation, and racialised teacher expectations in streamed settings. In contrast, we focus on the emotional consequences of streaming, arguing that streaming produces racialised emotions of shame and entitlement as unintended but predictable consequences. We illustrate the racialised production of entitlement and shame through collaborative storying, interweaving our own biographies with a re-analysis of student interviews from two prior studies.

In this study, the Computer Science (CS) education in K-12 of the countries in the "Asia-Pacific region", which are among the top 10 in PISA, and CS education of Türkiye were investigated. PISA is conducted to assess science, mathematics, and reading skills. PISA, which is carried out every 3 years by the OECD, evaluates 15-yearold students. When the countries that have been successful in PISA are examined, it has been observed that the number of countries in the "Asia-Pacific region" in the top 10 has increased in recent years. In this study, data analysis was done with document analysis, which included PISA results and reports, OECD reports, computer science curriculum of countries, and academic studies on PISA and computer science education. As a result of the data obtained, the countries' CS education was compared to identify successful practices. Also, the countries' practices in computer science education were compared to Türkiye, and implications were made about the effects of such works on PISA results.

The Ministry of Education document "Action Plan for Pacific Education" 2020-2030 is a government commitment to transform outcomes for Pacific learners and their families. Key Shift 5 of this Action Plan focuses on valuing, growing, and retaining "teachers, leaders, and educational professionals with diverse Pacific heritages" (Ministry of Education, 2020a, p. 38). This professional inquiry explored what Key Shift 5 looks like within the Resource Teaching service. A literature review examined ethnic minority leadership in education, specifically looking at the enablers and barriers. The Pacific research method, talanoa, was used to give voice to the lived experiences of four ex-Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB). Findings from this inquiry acknowledge the misrepresentation of Pacific at decision making spaces and highlight benefits and advantages Pacific RTLB bring to their roles. The importance of support from senior management was indicated by all participants as a key factor in valuing, growing, and retaining "teachers, leaders, and educational professionals with diverse Pacific heritages".

It is essential that teachers are prepared to teach te reo Maori speaking children so that Maori tamariki enjoy equal and equitable opportunities to succeed as Maori (Education & Training Act, 2020). This article draws on research undertaken for my master's degree which investigated teacher preparedness to teach te reo Maori speaking children in mainstream primary schools. Key findings included an awareness of how language and culture impact on identity and educational outcomes. Although participants acknowledged the absolute necessity that te reo Maori and tikanga Maori are included in all aspects of the education setting, they also reported that tikanga Maori is a more comfortable space to be in than te reo Maori as there were clear connections to their own values. Four key themes emerged from the findings which I promote in this paper as key factors for teacher readiness to teach reo Maori speaking children. These are: Kia rite (be prepared), Kia hono (be connected); Kia tatatiako (be culturally competent and responsive) and, Kia whakauruuru (be integrative). This article discusses the four factors listed above and implications for tamariki, their whanau, teachers and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers.

America is known as the Land of Opportunity, yet one may ask, "Opportunity for whom?" Black/African American, Hispanic/Chicano/a/x/ Latino/a/x, Native American/American Indian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander along with other traditionally and historically underrepresented groups have experienced being marginalized in the United States as well as the school systems within our society. Since the inception of the concept of schooling in the United States, public education has had a minimal acknowledgment of historically and traditionally marginalized groups as contributors to the cultivation and development of the United States. It's beyond time to redesign our educational system to reflect a system that will contribute to a "true" and sustainable democracy. This will require social justice educators with the capacity to teach our youth the complete truth of their cultural and ethnic imprint within the history and fabric of our country.

The majority of Pasifika students at the University of Otago come from other parts of New Zealand and have to adapt to studying and living in an environment that does not have a strong Pacific culture. These changes potentially affect their education experience and academic performance. Students may form social networks through religious institutions or student associations. Using a brief (10-15 minute) survey, we investigated how religiosity, social provision, and social anxiety as ethnic minorities are associated with perceived academic stress among Pasifika students in our department. We recruited 54 Pasifika students from a cohort of 101 students: 20 male, 33 female, and 1 akava'ine. Male students had higher academic stresses related to academic expectation than female students. Religiosity, social provision, and avoiding interaction with New Zealand European people were all associated with perceived academic stress in our cohort. Students preferred seeking social support from Pasifika friends and family members, and academic support from academic staff, tutorials organised by the University's Pacific Islands Centre, and friends. In conclusion, social factors are associated with academic stress of Pasifika students in the University of Otago. Institutions need to establish strong support infrastructure for ethnic minority students as they may have additional stressors which may affect their study.

Through the creation of a matauranga Maori framework, termed Te Kunenga, this review has investigated how Maori teachers and Maori students have experienced inclusion in English-medium schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Reviewed literature included qualitative published research and government reports from 2004-2022, when Ministry-led initiatives and policies focused on supporting Maori to achieve success as Maori, an era I have termed Te Ao Marama. The findings of this review show that Maori exclusion in schools continues to persist, particularly for kaiako Maori. The findings in this review identify the need for further research into the intersectionality of Maori identities and experiences in primary and secondary English-medium schools. Furthermore, this review emphasises the importance of biculturalism in English-medium schools and the inclusion and belonging of Maori to academic success.

Education within Aotearoa has not effectively engaged Pasifika students (Ministry of Education, 2023a), and has led to Pasifika students being less likely to continue to tertiary level education (Ministry of Education, 2023b). This review focuses on the published literature about factors that improve the conditions of schooling in Aotearoa to facilitate higher levels of engagement in Pasifika students. For this paper, 20 studies that were carried out in Aotearoa secondary schools with Pasifika students were collected. These studies were then analysed to understand what factors increased their engagement in secondary school. The findings suggest that student-teacher relationships, teachers' perceptions of Pasifika students, and effective implementation of culturally responsive pedagogies have the greatest impact on Pasifika student engagement in their secondary school career.

This paper examines how kaiako (teachers) view professional learning and development training (PLD) in structured literacy (SL) in a Maori-medium immersion context. Through interviews with kaiako in a kura kaupapa Maori (Maori-medium educational setting) who teach students in Years 1-6, and images of the literacy environment to capture some of the literacy practices in classrooms, participants share their perspectives on their PLD training. The findings revealed some of the difficulties kaiako face, such as limited resources and working within a standardisded curriculum, whilst attempting to implement changes based on their PLD training. The findings highlight the need for support from all stakeholders (including policy makers and the school leadership team) to successfully implement SL in Maori-medium settings. The need for further resources in Maori-medium settings and the challenge of making changes to a standardised curriculum also emerged from the study. Finally, the findings indicate some of the potential benefits of PLD in SL for Maori-medium educators and akonga (students), such as an understanding of how the brain learns to read, some of the key elements of reading success, and instructional principles for effective literacy instruction.

This research paper asks what Maori educators want Pakeha outreach teachers to know when working with tamariki Maori on the autism spectrum with high, complex needs. A review of the literature noted a shortage of specialists who can speak te reo Maori and practice in a culturally responsive way. Three Maori educators participated in semi-structured interviews as part of this qualitative research, addressing what Pakeha outreach teachers need to know to be culturally responsive to Maori. The following themes emerged: Maori environments are relationally inclusive and involve whanau; outreach teachers should respect te reo and tikanga; and outreach teachers should practice with humility as part of a team. These themes emerge within the context of a chronic shortage of Maori specialists. Most of the specialists working with tamariki Maori are non-Maori. In order to meet their needs Pakeha outreach teachers need to be able to work with tamariki Maori and their whanau in a culturally responsive way. Understanding cultural hegemony and its impact on education is an area in need of further discussion if outreach teachers are to understand the concept of humility and its importance for Maori.

Our everyday language use is mostly intuitive (Lieberman, 2000), in the sense of tacit and automatic, and it reveals ourselves in what we say and how we say it. In this study I use the interaction order--the idea that social facts such as identity are constituted by social interaction--to interpret a research interview that was threatened by my assumptions. My assumptions were aligned with the culture order of the New Zealand, in which the dominant English-origin culture assumes its ways of being as ordinary or neutral, while the minority Maori culture must, in effect, become bicultural. Early in the interview, my assumptions fractured the participant's presentation of his identity. The participant, Nik, was one of eleven volunteers for follow-up interviews to a larger survey study about language attitudes and practices in New Zealand. Using interactional sociolinguistics, I show how our interactions during the interview exemplified the dialectic between two intuitions about language use: our moral commitment to successful interaction and our everyday reliance on normative interactional structures. As Nik introduced and elaborated on his Maori heritage, mutual misunderstandings developed during which I fractured his reflection of his identity, which we had to negotiate in order that the interview continue. As the interview ended, Nik took the floor to tell a short story in which he overcame my fractured reflection of his self by presenting how he was accepted by Maori. The narrative not only enabled me to better recognize who he was, but also enabled me to recognize how his narrative transcended the dialectical tension between interactional aims and normative structures in interaction.

This paper explores children's understandings of Acknowledgement to Country practices and Aboriginal knowledges. Guided by the relational lenses of respect, responsibility and reciprocity, we conducted focus groups with children across five Australian early education centres. We found that Acknowledgement practices were evident through recitation of their Acknowledgement to Country, engaging with artefacts, and/or discussion of artworks. Secondly, children demonstrated emerging understandings about place names, the symbolic use of flags for places and people, and Australian plants and animals. Thirdly, Aboriginal cultures as living cultures were evident in temporal discussions about people and culture. Finally, imaginative play implied efforts to make sense of Aboriginal concepts and language. Across the study, children were active in experimenting with ideas in their own meaning making. Acknowledgement to Country was not a moment in the day; rather, it was embedded throughout the day through routines, storytelling, play and creative activities, all designed to foster learning.

This literature review investigates tools used to assess self-regulation at school entry and to inform recommendations for use in Aotearoa New Zealand. We were particularly interested in identifying self-regulation screening tools that had been developed from Indigenous frameworks to enhance likelihood of culturally empowering assessment. APA PsycInfo and Clarivate Web of Science databases were searched for articles on self-regulation screening at school entry. Screening tools were included if they met the following criteria: available in English or te reo Maori (the two predominant written languages of Aotearoa New Zealand); appropriate for children aged 5-6 years; and focus on self-regulation or contain a component assessing self-regulation. 39 screening tools which met the criteria were identified. Overall, most tools were developed from a Euro-American perspective and many were deficit- and/or clinically-focused. Issues with translating screening tools to other cultures are discussed, specifically in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Educational psychology remains constricted by Westernised science's universalising views. The teaching about emotions and their expression is a critical element at the core of educational psychology, but the underpinning ontology and theories appear to be largely unexamined. The importance of educational psychology was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and with wellbeing initiatives accumulating, now, more than ever before, educational psychology research and practice in Aotearoa New Zealand must be called to account. Most existing programmes derive from anthropological, psychological and observation-based approaches, unquestioningly proposing that we all feel emotions because of, or in response to, certain occurrences in our lives. Dare we question this 'given' through a decolonising or cross-cultural lens? Maori values, holistic concepts and the diverse ways of knowing and being with emotion need to be considered as Aotearoa New Zealand looks beyond the dominant discourse of current SEL. In classrooms every day, practitioners discern how to discuss and respond to emotions, their own and those of the students in their care. This article invites educators to critique their own understandings of emotions and considers ways to challenge educational psychology and the practice of teaching about emotions to acknowledge the culturally diverse classroom contexts of Aotearoa New Zealand.