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Researchers

27 August 2024

There are lots of researchers in Te R奴 Rangahau: The M膩ori Research Laboratory. Meet our people and learn about their research.

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Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll

Ng膩ti Porou, Ng膩ti Raukawa, Ng膩ti Kahungunu

Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll has been actively working as a M膩ori/public health researcher for 20 years. With her Master鈥檚 degree in public health, she has been involved in research relating to M膩ori advancement including traditional M膩ori healing and M膩ori community, iwi and hap奴 development. Annabel has a PhD in Health Sciences, investigating the relation of identity construction to transformative action.聽

Professor Angus Macfarlane

Ng膩ti Whakaue, Ng膩ti Rangiwewehi

Professor Angus Macfarlane鈥檚 most recent distinctions include; receiving the Manaakitanga Award in 2020 (with Associate Professor Sonja Macfarlane) for extending an ethic of care within and beyond the academy, receiving the Life Membership Award at the New Zealand Association of Research in Education (NZARE) annual conference in 2019 and receiving the University of mini传媒 Students鈥 Association Supervisor of the Year Award in 2017. His many subjects of interest and expertise include M膩ori and Indigenous advancement in education and psychology.

Benita Rarere-Briggs

Benita Rarere-Briggs鈥 writing and research interests are currently centred on children with disabilities and access and participation in early childhood educational settings. Her other areas of research interest include; inclusive education in early childhood and culturally inclusive pedagogies.

Professor Gail Gillon

Ng膩i Tahu

Professor Gail Gillon is involved in many research projects that focus on understanding the relationship between spoken and written language development and the importance of children鈥檚 phonological awareness to reading and spelling development. Some of her active projects include: The effectiveness of phonological awareness interventions in facilitating early literacy success and engaging children鈥檚 early oral language and literacy development.

Dr James Graham

Ng膩ti Kahungunu

Dr James Graham has a background in M膩ori education and has a passion for positive contributions to M膩ori advancement. His PhD thesis is titled,聽Whakatangata kia kaha - Toit奴 te whakapapa, toit奴 te tuakiri, toit奴 te mana: An examination of the contribution of Te Aute College to M膩ori advancement. It examines how the esteemed institute has supported valued aspects of M膩oridom over the years. James鈥 other research interests and expertise is guided by a strong M膩ori worldview.

Professor Janinka Greenwood鈥檚 research stems from her work as an educator and an artist. It is based on interconnected areas such as: education, development, community engagement, the arts, and the intercultural spaces where these take place. Her research across education and cross-cultural perspectives has led to further examination of particular methodologies such as practitioner research and action research. Janinka鈥檚 other areas of interest include bicultural education, intercultural studies and M膩ori education.

Jen Smith

Ng膩ti Wh膩tua

Jen Smith is a lecturer in M膩ori education at UC and is a former primary school teacher. Her main research interest is centred on her doctoral study of the creation of culturally safe schools for M膩ori teachers as well as giving cultural tools to create exception educational environments for all. Her other research topics include socio-cultural approach to education, inclusive cultural pedagogy and culturally responsive and competent approaches to teaching and learning for mini传媒 learners.

Jody Hohaia

Ng膩i Tahu, Ng膩ti Raukawa, Waikato-Tainui

Jody Hohaia has taught in numerous Christchurch primary and high schools over the past 15 years. Her last teaching role was managing Te Kaupapa Whakaora Alternative Education Secondary School. Jody completed a Master of Education (MEd) with First Class Honours in 2017 and looks forward to starting work towards her Doctor of Education (EdD) at the University of mini传媒.

Associate Professor Jo Fletcher

Associate Professor Jo Fletcher has a passion for improving outcomes for all learners and it remains central to her research and postgraduate supervisions. Jo鈥檚 earlier research primarily focused on literacy achievement and overall learning support of Pasifika students. 聽Her other subjects of interest and expertise include; literacy acquisition, educational leadership in reading and practices of sustenance for M膩ori.

Kari Moana Kururangi

Ng膩i Tahu, K膩ti M膩moe, Waitaha

Kari Moana Kururangi joined the UC team early in 2020 following her previous role as kaiako and school board member at Te P膩 o R膩kaihautu in Christchurch. Kari is a graduate of the Master of M膩ori and Indigenous Leadership (MMIL), an applied professional programme dedicated to supporting the advancement of M膩ori and Indigenous self-determination. With her knowledge and experience in supporting reo and tikanga in education, Kari has settled in well as a permanent lecturer and a valuable addition to our M膩ori staff.

Kay-Lee Jones

Te Aitanga a M膩haki, Ng膩ti Porou, Ng膩i Tahu

Kay-Lee Jones has worked as a primary school teacher in a number of M膩ori medium settings throughout Christchurch, including in a Level 2 immersion classroom. This role was in conjunction with her position as deputy principal. Kay-Lee has recently completed a Master of Education (MEd) and looks forward to completing her doctorate. Kay-Lee was the proud recipient of a prestigious Ako Aotearoa, 2020 Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award, one of only nine awarded nationally.

Dr Matiu Ratima

Whakat艒hea, Ng膩ti Pukeko

Dr Matiu Ratima's PhD research examines the factors that influence the development of proficiency in te reo M膩ori amongst adult learners. He has also published work on M膩ori academic development and the learning of te reo M膩ori and culturally responsive teaching in New Zealand schools. Matiu is a qualitative researcher currently working on a series of books to help teachers develop cultural competencies and mana enhancing strategies for better learner engagement.

Ng膩ti Ranginui

Melissa Derby is employed as a Lecturer in Te Kura Toi Tangata, the School of Education at the University of Waikato, Tauranga campus. She is also working with the Ministry of Education and her iwi to develop resources that support early literacy improvement. Melissa remains involved in projects of interest here at the University of mini传媒.

Nathan Riki

Tainui

Nathan Riki joined the UC team earlier in 2020 following his previous role at Christchurch鈥檚 Breens Intermediate as a kaitautoko in the senior leadership team. With valued experience in developing cultural responsiveness school-wide, Nathan鈥檚 role here in the School of Teacher Education is not only to teach into the reo aspects of the programmes, but to also support some of the teaching in the Masters space.

Dr Rachel Martin

Waitaha, K膩ti Mamoe, Ng膩i Tahu

Dr Rachel Martin鈥檚 research is inclusive of culturally and linguistically sustaining te tiriti based frameworks for all participants. Her research interests are based on making a difference for M膩ori communities. Rachel completed her PhD in 2017 which investigated how parents who are second language learners and speakers of te reo M膩ori nurture their children as M膩ori in the region of Christchurch. Her other areas of interest include M膩ori education and te reo M膩ori on-line learning.

Dr Richard Manning

Dr Richard Manning has been the recipient of various academic awards and scholarships, including a prestigious New Zealand Top Achiever Doctoral Scholarship. This was awarded by the New Zealand Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. Richard is particularly interested in researching how critical and indigenous pedagogies of place can be applied to support inter-disciplinary efforts to address traumatic histories, including the many issues regarding te tiriti o Waitangi.

Ng膩ti Waewae, Ng膩i Tahu

Associate Professor Sonja Macfarlane鈥檚 most recent distinctions include; receiving the Manaakitanga Award in 2020 (with Dr Angus Macfarlane) for extending an ethic of care within and beyond the academy, presenting the Jean Herbison Keynote Lecture at the New Zealand Association of Research in Education (NZARE) annual conference in 2019 and being the recipient of the national NZARE Te Tohu Pae Tawhiti Award in 2017 for outstanding contributions to M膩ori research. Her many subjects of interest and expertise include M膩ori and Indigenous success in education.

Dr Susannah Stevens

Dr Susannah Stevens is the manager for the UC Child Well-being Research Institute and is subsequently interested in research on well-being. Her research focuses on how learning occurs with the whole body, not just the mind. Susannah鈥檚 PhD thesis has developed pedagogy for movement pleasure. She currently works with schools, national bodies, government groups and international organisations; sharing expertise in the areas of physical activity, well-being and the learning environments in which they are situated.

Te Hurinui Clarke

Te Arawa, Ng膩i Tahu

Te Hurinui Clarke鈥檚 current research projects focus on factors that affect the retention of students in senior te reo M膩ori programmes in mainstream secondary schools. Some of his most recent published work include聽P艒whiri: A ritual of encounter framework for engaging with wh膩nau听补苍诲听Ng膩 Whenu Ranga Tahi: drawing from M膩ori principles of wellbeing: transforming online synchronous teaching and learning of Te Reo M膩ori.

Toni Torepe

Ng膩i Tahu

Toni Torepe has a particular interest in M膩ori educator experiences in Eurocentric education. Her thesis, due for completion in 2021, is titled聽Cultural Myth or Workplace Reality?聽and explores the lived experiences of M膩ori tertiary academics working in Eurocentric institutions in Aotearoa. This interest also extends internationally to the experiences of Indigenous educators and ethnic minor academics. Toni鈥檚 other subjects of interest include M膩ori Knowledge and Development and Teacher Education.

Tufulasi Taleni

贬腻尘辞补

Following a career as a teacher, in 2016 Tufulasi took up a role as the Kaiarahi Pasifika for UC College of Education Health & Human Development. He holds an active leadership role in the Government鈥檚 10-year National Science Challenge A Better Start: E Tipu e Rea and is a member of the NZQA Taupulega Pasifika Advisory Group. Tufulasi鈥檚 Master鈥檚 research has been regarded as clear evidence of his ability to anchor his thesis in the field of Pasifika education, an area he is very passionate about.

Adjunct Professor Dr Wally Penetito

Tainui

Dr Wally Penetito is a retired public servant and professor of M膩ori education from Victoria University in Wellington. His background is in teaching, sociology of education and the history of developments (theory, policy and practice in M膩ori education). Wally鈥檚 research interests include Place-Based Education as an emancipatory strategy linking indigenous studies, social justice and ecological questions and the influence of power relations on these.

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