College of Education Pasifika Research Team
Research Group Summary
The Pasifika research team at the College of Education, University of Canterbury has been involved in a growing and significant Pasifika educational research project in Aotearoa New Zealand over the last seven years. In 2001, the foundation members of the team Amosa Fa’afoi, lecturer multicultural studies, and Jo Fletcher, senior lecturer literacy, undertook research on barriers and supports for Pasifika student teachers. In 2004 Faye Parkhill, senior lecturer literacy, joined the team as they wanted to strengthen and widen our research to literacy achievement of Pasifika primary students who are achieving at or above their chronological age in reading and writing. These findings were used to further promote and support Pasifika children encounter their literacy achievement. With the guidance of matai (chiefs) they developed a Pasifika appropriate research methodology. We drew on the traditional approach to Talanoa to allow important stories to be told. Talanoa supports and challenges traditional and alternative Palagi approaches to qualitative research. We have continued to explore the voices of teachers and parents of Pasifika students and are currently looking at the influences of transition from primary/intermediate schools to secondary schooling.
Key Contact
Members - UC Staff
Subject Area: Disciplines
