Raising our voices : restorying Pasifika inclusion, success and effective learning supports at the University of Canterbury

Abstract

Pasifika students’ stories of inclusion, success and effective learning supports at the University of Canterbury are positioned to critically restory dominant narratives. In prioritising Pasifika students’ voices, the reader is guided to centre on engaging Pasifika as Pasifika in both the research and the educational contexts this thesis speaks to. Talanoa processes shape the thesis structure, and create a dialogue between Pasifika students’ voices and voices from the literature. An emergent fa’a afakasi conceptual frame is offered to describe the blending of Pasifika and Western methodology in the research. A range of recommendations arise within converging stories to form the findings. Improving inclusion for Pasifika through increasing content integration of Pasifika knowledges in curriculum and pedagogy is highlighted. Transformational course design such as Universal Design for Learning, and effective learning support models like course-based Supplemental Instruction are also recommended. Throughout, relationships of care and respect are held up as enabling of most effective educational practices. Originally inspired through the researcher’s involvement in an Ako Aotearoa collaborative study on enhancing Pasifika success at Canterbury Tertiary Institutions, (Luafutu-Simpson, Moltchanova, O’Halloran, Petelo, & Uta’i, 2015), this thesis is a complementary extension to the wider project.