Becoming Cognisant of Research Informed by Kaupapa Māori in Early Childhood Education: Issues and Contexts

Abstract

This paper outlines tensions existing within student teacher self-study action research projects undertaken as a requirement of a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) at Te Whare Waananga o Wairaka Unitec Institute of Technology (Unitec). Whilst student teachers in our programme are expected to engage in Kaupapa Māori knowledge, the meaningfulness of this engagement is questionable for student teachers undertaking self- study action research. In response to these tensions a research framework is proposed which would serve to guide student teachers as researchers to engage more meaningfully with Kaupapa Māori knowledge. The framework draws on the seminal works of Rangimarie Rose Pere, Te wheke, a celebration of infinite wisdom (1991), the bicultural curriculum for early childhood, Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 1996), and Te whatu pōkeka: Kaupapa Māori assessment for learning: Early childhood exemplars (Ministry of Education, 2009). The kaupapa Māori research principles of mana, mauri and wairua are related to the action research cycle, as outlined by Cardno (2003), with examples of these principles in action within the research process.