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Early Learning Distance Education in Aotearoa New Zealand: Including Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic 2020
No full textEarly learning distance education was a relatively unknown area within education systems worldwide prior to 2020. This has changed rapidly with the impact of COVID-19 both internationally and within Aotearoa/New Zealand. This thesis investigates early learning distance education as a tool to reduce barriers, support families/whānau and children, and reduce educational inequities experienced by rural and vulnerable communities.This research drew on methods deriving from narrative case study methodologies and followed a mixed method approach utilising a combination of questionnaires and qualitative interviews. The study illustrates early learning pedagogy practised during the COVID years within a distance education context both within Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura), the only distance education provider for early learning in Aotearoa, and within regular early learning centres that were forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to switch from their face-to-face in-person mode of operation to an online mode. Te Kura was the initial and key focus area within this research, and source of the first data collected for this study. Data initially focused on the experiences of kaiako (teachers) and whānau (families) enrolled with Te Kura. With the onset of COVID-19, a second data set was collected to gather the experiences of kaiako and whānau in regular early learning centres that had not engaged in online education before the pandemic. Data was collected from communities across Aotearoa including rural, urban, Māori, Pākehā and tauiwi (non-Māori/foreigner).The study findings reinforce those of existing research regarding inequities in the provision of early learning education for rural and lower socioeconomic communities. Questionnaire and interview data findings identify inequities in access to technological resources, time and priorities, with early learning services in wealthier communities providing education and support to their tamariki and, in some cases, predominantly Māori communities, no early learning services could function during the pandemic. Furthermore, data identifies the importance placed on reciprocal relationships between whānau and kaiako in responding to both academic and wellbeing needs of children and whānau. The importance of teacher presence is highlighted in kaiako ability to support learning through the provision of feedback and scaffolding learning. This study also contributes to the increasing body of knowledge regarding online learning within the early learning sector, as a tool to provide choice and flexibility for whānau, encourage collaboration and build connections between home and early learning services. Finally, the ability for Te Kura kaiako to provide the responsiveness and flexibility required in future emergencies, such as another pandemic, climate or societal emergency is emphasised. Overall, the outcomes of this study have important implications for the future of early learning distance education to challenge mainstream schooling experiences for children and address inequities in the education system for teachers and whānau.</p
Evaluation of a biopsychosocial education resource for mild traumatic brain injury: a mixed method exploratory study
No full textIntroductionEducation is strongly advocated as a key component of treatment for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in clinical guidelines. However, there is mixed evidence on the benefit of education. This study aimed to evaluate a new education resource for mTBI. CLARITY is a freely available animated video based on a biopsychosocial conceptualization of mTBI, explaining the complex psychological, environmental and biological mechanisms behind symptoms and recovery.1Methods24 adults with a history of mTBI participated in this mixed method study to examine prior experience of mTBI education and to evaluate CLARITY. Following viewing of the education video participants’ were invited to engage in a semi-structured interview and to share their perceptions of it via an online anonymous questionnaire.ResultsThematic analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed one overarching theme: education is the foundation of recovery. Participants emphasised the critical role of coherent education in facilitating understanding, engagement in rehabilitation, and positive expectations during recovery. However, the first subtheme was that existing foundations are weak. Participants’ previous education was often limited in scope, inconsistent, and delivered in inaccessible ways. The second subtheme was that new foundations are stronger. Participants responded positively to CLARITY, highlighting its explanatory biopsychosocial approach, focus on mental health factors and accessible delivery methods as key strengths. Questionnaire responses revealed favourable endorsement of CLARITY’s utility, comprehensibility and accessibility.DiscussionRecommendations for minor refinements to CLARITY were provided and made, as well as for its use in health care services
Exploring Community Perceptions of Addiction and Harm Reduction Strategies in Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textThis study investigated how community members in Aotearoa understand and perceive drug addiction and harm reduction strategies, through a discussion of two specific harm reduction strategies: needle exchange programmes and supervised consumption sites. Needle exchange programmes and supervised consumptions sites were selected as the focus of this study as they tend to be associated with addictive drug use, specifically injection drug use, rather than recreational drug use. Eleven community members participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns of perceptions regarding addiction, harm reduction and harm reduction strategies. Nine themes were developed from this analysis: the process of addiction, engagement in drug use to feel ‘normal’, addiction causes harm, marginalisation and stigmatisation of people who experience addiction, criminalisation hurts people who need to be helped and supported, harm reduction versus prohibition, harm reduction is beneficial, relevance and salience of harm reduction varies, and opposition to harm reduction in others. As no such studies have been conducted in the Aotearoa New Zealand context, these findings establish a foundational understanding of how some community members in Aotearoa understand and perceive addiction and harm reduction. Participants viewed addiction from a holistic perspective, emphasising the role of both biological and social influences in the onset and maintenance of addiction. Moreover, there was overwhelming support for harm reduction within the sample, often positioned alongside critiques of the current punitive, prohibitionist approach to drug use and people who use drugs. Further research is needed to gain deeper insight into how community members view addiction and harm reduction, with a focus on increasing education and garnering greater awareness and support for harm reduction in Aotearoa.</p
Exploring Mobility Impairments in Aotearoa's Disaster Management: How Do People with Mobility Impairments Experience the 4Rs of Disaster Management?
No full textNatural hazards can be disruptive and devastating, causing widespread damage to infrastructure, displacing communities, and posing significant threats to human lives and the environment. Natural hazards can exacerbate vulnerabilities for people who have restricted mobility. This research investigates reduction, readiness, response, and recovery, also known as the 4Rs, a framework used to guide Aotearoa New Zealand’s disaster management. Each of these Rs requires mobility to engage and be safe in a disaster context. The present research focused on understanding how people with mobility impairments (MI) engage with and experience the 4Rs of disaster management. Eight people who self-identified as having mobility impairments were interviewed in person and online using semi-structured interviews. Participants (five female, two male, and one gender diverse) came from Hawkes Bay, New Plymouth, and Auckland, ranging between the ages of 20 to 80. The study adopted an interpretive epistemology with a phenomenological theoretical approach. Transcripts of these interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes related to reduction included having agency to make one’s home safe and being aware of the environmental context. Themes related to readiness included the impact mobility impairment can have on being ready, two key ways to be ready and having stability when planning. Themes related to response included adaptability under pressure, reliance on external support, and the impact of situational factors for successful response. Themes related to recovery included having accessible communication and maintaining good health. Findings suggest that people with mobility impairments have diverse experiences across each of the Rs, which are related to the specificity of their mobility impairment and the resources around them. The study's conclusions outline the interdependent nature of the 4Rs, where each R influences the other, being determined by access to resources, external support and environments that favour abled-bodied people. Reconsidering these interconnections is essential for understanding the challenges related to and tailoring future disaster management strategies that promote equitable engagement across all 4Rs for people with mobility impairments.</p
Justice-involved rangatahi: Their experiences with police and future orientation
No full textThe current qualitative research explored justice-involved rangatahi (youth) perceptions and experiences with police, and how this may influence their future orientation. Ten rangatahi were interviewed through Oranga Tamariki (Ministry for Children) and various youth justice community groups. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA; Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2020) to identify patterns of meaning across interviews. Six themes were developed in relation to rangatahi perceptions and experiences with police, as well as their perceptions of their future: 1) attitudes of resistance towards police, 2) policing practices need improvements, 3) whakawhanaungatanga, 4) influence over my future vs destiny, 5) antisocial peers influence reoffending and 6) internal and external resources are necessary for achieving goals. Despite rangatahi acknowledging the difficulties in policing, the findings highlighted the predominately negative perceptions and experiences rangatahi had with police. Regarding their future, rangatahi showed goals of stability and financial success, while also acknowledging the resources and barriers that may impact the achievement of their goals. The negative experiences of rangatahi with police motivated rangatahi to work towards a successful future to indicate police behaviour did not impact their life outcomes. The response to negative police interactions may have been influenced by where in the youth justice process rangatahi were (i.e., exposure to interventions), where they were on their desistance journey, and the nature of the support received from youth justice professionals. The current research contributes to limited research investigating the influence of police experiences on rangatahi. This research identified a need for further research on the relationship between the two groups, and practical implications for improvements in policing practices to improve approaches to supporting justice-involved rangatahi.</p
Untold Stories: Migrant Experiences Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic and Border Restrictions in Aotearoa New Zealand
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedent changes in the modern world, resulting in severe mobility restrictions to contain the virus’s transmission. The New Zealand Government responded to the spread of COVID-19 with swift and stringent countermeasures, instantiating rigorous border restrictions as the country’s first line of defence. These measures had profound impacts on the lives of both migrants and locals, yet the specific repercussions for migrants have received limited research attention. This research explored the experiences of migrants residing in Aotearoa New Zealand during COVID-19. Employing qualitative methodology informed by Braun and Clarke’s (2013) Thematic Analytic framework, I interviewed ten migrants to New Zealand about their experiences. Analysis of these semi-structured interviews identified three themes. Theme 1 described the feelings of helplessness and uncertainty brought by COVID-19 and the measures in place to contain its spread, organised into four subthemes: 1) What if’s – a consequence of the mobility impact, 2) “There’s nothing I can do”, 3) Worrying for families overseas and 4) Not getting the desired help. Theme 2 highlighted the perceived group division that distinguished migrants from the general population. This theme was divided into three subthemes: 1) Immigration status, 2) Migrants bond with other migrants and 3) Discrimination and xenophobia. Finally, Theme 3 encompassed the feeling of being ‘stuck’ due to the severe travel restrictions adopted by New Zealand. This theme was composed by three subthemes, 1) Saudade (a Portuguese term used by a Brazilian participant), 2) exhaustion – “okay, I’m over it now” and 3) Leaving means giving it all up. The themes developed in the process of analysis of the current research contribute to filling a gap in the literature concerning the impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health of migrants in Aotearoa. I conclude with discussions on future research directions and recommendations for policy and practice are discussed.</p
“You are a taonga, and when you are with me, I want you to know that” - Psychologists’ Constructions and Negotiations of Trauma-Informed Practice
No full textThe emergence of trauma-informed psychological practice in Aotearoa emanates promise in light of the increasing demand for the profession to benefit society. Trauma is complex and involves profound psychological, somatic, social, cultural, and intergenerational effects on individuals, families, whānau, and communities. Despite trauma having a profound impact on the health of our society previous literature reports inconsistencies in psychologists’ perceptions of how to approach trauma in practice. Questions remain about how psychological practice becomes trauma-informed, leaving the enactment up to interpretation. In response, this study investigates how psychologists construct and negotiate trauma-informed practice. A critical realist discourse analysis explores the accounts of eight psychologists in relation to how they understand and draw on discourses surrounding trauma and material conditions. The analysis identifies nine constructions in participants’ accounts. The first two constructions identify trauma as shifting from an event to a subjective experience and trauma as ruptures in social and cultural connections. The analysis then identifies seven constructions and ways of negotiating trauma-informed practice. These include: the necessity of trauma-informed practice to effectively attend to service users’ needs; the contextualisation of traumatic distress to reveal the purpose of people’s emotions and behaviours; trauma therapies as intrapsychic processes to subdue individual distress; resistance to medical discourses to mitigate retraumatising healthcare; negotiation of physical space and practice structure constraints; understandings of how trauma-informed practice aligns with te Tiriti; and ensuring practice efficacy by prioritising personal well-being. Participants took up multiple discourses to convey tension across the accounts. This research argues for psychologists to consider how trauma-informed practice realigns the knowledge base, power, and guiding principles of the provision of mental healthcare towards an approach that is restorative and responsive to the impacts of trauma.</p
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