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No 3 September 2004

 

← No 4 October 2004 | eNewsletters | No 2 August 2004 →

1.  Trends in Pasifika student participation and achievement

This month we feature indicators relating to Pasifika student participation and achievement.

The TES includes a focus on equality of access for all learners (Objective20), encouraging and assisting Pasifika learners to develop skills important to development in New Zealand and the Pacific (Objective25) and accountability of the tertiary education system for improved learning outcomes for Pasifika students (Objective26).

Data from 2002 and 2003 shows general improvement in Pasifika student participation and achievement.

Participation rates of Pasifika students have improved across all qualification levels. The overall Pasifika participation rate is now very close to that of European/Pākehā. However, Pasifika students have the lowest participation rates of any ethnic group at bachelors and postgraduate levels. See Success Criteria 21.

There has been continued steady growth in Pasifika enrolments at higher levels (diploma and above).

There has been improvement in Pasifika students one-year retention rates and also one-year completion rates. While the change may appear small, it is significant compared with the pattern for all students. See Success Criteria 23.

The number of international students from the Pacific region coming to study in New Zealand declined from 1999 to 2003, while numbers from other regions continued to increase. The decrease has been quite distinct in terms of countries of origin and types of qualification. Similar declines were evident in Pacific students going to Australia, while the number of students studying within the University of the South Pacific (USP) has increased.

One of the drivers of this change will be the changing emphasis in New Zealand government aid policies towards supporting education within the Pacific region, rather than scholarships to NZ. Another driver may be the development of USP campuses across the region. However, it raises a question about what is the appropriate contribution of the NZ tertiary education system to development within the wider Pacific region? See Key Shift 23.

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2.  Question of the Month

Each month we feature a question for discussion. We encourage you to contribute your answer and have a look at what others have contributed.

In this month’s question we are interested in what is happening around the country to support Pasifika student achievement.

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3.  The rise of wiki web sites in tertiary education

Review of: Wide Open Spaces: Wikis, Ready or Not, Brian Lamb, Educause Review, 39(5), Sept/Oct 2004.

“In 1999, the World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee looked back on the previous decade and lamented: “I wanted the Web to be … an interactive space where everybody can edit. And I started saying ‘interactive’, and then I read in the media that the Web was great because it was ‘interactive’, meaning you could click. … That vision of a genuinely interactive environment [is now] churning away more actively than ever, in a vivid and chaotic Web-within-the-Web, via an anarchic breed of pages known as “wikis”.”

In his recent article, Brian Lamb provides an excellent overview of the emergence of wiki websites. He covers the general features of wikis and the way they are used — from open-ended brainstorming to systematic planning tools.

The term wiki (from Hawaiian for “quick”) applies to a type of web-environment where users can edit pages directly via a browser using simplified markup and easily create new pages and links, which enable open-ended, shared content that is an ongoing work in progress.

Lamb describes a number of examples of the use of wikis within tertiary education, including course management, career services support, research development, conference planning and teaching support. He addresses both the strengths and limitations of using wikis in these contexts. He has a particular focus on pedagogical opportunities and challenges that wikis provide.

This is a easy read if you are interested in know more about the technology behind this site — or if you are thinking about using wikis in other contexts, particularly within tertiary education.

Click on the link above to read the full article.

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4.  See what’s new and add your views

Key Shift 15 Improved access to foundation education for those not covered by existing provision.

Indicators in participation in foundation learning have been added to the site. These have data for 2003, and use a more refined definition of foundation education. Use the comment box at the end of the linked page to add your views and comments.

Success Criteria 10 Quality te reo Māori and te ao Māori education accessible and available at higher levels.

Indicators on participation in te reo and te ao Māori courses have also been added. These have data for 2003, and focus on level of participation and subsector. Use the comment box at the end of the linked page to add your views and comments.

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Please direct any questions you have about this eNewsletter to David Earle (Ministry of Education)

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