the governance of curriculum & the plight of māori
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Edmund Husserl. The Governance of Curriculum & the Plight of Māori. Abstract. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Abstract
Possibly the most critical interface between indigenous peoples and western culture is democratic practice. In state-funded education, Maori are involved in democratic processes which determine the content of the curriculum and the resources available for schooling. These processes are pervasive influences on Maori children. Democracy holds an inherent disadvantage for minorities. To overcome democracy as a barrier to the reification of indigenous culture it is first necessary to understand the nature of democracy itself. Husserl's phenomenological method enables us to discern the inner nature of democracy, which is a method of decision-making with surprising features. This paper sets out the some of the phenomenological characteristics of democracy and suggests their relevance in the governance of curriculum and educational resources.
Today
Preliminaries
Method of enquiry
An enquiry
Principal finding
Implications for education
Implications for Maori
Today
Preliminaries – schools & government
Method of enquiry - phenomenology
An enquiry – a search for essence in UK,USA, NZ
Principal finding – phenomena of the vote
Implications for education
Implications for Maori
Preliminaries
New Zealand schools are part of a system oflocal government.
Leading characteristic of the system is central control with local delivery.
The most important determinant of what occurs is the relative influence of central and local actors.
This shows in:Resource allocation CurriculumPolitical actionsDecision-making mechanismsDevelopment projectsResearch .
Models of local government
PrisonsCourtsSchoolsHospitalsArmed forcesAuckland Super CityDistrict & city councilsUniversities
Local government(including education)
Described through purposesFunctions Structures (infra-structure)Products (includes trained & innovative workers)ServicesRolesRewards achievements
ResearchFunded by the systemTo improve policy & practice
My search for another method
Abhor the incremental
See differently
Not to explain, nor to fix
Abandon fond hopes
Phenomenology as methodEdmund Husserl (1859-1938)1907 Lectures The Idea of a Phenomenology1913 Ideas: General Introduction to Phenomenology
Teach yourself to see
The lived world
Intentionality
Making sense
Bracketing (reduction)
Essences
Experience of truth
Phenomenology as method
Letting yourself be with phenomena
Be with local government
Follow your feet
Let it dawn upon you
The essence of local government
The phenomena of the vote
Found as the event/practice
Not: services
facilities
political theory
buildings
individuals
Characteristics of the vote
Decision-making mechanism
Compare it with other such mechanisms
Vast majority of decisions are in committees
Does not require rationality - mechanical
Imperative is to make a decision - any decision
Resolves incommensurable choice
Communal not individual
Operative decisions are
second decisions
The power of the voteSchools
Deliver resources to the front line
Central decision-making Vote under control in ParliamentWeakening of regional decision-making
Interim Professional Standards: Professional standards describe the important knowledge, skills and attitudes that all principals, deputy/assistant principals and teachers are expected to demonstrate. Professional standards will form part of performance management systems in schools. The introduction of professional standards is part of the Government's strategy for developing and maintaining the quality of teaching and leadership, and improving learning outcomes for students. The professional standards reflect Government's interest in ensuring that students have opportunities to learn from high quality professional teachers and that schools are led and managed by high quality professionals.
C.E. Beeby The Quality of Education in Developing Countries, 1966Hypothesis of educational stages
The growth of the primary school systems
Stage Teachers Characteristics
I Dame School Ill-educatedUntrained
Unorganised, relatively meaningless symbols, ...
II Formalism Ill-educatedTrained
Highly organised, rigid syllabus, emphasis on 3 R’s, rigid methods, “one-way is best”, external examinations, inspection stressed, discipline tight and external ...
III Transition Better-educatedTrained
Roughly the same goals as II, but more efficiently achieved, more emphasis on meaning, but still rather thin and formal, little in classroom to cater for the emotional and creative life of the child.
IV Meaning Well-educatedWell-trained
Meaning & understanding stressed, wider curriculum, individual differences catered for, internal tests ...
The power of the voteAuckland local government reforms
Central initiativeAuckland must deliver for the nationNeed to strengthen the relationship with WellingtonDirects resources at worthwhile goalsAlignment of human effortEfficiencyModern technology
Local government is about the delivery of services
Māori & the vote
Local government experienceHistory of local government in New Zealand
Municipal Act 1860sMāori structures as local government
Why was the mechanism of the vote introduced?
Māori decision-making practices – kaupapa Māori in education and elsewhere
You cannot be Māori & adopt democracy
Māori & the vote
Local government experienceHistory of local government in New Zealand
Municipal Act 1860sMāori structures as local government
Why was the mechanism of the vote introduced?
Māori decision-making practices – kaupapa Māori in education and elsewhere
You cannot be Māori & adopt democracy
Pita Sharples
“It seems that these Māori principles that guaranteed that Auckland could survive and grow, would be far more important, even in today's times, than artificial political concoctions such as ‘one vote for one person’, or ‘democratic elections’ which were the principles that were cited to decline the two seats on the super-city council. The Māori kaupapa were principles that promoted ‘equity' and ‘inclusiveness’, surely the ideals of a ‘civilised’ society. We must begin to recognise that democracy has many expressions, many ways of mobilising voices and representation, rather than statically holding onto dominant axioms.”