To understand graduate employability, this paper uses a landscape of practice (LofP) lens, and methods including narrative frames, observations, and interviews to interpret capability development and identity construction of learners in a work-based learning masters program. It argues that learners enhance employability, capabilities, and…

Purpose: The health-promoting schools (HPSs) framework has emerged as a promising model for promoting school connectedness in the school setting. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential for food practices to promote school connectedness within a HPSs framework. Design/methodology/approach: This study explores food practices within a…

Climate change is an ongoing process that, at the current pace of such activities, cannot be avoided. Tools have been proposed to deal with climate change focus on adaptation and mitigation. Strengthening national and international awareness of and commitment to reducing the impact of climate change has become the only viable option to ensure the…

This collaborative project explores the nature of teacher-child sustained shared thinking (SST) in two kindergartens. SST involves teachers engaging with children in play, working together in back and forth conversations that provide opportunities to discuss, explore, and think about everyday experiences, problems or challenges in an inquisitive…

In February 2018, a full-time provider of gifted education opened in New Zealand with its initial cohort of children. This provider catered for learners from ages 1-15 years who did not 'fit' in mainstream education settings. This paper reports on a research project that focused on the effectiveness of the learning approach at this school in its…

This article is based on a case study conducted within a newly established Year 7 and Year 8 innovative learning environment (ILE). Drawing on the voices of students and teachers, this article explores ways teachers and students learnt together, collectively moulding a suitable fit for mathematics learning within their ILE. Of interest was how the…

This paper reports on findings from a study that explored the efficacy of a home-based literacy intervention in advancing preschool children's foundational literacy skills. A secondary line of enquiry in the study sought to determine the effects of the intervention on the family literacy practices, in particular, the way in which families engaged…

In 2023, Auckland Council's Sustainable Schools Team (SST) piloted a project called "Mana Ora: Students Decarbonising Schools." The aim was that students, with guidance and support from teachers and SST, would plan and implement climate and sustainability action projects linked to decarbonisation within their schools. Eighteen Mana Ora…

The New Zealand Ministry of Education encourages schools to update to flexible learning spaces and activate teaching approaches that augment such physical settings. Many schools have embraced the concept of innovative learning environments (ILE) and team teaching, motivating a trend fast gaining popularity in New Zealand primary schools. However,…

The rise of innovative learning environments, with multiple teachers and larger cohorts of students, can de-privatise practice as teachers have the opportunity to observe each other teaching. However, they also provide the opportunity for collaboratively planning and teaching, and engaging in reflective dialogue about specific pedagogical…

Significant movement in educational practice within New Zealand schools, particularly evident in special education, has seen schools actively encouraged to mainstream students. Central to the success of this transition, is the facilitation of a child's acceptance and belonging within the school setting. Yet, there is a dearth of literature in New…

Make a Difference (MAD) is a sustainability leadership program for high school students in Auckland, New Zealand. It offers a residential camp and follow-up activities. This article documents a participatory, utilization-focused evaluation of MAD, based on a Theory of Change approach. We ran workshops with MAD coordinators and students and…

The global refugee crisis is affecting many young children (UNCHR, 2019). Refugee families face challenges of dealing with trauma and language barriers, and with different patterns of childrearing, gender roles, and social values (Broome & Kindon, 2008; Deng & Marlowe, 2013; McMillan & Gray, 2009; Mitchell & Ouko, 2012). The…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, calls to protect children and young people have proliferated in educational contexts, consolidating safety as a core principle guiding an increasing number of decisions at schools. Recently, however, more and more scholars have begun to question the ambiguous nature of "safety", analysing the tensions…

Purpose: This paper explores the economic and social effects of human capital investment in the 20th century. As well as drawing on census data and statistical yearbooks in Australia and Aoteoroa/New Zealand, the paper develops its argument by an intersection of scholarly work in sociology, economics and the history of education to consider the…