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Akaoraora'ia te peu ‘ā to ‘ui tūpuna: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy for Cook Islands Secondary School Physical Education

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2013

Aue Te Ava*
Affiliation:
School of Education, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Christine Rubie-Davies
Affiliation:
School of Learning Development and Professional Practice, Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Airini
Affiliation:
Critical Studies in Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Alan Ovens
Affiliation:
School of Curriculum and Pedagogy at The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
*
address for correspondence: Aue Te Ava, School of Education, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 0909 NT, Australia. Email: aue.teava@cdu.edu.au
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Abstract

This research examines outcomes from introducing cultural values into Cook Islands secondary schools during two cycles of action research comprising planning, implementing, observing and reflecting. The cultural values upon which the physical education lessons were based were: tāueue (participation), angaanga kapiti (cooperation), akatano (discipline), angaanga taokotai (community involvement), te reo Maori Kuki Airani (Cook Islands Maori language), and auora (physical and spiritual wellbeing). The cultural values were believed to be an essential element of teaching physical education but one challenge was how to assist teachers to implement the cultural values into classroom teaching as most participant teachers were not Cook Islanders. Findings from this action research project suggest that while participant teachers and community cultural experts may agree to incorporate cultural values in teaching Cook Islands secondary school students, teachers nonetheless find difficulties in implementing this objective.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013 

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