Key Findings

Findings on holistic Pacific practices

• In order to work with Pacific learners to best effect, the following core concepts need to be recognised and their relationship to learning understood.
• Va (relational spaces), the bedrock of all Pacific relationships determined by relational spaces between people, their environment and ‘divinities’ (God).
• Fa’asinomaga (identity and belonging), the diverse relationships of varying nature and depth related to genealogical descent, duties and responsibilities.
• Fe’agaiga (relational covenants), the special relational covenants that exist across Pacific peoples, ie, understandings or agreements between close family members.
• Tuā’oi (relational boundaries), the parameters that govern the way many Pacific peoples relate to their environment, other peoples and their god(s).
• Lotu and tapuakiaga (worship and spirituality), the act of worship and tapuiakiaga is best expressed as spirituality.
• Taui (reciprocity), the pivotal practice of reciprocity that determines a process for many Pacific learners to relate to other peoples.
• Tautua (service), the notion of gaining leadership through service.
• Vagahau and vosa (language and voice), the need to maintain the indigenous languages of Pacific peoples.
• Mālie and māfana (safety and security), the sense all is balanced and secure.

Findings on success factors for Pacific PTE learners

• The project identified the following factors as key influences on the success of learners at the participating PTEs.
• Creation of cultural contexts, ie, the purposeful creation of environments that are culturally appropriate.
• Motivation for academic achievement, ie, the widely accepted view by learners that acceptance into a tertiary education institution was a privilege and a special opportunity.
• Motivation for employment opportunities, ie, the widely held motivation to succeed and be more employable.
• Inspiring tutors and teaching, ie, the widespread acknowledgement of tutors and their contribution.
• Security in a family-like context, ie, the view that PTEs were family-like contexts that engendered confidence and security.
• Finding flexibility and fun, ie, the view that flexible teaching styles and learning that was interactive and fun resulted in positive outcomes.

Key characteristics of successful Pacific PTEs and tutors

• Bringing together findings from the talanoa and previous work, the project identified a number of key organisational features of the best holistic practices demonstrated by Pacific PTEs.
• Successful PTEs explicitly shared and encouraged ’ofa, fakalofa, alofa and aroa or compassion for their students.
• Successful Pacific staff demonstrated advanced understanding and knowledge of identified cultural values and integrated these in their own teaching practices.
• They provided a culturally appropriate context and atmosphere for their learners.
• Successful Pacific PTEs expected all learners to achieve.
• They acted as a bridge for professional development, qualifications and career readiness.
• Successful tutor practice included a shared cultural background as Pacific students, effective tutor-learner relationships, dependable support, advice and encouragement for learners, and holding higher goals and ‘big picture’ priorities for students.

Key Recommendations

Holistic Pacific practices | Increase understanding of holistic Pacific practices by giving attention to the holistic teaching, learning, guidance and support of, and the impact of these components on, Pacific learners.

Pacific cultural phenomena | Increase understanding of distinctively Pacific cultural phenomena, how they can be integrated into distinctively Pacific holistic practices, and how they affect learning, teaching, guidance and support provision.

‘Value-added’ learning | Increase understanding of the role of access to ‘value-added’ learning extra-curricular.

Critical success factors | Incorporate critical success factors so PTEs can contribute to high overall progression, completion and employment rates for their students.