Learning Design for Indigenous Learners

Abstract

How can learning design approaches, typically reflecting Western values and methods, reflect the aspirations of indigenous learners? In 2021 Open Polytechnic, New Zealand’s leading provider of online, distance vocational learning, contracted the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) to inform the development of courseware that supports ākonga Māori (learners of Māori descent) to achieve their learning aspirations. // The research, which applied a Māori-centred approach, investigated the perspectives of credible Māori academics and sources of knowledge and information, and ākonga Māori through interviews and focus groups with learning designers. Research questions were: What are the learning experiences of ākonga Māori in Open Polytechnic online courses? To what extent does the Open Polytechnic meet the learning needs and aspirations of ākonga Māori and their whanau (families)? How can Open Polytechnic courseware best support the learning needs and aspirations of ākonga Māori? // The final research report includes several key insights for advancing our learning design in ways that better reflect indigenous ways of being and knowing, and learning, which in turn enrich the perspectives and achievement of all learners. Issues of method and the importance of indigenous learning design will be addressed in the paper alongside the major outcomes of the project.