International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives
type: channel
description: International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives (IEJ:CP) is an international, peer-reviewed journal for advancing academic quality and rigor in comparative and international education research. It is the official journal of the Oceania Comparative and International Education Society (OCIES formerly ANZCIES). IEJ:CP seeks to promote scholarly discussion of the relationships among educational policy and practice, theory, and cross-disciplinary global studies.
publisher: Oceania Comparative and International Education Society (ANZCIES)
language: en
publication name: International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives
issn: 1443-1475
copyright: The International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives is the official journal of the Oceania Comparative and International Education Society. The IEJ, (ISSN 1443-1475), publishes a general volume bi-annually in July and December and also publishes Special Editions occasionally. It is a free, open-access scholarly journal, managed by volunteers. There are no article processing charges, or any charges to authors. In relation to intellectual property, as of 2020, the IEJ: CP claims only first publication rights; copyright of all work published in the journal remains with the authors under Creative Commons copyright license CC-BY-ND (4.0). Author(s) retain all rights to their works, ensuring that reference to the International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives is clearly stated on any copies made or distribution. Submissions must not involve third parties with a claim to copyright, and be the sole work of the author(s). It is the responsibility of the author(s) to secure permission to reproduce photographs, illustrations, figures or tables. Single images, tables or figures can be re-used . If more than a single image or table are to be re-used authors must attribute first publication to IEJ: CP notify the IEJ: CP Editor. Authors may also make derivative works which are subject to these limitations. See https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ for more detail. Re-distributed or used material must be referenced to the International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives.
items: Editorial: Education for sustainable futures: Comparative dialogues
items: Scholarly Responses to ‘UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2024 Pacific Technology in Education: A tool on whose terms?’
items: Teacher workload and intensifying demands: Lessons from the Chinese double reduction policy
items: Motivational factors which influence students’ learning: A Samoan case study
items: The impacts of composite classes on the teaching and learning process
items: Teachers’ perspectives of factors affecting lesson planning practices in the Vanuatu mathematics classroom
items: Supporting Sustainability: The Professional Learning of Beginning Teachers in Vanuatu
items: Comparative Analysis of Planning with Community Resources Across Learning Areas in the Australian Curriculum: Impacts, Strategies, and Challenges
items: Oceania oralities research and sustainable education: Exploring layersof engagement
items: Quality education, connection and wellbeing: Māori tertairy students’ accounts
items: Shifting from face-to-face to online teaching and learning: Growth opportunities experienced by Vanuatu primary school teachers
items: Towards quality education: A ‘learning for school’ program developed from the foundation of the family’s culture
items: Book Review: Social governance and educational reformin contemporary China
items: Book Review: Critical perspectives on equity and social mobility in study abroad: Interrogating issues of unequal access and outcomes
items: Cracking the egg carton profession: Sensemaking of the teacher leader role on the Thai-Myanmar border
items: Book Review: Pacific educators speak: Valuing our values
items: Editorial: Revisioning education in Oceania: Walking backward into the future, together
items: The Conference as Feast
items: Impact of Short-term Pressures on Student's Performance: An Experimental Study
items: Book Review: Advocacy for social and linguistic justice in TESOL: Nurturing inclusivity, equity, and social responsibility in English language
items: Exploring inclusive education (IE) research in Tonga through Tongan cultural lenses and methodologies
items: Pā’ina: Using the metaphor of a potluck to reimagine a third space for ethical research in Indigenous contexts
items: Shifting policy perspectives and practices: From access to basic education to prioritizing revenue collection
items: Post-Pandemic Lessons Learnt from Student Reflections: A Case Study of Diploma-level Students at the Fiji National University
items: Teachers’ perceptions of socio-cultural practices on students’ academic achievement in North Pentecost, Vanuatu
items: Su’esu’e manogi: Conceptualising the fragrances of equity in higher education. A case study from Oceania
items: From the ground up: Weaving a tok Stori of quality education
items: Book Review: Local literacies in early childhood: Inequalities in place, policy, and pedagogy
items: Our education recovery beyond COVID-19
items: Scholarly Responses to ‘Students’ experiences of Open Distance Learning: A Samoan case study’

Editorial: Education for sustainable futures: Comparative dialogues
type: item
description: The 2023 OCIES Conference was held in beautiful Samoa, hosted by the National University of Samoa. The call for papers for the Special Issue following the conference attracted just under thirty abstract submissions. Following selections of abstracts and blind reviews, ten completed manuscripts were received within the 2024 Special Issue timeline. Briefly, the papers explore and suggest insights on the enactment of education policy in the Oceania and Asia contexts, relating to student and teacher wellbeing and success, teacher preparation and practice, learning programme design, and the importance of culture and context to sustainable development in education.
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Tepora Wright
creator: Kabini Sanga
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Tepora Wright, Kabini Sanga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 1
ending page: 4
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20377

Scholarly Responses to ‘UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2024 Pacific Technology in Education: A tool on whose terms?’
type: item
description: Developed in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the sixth GEM regional report focuses on technology in education in the Pacific. The Pacific is home to a population of 45.5 million scattered across 30 million square kilometers, making it a unique geographic and cultural region, especially as far as the application of ICT in education is concerned. The region's limited and costly infrastructure, particularly in terms of Internet connectivity, hinders the integration of digital technology into education. The regional report investigates the challenges and potentials that technology as a tool and as a process can potentially contribute to across and within countries and education levels. The report on the Pacific covers 17 countries, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Tokelau and Vanuatu. Extensive background research by local research teams and independent experts informs the regional analysis, including contributions from Catalpa International and the Australian Council for Educational Research. The report is structured around the four key policy areas of the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) (2018–2030): quality and relevance, learning pathways, student outcomes and wellbeing, and the teaching profession. The report concludes with a series of recommendations, which are aligned to those of the 2023 GEM Report and that have been adapted to the Pacific’s context. This article presents scholarly responses to the 2024 GEM Report on technology in education in the Pacific and discuss how the key findings and recommendations can inform ongoing research and policy development in the region.
subject: Community Voices
  topic: section
creator: Grace Xuecong Ji
creator: Philip Wing Keung Chan
creator: Alexandra McCormick
creator: Mihye Won
creator: Sofia Ali
creator: Michael Jimmy
creator: Vladimir Golochino Gulfan
creator: Niusila Faamanatu-Eteuati
creator: Tofilau Faguele Suaalii
creator: Kara Chesal
creator: Juliet Horihau
creator: Grace Zimateko Rohoana
creator: Billy Fitoo
creator: Drishya Gurung
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Grace Xuecong Ji, Philip Wing Keung Chan, Alexandra McCormick , Mihye Won , Sofia Ali, Michael Jimmy , Vladimir Golochino Gulfan, Niusila Faamanatu-Eteuati, Tofilau Faguele Suaalii, Kara Chesal , Juliet Horihau, Grace Zimateko Rohoana , Billy Fitoo , Drishya Gurung https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 154
ending page: 170
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20369

Teacher workload and intensifying demands: Lessons from the Chinese double reduction policy
type: item
description: The 2018 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results revealed a negative correlation between student academic achievement and wellbeing, indicating that higher academic performance often coincides with lower student well-being. In response to these findings and the broader issues within the Chinese education system, the Double Reduction Policy was introduced in July 2021 to reduce the volume of homework and limit the scope of off-campus subject-based tutoring. This article aims to examine the impact and challenges of this policy within a school by employing semi-structured interviews to gather qualitative data from various stakeholders, including the teachers, students, and parents. This study identified several key findings and challenges, such as inadequacy in the quantity and quality of after-school services provided; the current teacher renumeration system, which is unclear and causes uncertainty and stress among teachers; and a mismatch between the expectations of parents and the goals of the double reduction policy. This study employs the network governance theory and Mohe under the concept of Asia as method to understand how teachers and other stakeholders manage and allocate resources to adapt to the new policy requirements. Resource dependent theory suggests that teachers are willing to collaborate and share their resources to enhance students' learning experiences, despite potential personal and professional sacrifices. This article argues for better after-school services, improved homework setting practices, a clear teacher evaluation system, and alignment of parental expectations with policy goals. It suggests leveraging off-campus resources and fostering collaborative efforts among stakeholders to overcome these challenges. Additionally, a shift from an exam-oriented educational system to a more holistic approach is necessary to address the underlying issues affecting student…
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Grace Xuecong Ji
creator: Philip Wing Keung Chan
creator: Penelope Kalogeropoulos
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Grace Xuecong Ji, Philip Wing Keung Chan, Penelope Kalogeropoulos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 77
ending page: 92
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20358

Motivational factors which influence students’ learning: A Samoan case study
type: item
description: As students continue to prematurely leave the schooling systems, a question which is commonly asked is: How can students be motivated to remain and be successful in their educational journeys? This qualitative research was aimed at examining the factors that motivated students in a Samoan context. Fifteen primary students were interviewed about the factors influencing their learning. The findings did not reveal intrinsic motivation as a significant drive for student participants. On the contrary, extrinsic factors (family expectations, positive learning environments) took precedence over internal motivation. This finding suggests that other factors like students’ cultures may have a significant influence on students’ motivation. Future research could further explore whether or how intrinsic factors may influence students’ academic success within a Samoan context.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Rasela Tufue
creator: Grace Honiara So’otaga
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Rasela Tufue, Grace Honiara So’otaga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 48
ending page: 60
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20354

The impacts of composite classes on the teaching and learning process
type: item
description: Composite classes (also known as multi grades), a worldwide phenomenon, is beneficial in several ways but they also have challenging implications for teaching and learning. The aim of this Samoan study was to explore the views of participants concerning their experiences in teaching and learning within a composite classroom setting. Specifically, the study sought to find out the impacts of composite classes on teachers’ instructions and students’ learning. Using a qualitative approach, ten teachers and ten students from two rural primary schools were purposively selected to participate in this study. Findings showed that while composite class structuring benefited students by promoting academic and social skills, it also presented significant challenges. Many students and teachers found it highly distracting, making effective learning nearly impossible. With respect to teacher instructions and classroom management, teachers found it challenging to manage a mixed-ability classroom, as they needed to differentiate instruction to ensure that all students received an equal opportunity to learn. Findings have implications on policy makers and teacher training. For example, the Samoan Ministry of Education needs to find effective ways to make this type of class composition work. Similarly, the Samoan teacher training institution needs to provide teachers with the tools to effectively work in a composite classroom.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Rasela Tufue
creator: Floraleta Losi
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Rasela Tufue, Floraleta Losi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 61
ending page: 76
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20350

Teachers’ perspectives of factors affecting lesson planning practices in the Vanuatu mathematics classroom
type: item
description: Sustainable education is becoming a burning concept in debates and discussions the world over. There are concerns that current systems of education are not providing for the needs of all people in a sustainable way. Many countries are taking steps to ensure a type of education that will not only sustain their citizens but will meet the challenges of tomorrow. In Vanuatu, such attempts are made through official documents such as the National Curriculum Statement (NCS); a policy statement aimed at improving teaching and learning and teacher education. The NCS clearly states that good teaching requires strategies that are carefully planned. Drawing from this NCS assertion, this study investigated teachers’ perspectives on the factors that affect their lesson planning practices towards student-centred learning strategies in Vanuatu secondary schools. Twenty secondary school mathematics teachers in Port Vila took part in this 2022 study. First, mathematics lesson plans were collected and analyzed to evaluate whether the teachers were able to plan student-centred learning. Second, the teachers were interviewed individually to gauge their views on factors which might hinder their attempts to design student-centred learning. Data collected was analyzed using a thematic analytical tool. The findings reveal the need for support to teachers in lesson planning, particularly in designing and using student-centred learning strategies.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Amton Mwaraksurmes
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Amton Serel Mwaraksurmes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 23
ending page: 35
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20349

Supporting Sustainability: The Professional Learning of Beginning Teachers in Vanuatu
type: item
description: The importance for sustainable education of ongoing training for teachers cannot be overestimated. Trained teachers require continual professional development in order to keep up with a changing context so that sustainability is ensured. This is particularly true of beginning teachers as they start their professional journeys. Vanuatu, a small island state in the southwest Pacific, is currently grappling with significant obstacles in providing effective ongoing professional development for its teachers. In order to ensure the academic success of children in Vanuatu, as elsewhere, it is imperative to have well-prepared and proficient teachers who can navigate the complexities of education in a rapidly evolving world. To pursue this matter, the article reports on findings of an interpretive qualitative case study that makes meaning of the professional learning experiences of new teachers in the Vanuatu context. The study assumes that new teachers’ voices, perspectives, and motivation are important in investigating professional development. The study objective was to critically explore the professional learning support provided to them in Vanuatu schools. To this end, seven new teachers’ experiences and perceptions of professional learning were complemented by the perceptions of four school principals involved in their support. The findings reveal general satisfaction tempered by a of lack formal feedback and evaluation mechanisms. As a response, the article proposes an induction program, contextualized to the local environment, and sustained over time, as a vital solution to enhance teachers' professional development, thereby positively impacting the learning outcomes of children in the future.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Gayleen Harrison Tarosa
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Gayleen Harrison Tarosa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 93
ending page: 109
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20348

Comparative Analysis of Planning with Community Resources Across Learning Areas in the Australian Curriculum: Impacts, Strategies, and Challenges
type: item
description: This study analyses how community resources are integrated into four areas of the Australian Curriculum: Languages (Chinese), The Arts (Visual Arts), Sciences, and Humanities and Social Sciences (Economics and Business). It examines four case studies to compare the use of rural resources and local partnerships in achieving educational goals and fostering sustainable practices of teaching the Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia (AAEA) Cross-Curriculum Priority in the Australian Curriculum. Using a dimensional comparative framework, the study evaluates community resources, engagement strategies, educational objectives, and impacts on lesson planning. Findings indicate that effective community engagement enriches educational experiences by enhancing linguistic skills, creative expression, scientific inquiry, and economic understanding. The study highlights the benefits of adapting educational strategies to local contexts and notes that such integrations support educational quality and sustainability. It concludes that leveraging diverse community resources is essential for improving educational outcomes and promoting sustainability across disciplines.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Shaoru Annie Zeng
creator: Sun Yee Yip
creator: Grace Xuecong Ji
creator: Yaqing Hou
creator: Hongzhi Zhang
creator: Philip Wing Keung Chan
creator: Zane Diamond
creator: Geraldine Burke
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Shaoru Annie Zeng, Sun Yee Yip, Grace Xuecong Ji, Yaqing Hou, Hongzhi Zhang, Philip Wing Keung Chan, Zane Diamond, Geraldine Burke https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 124
ending page: 140
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20347

Oceania oralities research and sustainable education: Exploring layersof engagement
type: item
description: Oralities research has a central place in supporting sustainable education in the Oceania region because this form of research has the potential to reveal what education does and could mean to communities at the local level. In this way, oralities research can assist any interventions to key into, and make sense from, local ontological positions. The Oceania Oralities Framework (OOF) (Sanga & Reynolds, 2023) is an analytical tool that supports links between Oceania oralities and research. It has provided a ground for theorising Oralities research, supported research design, and has shaped analytical scope in data treatment. This article extends the reach of the framework by drawing from a tok stori session held at the OCIES 2023 Conference at the National University of Sāmoa, Apia. In the article, we approach the OOF in a way that points to some of the layers in the potential contribution of the OOF to oralities research. These focus on holism, framework elements, cultural principles, and oralities as performance. This approach adds to the value of the framework to support appreciation of Oceania oralities across the region and provides pointers to how oralities research can support sustainable education. Formal education can be adjusted to fit the needs and perspectives of Indigenous groups and minorities only when their voices can be heard in their own terms.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Kabini Sanga
creator: Martyn Reynolds
creator: Tepora Wright
creator: Anna Joskin
creator: Amton Mwaraksurmes
creator: Vilive Cagivinaka
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Kabini Sanga, Martyn Reynolds, Tepora Wright, Anna Joskin, Amton Mwaraksurmes, Vilive Cagivinaka https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 5
ending page: 22
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20346

Quality education, connection and wellbeing: Māori tertairy students’ accounts
type: item
description: A sometimes neglected aim for education in the context of Māori, the tangata whenau (indigenous peoples) of Aotearoa New Zealand, is to build Māori students (tauira) as Māori, a process that supports them to navigate the academic world as well as enhancing their Māoritanga (Māori practices, beliefs, way of life). Notions of educational quality, therefore, involve wellbeing - the extent to which Māori tauira flourish as individuals and as collectives. Talking with Māori tauira is a helpul way of inquiring into this area because of the power of dialogic engagement to enhance thought and action. In this article we draw on video-based dialogic research to present two significant aspects of Māori tertiary tauira experiences that focus on wellbeing and Māoritanga. What might seem like mundane aspects of tertiary life - finding a friend and connecting with other Māori – emerge as significant in the development of four Māori university students. Lessons for tertiary providers include the value of paying attention to collective ways of creating wellbeing and the potential of formal support structures to moderate the isolating effect on Māori of enrolment in a tertiary institution.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Adreanne Ormond
creator: Martyn Reynolds
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Adreanne Ormond , Martyn Reynolds https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 141
ending page: 153
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20345

Shifting from face-to-face to online teaching and learning: Growth opportunities experienced by Vanuatu primary school teachers
type: item
description: Opportunities for teachers’ growth and development are important to support sustainable education in Vanuatu, Oceania, and beyond. Recently in Vanuatu as elsewhere, online learning has become significant, and its occasion under COVID-19 circumstances has been portrayed as a disruption. This study investigated the growth opportunities experienced by Vanuatu in-service primary school teachers during the shift from face-to-face teaching to online teaching and learning in the COVID-19 era. The research engaged sixty teachers across the six provinces of Vanuatu, exploring opportunities from both social and cognitive perspectives. Diverse growth opportunities in the form of sustaining learning benefits were uncovered. These included developing skills in independent learning, making use of available ICT devices, and designing personal study approaches. Hence, what may have been seen as a disruption is in part revealed as providing opportunities for professional growth and learning for the participants. Understanding growth opportunities, especially in circumstances of change, is important when approaching issues of sustainable education in Vanuatu and is relevant in Oceania and elsewhere.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Effrel Morris
creator: Amton Mwaraksurmes
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Effrel Morris, Amton Serel Mwaraksurmes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 36
ending page: 47
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20344

Towards quality education: A ‘learning for school’ program developed from the foundation of the family’s culture
type: item
description: Across cultures, young children learn primarily within their family, with the family’s culture positioning the values, language and purpose of children’s learning toward the family's goals. Quality education begins within families, and at school entry age, children’s learning within their families is critical to their educational success. However, Western schooling is based on young children’s experiences within the culture of Western families. Therefore, with the spread of Western education across nations, a global problem for families of non-Western cultures has emerged regarding how adult family members can prepare their young children to learn in the Western culture of school while retaining and enhancing their family-centred learning. This paper offers original insights from research into a local solution to this global problem – a 'learning for school' program developed from the foundation of the family’s culture. Located in central Australian communities and initiated by Indigenous families, this program strongly emphasises the role of the family. It respects the family's cultural values, which frame young children’s learning of the practices of the school’s culture. A case study grounded in sociocultural learning theory explored how this program enabled the families to prepare their young children for learning at school over the first 20 years of this bi-cultural program. Within this research, the inductive analysis of program documents, personal journals, and family conversations revealed unique findings regarding the learning content and the families’ cultural ways of learning, findings which were interwoven to shape the program for the families’ purposes. The findings of this research are particularly relevant to non-Western nations and communities, where family values and culture are at risk of “melting” in the “rush” for education (Tuia, 2020, p.5). This paper offers an evidenced pathway for re-instating young children’s learning for school within the f…
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Anne Shinkfield
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Anne Shinkfield https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 110
ending page: 123
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.20343

Book Review: Social governance and educational reformin contemporary China
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
creator: Shaoru Annie Zeng
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Shaoru Annie Zeng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 175
ending page: 179
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.19122

Book Review: Critical perspectives on equity and social mobility in study abroad: Interrogating issues of unequal access and outcomes
type: item
description: The edited volume Critical Perspectives on Equity and Social Mobility in Study Abroad: Interrogating Issues of Unequal Access and Outcomes interrogates aspects related to cultural and socioeconomic dynamics that affect the access, outcomes, and experiences of students who participate or consider participating in a study abroad program. The authors of the chapters also successfully articulate strategies to integrate principles of social justice and equity into internationalization initiatives in higher education. This book is a timely and necessary contribution to the fields of higher education, internationalization, and intercultural communication.
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
creator: Gemma Garcia-Parellada
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Gemma Garcia-Parellada https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-11-26
publication date: 2024-11-26
starting page: 171
ending page: 174
doi: 10.70830/iejcp.2302.18111

Cracking the egg carton profession: Sensemaking of the teacher leader role on the Thai-Myanmar border
type: item
description: Driven largely by conflict, displacement, and economic pull factors over the past three decades, a homegrown system of mother tongue-based education for migrant children from Myanmar has been developed in Tak Province, Thailand. This network of Migrant Learning Centers (MLCs) has largely depended on external organisations for teacher professional development (TPD), with few having opportunities to develop school-based models. This paper documents learning from the creation of the ‘teacher leader’ role aimed at building school-level capacity to sustain TPD by giving new responsibilities to 31 teachers as peer coaches during the pandemic. Mixed-methods analysis used Hofstede’s (2003) Cultural Dimensions Theory, specifically, Power Distance, Individualism – Collectivism, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Long-Term Orientation to frame sensemaking and the extent to which teachers’ perceptions of the new role was consistent with its implementation. The teacher leader role contributed to a perceived reduction of power distance between teachers and promoted long-term orientation in regards to TPD. Its emphasis on collaboration allowed collectivist ideals to be played out practically without disturbing the status quo. The prioritisation of reflective practice and teacher-level collaboration led to improvements in both coaching self-confidence and teaching competencies. Teacher-led peer-support systems both within and across schools assisted in the retention of institutional knowledge.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Thomas Carey
creator: Greg Tyrosvoutis
creator: Nwet Nwet Win
creator: Nan Paw Kyan Kyan
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Thomas Carey, Greg Tyrosvoutis, Nwet Nwet Win, Nan Paw Kyan Kyan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-06-30
publication date: 2024-06-30
starting page: 43
ending page: 57

Book Review: Pacific educators speak: Valuing our values
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
creator: Makiko Nishitani
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Makiko Nishitani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-06-30
publication date: 2024-06-30
starting page: 88
ending page: 91

Editorial: Revisioning education in Oceania: Walking backward into the future, together
type: item
description: Nil
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Adreanne Ormond
creator: Kabini Sanga
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Adreanne Ormond, Kabini Sanga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 1
ending page: 4

The Conference as Feast
type: item
description: Nil
subject: Community Voices
  topic: section
creator: Kabini Sanga
creator: Martyn Reynolds
creator: Adreanne Ormond
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Kabini Sanga, Martyn Reynolds, Adreanne Ormond https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 106
ending page: 108

Impact of Short-term Pressures on Student's Performance: An Experimental Study
type: item
description: We conducted an experiment to determine the impact of short-term pressure on 1,228 Grade 8 students' outcomes in doing simple math. All students are given a simple math sheet with 100 questions. We measured students' results for the first sheet after 90 seconds, then divided them into three groups: (i) a control group that just stayed and relaxed; (ii) a group that performed an easy task; and (iii) a group that performed a difficult task. Finally, we required all students to solve another simple math sheet with 100 questions in 90 seconds and used a Bayesian model to compare the results of those three groups. We discovered that within short periods of time, students who successfully solved complex tasks received higher outcomes than the ones who cracked the easy task. However, students who failed to solve either the easy or the problematic tasks received lower results than those who did nothing between the two attempts. Also, we found no differences between the results of male and female students. The findings shed further light on the Yerkes-Dodson law about the influence of eustress and distress on students' performance.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Anh-Duc Hoang
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Anh-Duc Hoang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-06-30
publication date: 2024-06-30
starting page: 58
ending page: 79

Book Review: Advocacy for social and linguistic justice in TESOL: Nurturing inclusivity, equity, and social responsibility in English language
type: item
description: This review critiques the recent publication: Advocacy for Social and Linguistic Justice in TESOL Nurturing Inclusivity, Equity, and Social Responsibility in English Language Teaching edited by Christine E. Poteau, Carter A. Winkle. Divided into three parts, the book presents 15 chapters from various authors’ perspectives which address social and linguistic justice issues in TESOL including, heritage language and L1 attrition, the development of teacher and learner identity, and intersections between globalisation and the spread of English. The review will evaluate ways in which a selection of the critical pedagogical tools discussed could be applied to EFL settings to further promote social justice principles and address new and ongoing barriers for language learners.
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
creator: Nyree Jacobs
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Nyree Jacobs https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-06-30
publication date: 2024-06-30
starting page: 84
ending page: 87

Exploring inclusive education (IE) research in Tonga through Tongan cultural lenses and methodologies
type: item
description: This article explores my PhD research into Tongan family practice, looking at how Tongan families support and care for their member with siva-tu‘amelie's (special needs) education. The article discusses the layered approach of both Pacific and non-Pacific methodologies that I used during the study to ensure a safe space for participants. This allowed for rich, high quality stories to be collected. The article also outlines how the approach used promoted a strength-based perception and lens towards a subject that is often associated with negative connotations. My study highlighted the positive, strength-based aspirations and care Tongan families have for their members with siva-tu‘amelie that contradicts common notions of Tongan families viewing their siva-tu‘amelie members through a medical or religious lens. A brief background of siva-tu‘amelie in Tonga is also given, outlining the importance of my study in creating a shift in the way individuals with siva-tu‘amelie are perceived.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Meleana Lahaina Koloto
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Meleana Lahaina Koloto https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 35
ending page: 47

Pā’ina: Using the metaphor of a potluck to reimagine a third space for ethical research in Indigenous contexts
type: item
description: This paper delves into the innovative use of the potluck, or pā’ina, as a metaphor to reimagine a research approach aimed at fostering collective understanding between non-Indigenous knowledge seekers and Indigenous knowledge guardians in Indigenous contexts. By embracing the broader context of research, this metaphor strives to create a dialogical, relational, and ethical space for knowledge seekers to engage with knowledge guardians, promoting a reciprocal and respectful relationship. Central to this metaphor is the recognition of the insider/outsider binary and the need to transcend it. Indigenous knowledge is often guarded and restricted, granted access based on relationships and shared experiences. Understanding the complexity of these socio-spatial relationships is crucial for researchers to navigate respectfully. The metaphor also draws from the Oceanic concept of vā/va/wā, signifying the space between entities and the importance of maintaining harmony and balance within relationships. This relational space between the self and the other allows for transformative encounters and meaningful connections. To navigate this third space, researchers must undergo introspective reflexive exercises to understand their situationality and how it influences their research. Knowledge seekers must unsettle their histories, understand context, listen to the stories of others, create shared understanding, and launch new relationships that are centered on respect and reciprocity. Throughout the research process, the metaphor of pā’ina encourages researchers to be active participants, nurturing relationships with communities they seek knowledge from and reflecting upon their role within it. The pā’ina metaphor offers a transformative approach for Western academia to critically examine its historical impact on Indigenous communities and embrace a more respectful and inclusive research paradigm. By centering Indigenous voices and building meaningful relationships, this third spac…
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Elisabeth Moore
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Elisabeth Moore https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 48
ending page: 60

Shifting policy perspectives and practices: From access to basic education to prioritizing revenue collection
type: item
description: School leaders in Solomon Islands have shifted away from the basic education policy that promotes equitable access to quality basic education to practices that target high enrolment to generate revenue. This research highlights the implications of this shift and its impact on quality education. It aims at finding the balance between the school’s financial viability and the imperative to provide equitable and quality education for all children. The following questions are examined: 1) What are the different types of fees charged for educating a child in Solomon Islands; 2) Are schools enrolling students in numbers that match the infrastructure and human resources available locally? 3) Are the grants provided by the government adequate to administer schools? The significance of the study lies in its potential to inform education policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders about the consequences of this changing agenda. Parent experiences on fees charged, school children and teacher’s experiences on the impacts of high enrolments are explored. School Leaders rationale for charging different types of fees were sought. A total of 12 participants were involved in this research. Data collected via tok stori were recorded and subsequently transcribed, qualitatively analyzed and thematically organized. Data showed that schools in the capital, Honiara, experienced high school enrolment, putting pressure on the limited infrastructures available and overloading teachers. Apart from normal fees, schools charged various fees for registration, school development, church program, parent contributions and student transfer. The study provides important insights into the challenges posed by the shifting perspective and practices towards prioritizing revenue collection over access through increased student enrollment.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Grace Rohoana
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Grace Rohoana https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 21
ending page: 34

Post-Pandemic Lessons Learnt from Student Reflections: A Case Study of Diploma-level Students at the Fiji National University
type: item
description: The global pandemic led to an expansion of research pertaining to education in the new normal. Lived experiences of students were mostly documented through surveys or in-depth online interviews due to movement restrictions. One issue with such approaches is that students are guided by set questions and have limited opportunities to cathartically reflect upon their experiences. With this in consideration, a case study approach was used with the overarching aim to explore the lived experiences of students in Fiji during the global pandemic using an online reflective assessment. As part of their coursework, students were required to complete a reflective assessment which was based on their pandemic-related experiences. Sixty submissions which met the inclusion criteria of the current study were included based on purposive sampling. Findings from this study support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 as it confirmed myriad student experiences including financial, learning, lifestyle, and mental health challenges. Students also reflected upon the notion of 'social distancing versus social disrespect’ as in the case of Fiji, the phrase ‘it takes a whole village’ is not just a metaphor but literal as the concept of individualism is quite alien to this socio-cultural context. Positive reflections were also documented including revival of traditional systems (‘veisa’ - barter system), strengthening social connectedness using technology and demonstration of values such as resilience and genuine care. This research also suggests the value of reflective assessments using online platforms to avoid the constraints and encourage students to mine their own lives for insight away from a traditional classroom setting.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Afrada Shah
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Afrada Shah https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 92
ending page: 105

Teachers’ perceptions of socio-cultural practices on students’ academic achievement in North Pentecost, Vanuatu
type: item
description: This study investigated teachers’ perceptions of sociocultural factors affecting students’ academic achievement in Zone Five North Pentecost, Vanuatu. A qualitative study, it sees its forty-five participants as ‘a culture-sharing group’, documenting their attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and their shared approaches towards sociocultural and classroom practices in relation to students’ academic work. Teachers’ perceptions from both etic and emic perspectives within their cultural and social context, and their meanings and processes were investigated. Based on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of learning the argument proposes that learning happens through interaction within the socio-cultural context. All contexts are complex with intertwining systems of collective behaviours and simultaneous interactions with the environment. Diverse sociocultural factors affecting academic achievement were identified including kava as a socio-cultural keystone, religious responsibilities of community members, domestic commitments towards families and wider communities and traditional formalities such as bolololi (Traditional pig-killing ceremony), mateana (funerary ceremonies) and lagiana (marriage). These aspects of daily interactions among Zone Five communities influenced the relationship between teaching and learning pedagogies. Despite setbacks to learning, teachers suggested the urgent need for a culturally inclusive curriculum to assist students to acquire important communal values, understand their spiritual and cultural phenomena, live sustainably with their environment and maintain a healthy life while adhering to the virtues of citizenship and governance.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Dominique Mahuri
creator: Jeremy Dorovolomo
creator: Amton Mwaraksurmes
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Dominique Mahuri, Jeremy Dorovolomo, Amton Mwaraksurmes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 77
ending page: 91

Su’esu’e manogi: Conceptualising the fragrances of equity in higher education. A case study from Oceania
type: item
description: Equity policies in higher education are focused on dismantling barriers and redressing inequalities that restrict the participation and success of students from historically excluded groups. In some Universities across Oceania, ‘underrepresented’ includes students of Pacific heritage alongside students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, rural areas, students with disabilities and LGBTIQA+ students. Despite good intentions, equity policies can often contribute to the problems they seek to address with an overt focus on equity groups and identities. Little attention is directed towards reviewing the education ecosystems that create barriers to higher education. My research adopts an Indigenous Pacific (Sāmoan) framework, ‘Su’esu’e manogi, in search of fragrances’ as a conceptual tool to critically analyse and understand historical and contemporary manogi (fragrances) that frame and inform current equity policies and discourses in Oceania. Manogi is used as a metaphor to represent the worldviews, theories and ideologies that underpin equity policies and discourses. Using a case study, I present the findings of research that reviewed equity policies and discourses at the University of Auckland and their implications for Pacific learners. I found a series of tensions and disharmonies in manogi based on the interpretation of equity subscribed to by the institution. Equity policy discourses that are disparaging produce disharmony and unpleasant pungent manogi when they are based on deficit framing and are relegated to the periphery of higher education priorities. Equity policy discourses that are harmonious and produce sweet aromatic manogi for Pacific students are framed by commitments to social justice and sustainable development, recognise the principle of difference and the impact of structural factors on achievement. Drawing on the inspiration of the Rethinking Pacific Education Initiative for Pacific Peoples (RPEIPP) and “Revisioning education in Oceania: Walking ba…
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Tim Baice
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Tim Baice https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 5
ending page: 20

From the ground up: Weaving a tok Stori of quality education
type: item
description: Quality education is an often-heard term that has no single meaning. In this paper, we use the metaphor of mat weaving to structure an exploration of various elements that inform quality education. To form the mat, a warp of literature-derived threads is woven with the weft of practitioners’ ideas of quality education. These local perspectives were gifted through tok stori, a Melanesian oral form, through a session held at the OCIES 2022 Conference at the Fiji National University. The session brought together frontline educators from diverse Pacific settings to explore the dynamics of quality across contexts ‘from the ground up’, a seldom investigated direction. The woven discussion includes explorations of tensions between colonial pasts and the present, and points to hopeful expectations about the not-yet-here. The resultant mat balances prevalent notions of quality that flow from distant places into Pacific settings with locally derived positional understandings, and in so doing offers contextual flesh and currency to some of the key concepts valued by regional initiatives.
subject: General Refereed Papers
  topic: section
creator: Dominique Mahuri
creator: Vilive Cagivinaka
creator: Sereima Baleisomi
creator: Onelau Faamoemoe Soti
creator: Martyn Reynolds
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Dominique Mahuri, Vilive Cagivinaka, Sereima Baleisomi, Onelau Faamoemoe Soti, Martyn Reynolds https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-11-16
publication date: 2023-11-16
starting page: 61
ending page: 76

Book Review: Local literacies in early childhood: Inequalities in place, policy, and pedagogy
type: item
description: The review begins by summarising the key themes and arguments presented in the book. It highlights the author's efforts to shed light on the complex ways in which the socio-economic environment of a child's upbringing influences their literacy acquisition. The book successfully addresses how the interconnectedness of place, policy, and pedagogy can perpetuate or alleviate educational inequalities, providing a valuable contribution to the field of early childhood education.
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
creator: Hanying (Kara) Mao
creator: Philip Wing Keung Chan
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Hanying (Kara) Mao, Philip Wing Keung Chan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2024-06-30
publication date: 2024-06-30
starting page: 80
ending page: 83

Our education recovery beyond COVID-19
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
creator: Philip Wing Keung Chan
creator: Hongzhi Zhang
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Philip Wing Keung Chan, Hongzhi Zhang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-09-07
publication date: 2023-09-07
starting page: 1
ending page: 6

Scholarly Responses to ‘Students’ experiences of Open Distance Learning: A Samoan case study’
type: item
description: Scholarly Responses to ‘Students’ experiences of Open Distance Learning: A Samoan case study'
subject: Community Voices
  topic: section
creator: Philip Wing Keung Chan
creator: Tim Baice
creator: Sonia Fonua
creator: Zane Diamond
creator: Grace Ji
creator: Ben Levy
creator: Shaoru Annie Zeng
rights: Copyright (c) 2023 Philip Wing Keung Chan; Tim Baice, Sonia Fonua, Zane Diamond, Grace Ji, Ben Levy, Shaoru Annie Zeng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0
date: 2023-09-07
publication date: 2023-09-07
starting page: 125
ending page: 133