Project Lead
Tara McLaughlin
Collaborating Partners
Patricia Snyder, University of Florida; John Forster, Noah’s Ark
Project Funding
Noah’s Ark; https://noahsarkinc.org.au/
What’s the Project About?
The pilot is a multi-phase project to optimise the development and piloting of Embedded Learning Support (ELS) materials and processes for the Australia context. To explore the fit of ELS materials in ECE settings in Australia, leadership teams and teaching teams will be supported to learn about and use embedded learning support. The project will include training, practice-based coaching, and access to online support materials. User experience and feedback will be used to further iterate and update materials.
The project is an extension of Embedded Instruction for Early Learning from the Anita Zucker Center for Excellence in Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida in partnership Embedded Learning Support Aotearoa, Massey University.
Project Lead
Karen Harris
Collaborating Partners
Tara McLaughlin and Vicki Gifkins, Massey University
Project Funding
Unfunded
What’s the Project About?
Notions of gender and gender diversity and inclusion are rapidly evolving with implications for teachers and teaching. This qualitative study extends previous research conducted by members of the research team, including Karen’s work with primary school senior leaders and Vicki’s postgraduate research with early childhood teachers. The study seeks to better understand early childhood teachers’ perspectives of gender and gender diversity and the teaching practices they are using to support gender diversity and inclusion in their early childhood settings. The extended focus on early childhood education (ECE) responds to high levels of interest expressed by teachers to share their views on gender diversity in ECE and the need within the sector to better understand what is happening in settings. Up to 30 Aotearoa New Zealand ECE teachers will be interviewed during this research. Findings will inform our knowledge of current practice and provide information about the supports teachers would like to enhance gender-inclusive teaching practices.
Project Lead
Sue Cherrington, Victoria University of Wellington
Collaborating Partners
Ali Glasgow and Mele Taumoepeau, Victoria University of Wellington; Claire McLachlan, University of Waikato; Tara McLaughlin and Karyn Aspden, Massey University
Project Funding
Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI), New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Ministry of Education
What’s the Project About?
Our project uses a multiple case-study design to investigate how EC teachers in both Pacific and non-Pacific ECE settings can effectively support oral language acquisition and learning for children from Pacific heritages. At the heart of this research is our focus on quality teacher-child practices and interactions that support children’s oral language learning and development. Our project draws on Pacific values of respect, reciprocal relationships, family and belonging (Rimoni, Glasgow & Averill, 2022) together with alofa (love and commitment), tautua (service and responsibilities, and fa’aaloalo (respect and dignity) (Luafutu-Simpson, 2011) and uses Pacific methodologies of teu le va and talanoa to enable researchers, teachers and whānau to share and build understandings of effective practices that support Pacific children’s oral language learning.
Project Lead
Sarah Aiono, Longworth Education
Collaborating Partners
Tineka Tuala-Fata, Te Whai Hiringa–Peterhead School; Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated; and Tara McLaughlin Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa–Massey University
Project Funding
Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI), New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Ministry of Education
What’s The Project About?
Te Whai Hiringa – Peterhead School is focused on addressing systemic racism and building culturally sustaining teacher pedagogy. Working to indigenise their local curriculum, the school has prioritised home, culture and whānau experiences in their learning materials. Play pedagogy has been identified as a useful approach for ākonga (students) and whānau (family) as they transition to school. With little Aotearoa New Zealand research available addressing the position of play within a culturally sustaining approach to teaching, this project aims to identify how play pedagogy can be used to foster the school’s values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and māramatanga and honour the goals of mana whenua – whānau, hapū, and iwi. Using design-based research, project partners will work together to develop an indigenised framework for play including observation and reflection tools and professional learning supports to enhance kaiako (teacher) practice and ākonga learning.
Project Reports and Publications
Jeffares, M. (2022, December 14). Te Whai Hiringa Peterhead gets $200,000 research grant for indigenous play-based learning. Hawkes Bay Today. [link to article]
Project Lead
Tara McLaughlin and Linda Clarke
Collaborating Partners
Tātai Angitu, Massey University
Project Funding
Ministry of Education
What’s The Project About?
The Leadership Coaching Programme is a PLD and coaching programme designed to support leaders in their work of leading people and practice; strengthen leaders’ knowledge of PLD and coaching; and support leaders to coach kaiako in their team. The project supported the implementation and evaluation of the programme over a 10-month period.
Forty-two pedagogical leaders associated with stand-alone ECE services worked with dedicated PLD facilitators and engaged with other leaders, through a multi-component PLD programme that included coaching, online modules, and a book club. The programme was evaluated using a range of methods to gather stakeholder perspectives about experiences and outcomes. These methods included pre- and post-programme surveys, case story interviews, and PLD facilitators’ reflections. Information about programme fidelity and dosage was gathered and examined.
Project Reports and Publications
McLaughlin, T., Clarke, L. R., Gifkins, V, & Carvalho, L. (2024). ECE Leadership Coaching: A Valuable Investment [Final Report of the Leadership Coaching Programme]. Palmerston North: Massey University. [PDF File]
McLaughlin, T., Clarke, L. R., Gifkins, V, & Carvalho, L. (2024). ECE Leadership Coaching: Case Story Series. Palmerston North: Massey University. [PDF File ]
Project Lead:
Tara McLaughlin
Collaborating Partners:
Ellen Zeng (Doctoral Student Massey); Dr Joanne Allen (consultant); Dr. Rachael Pond (Massey); with GUINZs research team members Drs. Te Kani Kingi, Elizabeth Peterson, and Annette Henderson. Policy partner: Ministry of Education Early Learning.
Project Funding: Child and Family Research Fund; MSD
What’s the Project About?
The project seeks to support a holistic, strengths-based, culturally responsive understanding of children’s learning and development using data about 4.5 years olds from the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) study. To this end, we will advance the use of person-centred analysis techniques to identify latent subgroups of children with shared patterns of learning and developmental characteristics. A key objective of the project is to strengthen and support translational quantitative research capacity and appropriate use of data within early childhood education in Aotearoa.
Project Reports and Publications
McLaughlin, T., Allen, J., and Zeng, E (2024). Children’s learning and development data in early childhood education: An exploration of analysis methods underpinned by the principles of Te Whāriki and standards for educational assessment. Ministry of Social Development. [Link to report]
Project Lead
Ministry of Education
Collaborating Partners
Tara McLaughlin, Sue Cherrington, Linda Clarke, Vicki Gifkins, and Karen MacKay
Project Funding
Ministry of Education
What’s The Project About?
This consulting contract includes three main objectives. First, general, consultation for the Kōwhiti Whakapae online resource development/framing and overarching organisation of online version of the resource. Revision and updates for social-emotional practices and progress content based on feedback from pilot. Continued development of development social emotional practice content and narrative assessment exemplars for children’s learning.
Project Lead
Tara McLaughlin
Collaborating Partners
Patricia Snyder, University of Florida; and Gaylyn Campbell and Robyn Vine-Adie, Ruahine Kindergarten Association
Project Funding
Massey University Strategic Research Excellence Fund (SREF) and Massey University Research Fund (MURF)
What’s The Project About?
Embedded instruction is a systematic and intentional approach to providing instructional support during ongoing play, activities, and routines for children who have additional learning support needs. The project will focus on the development of New Zealand based approaches to embedded instruction and professional learning and development (PLD) approaches with and without coaching. Embedded instruction and PLD supports will be examined through a series of comparative case studies.
Project Lead
Claire Fouhy, Hutt City Kindergarten Association
Collaborating Partners
Tara McLaughlin and Sue Cherrington
Project Funding
HealthCare Plus Chartiable Education Grants
What’s The Project About?
The project focuses on using data to enhance intentional teaching of communication, oral language, and the mana reo strand of Te Whāriki. The project is designed as a series of data-supported teacher inquiries to enhance teacher knowledge of children’s oral language and communication and foster a culture of formative assessment and effective data use to provide better outcomes for children’s learning.
Project Reports and Publications
AKO writer. (2023). Capturing communication. AKO: The Akoranga Issue, Summer, 20-28. https://akojournal.org.nz/2023/02/22/capturing-communication/
Education Gazette editors. (2022). Intentional teaching supports effective language development. Education Gazette, 14, 101, 5-9. https://gazette.education.govt.nz/articles/intentional-teaching-supports-effective-language-development/
Project Lead
Tara McLaughlin and Sue Cherrington
Collaborating Partners
Karyn Aspden, Rachel Beazley, Carmen Dalli, Huinga Jackson-Greenland, Lesley Rameka, and Fa’asaulala (Salā) Tagoilelagi-Leota. The project team were supported by project administrators, critical friends, and a sector reference group.
Project Funding
Ministry of Education
What’s The Project About?
This project focused on the development of Kōwhiti Whakapae which is a resource to help kaiako strengthen formative assessment and teaching practice within the framework of Te Whāriki He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā mokopuna o Aotearoa. Kōwhiti Whakapae is designed to help kaiako attend to individual children’s progress in order to identify ways to deepen or strengthen children’s learning through effective teacher practice.
Kōwhiti Whakapae is embedded in Te Ao Māori cultural perspectives, at the same time as focusing on key areas of learning and development which have life-course significance for all children. These areas are connected across the principles, strands, and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki.
Project Lead
Tara McLaughlin
Collaborating Partners
Lynda Hunt, Sue Cherrington, Karyn Aspden, Claire McLachlan, Vicki Gifkins, Gaylyn Campbell, and Robyn-Vine Adie
Project Funding
Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI), New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Ministry of Education.
What’s The Project About?
Sustained Shared Thinking (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 and extended way. Internationally, research suggests SST is critical for high-quality pedagogy as a pathway to deepen children’s learning. Research also shows SST can be complex and nuanced. To address this complexity, the project uses innovative data tools to investigate the nature and frequency of teacher-child SST with a focus on extending these powerful interactions in two settings. The Data, Knowledge, Action projects are guided by the premise that effective data can lead to knowledge and knowledge can lead to action for improved teaching and learning.
Project Reports and Publications
McLaughlin, T., Cherrington, S., McLachlan, C., Aspden, K., Hunt, L., & Gifkins, V. (2022). Data, knowledge, action: Exploring sustained shared thinking to deepen young children’s learning. TLRI Final Report. [link to article]
Project Lead
Karen Mackay, Best Start Palmerston North
Collaborating Partners
Tara McLaughlin and Monica Cameron
Project Funding
Teacher-Led Innovation Fund (TLIF), Ministry of Education
What’s The Project About?
Children’s emerging social-emotional competence, including self-regulation has been identified in research as critical for developing strong foundations in their first 5 years of life. The project focuses on strengthening teacher confidence and consistent use of intentional strategies to support children’s social and emotional competence. Developing practical tools and processes for teachers to reflect on their own practice, have their practice observed by a project teacher-leader, gather and record information about children’s social-emotional skills, and use this information to inform planning and partnering with whānau are key aspects of the work.
Project Reports and Publications
MacKay, K. (2019). First Steps Palmerston North (TLIF 4-069) – Unpacking a puzzle of practice: Exploring ways to support consistent, intentional teaching to promote children’s social-emotional competence. [Project advisor and key contributor] [link to article]
Project Lead
Monica Bay Waters, Totara Park Kindergarten, He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Free Kindergarten Association
Collaborating Partners
Tara McLaughlin and Karyn Aspden
Project Funding
Teacher-Led Innovation Fund (TLIF), Ministry of Education
What’s The Project About?
Drawing on established practices from Te Whāriki, social-emotional teaching and learning approaches, and mindfulness programmes, the project aims to develop a local and targeted approach to supporting tamariki to be competent, confident, and resilient learners. Project-developed tools and resources to support teachers to reflect on practice, gather information about children’s learning, and partner with families to gather information about and support children’s social-emotional learning and use of mindfulness practices are key aspects of this work.
Project Reports and Publications
Ministry of Education (2021). Tōtara Park Kindergarten (TLIF 5-024) – Nurturing mindfulness and social-emotional competence in early childhood to support competent, confident, and resilient learners. [Project advisor and key contributor] [link to article]
Project Lead
Patricia Snyder and Mary McLean, University of Florida
Project Consultant
Tara McLaughlin
Project Funding
Department of Special Education Programs, California State Department of Education
What’s The Project About?
Embedded Instruction is an evidence-based multi-component approach for planning, implementing, and evaluating instruction for preschool children with disabilities in inclusive settings. Participating teachers engage in the Embedded Instruction Tools for Teachers professional development and practice-based coaching program to learn about embedded instruction practices. The project team works with Local educational agencies (LEAs) across California.
Project Lead
Lynda Hunt, Ruahine Kindergarten Association
Collaborating Partners
Tara McLaughlin and Karyn Aspden
Project Funding
Teacher-Led Innovation Fund (TLIF), Ministry of Education
What’s The Project About?
This project used teacher-led inquires to embrace and explore new and emerging technologies and range of tools to generate informative and authentic data to gain knowledge about children’s curriculum experiences and inform intentional teaching in four kindergartens settings. Each team identified a key area of curriculum to explore and worked with critical friends and partner teacher-researchers to collect, analyse, make sense of, and use data to support planning and promote positive child outcomes. The Data, Knowledge, Action projects are guided by the premise that effective data can lead to knowledge and knowledge can lead to action for improved teaching and learning.
Project Reports and Publications
Ministry of Education (2020). Ruahine Kindergarten Association (TLIF 4-016) – Data, knowledge, action: A teacher-led inquiry into data-informed teaching in early childhood education. [Project advisor and key contributor] [link to article]
Principle Investigator
Tara McLaughlin
Co-Investigators
Claire McLachlan and Karyn Aspden
Project Funding
Massey University Research Fund (MURF)
What’s The Project About?
The project used a multi-phase, mixed-methods approach to examine, develop, compare, refine, and validate teaching practices that promote children’s learning and social-emotional competence. The work resulted in a Teaching Practice List available on this website under teacher resources.
Principle Investigator
Karyn Aspden
Co-Investigators
Tara McLaughlin
Project Funding
Massey University Research Fund (MURF)
What’s The Project About?
The project used a multi-phase, mixed-methods approach to examine, develop, compare, refine, and validate teaching practices that promote infant’s and toddler’s learning and social-emotional competence. The work resulted in an infant and toddler Teaching Practice List available on this website under teacher resources.
Principle Investigator
Tara McLaughlin
Co-Investigators
Monica Cameron, Karyn Aspden, Jo Dean and Massey Child Care
Project Funding
Massey University Research Fund (MURF)
What’s The Project About?
The project sought to explore quality features of learning stories identified in extant literature as well as from the perspectives of early childhood teachers. Student extensions of this work have also included the perspectives of parents.