Research Projects To Improve Outcomes For Learners Share $1.9 Million In Funding

The Teaching and Learning Research Initiative (TLRI) funds research projects that aim to improve outcomes for learners. All projects are partnerships between researchers and educators.

This year, the TLRI launched Whatua tū aka, a new pathway to encourage more kaupapa Māori educational research. Whatua tū aka, was developed in collaboration with a TLRI Māori advisory group. It seeks to improve equity for Māori learners by supporting kaupapa Māori educational research and building kaupapa Māori research capability. Sheridan McKinley, NZCER’s Kaiwhakahaere Māori has overseen the implementation of the new kaupapa Māori funding pathway.

In 2020 the TLRI fund prioritised the following areas:

• Research on topics of strategic importance within the early years or compulsory school sectors.
• Research that supports success for Māori learners across all education sectors.
• Research that supports success for Pasifika learners across all education sectors.

This year’s funding of over $1.9 million has been allocated to eight projects.

• Three are kaupapa Māori projects, and two are Pacific projects.
• Two are in an early learning context, including kōhanga reo and a’oga amata; five are in kura or school contexts, and one project works across the early learning and school sectors.
• Lead investigators come from five universities: University of Auckland, University of Waikato, Unitec, Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and Victoria University of Wellington.

NZCER would like to congratulate the successful recipients. The eight projects are briefly summarised below.

The TLRI has been operating since 2003, and this allocation means a total of 167 projects have been funded. Projects may run from 1 to 3 years.

The TLRI is funded by the New Zealand government and administered by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research | Rangahau Mātauranga o Aotearoa.

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