Understanding Pacific Cultural Safety: A Guide for Educators - Part 3

Check out this video with Pale Sauni and Saylene Ulberg

This is part of a series on Pacific Cultural Centredness:

Implementing Pacific Cultural Safety in Your Classroom

Here’s a summary of this short talanoa with Pale and Saylene which is part of our short series on Pacific Cultural Centredness

In the final episode of the discussion on Pacific cultural safety, Pale shared some valuable insights from a research project conducted at Auckland University, , which involved 270 Maori and Pacific students.

The research identified three key factors that contributed to the success of these students in tertiary education.

The first factor was the clarity of assignment, which refers to students having a clear understanding of what is expected of them in their assignments.

The second factor was intense peer support, which involves students supporting each other through their academic journeys.

The third factor was social interaction to encourage peer support, which refers to students engaging in social activities that foster a sense of community and encourage peer support.

When these three factors were applied to a group of 247 at-risk Pacific Islander students in a Teachers College, the number of at-risk students reduced significantly, from 247 to just nine in just 11 months.

Pale believes that these three factors are crucial for success in tertiary education and hopes that all the other things discussed in the talanoa are encompassed within them.

This research highlights the importance of creating a supportive environment for Pacific Islander students in tertiary education.

By providing clear expectations, fostering a sense of community, and promoting peer support, these students are more likely to succeed and thrive in their academic pursuits.

If you’re interested, there’s more here with our friends at Ako Aotearoa.