Preliminary backing for College of Education change
College of Education Pro Vice-chancellor Professor James Chapman has announced his preliminary decision relating to the proposal for change in the college.
Professor Chapman says there was strong overall support during the consultation process for the proposal to focus on graduate and postgraduate initial teacher education programmes.
"The proposal is designed to create an environment for educational research and postgraduate education that is unmatched in New Zealand and equal to the leading university education institutions in the world," he says.
"Massey University aspires to be the engine of the new New Zealand. Education at Massey will play an integral part in defining the new New Zealand, which will need to be strongly supported by a highly educated population. Education at Massey University is poised to contribute to Massey’s vision and, in so doing, contribute to the broad economic and social goals of Aotearoa New Zealand."
The preliminary decision addresses three main proposals included in a formal change document circulated for comment at the end of March. The first proposal is to develop a distinctive and truly defining approach to initial teacher education in New Zealand by focusing these programmes at the graduate/postgraduate level. The preliminary decision is to build on the existing and successful graduate diploma programmes for early childhood, primary, and secondary education. Students typically enter these programmes with a bachelor's degree and with a wide range of academic and life experiences suitable as preparation for teaching. Employment rates of graduates from these diploma programmes are very high.
Sitting alongside this intended focus is the decision to clearly identify an undergraduate pathway for school leavers wanting to become teachers. The existing Bachelor of Arts in Education offers a strong foundation in preparation for entry into one of the graduate diploma programmes. Students will enjoy the advantage of taking a range of papers across many different subjects in addition to education papers.
The preliminary decision includes transforming the College of Education into the Massey University Institute of Education within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The institute will have a clear focus on research-led graduate initial and continuing teacher education and allied professional preparation programmes, together with consolidated undergraduate programmes for domestic and international students. A distinctive signature of the institute will be a strong suite of research-led advanced professional learning and development programmes, relevant for the needs of New Zealand and international communities, taught by research-active specialists with a commitment to leading edge course content.
A proposal to merge the two University Maori academic units, Te Uru Maraurau (Mäori Education) and Te Putahi a Toi (Mäori Studies), has been deferred for the time being, at the request of Mäori education staff. It is planned to co-locate the two units to enable staff to develop plans for working together, with a view to formally merging within two years.
Professor Chapman describes the proposed changes signalled in the preliminary decisions as bold and exciting. "This will build on the strong heritage of the Palmerston North College of Education and the Massey University Faculty of Education by blending excellence in research with excellence in teaching."
Feedback on the preliminary decision is welcomed. The closing date is April 27 after which a final decision is scheduled for May 9.