Te Ata Māhina and the three-headed taniwha: A case study in the ongoing wero to decolonise social work education in Aotearoa
No Thumbnail Available
Open Access Location
Authors
Whaanga, R.
Fraser, S.
Ballantyne, N.
King, L.
Keywords
Social work education
Description of form
Conference Contribution.
Publisher
Rights
Rights holder
Issue Date
2024-11
Peer-reviewed status
Type
Other
Abstract
Panel presentation
This panel critically reflects on one of the most significant social work educational developments in Aotearoa in recent years. In 2019, the Labour Party-led government of New Zealand decided to merge all 16 polytechnics into a single entity called Te Pūkenga and encouraged the creation of unified degree programmes. Social work academics saw this as an opportunity to create a transformational programme committed to decolonising social work education, and, in 2021, in consultation with a range of stakeholders, we began the co-design of a new curriculum. The co-designed degree was given the name Te Ata Māhina, a phrase in te reo referring to the first glimpse of dawn, signalling a new day for social work education in Aotearoa. With the curriculum designed, work began co-designing programme content, led
by the Learning Design Directorate at the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. Simultaneously, social work leads from Te Pūkenga were working with education regulators–the Social Workers Registration Board and
the New Zealand Qualifications Authority–and social work academics across Aotearoa. In November 2023, a new, right-wing, National-led coalition government came to power with a commitment to disestablish Te Pūkenga and, in May 2024, Te Pūkenga officially ceased all work on the development of Te Ata Māhina. Offering an informed, insider perspective on the policy, organisational, regulatory, and curriculum development issues entangled in this attempt to establish a unified and decolonised social work curriculum, the panel will reflect on our achievements, obstacles and the wero to decolonise social work education in Aotearoa.
Citation
Whaanga, R., Fraser, S., Ballantyne, N., & King, L. (2024, November 19-20). Te Ata Māhina and the three-headed taniwha: A case study in the ongoing wero to decolonise social work education in Aotearoa [Panel discussion][Paper presentation]. ANZSWWER 2024 Symposium, Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand.