Tuakana makes Walker top tertiary teacher
Monday 8th August, 2011
This year's top tertiary teacher says he's proud of the number of Maori and Pacific Island students he has been able to help.
Auckland University Professor Michael Walker from Whakatohea got the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award both for his skill in the classroom and his creation of the Tuakana Programme, which builds support around first year students.
Professor Walker says when he started teaching 20 years ago he was struck by how few Maori there were at graduate level, and at the social isolation of younger Maori students.
Tuakana, which is now used in all universities, allowed them to make friends so they could relax and be able to learn.
“What happened almost immediately is the pass rate almost doubled and so we started to retain the students. Because we retained them past their first year and they were passing, they pretty much went on to complete their degrees. That’s good for them and it’s good for the university too,” Professor Walker says.
The high percentage of New Zealand's young who are of Maori or Pacific Island origin means the country's future relies on getting more of those rangatahi through higher education.
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