supporting tiriti-based curriculum delivery in mainstream early ...

do good research is to solve real problems… Virtually every definition found in
leading texts and articles equates action-research with problem-solving – as if „real‟
problem-solving is virtually the essence of the discipline” (Cooperrider &
Srivastva, 1987, p. 169).
Hopkins (2002) believes action researchers tend to “overuse words and
phrases like „problem‟, „improve‟, „needs assessment‟ and so on. This could give
the impression that action research is a deficit model of professional development”
(Hopkins, 2002, p. 51). Given this impression, it could be argued that framing
anything bicultural as a problem or issue would be perpetuating Māori educational
development strategies as a deficit model, and that was contrary to my aims for this
research.
3.3.3 Appreciative Inquiry
For me, building on what was working seemed a better starting point than
what I now perceived as problem-based action research. Participants across all
three case studies had started to implement Tiriti-based programmes prior to the
research commencing. This meant, something already worked within each case
study centre. Thus it was reasonable to assert that rather than trying to fix
problems, participants should instead be encouraged to study, learn, and build upon
those aspects of their practice that were already going well, and this philosophy
was incorporated, albeit informally, in all case studies. However, in Case Study
Three the practice and the methodology was formally that of appreciative inquiry.
Whitney and Trosten-Bloom (2003) elaborate that appreciative inquiry is a
relational process that is grounded in affirmation and appreciation. It is “initiated
in the participants‟ stories of best practice, those moments when the educational
practice is in accord with those values that underpin the practice” (Giles & Alderson,
2008, p. 469). In this study, participants shared their stories of best practice and
identified themes, so that they could collaboratively design a future for Tiriti-based
pedagogy and discover together ways to create that future (K. Walker & Carr-
Stewart, 2004). Walker and Carr-Stewart define appreciating as “affirming
strengths, potentials, possibilities and capabilities as well as making an effort to
add value; edifying, prizing and esteeming the best of all that is around us” (p.72).
I was keen to conduct research within which early childhood teachers would be
able to openly appreciate their own and colleagues‟ efforts with Tiriti-based
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