Ietoga: Samoan educators educational journeys

Abstract

Senior educators in Samoa who are currently studying towards a Master of Teaching and Learning degree through the Christchurch College of Education face the usual range of challenges encountered by students studying from a distance. In addition, they face a range of expectations from their jobs, their communities, their churches and their families that are not the norm in the western society through which they are studying. Despite such difficulties, these educators are successful and are leaders in their fields. I was interested to learn how they managed these challenges. This thesis therefore asks, How did a group of senior educators in Samoa undertake their educational journeys? It also traces my cultural and research learning journeys and the pathways I followed as a palagi (white person) undertaking cross-cultural research. It was important that I recognise my limitations as a palagi conducting research in the Pacific and that as far as possible I followed practices and research methodologies sensitive to Pasifika contexts. I therefore adopted a holistic and collaborative approach that entailed consultation with the community throughout the research process. During initial consultation community members confirmed they wished the research to occur, and that they approved of and accepted me as the researcher. We worked collaboratively to determine the topic and the nature of the study. The community drew clear parameters and established the main emphasis of the research as a narrative approach within an ethnographic framework. Ongoing consultation included regular visits to Samoa to meet with the participants where we discussed progress and worked together to co-construct their stories.