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My PhD study explored the experiences of a cohort of Iranian doctoral candidates in New Zealand. This paper presents my response to the unexpected challenge I faced as I collected data and formed my theoretical framework. I found that Western interpretations of non-Western international students largely ignored social-cultural specificities. I navigated this challenge by drawing from the postcolonial concepts of ambivalence, uncertainty and cultural hybridity to make sense of the way Iranian doctoral candidates' experiences in a Western university were analysed and understood. First, I conceptualised the knowledge journey of the research participants as a Hijrat -- an Islamic and Persian cultural metaphor that refers to the experience of departure from one's homeland. Second, I drew from postcolonial theory to manage the West/non-West binary. This paper offers non-Western doctoral candidates and their Western supervisors an example of how cultural congruence can be understood when completing a PhD study in the West. In a general sense, it is important to acknowledge and critically explore the impacts of past socio-political experiences and practices (e.g., colonisation) and historical knowledge traditions (e.g., Islamic) on present thinking and practices.

During New Zealand's unprecedented level-four lockdown, opportunities to practise Pacific pedagogies in New Zealand universities required creative and innovative solutions from Pacific academics. This paper brings together the experiences of teaching during this lockdown from a cross-section of Pacific Early Career Academics (PECA) across a wide range of disciplines and schools at New Zealand's largest university. This paper argues that despite the challenges, PECA found ways to adapt Pacific pedagogical concepts through online delivery methods; however, their ability to effectively do this was severely influenced by existing socio-economic inequities that disproportionately impacted Pacific students. PECA continued to nurture the va/wa with students in innovative ways, but they still encountered major challenges that will require more careful consideration of equity issues by New Zealand universities moving forward.

The appointment of the University of Waikato's first Assistant Vice-Chancellor Pacific in February 2019 was an important milestone, not only recognising years of work and dedication by numerous Pacific and Maori staff, but triggering a new strategic direction for 'Pacific at Waikato'. This paper explains that journey, one that is underpinned by Pacific cultural legacies, strengths, values and identity; built on talanoa-va; informed by research, data analytics, student and community voice; combined with strategic thought and planning; and outworked in the pan-Pacific epithet, 'imua'. This is a story of resilience, determination, negotiating a pandemic, problem-solving and innovation in an environment that seeks a 'culture of belonging' and where Pacific learners are encouraged to be themselves in the pursuit of educational achievement. This paper will be of interest to education providers, stakeholders and policy makers.

This paper reports how I addressed the issue of extensive missing values in my PhD study, "Digital Competencies of High School Mathematics Teachers". I collected data using an online survey. Several methods exist to address the issue of missing values. I utilised multiple imputation (MI) as it provides more accurate results. The mean scores and scale reliability of survey items changed after imputation. While addressing the missing values, I observed my focus was completely shifted from the analysis of the survey to developing an approach to imputing missing values. Researchers should be ready for complex and challenging situations. Once encountered, they should use that challenging situation to instigate creative tension -- a force that moves us closer to our goals -- to motivate themselves and to learn new things. I used creative tension to move from the issue of missing values back towards my initial research goal (preserving sample size and a complete dataset for analysis).

This paper emerges from the critical thinking, research, and evaluation which informed our most recent programme review during which we debated the question, "How do we educate people for quality teaching in the future?" Drawing on research, stakeholder feedback, and graduate voice, four key influential characteristics are identified. The paper explores some of the implications for the development of teachers who can be effective now and also into the future. Firstly, it is important that the ITE programme is shaped by a research informed Conceptual Framework which is owned and 'lived' by teacher educators and student teachers. Secondly, a holistic developmental approach to teacher development will focus on how student teachers learn to be and become quality teachers. Critical to this reflexive and developmental approach is the disruption of a technicist view of learning and teaching and the development of an alternative image of teaching (Chang-Kredl & Kingsley, 2014; Norsworthy, 2008). Teaching is a most complex endeavour for which student teachers need to develop specific dispositions such as being gracious, being teachable, and being secure. Thirdly, it makes a difference to student teachers' thinking when their developmental journey is contextualised within hopes and realities that are 'bigger than me' and beyond the immediate. In New Zealand, this includes contributing to the aspirations and hopes captured within NZ Curriculum and Te Whariki. A very influential component of ITE to increase the likelihood of this occurring is student teachers' development of a Passionate Creed (LaBoskey, 1994). When they clearly articulate the passion which inspires and motivates them then, through reflective practice, they will know how to nurture and sustain a sense of call, responsibility and commitment to the vocation of teaching through and beyond the specific challenges faced by beginning teachers (Agbenyega, 2012). Fourthly, teacher educators who contribute to development of quality teachers now and into the future do not just talk about the alternative image of teaching (Bell, 2010; Loughran, 2016). They nurture the student teachers' development through a progression where effective pedagogy and reflective practice are modelled and then required. Theory, practice, inquiry and reflection work together in an ever developing 'spiral of learning'. This approach helps student teachers know what they should know and how they should integrate skill and knowledge into practice, but also why each component is included (Biesta, 2009).

Learning online from home bubbles through the use of information communication technology (ICT) stretches the engagement and enactment of "va" (relational connections) between students and lecturers as well as Pacific people in the community. In this paper, "talanoa" is used to capture students' online learning experiences and their perceived understanding of connections. Such experiences are embodied in people's interactions, conversations, problem-solving, knowledge sharing and exchange of ideas and practice. As the "va" space online between lecturer and student as well as people in the community is physically "mama'o" (distanced), the perceived space of learning connection raises concern over ethics and practice. Engaging in open talanoa of the uncertainties linked to online interactions within the post-COVID context and the place of "va" ethics can lead to "talanoa malie" that highlight possibilities and solutions.

New Zealand has a persistent problem of inequitable educational outcomes between different student groups, which has led to New Zealand being designated a high achievement-low equity country. A key policy lever in the quest to lift educational achievement for priority learners, identified by the Ministry of Education as Maori, Pasifika, students with special learning needs, and students from low socio-economic communities, is improving teacher quality. Hence there has been a renewed policy focus on improving the quality of initial teacher education. The context for this study is an innovative Master of Teaching primary programme that includes an intentional practicum placement in partner schools with a high proportion of priority learners. This paper reports a qualitative study of how this practicum enhanced pre-service teachers' knowledge of teaching, particularly the teaching of priority learners. A general thematic analysis of post-practicum reflective statements written by two cohorts of Master of Teaching students immediately following their practicum (n=41 [25+16]) indicated four major themes' Difference, Diversity, Differentiation, and Difficulty. A directed thematic analysis of the reflective statements was then carried out. Overall, the findings indicated that the intentional placement in a school with a high proportion of priority learners disrupted the pre-service teachers' prior beliefs about such schools and their expectations of priority learners.

In this article I discuss my experiences as an international PhD student conducting research in New Zealand. This reflexive paper will discuss the challenges and difficulties I faced as a novice researcher and as an 'outsider' who needed to understand and embrace the uniquely Kiwi-Maori culture that permeates New Zealand society. In particular, this article will focus on my experiences during the data collection phase of my doctoral research, which examines young children's empathy towards animals in Aotearoa New Zealand. As an international student from Singapore based in New Zealand and as a vegan of seven years, I will shed light on the two challenges that I face as a researcher: firstly, my struggles as an outsider making sense of the Kiwi culture while conducting this research, and secondly, as a vegan researcher whose personal philosophy of veganism runs counter to the overarching socio-cultural beliefs and practices towards animals in New Zealand.

Practicum visiting and the assessment of students' practicum form a significant component of the teacher educator role. Teacher educators are tasked with making judgements regarding the quality of students' teaching practice, as well as their attributes, dispositions, skills and knowledge, and ultimately their readiness to enter the teaching profession. This paper reports the findings of a doctoral study that examined the assessment of practicum in early childhood initial teacher education and, in particular, the way in which practicum assessment was enacted and experienced by early childhood student teachers, associate teachers, and teacher educators within institutional contexts. The study provides insights into how teacher educators define their role, what they look for and hope for in the assessment process, as well as the challenges faced in making authentic, appropriate and informed assessment decisions. The critical importance of professional judgment within the context of a relational pedagogy is highlighted in response to the complex variables involved in practicum assessment. Implications for future directions in policy and practice related to practicum assessment are proposed.

Reasons distance students seek online study options include pursuing subjects of interest, taking subjects not available to them locally, or gaining a qualification from an institution of specialisation or reputation. However, when students travel to another country for study, what prompts these students to elect to study online? International students in New Zealand have the opportunity to study online through most tertiary institutions. This paper reports on a research project investigating Chinese graduate students' experience of learning online while in New Zealand, and the impact of culture on their learning. This study highlights the benefits of particular aspects of instructional design and makes recommendations to help eEducation educators maximise the benefits of online learning for international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]