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Ecological approach

An ecological approach focuses on the important connections between mokopuna, children and young people, their learning environments and their relationships with others.

Practitioners consider factors related to home, education, cultural and community settings.

We assess and support learning and development within the everyday routines, experiences and interactions of mokopuna, children and young people, building on their strengths and interests.

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No 'one size fits all'

An ecological approach recognises that mokopuna, children and young people learn in different ways depending on their environments. We focus so that our work is flexible and responsive to the different circumstances of mokopuna children and young people. Learning activities are codesigned with teams so that all mokopuna, children and young people are affirmed in their identity and can learn and participate together.

Mātauranga Māori principles and practices and Sociocultural theories are at the heart of He Pikorua

Human development, teaching and learning occurs in relationships with people, places, and things and is influenced by social and cultural practices that are valued by those around them. The key insight Matauranga Māori affords to those who engage with He Pikorua is the understanding that the strength in our mahi comes from multiple world views.

He Pikorua is focused on trying to understand the connections and relationships between people, rather than focusing on deepening our understanding of people as individuals. In that sense Mātauranga Māori can deepen and enhance other theories like the Sociocultural theory affirming that culture enables everyone to make sense of their world across place, space and time.

 

Inclusive learning environment/Inclusion

Te Whāriki , the early childhood curriculum, is an inclusive curriculum – a curriculum for all children. An inclusive early learning environment is one where all children can:

A foundation principle of the New Zealand Curriculum  is inclusion. This means that:

Learning environments and Inclusion

Practitioners can work with education settings to review their values, expectations, systems and practices to support positive, safe and inclusive learning environments. There are a range of self-review and internal evaluation tools that teams can use to improve and maintain positive and inclusive learning environments, including Te Whāriki resources, Kowhiti, Whakapae, Inclusive Practices Tool, Wellbeing@School, the Inclusive Design modules and the PB4L School-Wide School Evaluation Tool.

Resources that incorporate inclusive and ecological approaches and strategies are available on the Ministry of Education's websites:

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

“UDL is not a special ed thing or even a general ed thing. It’s just an ed thing. It is a way to connect every student to the learning experience, and a way of looking at learning that is fully inclusive and promotes success for all learners, regardless of ability.” (Mike Marotta, 2018, Inclusive Technology Solutions).

UDL enables equity in education

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) can help schools and kura design learning environments that are flexible, and where there are no barriers in the way. It is a framework that enables equitable access and participation in education.

As every mokopuna learns differently, learning settings must create flexible, barrier-free learning environments if all mokopuna are to become successful, lifelong learners.

Guide to Universal Design for Learning

Practitioners can work with leaders and kaiako using UDL principles to:

Ecological information gathering

Ecological assessment involves gathering information relating to mokopuna in their environments. The information collected may relate to their physical environments, their individual and collective strengths and interactions between the adults and peers.

Placing mokopuna, children, young people and their whānau and families at the centre of this process provides a better picture of strengths, needs, and challenges. The team can then agree on goals, strategies and supports that will enable positive outcomes.

For more information on information gathering, see Kohikohi – Gather Information

“The need to promote cultural equity in education is not just about making tests more accessible to Māori learners and other culturally diverse students; it’s about validating their identities and ensuring they feel included and valued.” - Longworth Education, 2023.

 

“Learning that is natural and connects with ākonga creates an authentic learning environment which in turn establishes the climate for authentic aromatawai to occur.” - Ministry of Education, 2023,  p. 29)

Process to guide decision-making

Kohikohi – these activities can be used across the layers of Te Tūāpapa (Te Matua | Universal, Te Kāhui | Targeted, and Te Arotahi | Tailored)  to inform planning, implementation and review.

This diagram will help guide ecological decision-making, upholding the notion of ‘less intrusive, more inclusive’. Information gathering is informed by and undertaken within contexts.

Standardised tests should only ever be used as part of a holistic kohikohi process, and never in isolation. Our practice principles should not be compromised.

DOWNLOAD DIAGRAM (pdf 23 KB)
OPF Diagrams 03 Kohikohi

“He Pikorua principles provide a framework for learning support practitioners that is more inclusive and collaborative to better capture diverse needs within broad cultural contexts and promotes information gathering as a shared practice with mokopuna, whānau and kaiako. Instead of initiating kohikohi with formalised assessments or standardised and developmental checklists the principles provide a rationale to emphasise noticing and valuing what is naturally occurring in the life of mokopuna.” - Kohikohi position paper, 2024.

Through collaboration and collective reflection this ecological approach process has proved useful in:

A Model of Practice in Special Education: Dynamic Ecological Analysis [PDF, 201KB]