Search Results for: matauranga maori

University of Auckland continues to promote indigenous ways of knowing while not allowing a promised debate between that and modern science

In July, 2021, a group of seven University of Auckland academics (two now deceased) published a letter in the Magazine “the Listener”  saying that the local (Māori) “ways of knowing”, or Mātauranga Māori (MM), while of significant cultural, sociological, and anthropological value, was not equivalent to modern science.  It was written because the New Zealand … Continue reading University of Auckland continues to promote indigenous ways of knowing while not allowing a promised debate between that and modern science

Criticism of New Zealand’s educational policy, this time from the National Party

The Platform is a New Zealand radio station and website that describes itself as an “independent media” venue, though the Wikpedia description also says that it’s”antiwoke”. If you read further in the Wikipedia piece, though, you see that it often gives a platform to the Kiwi political Left (Labour). The Platform describes itself as an “independent … Continue reading Criticism of New Zealand’s educational policy, this time from the National Party

A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand

If you want to see what the government of New Zealand is up to with respect to science education, you can’t do better than listening to this video/slideshow by two exponents of the “we-need-two-knowledge-systems” view. I’ve gotten a lot of scary stuff from Kiwi educators in the last couple of weeks, but this one site … Continue reading A good summary of the mess that is science education in New Zealand

Some correspondence and a statement from from the Royal Society of New Zealand about “ways of knowing” and cancellation

Here’s a bit more (and I’m not done yet) about the fight to teach valid science in New Zealand rather than teach valid science in science class as coequal with indigenous “ways of knowing.” The Royal Society of New Zealand has the formal name “Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi”, with the last two words … Continue reading Some correspondence and a statement from from the Royal Society of New Zealand about “ways of knowing” and cancellation

A powerful University dean in New Zealand touts merging higher education with indigenous spirituality

This article from New Zealand’s Newsroom site was written by Julie Rowland,  the deputy dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland as well as a geologist and the Director of the Ngā Ara Whetū | Centre for Climate, Biodiversity & Society. In other word, she’s a scientist. One key to what … Continue reading A powerful University dean in New Zealand touts merging higher education with indigenous spirituality

The indigenization of New Zealand’s Space Policy

The other day I forgot to mention that New Zealand has a “National Space Policy” that you can read about here.  Here’s an excerpt from the brief announcement: The next ‘giant leap’ in New Zealand’s space journey has been taken today with the launch of the National Space Policy, Economic Development Minister Barbara Edmonds announced. … Continue reading The indigenization of New Zealand’s Space Policy

Leaked curriculum proposal shows further degradation of science in New Zealand

UPDATE: (Read after reading what’s below the line.) NewsHub, which has seen the proposed curriculum document described below, also says that biology is largely missing from the proposed curriculum. For crying out loud! Click to read, and remember, I have not seen the confidential document but am reporting about it based on the statements of … Continue reading Leaked curriculum proposal shows further degradation of science in New Zealand

New Zealand votes out woke Labour government by a big margin

Although if I were a Kiwi I’d probably be a member of the Labour Party, I have criticized them strongly for their education policy: a policy that has constantly tried to insinuate Māori “ways of knowing” (Mātauranga Māori ) into school science curricula (it’s fine if taught as history or sociology).  Labour has also been … Continue reading New Zealand votes out woke Labour government by a big margin