The Team

Tania Smith-Henderson

Waikato, Ngāti Ranginui

Contact Details:

Phone: +64 9 921 999 extn 6526
Email: tania.smith-henderson@aut.ac.nz
Executive Administrator

Qualifications:

BA, MPhil, MPBS, CertTertTchg

Research Areas:

Māori in tertiary education, tertiary administration

Current research projects

Internally funded

Project 1:  Te Kōhanga o te Tūī, funded by a faculty contestable research grant

This was a collaborative project between local iwi (tribes) and community that focused on the early years of child development.  One of the key drivers for the collaboration was an aligned interest in improving outcomes for rangatahi Māori (Māori youth) by maximising opportunities in the home for te reo Māori (the Māori language) language acquisition and learning in the early years.  Selected publications from this research include the following:

Ka'ai, T. et al. (2022).  Te Kōhanga o te Tūī:  The potential of voice recognition technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to support the acquisition of te reo Māori and digital literacy in early child development - A literature review. Te Ipukarea, Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology. Kaai-et-al-Te-Kohanga-o-te-tui-Literature-review.pdf

Ka’ai, T. et al. (2022). Te Kōhanga o te Tūī:  Data analysis report:  Based on whānau responses to an online survey designed to gauge their perspectives on the use of assistive technologies in te reo Māori language acquisition. Te Ipukarea, Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology. Kaai-et-al-Te-Kohanga-o-Te-Tui-Report-on-survey-data-2022-Final.pdf

The research team includes Professor Tania Ka'ai (project lead), Tania Smith-Henderson, Huhana Moselen (master's student), (Te Ipukarea) Dr Parma Nanda, Manju Vallayil Vijayalekshmi (doctoral candidate) (School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences).

Project 2:  Funded by a faculty learning and teaching grant

This collaborative project was to create and test a virtual online mentoring programme designed for Māori and Pacific students in Te Ara Auaha, Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies.  Team members included:

Professor Tania Ka’ai (project lead), Tania Smith-Henderson, Dr Hazel Abraham, (Te Ipukarea Research Institute) Dr Matt Guinibert, Dr Rebecca Trelease, (School of Communication Studies) Professor Aman Oo, Professor Tek Tjing Lie and ECMS postgraduate students (School of Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences).

Selected publications from this project include:

Ka’ai, T. et al. (2022, 14 March). Te Hiringa Taketake: A literature review. Creating a Māori and Pacific student virtual online mentoring programme in Te Ara Auaha, Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies. Te Ipukarea, Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology.   Kaai-Te-Hiringa-Taketake-14032022-final.pdf

Project 3:   Whakamanawa te mātauranga, funded by a faculty contestable research grant

A collaborative project, Whakamanawa te mātauranga: Decolonising the STEM space and (re) imaging curriculum and practice through Māori and Pacific knowledge in STEM subjects and disciplines to empower Indigenous students is led by Dr Hazel Abraham.  The research team members are Dr Hazel Abraham (project lead), Professor Tania Ka’ai,  Tania Smith-Henderson, Donald Ripia (Te Ipukarea Research Institute), Professor Tek Tjing Lie, Dr Junior Nomani (School of Engineering, Computer & Mathematical Sciences), Thomas Watts (School of Communication Studies).

Project 4: Funded by a faculty learning and grant

A collaborative project that created a repository that centres the voices of Māori & Pacific students who were recipients of the DCT Excellence Awards in 2021.  

Professor Tania Ka’ai (project lead), Tania Smith-Henderson, Dr Hazel Abraham, (Te Ipukarea Research Institute), Thomas Watts, Va'a Magalogo, Caitlin Head, Nogiata Tukimata, Patrick Sharrow & Faasulu Fepuleai Pacific students (School of Communication Studies) and Māori and Pacific postgraduate students in Te Ipukarea

Selected Publications:

Haar, J., Ka'ai, T., Ravenswood, K. & Smith, T. (2019). Ki te tahatū o te rangi:  Normalising te reo Māori across non-traditional Māori language domains.  Wellington, New Zealand:  Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.

Smith, T. (2017).  Te awe o te kaiwhakahaere:  The role of Māori administrators in universities.  (Master's thesis, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand).    

Smith, T. (2012). Making a difference: The role of the Māori administrator in Universities. Te Kaharoa.  5(1), 12-22

Ka‘ai, T., Ó Laoire, M., Ostler, N., Ka‘ai-Mahuta, R., Mahuta, D., & Smith, T. (Eds.) (2012). Language Endangerment in the 21^st Century: Globalisation, Technology and New Media - Foundation for Endangered Languages XVI Conference Proceedings. Auckland: Te Ipukarea and Printsprint, AUT University.