Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T13:38:03.119Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Indigenous Research Capability in Aotearoa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2013

Adreanne Ormond*
Affiliation:
Victoria University, Karori Campus, PO Box 17-310, Wellington 6147New Zealand. Email: adreanne.ormond@vuw.ac.nz
Les R. Tumoana Williams
Affiliation:
Victoria University, Karori Campus, PO Box 17-310, Wellington 6147New Zealand. Email: adreanne.ormond@vuw.ac.nz
*
address for correspondence: Adreanne Ormond, Victoria University, Karori Campus, PO Box 17-310, Wellington 6147New Zealand. Email: adreanne.ormond@vuw.ac.nz
Get access

Abstract

This article begins by considering the general nature of capability, from some dictionary meanings, then extends to theoretical perspectives related to the capability approach. As a consequence, we arrive at an operational definition that emphasises the ability to solve problems in a systematic way that brings transformation. In these terms, capability is seen as an inherent feature of the life process. The second part of this article presents a model of knowledge generation and illustrates how the development of capability is also an inherent feature of the research process in the fundamental goal of transforming both theory and practice. In the final section, we review and update the activities, initiatives and outcomes of the Capability Building program of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, from its beginning in late 2002 to the present, and show that this multi-level and networked program continues to be successful in building research capability. We end by listing some key objectives that are necessary for continuing to strengthen our research culture and capabilities for the future.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bernstein, N. (1967). The coordination and regulation of movements. London: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Fowler, H.W., & Fowler, F.G. (Eds.). (1964). The concise Oxford dictionary of current English (5th ed., rev. by McIntosh, E.). London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Grossberg, S. (1978). A theory of human memory: Self-organisation and performance of sensory-motor codes, maps and plans. In Rosen, R. & Snell, F. (Eds.), Progress in theoretical biology (pp. 233374). New York: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kahneman, D. (1973). Attention and effort. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.Google Scholar
McKinley, E., Grant, B., Middleton, S., Irwin, K., & Williams, L.R.T. (2009). Supervision of Māori doctoral students: A descriptive report. MAI Review, 1, 112. Retrieved from http://ojs.review.mai.ac.nz/index.php/MR/article/view/5/98Google Scholar
McKinley, E., Grant, B., Middleton, S., Irwin, K., & Williams, L.R.T. (2011). Working at the interface: Indigenous students’ experience of undertaking doctoral studies in Aotearoa New Zealand. Equity & Excellence in Education, 44 (1), 115132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maslow, A.H. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York: Harper & Row.Google Scholar
Morris, W. (Ed.). (1976). The American heritage dictionary of the English language. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.Google Scholar
Polanyi, M., & Prosch, H. (1975). Meaning. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Reed, E.S. (1982). An outline of a theory of action systems. Journal of Motor Behavior, 14 (2), 98134.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Warren, W.H. (1984). Perceiving affordances: Visual guidance of stair climbing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 10, 683703.Google ScholarPubMed
Welford, A.T. (1968). Fundamentals of skill. New York: Methuen.Google Scholar
Welford, A.T. (1970). On the nature of skill. In Legge, D. (Ed.), Skills (pp. 2132). Suffolk: Penguin Books.Google Scholar
Williams, L.R.T. (2005). A national database for Māori scholars: A proposal to the Ministry of Education. Unpublished manuscript.Google Scholar
Williams, L.R.T. (2006). Cognition, perception and action: Processes underlying problem-solving and well-being in single and double worlds. MAI Review, 1, 111. Retrieved from http://ojs.review.mai.ac.nz/index.php/MR/article/view/5/98Google Scholar
Williams, L.R.T. (2007). A transformative model and programme for Indigenous advancement through higher education, research and capability building. International Journal of Diversity in Organisations, Communities and Nations, 6 (6), 1722. Retrieved from http://ijd.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.29/prod.417CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, L.R.T., & Ormond, A. (2009). Capability building: Towards and MAI curriculum. Unpublished manuscript.Google Scholar
Williams, L.R.T., & Ormond, A. (2010). What is research? MAI Review, 3, 16. Retrieved from http://ojs.review.mai.ac.nz/index.php/MR/article/view/398/543Google ScholarPubMed
Williams, L.R.T., Smith, L.T., Kidman, J., Wilkie, M., Phillips, H., & McKinley, E. (2004). The Māori and indigenous doctoral support programme. Proceedings of the HERDSA 2004 Conference. Retrieved from http://www.herdsa.org.au/conference2004/Contributions/NRPapers/A063-jt.pdfGoogle Scholar
Williams, L.R.T., Keelan, T.J., & Puketapu, B. (2006, April). Cultivating Māori and Indigenous leaders through a national programme of capacity and capability development. Invited roundtable, New Zealand Administration and Leadership Society national Conference, ‘Leaders Make a Difference’, Nelson, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Williams, L.R.T., Smith, L.T., McKinley, E., & Smith, G.H. (2006, January). Developing research capacity and capability for Māori and indigenous doctoral students. Invited panel, 2006 Hawaii International Conference on Arts & Humanities, Honolulu, Hawaii.Google Scholar