Professor Tania Ka'ai

Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu, Native Hawaiian, Cook Island Māori, Sāmoan

Ngā Pārongo:

Nama wāea: +64 9 921 999 extn 6601
Īmēra: tkaai@aut.ac.nz

Ngā Tohu Mātauranga:

Dip Tchg, BEd, MPhil, PhD, CertMDP

Ngā Kaupapa Rangahau:

Language revitalisation strategies with a focus on the reo Māori (the Māori language) and Pacific languages, Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies, Māori education

Tauira Paerunga o nāianei:

Tohu Kairangi

John Patolo (primary)
Nogiata Tukimata (primary)
Jessica Worchel-Bunce (primary)
Adrienne Spratt (primary)
Lolina Rudolph (primary)
Pania Rongonui (primary)
Reona Anderson (primary)
Madison Stuart (primary)
Ngaturu Paparahi (primary)

Tohu Paerua Wānanga

Joanna Rogers (primary)
Huhana Moselen (primary)

KAUPAPA RANGAHAU:

Pūtea ā-waho

Te Hotonga Hapori – Connecting communities: Funded by Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), this project is led by Professor Scott Duncan, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT. For more information see Te Hotonga Hapori - Connecting Communities

Kei roto tō tātau rongoā: A community & whānau-based prevention approach for wellbeing: The project lead is Professor Denise Wilson, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT and is funded by the Health Research Council (HRC).

Addressing physical inactivity and world's challenges: Using a mātauranga Māori lens to better understand indigenous worldviews in physical activity and health: A Catalyst funded project, is led out by Professor Erica Hinckson, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT.

Stimuli-responsive cellulose surfactants: Forming emulsions that break on demand: This is a MBIE Smart Idea project that is led by Jack Chen, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT.

Optimising the full potential of friction sliding systems for earthquake resilient buildings: This MBIE funded project is led by Shahab Ramhormozian, Faculty of Design & Creative Technologies, AUT.

Improving Outcome of mild Traumatic Brain Injury with Advanced Brain Imaging: Funded by an HRC Emerging Research grant, the project lead is Mangor Pedersen, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT.

Tailoring isafe for New Zealand Covid-19 crises: The project lead is Jane Koziol-McLain, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT and is funded by MBIE.

School absenteeism – A potential early indicator of self-harm and suicidal behaviours in adolescent: The project lead is Irene Zeng, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT.

Create an innovative integrated mental-health system framework for Aotearoa: This project is funded by Oakley Mental Health Research Foundation and is led by Irene Zeng, Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences, AUT.

Pūtea ā-roto

Kaupapa Tuatahi: 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

Kaupapa Tuarua: 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, 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

Kaupapa Tuatoru: 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, 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).

Kaupapa Tuawhā: 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, 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

Ētahi Tuhituhinga:

Ka'ai, T. (2017) Te Whare Matihiko o Te Reo - Digital tools for the revitalisation of te reo Māori. In H. Whaanga, T. T. Keegan & M. Apperley (Eds.). He Whare Hangarau Māori - Language, culture & technology. (pp.29-41).Hamilton, New Zealand: Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao.

Ka'ai, T. (2017) Great-grandfather, please teach me my language. Multilingua: Journal of Cross-cultural and interlanguage communication Special Issue: In honor of Joshua Fishman, 36(5), 541-563. doi: 10.1515/multi-2017-3044

Ka’ai, T. M. (2015). Review of Merata Kawharu’s (ed) book Maranga Mai! Te Reo and Marae in Crisis. Journal of the Sociological Association of Aotearoa (NZ). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/nzsociology/journal

Ka'ai, T. M. (2013). Iti te kupu, nui te kōrero: The timeless compositions of Ngoi Pēwhairangi and Tuīni Ngāwai. In R. T. A. Ka'ai-Mahuta, T. M. Ka'ai, & J. C. Moorfield (Eds.), Kia Rōnaki: The Māori Performing Arts, (pp. 219-226). Auckland, New Zealand: Pearson. Retrieved from http://www.pearsoned.co.nz/9781486002405

Ka’ai, T.M., Moorfield, J.C. & O Laoire, M. (2013). New technologies and pedagogy in language revitalization: The case of Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In M. Jones, & S. Ogilvie (Eds.), Keeping Languages Alive: Documentation, pedagogy and revitalization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from http://www.cambridge.org/nz/academic/subjects/languages-linguistics/sociolinguistics/keeping-languages-alive-documentation-pedagogy-and-revitalization

Ka'ai-Mahuta, R. T. A., Ka'ai, T. M., & Moorfield, J. C. (2013). Kia Ronaki - The Maori Performing Arts. Auckland: Pearson. Retrieved from http://www.pearsoned.co.nz/9781486002405

Ka'ai, T. M. (2012). Empowering voices, transforming communities. Te Kaharoa, 5(1), 1-11. Retrieved from http://tekaharoa.com/index.php/tekaharoa/article/view/111

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