John Murrie (left) and members of the Mental Health and Addiction Team (from left) Hoani Moriarty, Associate Professor Chrissy Severinson and Associate Professor Andy Towers. Not pictured: Luke Rowe, Philip Brookes and Andrea Meni.
Te Whatu Kairangi, previously known as the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards, is the most recognised and respected awards programme for tertiary education and training in Aotearoa New Zealand administered annually by Ako Aotearoa. The awards celebrate outstanding tertiary educators who are making a difference to learners, their whānau and communities.
School of Aviation Lecturer John Murrie, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Apa, has been awarded a Te Whatu Kairangi General - Individual Award for his innovation in learning, teaching and innovation.
Mr Murrie earned the award for being an outstanding practitioner in aviation training, employing highly innovative and unique teaching methodologies to ensure every learner’s needs are met.
His award citation commends him for always being student-centred and for forming successful student-teacher partnerships to reduce the complexity of a course, which has had a positive effect on student learning and outcomes.
Mr Murrie’s colleagues describe him as “a generous and empathetic teacher who can readily draw on his own experiences as a learner.” His teaching practices have been adopted by his former students who have gone on to become aviation instructors themselves.
School of Aviation Chief Executive Officer Ashok Poduval says Mr Murrie has always been a great asset for the School of Aviation.
“We are proud that he is one of us. The Te Whatu Kairangi award is well deserved and speaks to his outstanding contribution to aviation education and training. My heartiest congratulations to John for another commendable accolade.”
The College of Health’s Mental Health and Addiction Team has been awarded a Te Whatu Kairangi General - Group Award for its efforts to decolonise mental health and addiction training in Aotearoa.
The team is led by Associate Professor Christina Severinsen and Associate Professor Andy Towers, alongside Hoani Moriarty, Philip Brookes, Luke Rowe and Andrea Meni.
Using their collective expertise and networks, the team established the first university-based undergraduate pathway into addiction practice, the Bachelor of Health Science (Mental Health and Addiction). The curriculum integrates hauora Māori and public health perspectives to challenge dominant western frameworks.
The team’s work is learner-centred and addresses the needs of Māori and non-Māori learners. They make innovative use of Sir Mason Durie’s Whakapiri (Engagement) Framework to support a learning environment that fosters deep relationships and student success. With flexible online delivery, the programme reaches a diverse, non-traditional student cohort, removing barriers to education and promoting inclusivity.
Ultimately, the team is helping to develop graduates who are passionate about supporting change, embracing respect, aroha and hope.
Dr Towers says the award is a fantastic recognition for the team and shows that excellent teaching is founded on engaging with students.
“Our challenge was to design a mental health and addiction training programme that is delivered online, covers clinical skills, te ao Māori knowledge, social engagement skills and health science expertise, and engages students from across the motu who are studying part-time while managing their own whanau and work commitments.
“The Whakapiri Framework was key to achieving this and ensuring that we stayed connected with our students throughout their journey in the programme. The feedback from our students, their employers and the wider mental health and addiction sector has been amazing and it confirms the value of structuring a programme around a Māori engagement framework.”
Head of School of Health Sciences Associate Professor Rachel Page says she’s incredibly proud of the team.
“Their passion in learning and teaching is at the forefront of everything they do. They are always wanting to improve how they do things and their engagement with distance students always involves asking the students what they, as academics, can do better. The key to their success is their brilliant teamwork and support of each other and this award highlights this beautifully.”
The 2024 Te Whatu Kairangi Aotearoa Tertiary Educator Awards ceremony will be held at Parliament on 4 November, and will be hosted by the Hon Penny Simmonds, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills. This year, 11 individuals and groups will receive awards.
Read more here.
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