He manu hou ahau, he pī ka rere: The transition of Māori language immersion students to the University of Otago

Abstract

The primary objective of this thesis is to investigate the transitional experiences of graduates from Māori language immersion secondary schools to tertiary education. The thesis will show how Māori language immersion schools provide educational experiences that differ from mainstream schools and how this affects the transition of Māori language immersion education students to the University of Otago. Through the experiences of six students who attended Māori language immersion schools this thesis will explore their academic and social transition to the University of Otago. It will look at the coping mechanisms that the participants employed and the services the University provides that were utilised to help them transition into a new educational setting. This thesis will highlight the effectiveness of the University of Otago in facilitating the transition of Māori language immersion education students to the university, and where improvements could be made.