Nicola Bright

Kairangahau Matua Māori | Senior Researcher
Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa

I uru atu a Nicola i te rōpū rangahau o Te Wāhanga i Poutū-te-rangi 2012. E whakaū ana a Nicola ki te whanake, ki te tautoko anō hoki i te reo Māori, te mātauranga, te tuakiri me te hauora. 
Nicola joined Te Wāhanga in March 2012. Her research interests include reo Māori revitalisation and education, identity, health and wellbeing. Contributing to the revitalisation of te reo Māori is a personal and lifelong passion, as is the ongoing exploration of kaupapa Māori research approaches that can make a positive difference for Māori learners and whānau. Nicola is an experienced kaupapa Māori researcher and evaluator who has led or co-led small and large scale research and evaluation projects in kaupapa Māori, Māori medium and English medium settings.

Nicola’s research / interests include:

  • Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga
  • Education through the medium of Māori
  • The histories of Aotearoa
  • Tuakiri
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Decolonisation and indigenisation
  • Kaupapa Māori theory and methodology
  • Qualitative methodologies

Publications

Poipoia ngā tamariki—How whānau and teachers support tamariki Māori to be successful in learning and education Research publication 2024
Definitions and uses of the term “decolonisation”—A brief overview of key literature Research publication 2024
Decolonising our approaches to educational research—Learning from our shared experiences at Rangahau Mātauranga o Aotearoa (NZCER) Research publication 2024
Hei whakaarotanga: Engaging with models of health and wellbeing that draw on mātauranga Māori Research publication 2024
Sorted Kāinga Ora Pathway to Home Ownership Programme—Evaluation report 2024 Research publication 2024
Working towards wellbeing rests on whanaungatanga and partnerships Journal article 2023
What does strategically planning for te reo Māori growth look like in schools? Blog post 2023
Ngā whai painga o Te Ao Haka—The positive impacts of Te Ao Haka for ākonga, whānau, and kaiako Research publication 2023
How do our own identities shape our relationships to Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories? Blog post 2023
Evaluation of Kia Takatū ā-Matihiko, National Digital Readiness programme Research publication 2023
Me kōrero tātou: critical conversations about growing te reo Māori in schools Blog post 2023
Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua – kia ora 2022/23 evaluation report Research publication 2023
What motivates people to become pou reo in their schools? Blog post 2022
He reo ka tipu i ngā kura: Growing te reo Māori in English-medium schools—Findings report Research publication 2022
Evaluation of the Sorted Pacific Peoples Pathways to Home Ownership (PPPH) programme Research publication 2022
Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua – kia ora: 2021/2022 evaluation report Research publication 2022
Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua – kia ora 2020/21 evaluation report Research publication 2021
He reo ka tipu i ngā kura: Growing te reo Māori in schools—Literature review Research publication 2021
Manaakitia ngā tamariki kia ora ai – Te hāpai i te waiora o te ākonga Research publication 2021
Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and Te Takanga o te Wā—Classroom and akomanga trialling of draft curriculum content Research publication 2021