Information for ākonga & whānau

About the kete

  • Te kete o hinengaro is a new set of interactive and culturally relevant learning tools designed to support student engagement, motivation, and wellbeing.

  • The kete will provide resources focused on mātauranga Māori, hauora, work-based and cognitive psychology to ākonga in the PSYC213 and PSYC463 classes being taught at Victoria University.

  • Better Engagement and Motivation: Many ākonga may struggle to stay motivated, which can affect their learning. TKH (in tandem with the two courses) aims to provide interactive, culturally meaningful activities that help keep students interested and involved.

    Psychological Wellbeing: Ākonga mental health is a growing concern, and it’s important to have tools that fit into everyday university life. These kete (resource kits) offer some support for stress reduction (for addressing your academic workloads) and overall psychological wellbeing. Please note, these resources are not a one-stop shop for curing people that may experience stress, anxiety, depression and other related matters. For further support, please check in at Mauri Ora (Student Health) for person-person support. E.g., Hinemoa Zuur - Kaiarahi Tauira, Maori Lead Counselling who is based at Mauri Ora.

    Culturally Inclusive Learning: Psychology should reflect and respect students’ backgrounds. Te Kete o Hinengaro is designed to be inclusive, particularly for students from underrepresented communities, neurodiverse learners, and those new to Aotearoa.

  • This initiative is all about making sure ākonga have the resources they need to succeed—both academically and in terms of their overall wellbeing. By integrating mātauranga Māori into psychology, we’re creating a more inclusive and meaningful learning experience for everyone.

    • Cultural engagement: Learning materials that boost confidence and connection.

    • Improved academic performance: Tailored resources enhance critical thinking and problem-solving.

    • Inclusive learning: Designed for Māori, Pacific, international, and neurodiverse ākonga

    • Career pathways: Prepares ākonga for future study and work with culturally relevant skills

  • Participants in the research will use and apply the resources supplied in the kete hinengaro and engage with te research team through kanohi ki te kaonhi sessions and online assessments to provide feedback on their usefulness.

  • Surveys and Questionnaires: Regularly distribute surveys to users—educators, ākonga, and whānau via Qualtrics—to gather feedback on the usability, educational value, and cultural relevance of the kete.

    Hui: Conduct focus groups with key participants to dive deeper
    into the qualitative aspects of user experience and satisfaction.

    Online Reviews and Analytics: Monitor feedback through
    online platforms such as Qualtrics, Tiktok and Youtube to see if
    the impact of kete are discussed.

  • Findings from feedback gathered will contribute to the limited research available on ākonga experience and help facilitate change at Victoria University by identifying the enablers and barriers that ākonga Māori encounter, in their learning and with an introduced te Kete o Hinengaro (Psychology kit) to enhance educational experience and outcomes for ākonga.

Participant FAQs

Image credit: Victoria University Facebook page

Download full information sheets

TKH Information Sheet for Ākonga

TKH Focus Group Protocols for Whānau and Ākonga

TKH Information Sheet for Whānau