School of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

A central question that animates my research is: What supports quality teaching? I have applied this question to curriculum-based teaching and learning in schools, teacher preparation, my own teaching within initial teacher education, and more broadly to teaching in the academy. 

My research coalesces around the practice of teaching and lived experiences of teachers and learners. I have published in relation to curriculum issues and developments and how teachers navigate curriculum changes, teacher development and teacher preparation programmes and systems, practice-focused research in initial teacher education, pre-service teacher identity development as culturally responsive and sustaining teachers and as critically engaged educational professionals, twenty-first century education and development of critical information literacy and digital citizenship, social sciences education, and gender relations and ICT in schooling contexts. 

A major research project I was involved in as a co-investigator was the Teaching and Research Learning Initiative (TLRI) research project titled "Shifting the conceptualisation of knowledge and learning in the integration of the new New Zealand Curriculum in initial and continuing teacher education." My current research projects relate to understanding curriculm developments and teachers' voices in relation to curriculum changes, practice-oriented assessment in teacher education, and exploration of the complexity of teaching.

I began my career as a secondary school teacher, before moving into teacher education and academia. This grounding as a teaching professional means that I value relationships with teachers and their roles as curriculum leaders and developers.

My research is broadly cross-disciplinary in nature and has two key areas. The first is an interrogation into what cognitive development in learners looks like, primarily the study of the development of literacy ability, and its component factors, from early childhood to adolescence. This includes exploring factors that influence development such as executive function, neurodiversity, wellbeing, learning difficulties, use of digital technologies, and home literacy practices. The second research area examines what the beliefs and practices of parents and of teachers looks like, and the implications for children. This includes what exploring what effective literacy instruction looks like in the use of explicit instruction, text use, the application of teacher knowledge and how to meet the needs of students. My research explores these areas in English learning but also examines literacy development and learning across languages.

My research has led to my involvment in the changes to literacy practices across the motu. I led the development of the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series and the Scope and Sequence underpinning the series for the Ministry of Education. I also contributed to the development of the Better Start Literacy Approach (BSLA). Other national level work for the Ministry of Education includes being a member of the Literacy and Communication Group that developed the unpublished Common Practice Model, being a member of the writing team for the redevelopment of the Year 0-6 English curriculum in Te Matāiaho, revising aspects of the PACT assessment tool, and contributing the the development of the Phonics Check assessment used in the first year of school.

Current research supervision (Masters and PhD) is available in the following areas:

• Factors related to learning to read and spell words in beginning readers and learners experiencing difficulties, including orthographic learning, the use of decodable texts, levels of explicit instruction, early literacy experiences
• Kaiako / teacher experiences, self-efficacy, knowledge, beliefs and practices in literacy across the educational sectors 
• Home literacy experiences and the relationship to literacy and langugage including well-being, self-efficiacy, bilingual learning, and literacy outcomes

Dr. Jude Bautista is Senior Lecturer of Literacy Education at the School of Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment of the Faculty of Education, University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Prior to working at UC, he was Associate Professor of Reading, Literacy, and Language Education in the College of Graduate Studies and Teacher Education Research of the Philippine Normal University in Manila, Philippines. He has a background as a teacher-educator, working with a diverse range of student populations including postgraduate and initial teacher education students across the Philippines. Prior to his university career, he was a primary school educator, teaching the English language to speakers of other languages (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Filipino students).

Dr. Bautista has a background as lead researcher in the Philippine Literacy Coordinating Council's national policy project relevant to developing the country's foundational framework for exemplary community-based literacy programmes and engagement. His research methods are mostly qualitative and mixed, employing designs such as grounded theory, phenomenology, hermeneutics, narrative inquiry, critical visual and multimodal discourse analysis, and verbal protocols, among others.

Dr. Bautista holds undergraduate qualifications in Elementary Education and Literacy Education, an MA in Teaching Reading, and a PhD in Reading Education, all from the Philippine Normal University. Currently, he is also pursuing another postgraduate qualification in Indigenous Studies at the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Dr. Bautista is a licensed professional teacher (registered) both in the Philippines and in New Zealand.

Studying towards a Doctor of Philosophy
Working thesis title:
The Role of cultural practices in te reo Māori language revitalisation
He whare kōrero te Whare Pora. A House of Weavers and speakers. What is the Role of Cultural Practice in Language Revitalisation?

Qualifications & Memberships

Bachelor of Education (University of Waikato)
Diploma of Teaching (Primary) (University of Waikato)
Master of Education, Hōaka Pounamu | Māori Bilingual and Immersion Teaching and Learning (University of Canterbury)
Research Interests
Rahera Cowie (Ngāi Tahu, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Kahu) is a lecturer in Mātauranga Māori (Initial Teacher Education) and Hōaka Pounamu (Master's of Māori Education). Her research focuses on the traditional art of raranga (weaving) and the revitalisation of te reo Māori. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the  University of Waikato and a Master of Māori Education endorsed by Hōaka Pounamu from the University of Canterbury. Her interests include Māori language revitalisation, advancing Mātauranga Māori in education, and the global revitalisation of Indigenous knowledge systems.

Dr Joseph Houghton is a Senior Lecturer Above the Bar in the School of Curriculum, Assessment and Pedagogy. His research focuses on Pacific education, Pacific research methodologies, educational leadership, and the relationships between schools, communities, and education systems. He is particularly interested in how Pacific learners, families, and communities experience education in diasporic contexts, and how educational institutions can better recognise and respond to the diversity of Pacific identities, aspirations, and ways of knowing.

Joseph's doctoral research explored how Pacific voices can be amplified within secondary school settings through meaningful collaboration between students, families, community leaders, teachers, and school leaders. Guided by the Cook Islands Tīvaevae methodology, Talanoa, and Participatory Action Research, his work examined belonging, cultural identity, educational aspirations, and the role of schools in fostering authentic partnerships with Pacific communities.

A central focus of Joseph's scholarship is the application and development of Pacific research methodologies, particularly the use of Tīvaevae as a Cook Islands-centred framework. Drawing on Cook Islands epistemologies and relational approaches to knowledge creation, his research explores how Pacific methodologies can support collaborative, culturally grounded inquiry across diverse educational and community settings.

Prior to joining academia, Joseph spent more than fifteen years as a secondary school teacher and educational leader, working alongside Pacific students, families, and communities. More recently, he has held leadership and advisory roles within the Ministry of Education, contributing to system-level improvement across policy and practice. These experiences continue to shape his interest in research-informed approaches that strengthen connections across the education ecosystem and improve outcomes for learners and communities.

I have worked in education for over 20 years, beginning my career as a secondary school teacher before moving into curriculum and assessment advisory roles. My work has spanned both primary and secondary sectors, where I’ve supported teachers and school leaders in designing and delivering effective, responsive curricula.

My research is grounded in practice-based inquiry, with a focus on improving the quality of teaching and enhancing student experiences—particularly within Initial Teacher Education (ITE). A recent project, supported by a University of Canterbury scholarship through the Distributed Leadership in Teaching programme, explored culturally responsive practice by integrating cultural narratives into social studies education.

Currently, my research investigates equity-focused approaches in ITE, examining how these practices shape teacher development and student outcomes. I’m also interested in the growing field of alternative pathways into teacher education and how these models can foster a more inclusive and diverse teaching workforce.

Kate's research mahi focuses on student engagement in the performing arts, emotional safety, and student agency. She is a passionate action researcher and social constructionist whose work is grounded in collaborative and relational approaches with students, teachers, and communities. Her research is driven by a commitment to working alongside participants to generate meaningful knowledge and create positive social change.

Before entering higher education, Kate taught in primary and secondary schools for 26 years as both a generalist primary teacher and a specialist performing arts teacher. She continues to work closely with schools through research partnerships and professional engagement, ensuring that her teaching and research remain current, relevant, and informed by practice.

As a drama educator, Kate is passionate about finding ways to bring drama into everyday learning, particularly through process drama and drama for learning. She also practises what she teaches through her ongoing involvement in the arts. Her creative pursuits include improvisation, clowning, filmmaking, orchestral performance (flute and violin), and contemporary dance. These experiences continue to inform her teaching, research, and understanding of the transformative potential of the arts.

An early career researcher, Kate welcomes opportunities to supervise and co-supervise graduate students and to collaborate with colleagues across disciplines. She is a published researcher who regularly presents at national and international conferences, including BERA, OCIES, NZARE, AARE, and practitioner-focused conferences such as Whakaari Aotearoa Drama New Zealand. Kate welcomes enquiries from postgraduate students interested in performing arts education, arts-based learning, student voice and agency, emotional safety, participatory research, and action research.

Jessie Shuker's professional background includes primary classroom teaching, including leading Kaupapa Māori, Pasifika, and Health & Wellbeing initiatives in schools. She is now a lecturer in Initial Teacher Education, teaching and cowriting courses across the Ako Bachelor of Teaching and Learning degree, primary endorsement. Jessie supports teaching and coordination across the three years, including Mathematics, Curriculum, and Professional Inquiry.

Dr Valerie Sotardi (PhD, University of Arizona, USA, 2013) is Associate Professor of Educational Psychology and Quantitative Research at the University of Canterbury.

Her research addresses pressing challenges in youth mental health and educational psychology, with a specific focus on the role of schools in fostering student wellbeing among adolescents and young adults.

Central to Dr Sotardi’s research is the study of school and classroom climates, particularly how students’ perceptions of psychological safety and teacher-student communication influence academic and personal outcomes. She investigates how these relational and environmental factors impact learning, achievement, motivation, and mental health. Her current projects, including research funded by the New Zealand Health Research Council, explore the interpersonal dynamics that shape youth wellbeing, with the goal of optimising mental health service delivery in schools and their surrounding communities.

A significant strand of her work focuses on the mechanisms underlying help-seeking attitudes and behaviours. Dr Sotardi examines the conditions under which young people seek support during times of challenge, spanning early adolescence through early adulthood. Her research emphasises the interplay between psychological safety—whether students feel comfortable and secure in their environment—and help-seeking behaviours, offering a nuanced understanding of how these dimensions collectively influence educational and mental health outcomes. This integration highlights the importance of creating environments where academic success and wellbeing are interwoven priorities.

Methodologically, Dr Sotardi’s expertise lies in quantitative research, particularly the utilisation of “big data” to uncover trends and patterns that inform educational practices. Additionally, she employs qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to capture the nuanced experiences of young people. This methodological breadth allows Dr Sotardi to address complex research questions and offer comprehensive insights.

Her technical expertise encompasses advanced statistical analysis, psychometric assessment, and the design and implementation of large-scale surveys and longitudinal studies. Complementing these quantitative methods, she employs qualitative techniques, including in-depth interviews, to explore the complexity of youth experiences. Dr Sotardi has also developed innovative protocols that integrate thematic qualitative analysis with artificial intelligence, providing a cutting-edge approach to understanding youth mental health.

Dr Sotardi’s research agenda reflects a commitment to advancing the education sector’s capacity to support young people effectively. Her work informs teacher training programmes that equip educators with the psychological tools and strategies needed to foster student wellbeing. Equally, she prioritises collaboration among schools, families, communities, and mental health services to build evidence-based interventions. By bridging the education and mental health sectors, her research addresses critical gaps, contributing to the holistic support of young people in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.

Dr Sotardi leads the NZ Learning, Achievement, & Motivated Behaviour (NZ LAMB) Research Lab (www.nzlamb.org) and co-founded the Quantitative Research in Education SIG of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE). She has published widely in high-impact journals, including Stress & Health, Personality and Individual Differences, Psychology in the Schools, Anxiety, Stress & Coping, and the Journal of Adolescence. Dr Sotardi holds editorial positions with Frontiers in Education: Student Wellbeing and Mental Health, Studies in Higher Education, and Educational Psychology. An experienced grant leader, Dr Sotardi has secured funding from organisations such as the Health Research Council, Ako Aotearoa, and Unlocking Curious Minds – He Hiriri I Te Mahara. Her leadership extends to conference convening, where she has organised and contributed to multiple national and international events. She has delivered multiple keynotes and hundreds of research presentations to diverse audiences, blending academic rigour with practical insights.

Dr Sotardi welcomes opportunities for collaboration within her areas of expertise, including educational psychology, youth mental health, and advanced quantitative methodologies. She is also currently accepting postgraduate students for supervision, particularly those interested in exploring the factors influencing young people’s learning, motivation, and mental health.

Interested parties are invited to contact her at valerie.sotardi@canterbury.ac.nz.