Abstract:
This article shares good practice lessons relating to the running of an immersion studio designed to introduce planning students to working with an indigenous Māori community in New Zealand. The studio formed part of the four year undergraduate programme in planning, accredited by the New Zealand Planning Institute, and running in semester one of year three. The studio involved students working with the Te Hana project, a grassroots community initiative, and with the help of their teachers identifying outputs which would be most useful. The first of the outputs were delivered during a three day stay on the marae on week five and the second set of outputs on week twelve at a presentation to community representatives at the University marae. In terms of good practice, the immersion studio demonstrates what mutual benefits can be achieved through the development of a partnership approach to learning. The relationship with the community was based on the rangatira ki te rangatira principle (chief to chief) which ensured that the status, reputation and mana (influence) of the teaching team indicated the high value placed on the relationship by the University and equally the high status accorded to the studio by the community. The studio also demonstrated how to prepare students to avoid culturally offensive behaviour when they stepped outside their comfort zone.
