Posts by Hilary Stace
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Hard News: Briefing, blaming, backing down, in reply to Rich of Observationz,
Labour won the 1999 election with a policy of tax increases, and implemented it too. Asset sales were in the 2011 Nat P election policy but the ongoing strongly opposed opinion polls indicate that it is not a popular policy. Therefore. ethically, they should resubmit it to some kind of new consent process. A referendum is being sought, so why not go with that?
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RoO - I think they should have that as a possibility in the Participant Information Sheet (the election manifesto) just as possible future uses of data collected in the research project need to be specified (and consented to) on the original PIS. More usually, however, new uses of data need a new ethics approval process. So a major change in policy could be subject to a referendum, or some kind of citizens' assembly.
Opinion polls could be seen as indicative of ongoing consent - so if a policy was very unpopular as tested by some form of rigorous polling, and there was a an ethical government, they should do some form of re-engagement process.
But why should an increase in taxes on the wealthier be an uunpopular policy? Didn't Labour have this as part of their policy in 1999?
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Hard News: Briefing, blaming, backing down, in reply to merc,
With research projects you may have initial consent from your participants but you have to renegotiate this throughout the project, whenever you want their cooperation again. One of the fundamentals of informed consent is that participants can withdraw at any time without giving a reason and without any negative consequences for them. Therefore renegotiating consent requires the researcher to have an active relationship with the participant and continually re-earn their consent or assent. A researcher can't say, you signed the consent last November so I can now do what I want, The same ethical principles should apply in a democracy.
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That's great news but can I make a suggestion? Please can you have some more girls on your panel? What about bringing some local women from your audience onto the stage - people like Jackie and Sofie?
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Hard News: Briefing, blaming, backing down, in reply to Nat,
Sorry Nat (the Nats I know are Nathans or Nathaniels - or National Party members). You can call me 'he' in retaliation.
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Hard News: Briefing, blaming, backing down, in reply to Nat,
You're a good parent helping out like that. I'm sure the teacher and the kids appreciated it (although your son might not be so appreciative of having his father in the classroom when he is a teenager).
But it does give you insight, doesn't it? Some kids will be doing fine and the environment won't bother them, but others will really struggle and they are the ones who need lots more attention. They miss out in Year 2 and it is a long road to ever catch up.
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I am also a fan of the Royal Commission on Social Policy. There is some really good stuff in these volumes, but by the time it reported Rogernomics was dominating the political landscape and enlightened social policy didn't have a chance.
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Hard News: Briefing, blaming, backing down, in reply to David Chittenden,
Yes remember the Commission for the Future. Under the last Labour government there was also a wonderful community-wide discussion about the future of education in NZ, that sought feedback from all over the place and had a small secretariat in Wellington. Wonder what happened to their work? (National standards and increased class sizes were never raised as far as I can remember.
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Hard News: Briefing, blaming, backing down, in reply to David Chittenden,
Yes lots of wicked problems around these days, and people usually roll their eyes when you bring up the, now old hat, stuff about 'wicked' problems. But I like the analysis as it really challenges hierarchies, power relationships and encourages risky new ways of doing things. I particularly like that it provides an opportunity for those with lived experience to be brought into the process and have that expertise respected and valued.
For example, with the student achievement thing, the real experts are the students themselves so why not get some engagement process run by and for those in the so called tail, and everybody else just listens, writes or acts on what they suggest.
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Wrote this letter to the ed on 30 May (not surprisingly not published)
The National government has an admirable aim of lifting student achievement, and has come up with three solutions: national standards, performance pay and increasing class sizes (in exchange for more professional development). They have also plunged into the intractable world of 'wicked' problems.
As part of my public policy PhD I studied 'wicked' problems. These are issues that are complex and resistant to straightforward solutions. There is often little agreement about what the problem really is, or how to approach it, and attempts at resolving one area often lead to unintended negative consequences elsewhere.
My research suggested one vital approach in tackling wicked problems: policy people and politicians need to build good relationships with all parties involved, including those who have 'lived experience' of the issues. The wisdom of those who are the targets of the policies is invaluable in formulating solutions that will work in the real world.
However, in developing and implementing these policies the National Party has shut out those with front line experience - the teaching profession - and neither have they engaged with students themselves.
So I would not be surprised if these attempts at lifting student achievement fail.