Reo Māori ki ngā Rorohiko o te Kura: Internship Report

Author: Tara Dalley. Supervisor: Dr Te Taka Keegan The aim of this research was to determine the level of awareness and willingness to use software with a te reo Māori interface by the Māori medium education sector. The literature describes the importance and function of language in culture, society and as a part of identity; te reo Māori is an important part of Māori culture and reflects the values and principles of the Māori worldview. There is much written about the decline of te reo Māori due to factors such as colonisation, assimilation and urbanisation; however, there has been much effort in reviving and maintaining te reo Māori. Māori medium education is one such effort, and with the increasing use and importance of information technology, the development of software with te reo Māori interfaces has also been a beneficial advancement. Dr. Keegan’s larger project aims to survey all 84 of the listed Māori immersion schools; this report focuses on results for 24 schools.