Research Activity

The Pagoda Teaching Development and Research Centre was established by the Trust Board to conduct original research and disseminate best practices throughout the industry. Staff have conducted exemplar investigations and have presented the  findings at international conferences and in respected reviewed journals.

By actively questioning, researching and reflecting on daily practices and seeking opportunities for improvement (for example with the aid of information  technology) the Pagoda aims to become a true “Centre of Excellence” so that others, especially children, can benefit. These endeavours make the Pagoda almost unique within its sector.

The facility was officially opened in late-2007 by Prime Minister Helen Clark, jointly officiated by Professor Alister Jones (then Dean of the  Waikato University School of Education). Also in attendance were  two Members of Parliament with education portfolios: Sue Moroney and Mark Burton. The Prime Minister remarked at the time : 

"I haven't seen anything else like this in early childhood education in NZ... this is so exciting... world-leading... this is just incredible... I am so really very, very impressed by what I've seen..."

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Research Funding

$750,000 for construction and outfitting. 2006

$15,000 for potential use of tablet-PC technology in ECE. 2008

$15,000 est. per annum ongoing research related expenses. 2011-

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Refereed Conferences and Publications

Deakins, E. and Vossen, G. (2010), Women leading and learning through present-day web linking technology, International Journal of Knowledge and Learning, 6 (1), 1-27.

Deakins, E. (2007). The Role of Meaningful Dialogue in Early Childhood Education Leadership, Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 32(1), March 2007, 38-46.

Deakins, E., Greenhalgh, R. and Chian, Chunying. (2006) Women Leading and Learning through Linking, Proceedings of the 2nd Women as Global Leaders Conference, Abu  Dhabi.