May Road School
The Tuwhiri in Schools workshop at May Road School focused on empowering students aged 8-10 to tell stories about their place through art, supported by augmented reality. Themes included Kaitiakitanga (guardianship), Te Taiao (environmentalism), the story of Kaiwhare, and the cultural significance of Pukewiwi/Puketāpapa (Mount Roskill)
Our Place
May Road School is a multicultural learning community situated in Mount Roskill. We celebrate the diversity of the learners within our school and believe in building strong relationships/partnerships with whānau to enhance student success. Staff, students and whānau alike respect each other and our environment.
Our vision statement, ‘value yourself, value your learning and respect all others’ encompasses our belief, as a human rights school, that all students should be given the opportunity to learn in a supportive and forward thinking environment.
Our Stories
Pukewiwi/Puketāpapa (Mount Roskill) is one of Tāmaki Makaurau's maunga and carries deep ancestral and ecological significance. Its tihi and slopes were once the site of extensive gardens, pā, and middens. The midden at May Road School contains evidence of shellfish consumption and local food collection, and the Te Tāpere stones are remnants of gathering places used for discussion and decision-making. These features tied in well with the school’s kaupapa and workshop themes.
Class discussion and research:
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kaitiakitanga and our role in protecting our land and our knowledge
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te taiao the living world and what it needs from us
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the story of the harbour guardian Kaiwhare and the story of how be brought the elder Hape to Aotearoa
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the cultural significance of the maunga Pukewiwi/Puketepapa, the midden and te tapere meeting stones, and the design of the playground.
Students hear about the areaMatua Jeff, Lynda, Whaea Helene and Dr. Hans
Our Process
Students explored how their tūpuna used natural systems around them including the midden, Te Tāpere meeting stones, the swamp, the forest, and the harbour (Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa) to live sustainably and in rhythm with the environment.
“The workshop was empowering, rich with community knowledge and connectedness... rich kōrero!.”
- Whaea Helene
Students received hands-on experiences creating their own interactive augmented reality art. Each workshop is guided by an experienced learning designer and creative practitioner using industry best practices catered to adjust to different learner types.
Students learn how to be the kaitiaki of our awa.
Our process:
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using our Insta-Pou rapid prototyping techniques students experimented with visual art techniques to reflect on and interpret ideas taken from the marae to quickly mock up AR pou within the first few minutes of the workshop
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we discussed metaphor how to express ideas with imagery around the rahui such as shelfish, kaitiaki and kai moana
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develop ideas through iterative process
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communicate ideas through the design of in-game 3D textures and shaders
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understand how our art is used in the production pipeline and assigning visual effects
Our Creations
Students help us decide on the location for the AR content to show.
Students worked individually to create pou for 4 different themed sites using mixed media 2D physical artwork scanned in to the app and texture effects.
Students involved: Lena, Malia-ana, Lucy, Desire,
Jayde-Sky, Toloa, Yati, Kleo, Tupou, Teina, Lee, Atuarangi, King, Tama, Conz, Dayton, Bryan
Ngā mihi nui to Kainga Ora for all their support in this significant project which acknowledges Mana Whenua and the special nature of our place.
The pou will appear as augmented reality models in the Tuwhiri app in 4 locations near May Road School.
App available now on Google Play and iOS.
