Dr Mo‘ale ‘Otunuku

Name: Dr Mo‘ale ‘Otunuku

Position: Fellow in Research & Assessment

Telephone: +676 29055 (Work)

Email: moale.otunuku@usp.ac.fj

Office: USP Tonga Campus, Tonga

Bio: Mo’ale is a Research Fellow and Head of the Institute of Education’s Research and Development Programme, University of the South Pacific. With research publications in classroom assessment and indigenous research methodologies, he is currently engaged in research, postgraduate supervision and professional development in classroom assessment and project management for the Institute’s projects in the Pacific region. From the village of Longomapu in the beautiful island of Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga, he trained as a secondary school teacher and taught in government high schools for many years in Tonga and New Zealand before completing graduate studies at the University of Auckland.

Current research projects

Tonga Education Support Activity (TESA)
Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF)
Continuing Professional Development

Qualification
EdD, Education
University of Auckland, New Zealand

MEd, (Hon)
University of Auckland, New Zealand

BA, English Literature & History/Politics
The University of the South Pacific, Fiji

PUBLICATIONS

Coxon, E., & ‘Otunuku, M. (2013). Review: Cook Islands Curriculum Framework. [Professional and Technical Reports]. Unpublished .

Coxon, E., Thaman, K. H., Smith , K., ‘Otunuku, M., Paunga, G. M., Foliaki, V., & Fua, S. J. (2012). Review: Tonga Institute of Education. [Professional and Technical Reports]. Unpublished. Retrieved from http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/5454

Fa’avae, D., ‘Otunuku, M., Robyns, R., & Siale, L. (n.d.). School related gender based violence: a case study in Tonga. Unpublished . Retrieved from http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/10815

Johansson-Fua, S., ‘Otunuku, M., & Toumu’a, R. (Eds.). (2020). It takes an island and an ocean. Retrieved from https://www.usp.ac.fj/ioe-ebook

‘Otunuku, M. (2011). How can talanoa be used effectively an an indigenous research methodology with Tongan people? Pacific-Asian Education , 23 (2), 43-52.

‘Otunuku, M. (2014). Educational Access and Teachers Professional Development Framework for Tuvalu.[Professional and Technical Reports] . Unpublished .

‘Otunuku, M. (2014, December). How can Tuvalu teachers’ performances be improved? (R. Toumu’a, Ed.) Weaving theory and practice in teacher education for Oceania.

‘Otunuku, M. (2014). Tongan parents’ conceptions of schooling in New Zealand. In M. ‘Otunuku, U. Nabobo-Baba, & S. Johansson-Fua, Of Waves, Winds and Wonderful Things: A Decade of Rethinking Pacific Education. Suva, Fiji: University of the South Pacific Press.

‘Otunuku, M., & Brown, G. T. (2007). Tongan students’ attitudes towards their subjects in New Zealand relative to their academic achievement. Asia Pacific Education Review, 8 (1), 117-128. Retrieved from http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/6167

‘Otunuku, M., & Finau, T. (2019). Public Perceptions of Child and Adult Poverty in Tonga [Professional and Technical Reports]. Institute of Education, University of the South Pacific . Retrieved from http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/11925

‘Otunuku, M., Brown, G. T., & Airini. (2013). Tongan secondary students’ conceptions of schooling in New Zealand relative to their academic achievement. Asia Pacific Education Review, 1-15. doi:10.1007/s12564-013-9264-y

‘Otunuku, M., Fa’avae, D., Toumu’a, R., & Robyns, R. (2017). Culture of Testing. Institute of Education, University of the South Pacific, Tonga Campus. Retrieved from http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/11305

‘Otunuku, M., Finau, T., & Reynolds, M. (2020). Excellence in teaching: a review of professional standards for teachers in the Pacific SIDS [Professional and Technical Reports]. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and UNESCO Office for the Pacific States. Retrieved from http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/12380

‘Otunuku, M., Johansson-Fua, S., & Nabobo-Baba, U. (Eds.). (2014). Of Waves, Winds and Wonderful Things: A Decade of Rethinking Pacific Education. Suva, Fiji: University of the South Pacific Press.

Smith, K., & ‘Otunuku, M. (2015). Transforming Literacy in Tonga Through Metaphor. The Solo Journal: Educational Foundations and Social Justice Education, 99-112. Retrieved from http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/9431

RESEARCH

Research Interests
Classroom assessment, indigenous research methodologies, teacher education & professional development.

Project Involvement

Tonga Education Support Activity (TESA), Ministry of Education & Training, 2019 – 2021
Republic of Marshall Islands – Improving Quality of Basic Education (IQBE), RMI Public School System, 2018 – 2023.
Skills and Employment for Tonga (SET), Tonga Ministry of Education & Training, 2020
Pacific Teachers Professional Standards, UNESCO, 2019
Continuing Professional Development for Teachers in the Asia-Pacific Region, UNESCO, 2021

ENGAGEMENT

Honorary Research Associate, Impact Research, New Zealand
Member, History & Working Committees, Tonga College Old Boys Association, Tonga College