This project explores literature on unconscious bias that is relevant to the NZ education sector. It will also review evidence-based strategies that are designed to enable educators to surface unconscious bias and to develop critical awareness.
We will review national and international literature on racism and unconscious bias within the education sector, especially for priority groups such as Māori and Pasifika. We will then review strategies that have been found to be effective in surfacing unconscious bias and developing and growing critical awareness.
We will use the literature review and the review of strategies to make recommendations for approaches to working with unconscious bias within the education sector in NZ.
Research questions:
Our draft research questions are:
1. How can we define and identify unconscious bias in the NZ education sector?
2. How can we create the conditions to help educators become critically aware of unconscious bias and to develop and grow that awareness?