Associate ProfessorRachael Ka'ai-Mahuta

Dr Rachael Ka'ai-Mahuta currently teaches on DIGD507 Mahitahi | Collaborative Practices, a faculty wide paper in Te Ara Auaha, the Faculty of Design and Creative Technologies (DCT). The paper examines and promotes collaborative practices including communication, decision-making, problem solving, conflict management, and compromise through the introduction of traditional Māori narratives, cultural concepts, and proverbs. Rachael has been a recipient of three awards as part of the DIGD507 development and teaching team, including a Vice-Chancellor's Commendation for Teaching Excellence, a Te Ara Auaha Kaupapa Māori Award, and a Waipuna-ā-rangi Kaupapa Māori Educator Award. 

One of Rachael's strengths is curriculum development. While in Te Ara Poutama, Faculty of Māori & Indigenous Development (2011-2016), Rachael developed two new papers, one at the Masters level, 'Indigenous Politics', and one in the undergraduate programme, 'Introduction to Conversational Māori' which went on to become one of the biggest papers in terms of enrolments in Te Ara Poutama. In addition, Rachael has co-developed a further three new papers, two at the Masters level in Te Ara Poutama, 'Te Mana o Te Reo' and 'Contemporary Expressions of Pacific Identity', and the previously mentioned faculty-wide paper in DCT, 'Mahitahi – Collaborative Practices'. Rachael has also been involved in restructuring and refining existing papers at AUT.

Previously, Rachael has taught on several undergraduate and postgraduate papers at AUT. Rachael has convened the undergraduate Māori language papers 'Te Kākano I' and 'Introduction to Conversational Māori', as well as papers in the Master of Arts in Māori Development, 'Tā te Ao Mārama' and 'Indigenous Politics'. In addition, Rachael has taught or guest lectured on the following postgraduate papers at AUT: 'Research Methods & Indigenous Methodologies', 'Contemporary Expressions of Pacific Identity', and 'Te Mana o Te Reo'.

From 2014 to 2016, Rachael was the programme lead for the Master of Arts in Māori Development.