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Barefoot Lifestyle: Investigating how natural yields derived from ecological systems can create resilience and community engagement
Get PDFBarefoot Lifestyle (BL) is a practice-based project, with a holistic approach that is aiming to create, support and encourage regenerative ecosystems within the environment and the community for the purpose of building sustained holistic resilience. Through the use of action research the project investigated how natural yields produced from these systems could be developed into an alternative food network accessible to the local community. The process highlighted the importance of diversity, being flexible and adaptable when creating resilience
Performance comparison of IPv6 in 802.11ac WLAN in Windows and Linux environment
Get PDFIn this paper, the performance of IEEE 802.11ac wireless LAN is analysed and compared for two operating systems, Windows, and Linux Ubuntu. Parameters measured are throughput, latency, and CPU utilization for TCP, UDP, IPv4, and IPv6. For both wireless 802.11ac network implementations studied, client-server and peer-to-peer, our results shows that the throughput for both Windows and Ubuntu is much higher in IPv4 than IPv6. IPv6 also has higher RTT and higher CPU utilization than IPv4. TCP has lower bandwidth than UDP, and Windows had lower throughput than Linux. The highest throughout achieved in systems considered is for client server with IPv4 and UDP at throughput of 757Mbps for Windows and 798Mbps for Ubuntu. For channel size of 80MHz we could not reach theoretical limit of 1.3Gbps for wireless LAN 802.11ac
The factors influencing brand loyalty in purchasing pet food in New Zealand
No full textPet ownership is becoming popular throughout the world and hence the pet food industry has been growing. New Zealand’s contribution to the global pet food industry is significant as the country has the second-highest proportion of households with pets in the world. The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that build brand loyalty among pet (Cat and Dog) food customers in New Zealand. For this, the objectives of this research were to: identify the factors that determine the decision-making process in purchasing pet food; understand the contribution of communication mix in building brand loyalty; and analyse the factors of switching pet food brands. The study employed a mixed-method approach to collect data from the study participants; survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used. A total of 123 valid survey questionnaires were collected from the participants and four interviews were conducted in Invercargill. The results revealed that the majority (69%) of New Zealand pet owners are women and cats are the most popular pets. The brand image is the most important factor among pet food customers when purchasing pet food and in switching pet food brands. The research also identified that price, product availability, family/friend recommendations, and online reviews are other key determinants when making a purchase decision and switching current brands. Lastly, the study found, that factors such as traditional advertising (eg: TV advertising), in-store sales promotions, product quality, digital marketing, and online reviews are key factors in building brand loyalty among pet owners in New Zealand. The findings of this study have important implications for pet food industry in New Zealand. Specific strategies outlined in this research can influence pet owners purchasing decisions and develop marketing strategies and communication mix to build brand loyalty. Future research can use the findings of this research and focus on a specific type of pet (either Cat or Dog) and further investigate the effects of online reviews in building brand loyalty and influencing the decision-making process of New Zealand pet owners
Resilience in daily routines for children with autism
No full textMethodology: Socio-cultural, qualitative
Aim- To know what is out there
Questions:
What characteristics are identified within the literature in relation to resilience and autism?
What information can be retrieved that would help the parents and educators to identify resilience strategies that a child with autism uses throughout the day?
Research tool:
Literature review-Integrative
Experiential case stud
Comparison of paired-and multiple-stimulus preference assessments using a runway task by dogs
No full textPreference assessments identify foods that might be valued by an animal but do not capture differences in the magnitude of value. In combination with demand, the more effort required to acquire the commodity – the more valued and likely it is to function as an effective reinforcer for use in dog training. In the current experiment, two preference assessments' applicability was measured using a combination of choice assessment and effortful runway task. Eight dogs experienced a paired stimulus preference assessment and multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessments combined with a 3-m runway task. The preference assessments identified different most-preferred foods, but the same least-preferred foods. The reinforcer assessment results showed that the dogs moved faster to obtain their most preferred food as identified by the multiple stimulus without replacement assessment compared to the most preferred foods identified in the paired stimulus assessment. The paired- or multiple-stimulus-without-replacement preference assessments identified highly valued foods; however, the applicability of that commodity as a reinforcer was not independent of the assessment method. To ensure accurate reinforcer identification and consistency, a preference assessment should be conducted under similar conditions to that experienced when the reinforcer is used in training. Overall, the multiple stimulus without replacement preference assessment would be more useful to trainers, owners or scientists wanting to identify high-value foods for their animals to function as effective reinforcers for the elicitation of behaviors in a training contex
Evaluating the role of exam blueprinting as a tool to improve the exam quality and students’ achievements
Get PDFBACKGROUND
The written exam is a complicated step in the educational process; this step is of equal importance to teachers and learners. Students are frequently asking their teachers “what are the topics that will be assessed in tests, and marks allocated to each topic? Exam blueprinting provides a well-organized constructive solution to answer these questions and increases the validity of examinations and students’ success.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the role of the exam blueprinting; as a tool to improve the exam quality and student’s achievement in anatomy and physiology course in medical imaging students.
METHODOLOGY
The grades’ data of Anatomy and Physiology course HEAL 5421 were compared in two successive years; 2019 and 2020. This is a cross-sectional study that compared grades of the 2019 cohort (34 students- group A) who have submitted all their tests/exams in the traditional method, and the 2020 cohort (36 students group B), who have submitted their tests/exams with the gaudiness of test blueprint.
RESULTS
The study showed a significant increase in all the students' grades particularly cohorts 2020 with an average (77%-90%). Students were strongly felt that there was an appropriate distribution of questions across topics and appropriate weightage given anatomy related to medical imaging importance, tests and examinations were fair. Also, students in group B were strongly felt that blueprints align assessment with learning outcomes of the course and preparing them very well for their tests and exam.
CONCLUSIONS
Blueprinting is a valid tool to align objectives with assessment, it also indicates the marks carried by each question, distribution of appropriate weightage, and questions across the topics. Moreover, it helps them to attempt tests/examinations better. The blueprint should be an integral part of the moderation process of any written assessment. It is also useful to prepare the test blueprint and hand it to the students before the test/exa
Taurua’s whare
No full textThis paper will discuss Taurua’s whare: a whare built to memorialise Taurua Nātana, his mokopuna, and others and to shelter manuhiri engaged in the pōhiri process at Waiōhau marae. Taurua’s whare is part of the Waiōhau marae complex. The complex includes the wharenui, Tama-ki-Hikurangi—a whare built for the nineteenth-century prophet, Te Kooti (Rangiwai, 2021); a wharemate; a shelter for the paepae; a wharekai named after Te Kooti’s prophecy, Te Umutaoroa; a memorial flagpole, along with three other granite memorials; and a large ablution block. The focal point of the marae complex is the wharenui
A critical review of rangatahi Māori and housing policy: Working Paper for Urban Intergenerational Kāinga Innovations (UIKI) research programme
No full textThe literature review was developed for the Kāinga Tahi, Kāinga Rua Strategic Research Area as part of the Urban Intergenerational Kāinga Innovations (UIKI) research programme facilitated by the National Science Challenge 11 - Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities. The UIKI research programme investigates the potential of kāinga innovations to support intergenerational Māori housing aspirations and the diverse needs of whānau, hapū, iwi, and marae in Tāmaki Makaurau. Within the UIKI research programme, we have four research projects. However, for this working paper, we locate the critical review within the context of the research project ‘He tātai whetu ki te rangi, he rangatahi ki te kāinga: Rangatahi pathways to safe, secure and affordable homes’. The review was prepared by and for our rangatahi team to identify the gaps and opportunities in the current housing system, provide a brief overview of why we need to consider rangatahi Māori in housing policy, and identify areas for further research
Carter Holt Harvey Woodproducts Research House: a collaboration between student design–makers and a local building contractor
No full textCarter Holt Harvey Research House was a summer–school programme designed for architectural students to digitally design and fabricate a small dwelling in conjunction with construction professionals. The design required students to formulate a digitally sponsored construction system whereby small to medium enterprise (SME) construction contractors can collaboratively contribute to the assembly process. In turn, the student’s autonomy was preserved, and regulatory approvals could be gained. The method required the students to use 3D modelling software around the parameters of defined construction materials, using digitally controlled, and standard construction tools, to create prefabricated panels ready for simple and fast assembly. The process is an experiment in synchronizing the rhythms of human and machine capabilities, in an effort to cause efficient and accurate constructions. The findings showcase that the students faced challenges in organizational planning, from the arrangement of production line technique, to timing and speed of site assembly. The students learned that their design details and envisioned fabrication process did not always meet expectations. To ensure for a successful outcome, the students were required to learn how to improvise and amend the fabrication process. The contribution of the research found that the skills and instincts held by contractors and engineers is difficult to translate to digital concepts, until experience with material manipulation can be learned. The possible outcome may be amendments to the integration and strategies of digital planning