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Male secondary-school student engagement rates with school counsellors, as compared with female engagement rates
No full textThis article reports on a statistical investigation into the engagement rates of male secondary-school students with school counsellors in co-educational state secondary schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. The data analysis evidences a discrepancy between the engagement rates of male and female students, substantiating what has been known anecdotally: that male students are less likely than their female peers to meet with school counsellors. Data from 2615 counselling records across eight schools nationwide indicate that male students engage between 3% and 11% less than their female peers. Further research in 2022 is planned to investigate any barriers or constraints that could account for this discrepancy and expose possible facilitative factors that may increase male student engagement rates with school counsellors
The highs and lows of developing a transdisciplinary Research Centre and the importance of applied research
No full textUnitec’s strengths lie in its applied and practical focus and its strong relationships with community and industry. In 2011 Unitec developed a procedure for establishing research centres; formally-constituted groupings of researchers who work together to collectively achieve defined research aims, including the transfer of knowledge to stakeholders.
The Environmental Solutions Research Centre (ESRC) was established in 2019 to foster transdisciplinary, industry-engaged research to tackle waste and pollution challenges. Founded initially by three researchers, today it boasts 22 members, internal and external to Unitec, and directly employs six staff. Its membership includes chemists, biologists, engineers, computer scientists, and building and construction experts, alongside industry experts from waste management and minimisation, air quality, wastewater treatment and civil engineering.
Meeting the global challenges of degrading environments, climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions requires new research and innovation. ESRC aims to respond to these challenges through an economic, social and environmental lens. Raising funds and finding partners to assist with complex and often controversial research is not easy.
Since its establishment, ESRC has submitted 15 funding applications for funding, seven of which have been successful. Another four are awaiting outcomes and two are pending submission. Funding requested to date has amounted to ~600k having been secured. Funding sources include local and central government agencies and industry.
Although securing funding from industry is sometimes seen as “easier” than applying to contestable funds, which are extremely competitive, it does require extensive communication and co-ordination with multiple stakeholders. The benefit though is that there is a direct transfer of knowledge which can affect changes to policy and standard operating procedures. The main aims of this research are to investigate the challenges of securing funding for environmental research and to compare alternative approaches for seeking funding from public versus industrial sources
Te Pātaka Art Trail
No full textWairaka Public Art Trail A creative placemaking initiative that involves the development of a temporary public art trail, and a multidisciplinary programme of site-specific exhibitions and performances along public accessways, within the Wairaka site.
[Tanya White now known as Hinewaimarama Reihana-White
An analysis of assessment methods in practice-based vocational education: Is memory-based assessment valid for vocational students?
No full textSelf evaluative culture
Current practice
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• Do the current assessments methods in vocational education institutes meet learner abilities?
• Are learner abilities and learning styles considered in the assessment methods?
• Are there any international practices that can be used as a model to improve assessments in trades-based vocational education?
Literature review
Methodology
Findings
Discussion
Opportunities for improvement
Conclusion
Reference
A sustainability strategy implementation for a software development company: A comprehensive framework
No full textThis thesis describes the prompting research, circumstances and processes and the definition of a framework for business sustainability implementation.
This work-based research project journey unearthed several realisations about the complexity, uncertainty and contradiction of sustainability as a concept in the current economic and business environment. Therefore, I defined this framework to complement other sustainability models and manage a company's sustainability strategy and body of work within the company's operations. The framework is comprehensive in that it looks at sustainability as part of business operations - not as a standalone initiative.
The comprehensive framework is a 4-component framework that could help businesses integrate sustainability into business operations. The first component is a conceptual model, which illustrates this process of sustainability integration into the business. It depicts a working knowledge as the collection of inputs, for example, resources, research, stakeholder feedback and actions from the operating model. It then describes the processing of these inputs as an iterative cycle of action and learning. The funnel depicts the notion that the process is managed by values-based pragmatic leadership, implying that leaders take responsibility.
The second component of the framework is the implementation model, which outlines a process for implementing and managing sustainability across the business. It encapsulates the pillars of strategy, project management and sustainability as a guideline for business activities like planning, execution, sourcing and incorporating feedback. The model addresses key points like obtaining commitment, the steps to establishing and executing sustainability objectives, building maturity, awareness, education, transparency of communication, and the controls for effective management.
The third component is a responsibilities matrix, which defines that accountability should be shared across the organisation and outlines key focus areas for various disciplines, divisions, or roles.
The fourth component is the leadership model, an interpretation of values-based leadership, which deals with changing the business's mindset or culture. It encourages leaders to know why sustainability is important, to redefine the definition of excellence to include sustainability, to promote stewardship and to work with others while at the same time doing what makes sense to the business.
My action research continues at this company and potentially other companies where I expect to gain more insights. I hope to share this framework and insights with interested parties to gather further insights
Urban flood adaptation plan
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can climate change flooding be ameliorated through urban design?
ABSTRACT
As Aotearoa moves into the era of climate change, our urban landscapes are becoming more vulnerable to flooding. Along with climate change aggravating flooding, Aotearoa is short of housing (“45,000 dwellings” (Johnson et al., 2018)). The loss of land by flooding means the loss of potential to accommodate the housing needs of New Zealanders.
This project strives to develop a climate-adaptive design method for Maybury Street, Glen Innes. The site is at risk of pluvial flooding in the next 100 years. Therefore, the site’s design will include three parts; firstly, to create a flood adaptation strategy for the Maybury Reserve and its surroundings, secondly, to safely plan a new housing development along Maybury Street, and lastly, meeting the community’s needs by understanding what the community envisions for the site.
The urban flood adaptation design methods formed were tested and applied to the site using alternative methods and methodology. For example, Rob Roggema’s – Research by Design methodology was used to execute the project, and Geodesign was combined with scientific data (from NIWA, LINZ & Auckland Council). Also, community consultation with Glen Innes community professionals was used to make decisions about the site and, further, Geodesign will be used to apply them to the site as practical design solutions. This design method will provide a resilient water landscape site for the Glen Innes community. This method will help preserve the existing landscape’s good qualities and build a new landscape to enhance community participation and ameliorate flooding.
SITE: Maybury, Glen Innes, Auckland, New Zealand
Psychological impacts of COVID-19 on Indian immigrants working in the retail industry of Auckland, New Zealand, and their job performance
No full textRESEARCH QUESTIONS
1) What are the potential psychological impacts of COVID-19 on the lives of Indian immigrants working in the retail industry and their job performance?
2) What are the potential psychological impacts of COVID-19 on those Indian immigrants who previously worked in the retail industry but were made redundant and are now studying again to upskill to meet the new job market requirements?
3) What are the specific factors, and to what extent are these factors associated with potential psychological impacts during and after COVID-19 on Indian immigrants working in the retail industry and their job performance?
ABSTRACT
The Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has had profound and historic ramifications on people worldwide. This research explores the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on Indian immigrants with temporary visas working in the retail industry, on their job performance, and on those who previously worked in the retail industry but are now studying again in order to upskill. Mixed-method research was adopted, which allows the researchers to explore the problems in depth. Descriptive statistical techniques and regression analysis were employed to provide quantitative data results. Thematic analysis was used to identify the themes from the data collected through interviews.
The research findings indicated that, according to the Kessler Psychological Distress (K 10) test, 84.61% of student visa participants experienced high to very high psychological distress as compared to 48.65% of work visa participants. Similarly, the World Health Organisation (WHO-5) test found that more student visa participants (80%) experienced low mental well-being due to COVID-19 as compared to work visa participants (48.57%). The research also found different factors which had adverse psychological impacts due to COVID-19 on work and student visa participants' physical and mental health. These factors included fear of contracting COVID-19 and the inability to visit family members due to stringent border restrictions for work visa participants. For student visa participants, these factors included job insecurity, fear of being infected by a housemate, changes to immigration regulations under COVID-19, and the inability to visit family due to strict border restrictions. Furthermore, the research found that 68% of student visa participants lost their retail jobs due to COVID-19's impacts. The findings also revealed that being able to access most job duties during and after COVID-19, a safe and healthy work environment, work stress, and fear of contracting COVID-19 factors were closely associated with the job performance of work visa participants. Therefore, the findings of this research demonstrate the need for implementing possible solutions to reduce the psychological distress of everyone, regardless of their visa status, which has emerged due to COVID-19, and this may also help improve the job performance of immigrants at work
Water villages: Towards holistically resilient water villages
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can biophilic architecture be used to design a holistically resilient water village?
ABSTRACT
A Water Village: Towards Holistic Resilience
Humans’ reliance on nature and nature’s subjection to humans has been neglected to the point where coastal communities are in danger economically, environmentally, and socially.
Urbanisation of coastal areas has resulted in an increase in land prices and climate-induced impacts largely as a result of urbanisation.
Auckland’s urbanisation has not been met with sufficient housing supply; thus, its demand for affordable housing has not been met. Land in Auckland now accounts for up to 60% of property value; this, in combination with the scarcity of land, threatens gentrification in Auckland. Water villages can provide the advantage of “land” availability at a potentially low cost. Additionally, the impacts of climate change pose a threat to coastal areas despite efforts to reduce sea level rise and the impacts of flooding. Global sea levels are expected to rise 0.6m by 2100; however, parts oF Aotearoa, New Zealand, could face a larger sea level rise of 1.2 m due to the addition of land subsidence. The Auckland housing crisis demands new solutions to these issues.
The aim of this research project is to assess the feasibility of a water village in Auckland. It is an experiment. The research aims to explore the relationship between biophilic architecture and resilience to move towards holistic resilience in the context of a water village.
Historically, water villages have primarily been a means of defence; however, in the 21st century, they have become elitist developments that are exclusive by design. This can be overcome by implementing biophilic design techniques.This research project will investigate and analyse historical and modern water villages as well as investigate relevant literature and theory on the correlation between biophilia and resilience; the project will apply Philip Roo’s biophilic design patterns in combination with research on technical aspects of water villages to establish means to articulate a water village that moves towards holistic resilience. Thus assessing the feasibility of potential water villages in Auckland
A case study of collaborative teaching using experiential learning pedagogical framework
No full textMotivation & context
Co-teaching & integrative assessment approach
Opportunities and challenges
The outcome of this experienc
Using LNAAT (Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool) testing to identify at-risk learners on an undergraduate nursing programme .
No full textAIM:
To determine whether targeted interventions for students with Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (LNAAT) assessment achievement of step 1-3 results in comparable rates of success in year one of the Bachelor of Nursing programme with those students who achieve step 4 or higher at LNAAT assessment