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“Write the world” and tell the stories of your ancestors
No full textWilliam Cuthers is of Cook Islands Māori and New Zealand Māori descent. He was raised in South Auckland in the 1980s by his mother (Cuthers, 2020). William’s connections to the Cook Islands and his ancestors' involvement in the World Wars have been of particular significance for him (Cuthers, 2020; Cooper, 2020; Farrell, 2021; Lintonbon, 2020).
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Central to William’s personal and research stories is his maternal grandfather, William Cuthers, who served as a Coastwatcher during World War II (Cuthers, 2020
What is the gift of spiritual direction for women going through a season of dissidence, of deconstruction and reconstruction of faith?
No full textMy purpose and motivation in this research are to reveal what Spiritual Direction is and how and why it is a gift. In my professional practice a rising number of women going through spiritual abuse, trauma and misunderstanding from Christian pastoral leaders and personally in their faith are coming to a place described as a deconstruction. I ask, how might I speak into this arena? I needed the voices of others as well as my own, to confirm and support this work. Therefore, I invited six women to turn a light on their experiences to answer the question: what is the gift Spiritual Direction offers to women going through deconstruction of faith, what supports this process and how? I entered this process as an insider researcher in an autoethnographic field of study. I take the reader on a journey into SD, and into the deep waters of spiritual abuse, neglect, labelling and ostracizing that goes on in Christian churches.
I am working with a feminist theological underpinning in this work, within an expansive Christian faith. I desired a conscious prophetic voice to bring change.
The study revealed how traumatic the issue of abuse is, how debilitating being treated like a second-class citizen can be in a religious setting, and how painful leaving or changing one’s theology is within Christianity today. These women speak with their poetic and creative metaphors, truths, and offerings for the future. The concluding potential of this study supports my quest to contribute to the faith lives of women and men of all ages and the need for Christian institutions to grow in understanding faith stages, human development and women. The results have answered the question about the gift of Spiritual Direction and offer the opportunity to support change in the practice fields of pastoral care work, Spiritual Direction and counselling
Developing a protocol for an online exercise programme for cerebral palsy clients using 'Physitrack'
No full textBACKGROUND
Children and adolescents with Cerebral Palsy (CP) often receive exercise programs to assist in therapy, habitual exercise, exercise motivation and rehabilitation. Adherence and motivation to exercise programs are two necessary components to achieve exercise goals but can be challenging to accomplish due to difficulties in acquiring novel motor skills, leading to poor performance in daily living activities and restricted participation. The advancement and accessibility of technology show successful integrations in other special populations of games and applications (apps) (i.e., Virtual reality (VR)). However, the use of task-specific online exercise programs/apps within the CP population is unknown.
METHODS
The literature review (Chapter 2) systematically searched and reviewed three main areas critical to this thesis: 1) exercises for CP clients, 2) uses of online apps/technology, and 3) reviewed relevant outcome measures. Data from the literature review was used to develop a protocol for a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) (Chapter 3).
RESULTS
Eleven studies were identified, and data was extracted regarding technology used, the frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT) principle and associated outcome measures. This information was then used to develop an evidence-based training protocol using the Physitrack app that will serve as the basis of a future RCT. The protocol developed in Chapter 3 was submitted to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research for further research into technology-specific interventions for CP exercise programs.
CONCLUSION
An 8-week individualised training program delivered using the Physitrack app, which evaluates clinical and non-clinical outcome measures would provide a robust and easy-to-follow program to reduce burnout/frustration/drop out of caregivers and CP clients. The impact of COVID-19 lockdown resulted in the main study RCT being a protocol as participants for the study were unable to be recruited. A future direction for this thesis would be to complete the RCT protocol in Chapter 3
Impacts of poverty
No full textIn Aotearoa New Zealand there is a strong link between poverty and certain impacts such as physical health problems, psychological wellbeing, housing, education, food insecurity and social status. These impacts are closely connected, one to the other. For example, the high cost of housing can result in less money for food. It may also result in people living in unhealthy accommodation such as garages and overcrowded houses. The impacts of policies to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic are a new phenomenon that is causing deep concern for those on low incomes
The impact of audit quality reviews on audit fees of New Zealand listed companies
No full textThis study examines the impact of audit quality reviews by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) on the audit fees of New Zealand listed companies. The FMA commenced audit quality reviews in 2013. This study examines audit fees from 2009 to 2016 and compares audit fees over the three years before and the four years after quality reviews began. We find evidence of significantly higher audit fees for smaller listed companies after the introduction of audit quality reviews, with minimal impact for larger companies. The New Zealand results suggest that increased costs associated with regulation were able to be absorbed by audit firms in respect of their larger audit clients but not their smaller clients. This may be a reflection of the small and concentrated audit market for listed companies in New Zealand. In conclusion, the introduction of mandatory audit quality reviews has had greater economic consequences for smaller listed companies, which have experienced a significant increase in audit fees
Walking a tightrope: A balancing act by school counsellors
No full textWhen clients report harm or abuse to a counsellor and the threshold of “imminent harm” is not met, the counsellor faces potentially competing ethical imperatives. While reporting or informing others can bring safety, it can also harm relationships, including the therapeutic alliance. Focussing on the context of school counselling, this article makes a case for the relative autonomy of counsellors if they wish to consult with other professionals to help clarify their ethical, moral, and legal obligations. We argue that counsellors need not inform clients that such consultation has occurred. In addition, this article explores language that preserves the therapeutic relationship and advocates for a collaborative response to harm reduction that wherever possible prioritises client choice and agency around matters of disclosure
H2O: Redefining cancer healthcare environments using water in both abstract and physical form
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can the element of water assist in creating a stimulating and therapeutic environment that increases the health and well-being for cancer patients?
ABSTRACT
Cancer is a disease that extracts the liveliness out of patients, leaving them practically lifeless. This potent and prolonged disease physically and mentally bears upon sufferers. New Zealand’s cancer rate is increasingly growing and although we are flourishing with the number of services available in certain regions of the country, it is the architecture of how these services are delivered that makes the impact. The evolution of healthcare architecture in New Zealand has started developing by adapting to the emerging trend of biophilia. This has been also exemplified globally, however, the depth and importance of well-being in healthcare settings are deficient. Healthcare services struggle to reach a state of equilibrium between physically keeping a patient healthy and mentally keeping a patient healthy.
Due to the persistent nature of cancer, patients are obligated to accept living their life in another way causing unfamiliarity, which can be intimidating and discouraging. The architecture of these environments becomes crucial to avert demoralising patients. Creating abundant positivity is critical, if patients are already in a negative mind state and surrounded by negativity in the environment, the patient’s health and well-being deteriorate.
This research project aims to create a stimulating and therapeutic environment increasing the health and well-being of patients using water in architecture. Water is an element that is valuable in biophilic design but is neglected in healthcare architecture. The design constraint this project posed was to completely contain the water in the architecture from the immunocompromised. The project incorporates the notion of water in both physical and abstract forms to create a positive and uplifting environment.
Water is closely connected to humans and emits positive benefits in increasing one’s health and well-being. This is supported by literature to prove the positive benefits along with literature and precedents supporting the inclusion of nature in healthcare buildings. The element of water was de-constructed using the properties water emits to inform design decisions.
The project intends to produce a cancer centre in the Whangarei hospital complex, as it poses realistic needs for this service with the objective of focusing on patients’ health and well-being through the assistance of water and nature
If you copy, you will be caught and a mess will remain : the role of formal precedent in Design Studio
No full textIt has been eight years, or nearly two generations of students, since the last classical studio was run at Unitec. In the six-week vertical studio, the students got a valuable addendum to their regular design studio education. The point of departure from contemporary studio is the absolute reliance on formal architectural precedent in the students’ design methodology and consequently, their final presentations. The primary learning objective was not necessarily how to design a classical building, but the experience of designing in a paradigm where explicit formal references were demanded, not as a starting point, but as an integral part of the design process. After the site analysis and understanding the functional and spatial requirements of the brief, every other decision the student makes could be – or at a beginner’s level, should be – informed by an architectural canon established 4500 years ago that has since spread to all continents. This paper reflects on an alternative approach of design studio teaching at the Unitec School of Architecture. As the only architecture school in New Zealand that has run a classical studio, it can be een as a point of difference with the other architecture schools, and indeed a confirmation of Unitec’s ‘real-world learning’ philosoph
Exploring barriers and motivators to exercise for people with pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes
No full textThe purpose of this study was to understand and acknowledge the barriers and motivators to exercise for people diagnosed with pre-diabetes (PD) or type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and whether these were influenced by stigma associated with diagnosis. Five participants from a diabetes exercise programme were observed in the programme and interviewed. Based on interview data three composite case studies were developed to highlight some of the participants unique responses and experiences with activity barriers and motivators. The main motivators explored were social aspects of exercise, a desire to improve health and fitness, enjoyment, and good weather. The main barriers experienced included cost, injury, lack of time, and lack of enjoyment. Social stigma associated with diabetes appeared to have an impact on some participants. Feeling embarrassed exercising in public decreased motivation to engage in physical activity (PA), whereas the desire to manage their condition or prevent further comorbidities was a great motivator for exercise. Overall, most of the barriers and motivators to exercise for people with PD or T2DM were consistent with those described in the literature, but participants offered some unique perspectives when discussing their barriers and motivators. The stigma associated with diabetes can negatively and positively impact motivation to exercise
Asynchronous instructional videos during COVID-19 emergency remote teaching: Student experiences within a New Zealand ITP
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for tertiary education institutions worldwide. The crisis placed enormous pressure on educational institutions as they were required to pivot suddenly to teaching fully online. In New Zealand, Tertiary Education Organisations (TEOs) were forced to close on Wednesday 25 March 2020 after New Zealand moved to Alert Level 4, necessitating the sudden implementation of online teaching. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of pre-recorded instructional videos in three selected courses taught by a tertiary education institution, a member of the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) New Zealand