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From text to audio-visual : how might academics establish a framework for critical analysis using audio-visual essays?
Get PDFThe audio-visual essay is a particular form of videographic research that has become popular among scholars and amateur critics in the field of film criticism. Where the written word has sufficed for much of the last century when it came to film criticism as a profession, the audiovisual essay, over the last few years, has enabled many respond to film with films of their own.
The potential for film scholars and critics to treat a film within the same audio-visual mode has been the primary motivation of this research, leading to the audio-visual essay.
However, the most important question seemed to be: As a form of essay, what framework could be proposed to make such a method of film criticism useful to scholars in an academic context? What is the difference to the traditional written form and how can both be complementary to one another?
This study will compare conventional essay elements: titles, subheadings and figures, images and tables, as well as citations and references with elements in audio-visual essays. This is being undertaken order to understand where the audio-visual essay is informed by conventional essay structure, but also where the audio-visual essay separates itself structurally from textbased criticism. Ultimately, the study hopes to present a clear framework for academics in film and media studies to teach to students interested in audio-visual essay film criticism as an alternative to conventional written form
DNA extraction and amplification of faecal samples from Buller’s Shearwater (Puffinis bulleri), Fairy Prion (Pachyptila turtur), & Fluttering Shearwater (Puffinus gavia). Report prepared for North New Zealand Seabird Trust. 7 p.
No full textThe intention of the current research was to test the feasibility of applying DNA-based prey item identification to analysing the diet of three New Zealand sea bird species, using ethanol preserved faecal samples. DNA was extracted from 20 faecal samples collected from Buller’s shearwaters (Puffinis bulleri), Fluttering Shearwaters (Puffinus gavial), and Fairy prions (Pachyptila turtur), received from the Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust. PCR amplification was then used to selectively amplify short sections of the 16S gene which can be used for identification. PCR products were run on an agarose gel, as a success/fail test for amplification. DNA was successfully amplified in only three of the twenty samples despite suitably high nucleotide concentrations in the DNA extracts, indicating that the primers used may not be suitable for this research
Primary : film adaptation in theory and practice
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION:
How do all the aspects of the filmmaking process, from scriptwriting to the editing suite, impact the outcome and overall ‘success’ of the adaptation?
ABSTRACT:
The adaptation of works for film has been around for almost as long as film itself. The main aims of my research were to investigate the adaptation process, specifically through creating a short film from a short story, Primary (2017), and to develop my creative practice as a writer and director. This research was undertaken first by investigating film adaptation and scriptwriting theories, and then applying those ideas practically as I adapted, wrote, directed and edited my short film adaptation.
The result is a summary of both film adaptation theories and how these were (and can be) applied in practice with the two main outputs being my script (appendix 2) and my completed short film, Primary. The conclusions drawn from the research include the importance of the differences between film and other storytelling mediums, and how these differences should be leveraged to the advantage of the filmmaker rather than simply trying to faithfully translate a story from one medium to another. Overall, the success of an adaptation rests on maintaining the essence of a story: maintaining the themes, character and spirit of the material more often than not results in a less than perfectly faithful adaptation. These ideas apply not only to adaptation, but to filmmaking and storytelling in general
Derailing transformative education
No full textOVERVIEW:
The direction
• Massification, marketisation, and managerialism
• Globalisation and imperialism
• Attacks on the academic profession
The impact
• Alienation, mission drift, alienation
The neoliberal experiment at Unitec.
2013-2017
• The philosophy that informed Unitec’s transformation (i.e. restructure) can be summed up: Public vocational education should prioritize and focus wholly on the needs of business.
• Education to be business focussed, not student focussed
A TRIO OF PROBLEMS:
Inherent structural problems
Incompetent and ill planned implementation
Failure to listen to advice or take account of evidence-based feedback
What do we do as a scholarly community to stop a repeat of Unitec
Castle on edge : adaptive reuse of Cargill’s Castle and its site
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION:
How can adaptive reuse in architecture restore life to a forgotten heritage building to satisfy the needs of the community?
ABSTRACT:
Over the years, a heritage building can be disregarded and over time become derelict. The re-purposing of a building is the perfect soil, whereupon new creative ideas produce spaces that are a unique response to a specific cultural and historical location.
The adaptive reuse of a building allows for different levels of interventions, which can be minor or essential to the fabric of a new design programme. Proposals to change heritage sites tend to be considered by the community with a certain level of concern, as they embody their history and culture; these proposed interventions aim to respect and celebrate the cultural heritage of the city while giving a new life to the local heritage site.
Cargill’s Castle on Dunedin’s coastal cliff, south-east of the city, is the selected site for this adaptive reuse project. Today the abandoned building has no programme or function; it is a derelict structure on the edge of the cliff. The adaptive reuse takes into consideration the social, historical and geographical aspects, which direct it towards the best design response. At the same time, the preservation of surviving original elements is considered essential to retain the cultural heritage of the building.
Modern and 19th-century writings on conservation and restoration of historic buildings are analysed and studied to direct the project towards the most suitable restoration outcome.
Related material:
https://cargillscastle.co.nz
An edge-based steganography algorithm for hiding text into images
No full textRESEARCH QUESTIONS:
• How can I improve existing steganography methods in terms of capacity and transparency?
• How can I reduce the complexity of existing steganography methods?
• How can I increase the robustness of existing steganography methods?
One of the biggest concerns in data communication is data security. There are several approaches to securely sending data over the network, one of which is steganography. Steganography refers to techniques that hide information inside other media in such a way that no one will notice. The cover media that can accommodate secret information include text, audio, image, and video.
Images are the most popular covering media in steganography, because they are heavily used in daily applications and have high redundancy in representation. Steganography techniques are classified into three major groups: transform domain techniques, spatial domain techniques, and adaptive techniques.
In this thesis, I propose an adaptive algorithm for hiding information in RGB images. To minimise visual perceptible distortion, the proposed algorithm uses edge pixels for embedding data. It detects the edge pixels in the image using the Sobel filter. Then, the message is embedded into the LSBs of the blue channel of the edge pixels. To resist statistical attacks, the distribution of the blue channel of the edge pixels is used when embedding data in the cover image.
The research method used in this thesis is experimental research. The proposed algorithm has been implemented in MATLAB and has been evaluated in terms of various factors: capacity, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), Chisquare index, and execution time using eight RGB pictures from USC-SIPI Image Database. The results showed that the algorithm offers high capacity for hiding data in cover images (9-111 KB data can be hidden depending on the picture when using 4 LSBs); it does not distort the quality of the stego image (SNR ≥ 32 and PSNR ≥ 41); it is robust enough against statistical attacks (Chi-Square index is below 0.5); and its execution time is short enough for online data transfer (below one second for all experimentations). Also, the results showed that the proposed algorithm outperforms similar approaches for all evaluation metrics
DNA extraction and amplification of faecal samples from the White Fronted Terns (Sternula nereis). Report prepared for North New Zealand Seabird Trust. 6 p.
No full textThis report describes the success of DNA extraction and amplification of fresh faecal samples collected from White Fronted Tern Sterna striata in the field. Sample handling involved immediate placement in ethanol field followed by freezing at -20oC a few hours later on the day of collection.. DNA was extracted from 10 faecal samples collected from birds (Sternula nereis). PCR using primers targeting Chordata was then used to selectively amplify short sections of the 16S gene which can be used for prey identification . PCR products were run on an agarose gel, as a success/fail test for amplification. DNA was successfully amplified in four of the ten samples. Attempts to amplify DNA using primers targeting Malacostraca and a second pair of PCR primers, targeting a 180-270bp section of the 16S gene of multiple taxa, were unsuccessful
ATyPICAL : conducive learning environments for children with ASD
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION:
How can architecture create a conducive learning environment for children with autism through sensory design?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) impacts an individual’s cognitive, sensory and social processing abilities. At present, there is no effective cure. However, in many cases, the difficulties faced can be mitigated through early intervention.
In 2018, there were approximately 75,000 New Zealanders on the spectrum, with diagnosis rates projected to increase. Children diagnosed with mild to high forms of autism lack the funding and resources required for special education schooling and therefore, are expected to cope within the mainstream framework among neurotypical peers with minimal support. Currently, children with ASD are subjected to poorly designed facilities (satellite units), often unused classrooms in mainstream schools that are not purpose-built and therefore not conducive for learning. Traditionally satellite units serve children who qualify for funding, however, this project proposes a transitionary facility within a mainstream school for children who otherwise would receive minimal support at a time when mitigation has the greatest impact.
This research project proposes a new architecture of education that prioritises not only learning for children with ASD but fosters a sense of agency through learning for children on the spectrum. To achieve this, the resulting architecture is established on a hybrid intervention method based on principles of flexibility and choice, correlating with sensory design and a student-centred pedagogy. In addition, this learning environment attempts to create a more supportive community for people with autism, by helping mitigate difficulties faced and raising awareness.
The design proposal combines educational and architectural theories based on learning and perception of space through analysis of existing practice. To achieve this, the research project develops a design methodology based on three avenues of spatial research: autism, education and sensory perception as the common factor bridging the existing gap. The design proposal is a combination of Magda Mostafa’s ASPECTSS guidelines for ASD with the physical manifestation of David Thornburg’s primordial metaphors for learning and a variety of sensory design principles related to spatial perception.
Sensory design employs first-person experience that directly correlates to our understanding of the environment. Disparities amongst the neurotypical and neurodiverse sensory processing capabilities pose a multifaceted challenge for designing an inclusive learning environment catered to the individualistic learner of the 21st century.
The result of this project is an architecture of education that enables people with autism to learn and participate in a conducive environment. The architecture is integrated into the existing mainstream school (Three Kings School) and demonstrates a shift in current practice relating to inclusivity. By combining two schools of thought relating to architectural intervention for autism, the project creates opportunities for children with ASD to become independent and active learners.
Related material:
https://www.autism.archi
The Kahoa Village : how can architects and architecture respond to New Zealand’s most pressing issue - homelessness?
No full textThis project investigates how architecture responds to New Zealand’s most pressing issue: homelessness. This project targets the underlying issues that those that are homeless are dealing with on a daily basis. It also aims to find solutions through design, not just by accommodating the Tongan community, but by enriching person’s well-being through the theory of the vā and practising the Kahoa Model.
This project aims to seek and to understand what the Tongan community needs to rebuild and empower a person’s wellbeing. It also aims to reinstall hope by giving the homeless the tools to live a stable life in New Zealand. As a result, this will hopefully give the homeless a sense of dignity, a sense of belonging and a chance to regain stability in life and lessen the numbers of people that are homeless or in a state of homelessness
Navigating learning worlds : using digital tools to learn in physical and virtual spaces
No full textThis article explores the various ways that teachers and learners can navigate different learning worlds with the support of digital tools. Increasingly, teaching and learning takes place in spaces beyond the classroom, whether physical or virtual. Place, navigation and movement have all been recognised as important concepts in approaches to understanding how we learn in and across places. With our postgraduate cohort of in-service teachers from across New Zealand, we have been exploring forms of learning that engage in the exploration of other spaces, using a range of digital tools. Google Tour Builder has allowed creative global navigation in a virtual space, Google Expeditions has given teachers an opportunity to integrate virtual reality into their classrooms, and Actionbound has exposed them to the use and design of situated outdoor learning activities with geolocated augmented content. Our article is based around participant interactions on social media that express their responses and creativity using mobility in physical spaces and the navigation of virtual spaces. Based on these interactions, we reflect on the nature of pedagogy in technology-redefined activities that involve senses of both place and navigation, structuring our analysis along two continua of physical accessibility and the extent of world knowledge