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The effectiveness of a verbal warning mitigating unwanted visitor behaviour at an aquarium
No full textVisitors to animal facilities, such as zoos and aquariums, have indicated that entertainment and opportunities to engage with animals are strong drivers for attendance. As a result, some visitors deliberately attempt to interact with the animals. These interactions may have negative welfare impacts on the animals. The penguin keeping team at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium (SLKTA) anecdotally noticed visitors teasing the birds, despite signs asking them not to, around the king (Aptenodytes patagonicus) and gentoo (Pygoscelis papau) penguin habitat. We set out to assess the scale of this issue and to determine what type of potentially negative behaviours (PNBs) were being performed by visitors. We investigated the frequency of PNBs under four conditions: 1) a verbal message given at the admissions desk, 2) signage at the habitat, 3) both a verbal message and signage, 4) neither a message nor signage. On average, 11.57% of visitors performed PNBs, with visitors being the predominant initiator of any interaction (87.87%). The most common behaviours observed were tapping on the glass (34.08%) and waving at the penguins (25.25%). The use of bright lights was also noted (11.68%). Performance of PNBs was significantly affected by time of day (p0.05). These results indicate that mitigation of the performance of PNBs by visitors at SLKTA is difficult. The verbal message may have been too temporally and/or physically removed from the penguin habitat for visitors to remember and signage was difficult to see on high visitor days. Alternative wording should be trialled. Mitigation of undesirable visitor behaviour is an issue for zoos and aquariums worldwide; our research unfortunately does not find the answer but does help to better understand the issue
Teapot Meditations: The practical poetry of Chris Weaver
No full textChris Weaver has plied his trade for the past 30 years from the modest studio he built in 1980 at Kaniere on the outskirts of the remote coastal town of Hokitika. Weaver transcends what it means to be a potter: he has successfully prosecuted a union between the practical and the poetic to become Aotearoa’s foremost designer of luxurious handmade tableware.
Weaver insists on making objects only for practical use. Functionalism is the rubric under which his ‘aesthetics of usefulness’ has taken shape. His approach is to go beyond conventional modes of production that bequeath ceramic objects their familiar formal expression. In assembling examples of his work from three decades, this exhibition contemplates Weaver’s distinctive and unconventional oeuvre.
The basis of Weaver’s formal innovation derives from his reinvention of procedures and tools for making pottery. Since the advent of the pottery wheel, the form of ceramic vessels has customarily been determined by symmetry and its contingencies. The initial development of Weaver’s wares is consistent with this tradition — invariably, they begin with a cylinder thrown on the wheel. This, however, is where his adherence to convention ceases.
With the alacrity of an engineer and a haptic intelligence honed through intimate knowledge of the material affordances of clay, Weaver reconfigures the vessel by compressing, slicing, squashing, incising, faceting or simply flipping them on their sides. These meticulous operations give rise to immaculate form, crisply executed and with utmost fidelity to detail.
Weaver’s ambition is to create aesthetic interventions in quotidian life. He invests utilitarian objects with a character that elevates our experiences of everyday domestic ritual
Safer together: Recognising, reporting and responding to adverse events
No full textHealthcare is a complex system
Healthcare workers are human too
The study - Experiences of staff nurses and charge nurses when recognising, responding to, reporting and resolving adverse events in a New
Zealand hospital setting
Literature review
Reference
A systematic review of Lean in construction research in New Zealand academia
No full text... "To eliminate muda, Ohno introduced the Toyota Production System (TPS) that inspired Lean, seeking to create or specify value, and value-creating actions, to achieve customer satisfaction (Rahman, Gonzalez & Amor, 2013; Singh & Kumar, 2019)
Following TPS, Womack and Jones (1996) defined value as the first principle of Lean thinking and specified that all the activities in a process should focus on eliminating non-value adding steps and making value-added activities flow smoother to achieve customers’ requirements.
The word “lean” is being used to reflect the Japanese business approach in employing “less” human resources, less money/capital, less materials, etc. in all aspects of business operations"
RESEARCH PROBLEMS
What are the key themes and trends in Lean Construction research published by New Zealand-based scholars?
How have Lean Construction principles been applied and adapted to the New Zealand construction context?
What methodologies and research approaches have been used in Lean Construction studies in New Zealand?
How does Lean Construction research in New Zealand compare to international research in terms of innovations, challenges, and impact?
What gaps exist in current Lean Construction research in New Zealand, and how can future research address these gaps
Exploring business students' perceptions of authentic project-based and work-integrated assessments
No full textThis study draws on the perceptions of students who have completed authentic project-based and work-integrated assessments and explores their perception of authenticity of the assessments in terms of real work projects. In response to industry and government expectations for work-ready graduates three authentic assessments, were developed in collaboration with industry partners, covering different business program subjects. Drawing on the literature, a three-dimensional framework for authentic assessment in workplace learning was developed. These dimensions — realism, producing an authentic product, and workplace-based judgment criteria — formed the basis for thematic analysis of students’ perceptions. A case study approach was used with three authentic assessment cases. Qualitative data was gathered via focus groups and surveys guided by the three-dimensional framework. Findings suggest that factors such as social environments created by engaging with industry, realistic tasks that replicated industry activities, and working in teams contributed to the perception of an authentic project based and work-integrated assessment
Incorporating Te Noho Kotahitanga into student peer review
No full textTeams in business & education: 3-way paradox
Many issues: One solution
The Opportunity PAQC asked for in-house development of a peer review tool ...Base on Te Noho Kotahitanga values
Assumptions for peer review tool design
Process for team projects
Assumptions for peer review tool design
Mapping team behaviours to Te Noho Kotahitanga values
What students see online
Literature review
Academic Communities of Engagement
Course community contextualised for Aotearoa
Theory of authentic learnin
Comparative research on code vulnerability detection: Open-source vs. proprietary large language models and LSTM neural network
No full textThe reliance of industries such as banking, e-commerce, logistics, transportation, energy, and healthcare on computer systems has escalated the threat of cyberattacks. With the rapid development of the online ecosystem and the growth of sensitive data, cybercriminals have developed the ability to attack software systems. Safeguarding software has become an urgent yet challenging task despite advancements in technology. The contributions of this thesis show the incorporation of security into the Software Development Lifecycle through a focus on Static Code Analysis as a proactive approach for the discovery and mitigation of security flaws in the development cycle.
This research focuses on enhancing vulnerability detection in source code through advanced machine learning techniques, including open-source fine-tuned and proprietary large language models. It compares the models, including CodeGen2, LLaMA 2, and GPT, developed by OpenAI to quantitative and qualitative how suitable they are for detecting vulnerabilities, their accuracy and efficiency. Using a zero-shot classification-based approach, the study examines these models’ capabilities in detecting security risks and compares them to Word2Vec+LSTM neural networks. The findings reveal that CodeGen2 emerges as the most reliable model for vulnerability detection, achieving near-perfect precision and balanced recall, leading to superior F1 and AUC scores. LLaMA2-7b delivers reasonable performance, particularly in precision, but falls short in recall. Conversely, GPT-4 Assistant excels in recall but suffers from a high false positive rate, limiting its effectiveness. Classical neural networks, such as Word2Vec+LSTM, demonstrate moderate capability but lag modern LLMs in precision and recall.
Through this comparative analysis, the thesis underscores the importance of selecting tools aligned with organizational needs and constraints. The insights gained contribute to developing secure software by integrating machine learning into the SDLC, inspiring further progress in vulnerability detection and mitigating risks in an increasingly digital world
Sculpture in the Gardens 2024/25
No full textTonal Lines.
Wood (burnt), bitumen tar, metal, algorithmic sound equipment. (large site specific installation- interactive with sound). approx 8 metres x 6 metres x 8 metres
ROLES: Gina Ferguson & Dale Cotton (Artists) ; Linda Tyler, Catherine Hamilton, Terry Urbahn (Curators)
VENUE AND TIMES: Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa, Auckland, New Zealand. Dec 16 2024 - 2 March 2025
Breaking barriers: An architectural solution to improve young people’s mental and physical well-being
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can architecture enable access to acitivities that improve young people’s mental and physical well-being?
ABSTRACT
The journey of development children experience from childhood to adolescence is a pivotal period in their lives that ultimately shapes their identities. However, it is during this period that challenges often arise. They experience physical, social and psychological challenges that alter their thoughts, emotions and behaviour, and these alterations can lead to the development of a mental illness.
In New Zealand, young people are encountering a deficiency in support within the current mental health services. These services predominately adopt a medical approach aimed solely at treating illnesses. Their environments are clinical and sterile, lacking the nurturing and comfortable environment that patients seek when ill. This environment often fosters feelings of isolation and confusion among individuals seeking help, reducing them to just names on a prescription. With this also comes stigma generated from outsiders whose views are clouded and influenced by their lack of understanding and knowledge about the issue.
The negative emotions and qualities attached to the current healthcare infrastructure need to be reconsidered. A shift towards prevention and early intervention strategies should be implemented. With this, a pursuit of optimal well-being becomes desired within individuals. Thus, the project follows a different approach through a social lens that emphasises participation in activities to effortlessly allow young people to create meaningful connections and gain individual growth that contributes to positive mental and physical well-being.
To successfully achieve this, the project employs Biophilic and Salutogenic Design Principles to foster humans’ desired connection with the natural evironment. It will utilise the analysis of precedents and literature strategies that aid human relationships and inclusive movement networks.
The process creates the essence of the North Shore Youth Station, marking the beginning of a solution towards a far larger mental health system. A system required to be redeveloped to address the problem of mental health faced by New Zealand’s young people
Pathfinders: An unseen journey to knowledge
No full textRESEARCH QUESTION
How can the bricoleur theory and the concept of the senses serve as catalysts for innovative approaches to redesigning for individuals with visual impairments?
ABSTRACT
Pathfinders an Unseen Journey to Knowedge has used the Bricoleur theory, a framework to investigate inclusive architectural design that focuses on the importance of multi sensory environments for individuals with visual impairments. Existing studies emphasise the need for adaptive design solutions that cater to various sensory inputs, enhancing the educational experience for blind and low-vision individuals. However, many architectural projects still lack comprehensive frameworks that fully integrate these multi-sensory approaches, particularly in educational environments designed for visually impaired students.
This project has aimed to address these gaps by creating an inclusive redesign for the BLENNZ Homai campus that creates an inclusive enviroment that would enhance the learning objectives for blind and low-vision students registered within the BLENNZ program, as well as address current complications or issues that stand with the current school. The research sought to develop a space where architecture can be experienced through multiple senses, supporting independence and engagement with the environment.
To ensure accessibility for the visually impaired, this research paper will use “Atkinson Hyperlegible” for body text and “Loos” for headings, with a font size of 14-point for printed copies and 11-point for online versions. The selected fonts offer clear letter distinctions, enhancing readability for users with low vision or vision impairments. The research for the BLENNZ Homai campus redesign utilised Qualitative Research-as-Bricoleur, based on Claude Lévi-Strauss’s bricolage theory. This flexible approach allowed for the integration of diverse disciplines, including child psychology, multi-sensory design, and architectural principles, to create an inclusive environment for visually impaired students.
Supporting this were several sub-methodologies: Close and Distant Reading helped to examine detailed architectural strategies and broader design trends, as well as Ficto criticism, blending fiction with critical theory, encouraged innovative thinking by challenging conventional approaches to architecture for the blind. Additionally, Herbert Benson’s Breakout Principle was used to manage information overload and stimulate creative breakthroughs during the research and design process. This ensured new insights emerged, driving innovative thought.
Through combining these methodologies, the research created a comprehensive, human-centred design that prioritised the specific needs within the BLENNZ Campus.
The design incorporated various sensory elements, enhancing accessibility and engagement for the visually impaired students. Tactile surfaces enabled navigation through touch, while carefully designed soundscapes provided auditory cues for intuitive wayfinding. Varied lighting conditions, inspired by Tadao Ando, helped students with residual vision engage with the environment, and fragrant plants enhanced spatial awareness through scent. Together with Luis Barragán’s colour theory that was used to create contrast and vivid textures, further aiding navigation. In addition to Steven Holl’s spatial design that fostered dynamic interaction, while Rasmussen’s multi-sensory approach integrated touch, sound, light, and scent to provide a holistic experience, including Colin Rowe’s Collage City that influenced the blend of historical and modern elements, creating a flexible, cohesive design. As well as Michael J. Cohen’s environmental psychology that confirmed that these sensory stimuli improved well-being and learning, fostering independence and creativity.
This project demonstrated the importance of integrating multi sensory design into educational architecture to support students with disabilities. The redesign of the BLENNZ campus not only addressed physical accessibility but also incorporated sensory elements—touch, sound, light, and scent—that enhanced student independence and learning outcomes. By focusing on both the physical and sensory needs of visually impaired students, the project resolved longstanding challenges and created an enriching educational environment.
Through the Qualitative Research-as-Bricoleur approach, the BLENNZ campus serves as a model for future architectural projects that prioritise inclusivity and human-centred design. It offers valuable insights into how thoughtfully designed spaces can foster creativity, well-being, and engagement. The implications of this work extend beyond education, as its significance lies in its potential to serve as a model for future architectural projects that prioritise human-centred design, offering valuable insights into creating environments that support well-being and inclusivity