3501 research outputs found
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Cacophonometer update
No full textLatest version of the Cacophonometer can be downloaded from link below. In this version:
Newer versions of Android OS try really hard to save power - which meant that the phone wouldn't wake up when it was supposed to do on Android OS > Jelly Bean (4.3). Have now tested on our 'reference' phone the ZTE Blade A110 running Android 5.1 (Lollipop/22).
The interface has been updated to include features such as 1) 'walking mode' that will beep to warn you it is taking a reading and update the GPS location, 2) Keep internet connection alive (for remote access), 3) Keep internet off and save to memory card (for areas with no internet access)
The development of demand responsive transport service for older people in NZ rural areas: Preliminary Case Study in Thames
Get PDFThis study investigates improvements to public transport
for people aged over 65 in New Zealand rural and small cities. Due to the popularity of Thames, NZ for people aged 65 and over the population for this age group is increasing in Thames and therefore so does the demand for alternative modes of transport (to maintain the elderly’s independence), especially once owning or driving a private motor vehicle is no longer a viable option. This study explores the existing problems that the elderly face regarding transportation in Thames, NZ rural and investigates possible public transport improvements to help maintain independence for people aged 65 and over
Field-based initial teacher education in Aotearoa New Zealand: Opportunities, tensions and uncertainties.
No full textField-based initial teacher education (FBITE) is one of the delivery models of an accredited qualification for early childhood education teachers that exists in Aotearoa New Zealand. Students undertaking FBITE are immersed in a vocation and as such become apprentices to their future careers as teachers during their three year full-time degree programme. Literature reports that this model is growing in popularity and provides significant opportunities for students who choose to undertake their initial teacher education qualification in this way. However, it is not without tensions and uncertainties for these student teachers. This study sought to understand the opportunities students were given while participating in FBITE and also any of the uncertainties faced by student teachers as they balance their academic and practice based responsibilities alongside memberships of their differing Communities of Practice. It also investigated factors that impact on student wellbeing as they negotiate the inherent tensions that inform and guide notions of best practice aspirations. Using a socio-cultural contextual framework and a qualitative survey this study captures student teachers insights about their initial teacher education training in a time where uncertainty prevails in the early childhood education sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. The study found a mixture of optimism and security for some but apprehension and uncertainty for others as they negotiated their roles as student and employee/volunteer in their practice communities and academic institution. The study recommended that despite field-based programmes being well established there is merit and necessity in further understanding the positioning of student teachers in such a programme, in particular student teacher resilience. These findings are useful in the context of Initial Teacher Education providers as they review and redevelop current programmes to better meet the needs of the early childhood education sector and curriculum requirements
Reflecting on our own learning: incorporating diverse worldviews into teaching and learning activities.
Get PDFCONTEXT
The teacher’s experience is frequently overlooked as a source of useful data on teaching practice. Nelson (2003, p. 85) points out that “every class is potentially an experiment from which the data are either discarded or never gathered.” This paper presents two academics’
reflections on the impact of their training in te reo Maori and tikanga Maori on their teaching activities.
PURPOSE
To reflect on academics’ learning of Maori language and culture in order to design teaching and learning activities that incorporate Maori language and the Maori worldview.
APPROACH
The paper uses three of Brookfield’s (1998) four lenses of reflection on teaching practice.
RESULTS
The first academic considered it was important to enable students to adequately explore the worldviews of the diverse stakeholders they will design products for in future and to test students on their understanding of these in order to satisfy cultural aspects of the graduate
profile outcomes. The second academic found benefits of the use of Maori language in class in creating an atmosphere reflective of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. Each academic found something to learn from the other’s work.
CONCLUSIONS
Adding the Maori language and worldview enables the classroom to better reflect New Zealand’s bi-cultural environment and student projects to better meet the needs of diverse stakeholder groups, and also explicitly addresses the cultural aspects of the graduate profile
The occurrence and origin of salinity in non-coastal groundwater in the Waikato region
Get PDFAims
The aims of this project are to describe the occurrence, and determine the origin of non-coastal saline groundwater in the Waikato region. High salinity limits the use of the water for supply and agricultural use.
Understanding the origin and distribution of non-coastal salinity will assist with development and management of groundwater resources in the Waikato.
Method
The occurrence of non-coastal groundwater salinity was investigated by examining driller’s records and regional council groundwater quality information. Selected wells were sampled for water quality analyses and temperatures were profiled where possible. Water quality analyses include halogens such as chloride, fluoride, iodide and bromide. Ratios of these ions are useful to differentiate between geothermal and seawater origins of salinity (Hem, 1992). Other ionic ratio approaches for differentiating sources and influences on salinity such as those developed by Alcala and Emilio (2008) and Sanchez-Martos et al.,
(2002), may also be applied. Potential sources of salinity include seawater, connate water, geothermal and anthropogenic influences. The hydrogeologic settings of saline occurrence were also investigated, to explore the potential to predict further occurrence.
Results
Numerous occurrences of non-coastal saline groundwater have been observed in the Waikato region.
Where possible, wells with relatively high total dissolved solids (TDS) were selected for further investigation.
Several groundwater samples are moderately saline and exceed the TDS drinking water aesthetic guideline
of 1,000 g m-3 (Ministry of Health, 2008).
Selected ion ratios (predominantly halogens) were used to assist in differentiating between influences on salinity such as seawater and geothermal. Bromide to iodide ratios, in particular, infer a greater geothermal influence on salinity, although other ratios are not definitive.
The anomalously elevated salinity observed appears natural but nevertheless has constrained localised groundwater resource development for dairy factory, industrial and prison water supply use. Further work may show some relationship with geology or tectonics, which could assist prediction of inland saline groundwater occurrence
Corporate social responsibility: Exploring trends in social and environmental disclosure
Get PDFWith the increasing pressure placed on organisations by their stakeholders to accept responsibility for social and environmental impacts, corporate social reporting (CSR) is becoming increasingly important. In aiming to explore trends in CSR, and motivations behind the issuing of CSR reports by New Zealand companies, content analysis was first used to review annual reports and stand-alone corporate social responsibility reports produced by the top ten organisations listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX). The content analysis aimed to identify any patterns and trends in the volume of disclosure during the 2013 to 2017 period. Additionally, environmental managers or staff concerned with CSR within organisations listed on the NZX were interviewed with the purpose of finding out what motivates them to report on social and environmental matters and how they decide the topics to report on. The study identified that there had been an increase in the level of reporting during the 2013 – 2017 period. The findings of this study highlight that CSR is motivated by key stakeholders, namely employees, institutional investors and shareholders. Risk management and protection of the business brand and image are also key motivations for CSR. Finally, organisations use a variety of methods to produce reports, including the use of standards, guidelines and risk assessments to set some clear goals and targets to report on. The researcher recommends that the study be carried out in the future with a wider scope to monitor the state of CSR reporting in New Zealand
Investigating the relationship between brand image and profitability
Get PDFThe aim of the research is to investigate the relationship between brand image and profitability in the case of a cosmetics and skincare store. This research focuses on what effect brand image can have on a store’s economic income, from three aspects. A qualitative method was used to gain information, A questionnaire is the most important research form in this research project. Brand image is an external manifestation of enterprise spiritual culture; the intangible assets of an enterprise, so the store should establish a high degree of brand image. Based on the research result, brand image could be enhanced by strengthening brand management, optimising brand design and attaching importance to product and service quality
What's new in mouth rinse nutrition? Update on fluid and menthol
Get PDFThis session will provide an update on the perceptual, physiological and performance effects of menthol mouth swilling during exercise performance, and the associated mechanisms underpinning these changes. Cooling stimuli applied to the oral cavity impart feelings of freshness that are familiar to users of oral hygiene and other menthol containing products, such as confectionary or oral analgesics, this sensation can be imparted by either physiological or perceptual cooling. Cold fluids provide a cooling sensation by stimulating oral cold receptors, and can attenuate thirst through post-absorptive mechanisms; menthol mimics the provision of oral cooling stimuli, by acting as a cold-receptor agonist to TRPM8 channels, and trigeminal and cold-sensitive neurons in the face and oral cavity. This invokes perceived thermal changes in congruence with an environmental temperature range of 8-28°c, the magnitude of which is inversely proportional to the thickness of the stratum corneum in the region that menthol is applied. Hence, the oral application of menthol and cold fluids may lower individuals’ thermal sensation, improve thermal comfort and attenuate thirst, independent of physiological changes in temperature. This attenuation of thermal symptoms may be perceived as hedonic, and concomitantly improve exercise performance. To date literature has focused on endurance exercise performance in hot environmental conditions, with menthol mouth swilling improving time to exhaustion performance in cyclists, and time trial performance in runners and triathletes. Menthol may also provide an additive perceptual cooling stimulus when applied alongside physiological cooling strategies, in a temperature dependent manner. There are limited data pertaining to menthol mouth swilling and power related activities at present. The timing of menthol throughout the exercise bout may affect its ergogenic properties, but this research is also in its preliminary stages. Future research should aim to individualise menthol mouth swilling based upon personal preference and sensitivity; further personalisation of swilling strategies may be achieved by investigating the timing of swilling during the exercise bout and utilising menthol in conjunction with other ergogenic nutritional strategies. The possibility of habituation to menthol mouth swilling also warrants investigation
Strategic leadership
Get PDFThe research aim is to evaluate the importance of strategic leadership. The reason behind this aim is that it is very important to the selected organisation. The research followed a qualitative methodology. The manager of the restaurant was interviewed to gain primary data. The interview questions were related to the research scope, to find out information in areas such as: the difference between leadership and strategic leadership; the importance of strategic leadership in small business; how strategic leaders motivate their staff; and what strategic leaders do to achieve goals they set for their business. To conclude the research, strategic leadership is important for sustainable development and to embrace change effectively. Strategic leadership is all about collaboration and it focuses on future growth not just current opportunities. There are two main benefits of the strategic leadership, such as financial benefit and non-financial benefit. So, in order to inform the manager about strategic leadership, certain recommendation strategies have been identified in order to grow. Ultimately, the manager needs to understand motivational practices in order to motivate staff, with reward programmes and staff development, as well as taking practical steps while addressing the issues of organisational change
Inventory management in retail
Get PDFThe research aim is to find out customer peak times in relation to stock shortage, to minimise stock -out at customer peak times and to study the procedures/processes involved in obtaining the supply of raw materials. Qualitative method is used get information through informal discussion among the staff. To have a better supply chain, every business wants to have an advanced raw material. The management of raw materials involves the activities like acquiring, purchasing, refining, developing and delivering the right amount at the right time. If the raw material waves, then the business should change according to it. Fluctuation in raw materials affect performance that means customer satisfaction. A stockout situation is a waste of time, money and energy, which is one of the major problems in retail industries. Shortage of stock can cause delay and financial burdens. Efficient and effective stock management can provide tracking for stock labels to minimize problems. A true stock management system is beneficial to their company, enablinggreater profit. Normally planning and scheduling is done before the stock get out, lack of planning and inspection of materials leads to delay of delivery