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Assessing student learning by reducing cognitive load in postgraduate fire safety engineering courses
No full textIn the postgraduate fire safety engineering programme, students come from
diverse educational backgrounds, leading to varying levels of familiarity with the
fundamental principles essential for understanding fire engineering concepts. As
a result, a significant amount of new knowledge must be delivered, which often
increases the cognitive load on students. To address this, instructional design should
focus on minimising unnecessary cognitive load on students’ working memory.
This paper applies specific methodologies derived from Cognitive Load Theory to
reduce cognitive load in an intensive teaching mode implemented across two fire
safety engineering courses. To enhance student learning, constructivist principles
were also applied by reinforcing student involvement during lectures through active
learning strategies. The learning performance of forty students was assessed through
pre- and post-lecture tests, including multiple-choice and discussion-type questions,
and the results were compared to evaluate their retention of key concepts taught in
class. The findings show that nearly all students demonstrated improvement in the
post-lecture tests, retaining new knowledge in both their short-term and long-term
memory. The performance of different student groups—categorised by enrolment
status, work experience, and academic background—was also analysed and
compared. The findings indicated that students with professional experience in the
fire industry performed slightly better than those without such experience. Student
scores increased significantly, with notable improvements in both multiple-choice
and discussion-type questions. In interviews, students highlighted that techniques
used during lectures, such as interactive breaks and rehearsal sessions after each
segment, were instrumental in helping them absorb content and enhance long-term
knowledge retention
Green vs growth: The effect of residential intensification on urban tree canopy loss in Christchurch, New Zealand
No full textMany cities have simultaneous goals to increase the provision of housing through intensification, whilst also
increasing urban tree canopy. These dual objectives create an inherent potential for conflict. Although intensification
of residential land can create more compact cities, it may also result in the loss of existing trees,
undermining their critical role in creating healthy and liveable environments. Several studies have demonstrated
the negative effect of development on urban trees. However, there are few studies that focus directly on housing
intensification and its potential impact on urban tree canopy over time.
This study fills this gap by evaluating the relationship between tree canopy loss and residential housing
intensification in Christchurch, New Zealand between 2016 and 2021. Tree canopy loss was compared to
building consent records and aerial imagery for 3380 verified properties. Half of these properties were redeveloped
for either housing intensification (increase in residential units) or rebuilds (no increase in residential
units), with the other half being unmodified.
On a relative basis, redeveloped properties (intensification and rebuilds) had significantly higher tree canopy
loss than unmodified properties. However, when considering the absolute tree canopy loss across all 72,671 treed
residential properties within the study area, 87 % of the total loss occurred on unmodified properties. Infill
development (with no demolition of existing houses) had significantly less tree canopy loss than other forms of
intensification but also provided less housing benefit. These findings have important implications for policy
makers attempting to balance ongoing housing intensification with the retention of urban trees
Improving music literacy for students with dyslexia : insights from music teachers in New Zealand and a dyslexia-focused intervention.
No full textThe intersection of music education and special educational needs, particularly
concerning students diagnosed with dyslexia, requires greater exploration and
understanding. As discussed in this thesis, dyslexia can be identified in at least one in twenty
individuals in New Zealand, so is present in classrooms nationwide. Although the focus of
dyslexia work has been on text reading, there is the potential for it to significantly hinder
engagement with music literacy. The lack of research into this argues for further examination
of pedagogical strategies that can effectively support these learners within the music
classroom. Despite the widespread prevalence of dyslexia, a study by Nicholson et al.
(2015) indicates that only 1% of classroom teachers in New Zealand feel adequately
equipped to address the unique challenges faced by students with dyslexia. This statistic
highlights a critical gap in both training and resources available to educators. This research
aims to provide increased understanding about how to bridge this gap by investigating the
effectiveness of a multisensory music teaching intervention integrated with guided discovery
instructional methods that aims to enhance music literacy among secondary school students
diagnosed with dyslexia. The rationale for this approach is grounded in the cognitive and
perceptual similarities between music and language acquisition processes, providing fertile
ground for intervention strategies.
In order to gather insights into what teaching methods and support strategies may
already be available to and used by teachers, a national survey was conducted as part of the
current research. This involved 120 music educators, who shared valuable perspectives on
their experiences and teaching strategies for students with dyslexia. Approximately one-third
of the participating educators engaged in follow-up interviews, providing qualitative insights
that enriched the quantitative data collected. Analyses employed both quantitative and
thematic qualitative methods that led to increased understanding of the educators’
perspectives and the multifaceted challenges they encounter in fostering music literacy
among students with dyslexia. The findings reveal a commendable dedication among music
educators to support students with dyslexia. However, many educators expressed feelings of
unpreparedness, underscoring a significant lack of targeted professional development
opportunities in music literacy instruction. This highlights the need for educational
frameworks that prioritise inclusive teaching practices and equip educators with essential
tools to address the diverse learning needs present in today’s classrooms. The intervention
method developed as part of this thesis work aimed to meet this need for individuals with
dyslexia. It was then tested in the second study reported in this thesis.
The intervention study was designed with a predominantly quantitative data focus,
but interpretations of results were complemented by qualitative interviews aimed at capturing
changes in participants’ perceptions of their musical skills. Participants were selected based
on their dyslexia diagnosis and demonstrated interest and engagement in music. Following
informed consent, participants underwent a pre-test assessing their music-reading, aural
skills, and sight-reading competencies. Additionally, they completed questionnaires and
participated in interviews discussing their educational experiences and musical pathways. A
re-test and follow-up interviews were conducted post-intervention to capture shifts in
participants’ perceptions of music and the effectiveness of the instructional strategies.
Analysis of the datasets revealed substantial improvements in music-reading abilities
among participants, with many students doubling their initial scores and some achieving
increases of up to five times their original scores in post-intervention assessments. These
remarkable results illustrate the potential of multisensory approaches in enhancing music
literacy and affirm the capabilities of students with dyslexia when provided with appropriate
instructional support. Enhancements in keyboard proficiency were also notable. However,
aural test scores did not reflect similar progress, indicating specific challenges in rhythmic
reading that may potentially be linked to auditory processing challenges faced by students
with dyslexia. This divergence suggests that, while students can excel in certain areas with
targeted support, additional focus must be directed towards aural skills to ensure
comprehensive development in music literacy.
The implications of this research extend beyond the immediate findings. The study
advocates for a paradigm shift within music education that prioritises inclusive practices by
demonstrating the efficacy of multisensory teaching methodologies. It underscores the
necessity of addressing the unique needs of students with dyslexia, thereby fostering an
educational climate that is supportive and empowering. The findings suggest that when
educators are equipped with the right tools and strategies, students can engage
meaningfully with music literacy regardless of their learning differences
Exploring leadership and employee perspectives on the value of workplace wellbeing and how it should be supported.
No full textIn an era where 'wellbeing' is becoming a corporate buzzword, there is a growing need for clarity on
what constitutes meaningful support for employees, and how both leaders and employees can work
together to move beyond tokenistic gestures toward creating supportive work environments.
Historically, literature has primarily focused on the broader effects of wellbeing support in the workplace, often overlooking the nuanced perceptions of different organisational levels on their
understanding of wellbeing support. To explore this, the current study examined how leaders and
employees perceive, prioritise and support workplace wellbeing, highlighting key areas of alignment and discrepancy. Using a qualitative approach within a case study framework, the research investigated
leaders' and employees' lived experiences and perspectives. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven leaders and five employees from within the organisation. Thematic analysis revealed two overarching themes describing participants’ conceptualisation of wellbeing and the support mechanisms at the individual, leadership and organisational levels. The findings suggest that
workplace wellbeing is shaped by a dynamic interplay of factors that are different for everyone,
emphasising that workplace wellbeing cannot be approached as a one-size-fits-all solution. These findings offer practical implications for organisations by providing insight into the factors that shape leaders’ and employees’ understanding of workplace wellbeing within a specific organisational context, highlighting the importance of effective leadership and tailoring support to meet employee expectations and organisational goals
Evidence of self-care tooling and phylogenetic modeling reveal parrot tool use is not rare
No full textPutatively rare behaviors like tool use are difficult to study because absence of evidence can arise from a species’ inability to produce the behavior or from insufficient research. We combine data from digital platforms and phylogenetic modeling to estimate rates of tool use in parrots. Videos on YouTube revealed novel instances of self-care tooling in 17 parrot species, more than doubling the number of tool-using parrots from 11 (3%) to 28 (7%). Phylogenetic modeling suggests 11–17% of extant parrot species may be capable of tool use and identifies likely candidates. These discoveries impact our understanding of the evolution of tool use in parrots, revealing associations with relative brain size and feeding generalism and indicating likely ancestral tool use in several genera. Our findings challenge the assumption that current sampling efforts fully capture the distribution of putatively rare animal behaviors and offer a fruitful approach for investigating other rare behaviors
‘The Difficulty of Diagnosis Compromises Patient Care for People With Endometriosis’: Interview Study With Aotearoa New Zealand General Practitioners
No full textABSTRACTBackgroundGeneral practitioners (GPs) are gatekeepers to specialist attention for endometriosis in the public system in Aotearoa New Zealand (Aotearoa‐NZ). Their perspective of the endometriosis care landscape in Aotearoa‐NZ has not been previously assessed.DesignSemi‐structured interviews.ParticipantsNine GPs self‐selected to participate in interviews that were 13–28 min in duration to discuss their perspectives on endometriosis care.ObjectiveThese interviews included their views on existing guidelines, common characteristics of endometriosis patients, and what the future of endometriosis care could look like.Results and DiscussionThe GPs of this study expressed that the overloaded nature of specialist appointments in the public health system compromised the care of endometriosis patients. Resultingly, patients were subject to challenging journeys through diagnosis and management exacerbated by these health system factors. Furthermore, GPs identified that there were challenges that could prevent patients from presenting to the clinic to share their health concerns, such as a lack of awareness of ‘normal’ and pathologic menstrual‐related symptoms. Once in the clinic, patients can struggle to feel they can talk openly with their GP, due to issues such as cultural taboos around discussing menstruation. The GPs highlighted that necessary avenues to improve endometriosis care require investment into the public health system to improve its function. They also highlighted potential solutions to improve care that can be incorporated into the existing system, including expanded endometriosis guidelines, improved relationship‐building and introducing endometriosis specialist GPs or nurses.Patient or Public ContributionTwo of the authors who designed the study approach, interpreted the data and prepared the manuscript were assessed and treated for endometriosis symptoms.</jats:sec
Visualising tsunami evacuation modelling using Virtual Reality: New Brighton case study
No full textThis technical report describes the process of Virtual Reality (VR) visualisation of agent
based tsunami evacuation modelling results for New Brighton in Christchurch, New Zealand. The
visualisation is a part of the MBIE Smart Ideas project called “Agent models of tsunami evacuation
behaviour to improve planning and preparedness”, which is led by GNS Science/Te Pū Ao. In the report,
it is described how the terrain and movement of agents (people) was generated, and how simulation
results can be visualised in VR using a Head Mounted Display (HMD). In an appendix to the
report, it is described how to install and run the VR visualiser
Evaluation of MRI protocols for gynaecological brachytherapy at Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre.
No full textHigh dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BT) is a treatment technique for cervical
cancer that relies on placing radioactive sources within the patient using applicators to
deliver high radiation doses to the tumour. Given the high doses associated with HDR
BT, imaging plays a critical role in ensuring accurate tumour localisation and source
placement within the patient.
At the Wellington Blood and Cancer Centre (WBCC), the current workflow relies
on computed tomography (CT) for applicator reconstruction and magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) for target contouring. This process involves multiple patient transfers and
long treatment planning times, increasing the risk of discrepancies between the planned
and delivered dose. Implementing an MRI-only workflow or reducing the number of images
acquired will substantially simplify the imaging protocol, with a consequent improvement
in treatment accuracy. This thesis aims to develop the methodologies for evaluation of
MRI sequences and the resulting workflows to be used for cervix HDR BT planning at
WBCC.
An MRI-safe phantom was fabricated for MRI sequence optimisation, and a methodology
for assessing image quality was developed to compare new MR sequences against
the current protocol. Processes for evaluating the equivalence of treatment planning on
test workflows involving a new MR sequence against the standard workflow in terms of
applicator reconstruction and high-risk clinical target volume (HRCTV) contouring variability,
as well as resource efficiency, were established and tested on three patients. The
current workflow consists of four 2D MR sequences and a CT scan for at least the first
treatment fraction. Two test workflows were considered: Test1 consisted of sagittal and
high-resolution axial 2D MR sequences for target contouring, and a CT scan for applicator
reconstruction; and Test2 comprised a sagittal and high-resolution 2D MR sequences for both applicator reconstruction and target contouring. An MR-based applicator reconstruction
methodology was developed for the titanium ring and tandem (R&T) applicator
and titanium needles for the Test2 workflow.
Among the workflows, Test2 was the most time-efficient, reducing the time required
for image registration, contouring and applicator reconstruction by approximately half
compared to the standard workflow. Inter-observer applicator reconstruction variability
was higher for the MR-based method (Test2) than the CT-based method (Test1 and
standard). For MR-based applicator reconstruction, the mean inter-observer distance for
the ring, tandem and needles were 0.9 mm, 1.5 mm, and 0.7 mm, respectively. Whereas
for CT-based applicator reconstruction, the respective mean inter-observer distances were
0.4 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.5 mm. On the other hand, the standard workflow appeared to have
the highest inter-observer contouring variability for the HRCTV, with a mean conformity
index (CI) and average Hausdorff distance (HDave) of 0.68 and 2.2 mm, respectively. Test1
had a mean CI and HDave of 0.73 and 1.9 mm, respectively, while the respective values for
Test2 were 0.72 and 1.9 mm. The test workflows demonstrated improved inter-observer
contouring agreement, suggesting that these workflows may enhance clinical consistency.
This thesis successfully developed the methodologies needed to evaluate MR sequences.
Although the small sample size prevents definitive conclusions on the optimal
workflow, the findings provide valuable insight into contouring and applicator reconstruction
uncertainties at WBCC. The results indicate that the number of of MRI sequences in
the current protocol could be safely reduced from four to two. The developed methodologies
for MRI sequence evaluation in this project will support future research and clinical
implementation of an optimised imaging protocol. While further work is necessary for
MR-based applicator reconstruction, the findings from this project are promising
Devices and applications of square SnO₂ nanotubes grown by mist chemical vapour deposition.
No full textIn this thesis, fabrication techniques have been developed to produce electronic devices, such as resistors, Schottky diodes, and field effect transistors using perfectly square single-crystal nanotubes of tin oxide (SnO₂) grown by mist chemical vapour deposition (Mist-CVD). This involved optimizing the Mist-CVD growth conditions and the use of UV photolithography, scanning electron microscopy, RF magnetron sputtering, and electron beam evaporation to establish reliable ohmic and rectifying electrical contacts to individual and multiple square nanotubes. These devices were then electrically characterised and investigated for use in ultraviolet (UV) radiation sensing and neuromorphic applications. In the course of this work, valuable new insights were gained concerning the surface chemistry and surface electronic behaviour of these remarkable square nanostructures.
SnO₂ is a wide bandgap semiconductor and transparent conducting oxide, exhibiting the unusual combination of high optical transparency and strong electrical conductivity. In addition to these technologically useful properties, SnO₂ has a surface that is electronically sensitive to different gases and molecules. This is largely due to the presence of electron-donating surface hydroxyl groups that produce strong downward bending of the surface electronic bands and create a 2D surface electron accumulation layer. This surface sensitivity is advantageous in certain applications, such as gas and chemical sensing, but is a disadvantage in electronic devices that require stable operation. This surface sensitivity is particularly strong in the square SnO₂ nanotubes due to their high surface-to-volume ratios, and synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy techniques were combined with surface sulfur treatments to further understand and modify the degree of downward band bending.
Single-nanotube resistors were fabricated from individual undoped and 0.15% Sb-doped square SnO₂ nanotubes, with the Sb-doped nanotubes typically exhibiting 100 times higher conductances compared to their undoped counterparts. When illuminated with 200 µW cm-² of 285 nm UV light, the current through an individual nanotube resistor (biased at + 2 V) increased by more than 20 times indicating a strong UV sensing ability. However, this was accompanied by an effect common in SnO₂ and other oxide semiconductors known as persistent photoconductivity (PPC), where the increased current through the nanotube decayed very slowly after removing the UV illumination. By systematically studying this PPC effect in different gas environments, it was found that both atmospheric oxygen and water vapour can play a significant co-operative role in minimising the PPC in SnO₂-based UV sensors - a significant new finding previously unreported in the literature.
Back-gated field-effect transistors (FETs) and Schottky diodes were also fabricated using individual square SnO₂ nanotubes. Transistors fabricated from undoped nanotubes exhibited strong n-type FET behaviour with an excellent on/off current ratio of > 10⁶ , however FETs fabricated using 0.15% Sb-doped nanotubes could not be completely pinched-off due to their high channel conductance. The electrical characterisation and modelling of the undoped FETs allowed an undoped nanotube carrier concentration of approximately 5×10¹⁶ cm-³ to be determined. Schottky diodes fabricated using IrOₓ/Ir Schottky contacts on both undoped and 0.15% Sb-doped SnO₂ nanotubes showed excellent rectifying properties with forward/reverse bias current ratios exceeding 10⁷ , large effective barrier heights of up to 0.9 eV, and ideality factors as low as 1.04 indicating excellent lateral Schottky contact homogeneity. A Sb-doped SnO₂ nanotube Schottky diode back-illuminated with 360 µW cm-² of 275 nm UV light exhibited an extremely high photocurrent response of 107 and a significantly faster PPC recovery compared the SnO₂ single-nanotube resistors. Surprisingly, both the FETs and Schottky diodes exhibited a significant (but reversible) decrease in performance with time when left exposed to air, which was attributed to atmospheric adsorbates such as oxygen and water vapour electronically interacting with the SnO₂ surface.
The low device yield and labour-intensive fabrication methods associated with iii producing electronic devices based on individual square SnO2 nanotubes were solved by the design of ionic polymer-gated transistors that use multiple SnO₂ nanotubes as the conducting channel between interdigitated source and drain contacts. These devices also displayed strong n-type transistor behaviour, with an on/off current ratio > 10⁴ . The LiClO₄/polyethylene oxide ionic gate used in this device had a strong time-dependent response which was used to produce several synaptic behaviours such as excitatory postsynaptic current and paired-pulse facilitation. This demonstrated that ionic-gated square SnO₂ nanotube transistors are promising candidates for use as artificial synapses in neuromorphic computing applications.
Synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to further investigate the relationship between the surface chemistry and strong downward band bending of the square SnO₂ nanotubes. In-situ heating at 600 °C in vacuum was used to remove most of the electron-donating surface hydroxyl groups, but this also led to the creation of electron-donating oxygen vacancies and as a result the downward band bending was largely unchanged. A full recovery of the surface hydroxyl termination and repair of the oxygen vacancies could not be achieved by the use of in-situ exposure to water vapour and oxygen (even up to 8×10⁸ and 1.35×10⁴ Langmuirs, respectively), with a full recovery requiring multiple hours of exposure to atmosphere. Synchrotron XPS and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy were employed to investigate the use of sulfur treatment to reduce the downward band bending of the nanotubes. Surface treatment using an aqueous Na₂S solution produced only small upward shifts in band bending, however these upward shifts significantly increased with increasing X-ray doses due to the chemical reduction of oxidized sulfur species on the nanotube surfaces and were sufficient to produce almost-flat electronic bands.
In summary, the practicality of semiconducting square SnO₂ nanotubes grown by the highly-scalable mist-CVD technique has been significantly extended by the fabrication and characterisation of a range of electronic devices using individual and multiple undoped and Sb-doped nanotubes. The potential use of these devices in UV sensing and neuromorphic applications was practically demonstrated