bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intersections between Pacific leadership and international development
Authors:   , Fernandez Sean
Published: November 2021

As part of the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations has a long-held commitment to universal primary education for all children. Aid donors in wealthy nations have taken up this call and international development programmes have subsequently been set up in recipient countries where education is not available to everyone. Despite this, an estimated 1.6 million school-aged children in the Pacific region do not currently have access to formal primary schooling. As the timeframe for achieving the Millennium Development Goals draws to a close it is now clear that this aspiration will not be realised in many parts of the Pacific and a generation of children will grow up without a primary education. This raises questions about the design, delivery and management of international aid programmes in the education sector that are often led by people who are not members of the Pacific communities that they seek to assist.  This research explores the frustrations felt by recipients of education development programmes in two nations in the Pacific, Tonga and Fiji focusing on the relationship between international development in the Pacific and leadership styles and cultures in the education sector. A key problem that was articulated by aid recipients is that international aid relationships in the Pacific continue to be dominated by the discourses and priorities of donor nations and important opportunities to develop grassroots and local forms of leadership that respond directly and knowledgeably to the rapidly changing needs of Pacific communities have yet to be fully realised. At the same time, new forms of Pacific leadership are emerging as global economies increasingly affect the lives of people living in remote communities and there is a need to respond to these changes because they have a direct impact on schooling for children who live in those areas. Donor nations have not contributed significantly to local leadership development in the education domain and this is an ongoing source of tension for many people because there are so few formally trained indigenous leaders in the education field. The lack of local leaders in this area has an impact of the level of buy-in that Pacific communities give to educational aid projects. This thesis argues that if donor nations are serious about providing universal primary education, leadership development needs to be supported more comprehensively.
A descriptive study of New Zealand midwives' primary care management of iron status in pregnancy and the postpartum period
Authors:   , Calje Esther
Published: November 2021

Background: Globally there is no consensus on haemoglobin (Hb) parameters that define maternal anaemia. Therefore it is difficult to distinguish physiological anaemia of pregnancy from anaemia associated with pathology. Low maternal iron status is associated with adverse outcomes, although the evidence is difficult to interpret. Non-anaemic iron deficiency requires prevention and treatment, before end stage iron deficiency anaemia. Increases in serum ferritin (SF) secondary to inflammation, gives misleading results of iron stores if not tested with C-reactive protein (CRP). Given the complexities, how do Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwives in New Zealand manage anaemia and iron deficiency, without a clinical guideline?  Methods: In this descriptive study, quantitative data was retrospectively collected from September-December 2013, from LMC midwives (n=21) and women (n=189), in one New Zealand area. Main outcomes assessed were women’s iron status. Anaemia was defined as Hb <110g/L in the first trimester, <105g/L in subsequent trimesters, and <100g/L postnatally. Iron deficiency was defined as SF <20 μg/L, if CRP<5mg/L. A secondary analysis of iron status and body mass index (BMI) was undertaken.  Results: Of the 186 women who had Hb testing at booking, 46% did not have ferritin tested concurrently. Of the 385 ferritin tests undertaken, 86% were not tested with CRP. Despite midwives prescribing iron for 48.7%, and recommending iron for 16.9% of second trimester women, 47.1% had low iron status before birth. Only 22.8% had Hb testing postpartum, including 65.1% (of 38) with blood loss >500mls. Results of a secondary analysis showed a significant difference (p=.05) between third trimester ferritin levels in women with BMI ≥ 25 (Md SF 14 μg/L) and BMI < 25 (Md SF 18 μg/L).  Conclusions: Inconsistent testing of ferritin made it difficult to assess maternal iron status, especially without concurrent testing of CRP. Midwives may not understand and recognise the progression from iron sufficiency to end-stage iron deficiency anaemia. Even without further research this small study may indicate the need for improved education for midwives, and a clinical guideline. More complex studies on the prevalence in New Zealand, BMI and iron status, and maternal outcomes especially in the postpartum period, are warranted.
Exploring opportunities for developing intercultural competence through intercultural communicative language teaching (ICLT): A case study in a Chinese as a foreign language classroom in a New Zealand high school
Authors:   , Kennedy Juliet
Published: November 2021

This qualitative case study explores naturally arising opportunities for developing intercultural competence through intercultural communicative language teaching (ICLT) in a New Zealand high school Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) classroom. Although developing intercultural competence is a goal of many school curriculums, teacher awareness and implementation of effective intercultural pedagogies is not yet wellestablished. Exploring the naturally arising occurrences of intercultural teaching practices and behaviours in one classroom with no formal knowledge of ICLT provides evidence of how culture may be currently understood and approached in comparative settings. Existing views on culture provide a starting point for further developing ICLT.  Data collection methods included classroom observations, stimulated recall, unstructured and semi-structured interviews, and written reflections. One teacher and three students from an intermediate level CFL class participated in the study from June to September 2015.  The findings show that while some intercultural pedagogies and behaviours occurred naturally, without an explicit focus on developing intercultural competence students are unlikely to develop the skills, attitudes, and traits which make up intercultural competence in the language classroom. This study suggests that the current cultural activities in class could be transformed into opportunities for developing intercultural competence by adding a regular comparative, connective, and reflective dimension, incorporating the students’ linguistic and cultural experiences. The results of this study illustrate the necessity of expanding teacher awareness and skills in practising ICLT to promote the development of intercultural competence and to increase students’ interest in learning languages in New Zealand.
Cultivating Ownership of Development Aid: The Role of Civil Society in the Pacific
Authors:   , Pirnia Pedram
Published: November 2021

The principle of ownership and the idea that development aid should be owned by recipients has emerged within the last two decades in key statements from a series of international meetings between major donors and partners, most prominently since the 2005 Paris Declaration when ‘ownership of development aid’ became the first Principle of Aid Effectiveness. The principle was applauded particularly by the governments of rich donor states, but also by their specialist aid agencies and representatives of civil society. However, despite the endorsement and praise of the principle of ownership by all donors and stakeholders, confusion and lack of clarity remains as to what exactly ownership of development aid means especially in terms of policy and practice in the work of development actors.  The core proposal of this thesis is that the principle of recipient ownership of development aid, apparently so important at the highest international levels of discussion, must be defined, broken down into relevant ingredients, taken into consideration in terms of policy and practice, and measured. Otherwise, the principle is nothing but empty rhetoric. It is logical to suggest that to have any policy value political concepts should be definable and measureable. Hence, the thesis argues that if one can formulate the relevant ingredients of ownership, one can carefully investigate factors that increase or decrease those ingredients. This is the focus of this thesis.  Field research in the Pacific Islands used a mixed methodology that included gathering data on completed development projects and interviewing government officials, major donor officials, other deliverers of aid – particularly the civil society organisations (CSOs) – and especially the project beneficiaries at the grassroots. Projects where CSOs demonstrated particularly close engagement with the communities and beneficiaries were chosen as case studies. Analysing and deconstructing these mechanics and ingredients of ownership produced a new definition for ‘ownership of development aid’ and a range of variables for an Ownership Index and for Ownership Guidelines. These combined tools presented in this research should assist professionals to promote, cultivate and measure ownership of development outcomes that project beneficiaries will maintain, protect and improve over time.
Inflation Dynamics
Authors:   , Parker Miles
Published: November 2021

This thesis studies inflation dynamics, investigating both reasons why prices change, and why they sometimes do not. It investigates four areas that are of interest to monetary policy makers, but where our knowledge is incomplete.  The first area investigated is the causes of price stickiness at the firm level. Insight is given by a large survey of price-setting behaviour of New Zealand firms. There is a large degree of heterogeneity in price-setting practices between, and within, sectors. Explicit contracts, implicit contracts and strategic complementarity are the most widely recognised causes of price rigidity. Menu costs and sticky information are not widely recognised.  The second area investigated is how exporters price, and in particular the decisions over currency of invoice and whether to differentiate prices across markets. In sharp contrast to commonly held views, we find that primary sector firms do differentiate prices across markets. Indeed, these firms are more likely to do so in New Zealand than firms in other sectors. Larger, and more productive firms, are more likely to differentiate prices.  This thesis then studies the influence that global inflation factors have on domestic inflation. A CPI database for 223 countries and territories extends the previous research, which focuses on high income countries. Global factors explain a large share of the variance of national inflation rates in advanced countries, but not for less developed countries. More generally, global factors have greater influence in countries with higher GDP per capita, financial development and central bank transparency. Global factors explain a large share of the variance of food and energy prices but a much smaller share of the variance of other sub-components.  Finally, this thesis carries out the first systematic analysis of the impact on inflation of disasters caused by natural hazards. There is a large degree of heterogeneity, with disasters having little significant effect in advanced countries, but having effects that can persist for years in developing economies. There are also differences between types of disasters and sub-indices of inflation. Storms have a short-run impact on food price inflation that lasts for the first two quarters, before being reversed in the subsequent two. Earthquakes reduce CPI inflation excluding food, housing and energy.
Mission
Authors:   , Jerram Sophia
Published: November 2021

A screenplay.
Capturing Enculturation Awareness: Conscious Negotiations between Culture and the Self
Authors:   , Balanovic Jovana
Published: November 2021

Enculturation (cultural acquisition during identity development) has often been conceptualised as an unconscious process of cultural internalization. However, little research has explicitly examined the degree to which people are aware of cultural influences on the self (enculturation awareness) and how varying levels of awareness may influence the development of the self-concept. Drawing from extant qualitative research (Balanovic & Ward, 2013), the current investigation addressed this paucity through the development of the Enculturation Awareness Scale (EAS), which captures the degree to which individuals have consciously considered and come to understand cultural influences on the self. Using two distinct samples drawn from English speaking, multicultural nations (sample 1, New Zealand, N = 224; sample 2, New Zealand, Australia, USA, N = 317), the results present initial evidence for the validity and reliability of the EAS by demonstrating consistent relationships between the EAS and criterion measures of identity exploration (Cultural-Identity Exploration, Exploration in Depth, Exploration in Breadth, Ruminative Exploration), identity clarity (Cultural Identity Clarity, Self-Concept Clarity, Identity Coherence), and identity commitment (Identification with Commitment, Commitment Making). Furthermore, the emergent findings situate enculturation awareness within a nomological network of theoretically related constructs such as perceived agency, empathy and positive psychological outcomes. The development of the EAS has important implications for future theorising concerning the dynamic interplay between culture and the development of the self-concept.
Irrigation and Ecosystem Services: development of an irrigation model for the LUCI ecosystem services framework
Authors:   , Easton Stuart
Published: November 2021

Poor water quality is currently a major environmental issue worldwide and in New Zealand, where reactive Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P) lost from agricultural fields are significant drivers of water quality degradation in rural catchments. Irrigation application to crops is essential to agricultural production however irrigation inputs can increase N and P losses to waterways via drainage and/or overland flow directly and as a result of reduced soil capacity to buffer rainfall events. Indirect nutrient losses are also increased following irrigation implementation due to amplified farming intensity. Furthermore, irrigation applications represent the world’s greatest consumptive use of water. Improving irrigation efficiency with regard to water use represents a synergistic opportunity for the improvement of a number of different ecosystem services including water quality, water supply, and food production.  Spatially explicit modelling of irrigation is needed to determine inefficiencies in water delivery and target these inefficiencies for management or mitigation at sub-field scales. A complimentary need exists for irrigation modelling within ecosystem service decision support tools so that nutrient and water movement can be accurately quantified in irrigated environments.   This thesis describes the development and implementation of SLIM – the Spatially-explicit LUCI Irrigation Model. SLIM adapts existing lumped hydrological and irrigation modelling techniques and practices to a fully distributed, spatially explicit framework, so that sub-field variations in water flows resulting from variable soil properties are accounted for. SLIM is generally applicable across New Zealand, using readily available national scale datasets and literature derived parameters. SLIM is capable of predicting irrigation depth and timing based on common management strategies and irrigation system characteristics, or can replicate irrigation applications where information is available. Outputs from SLIM are designed to assist irrigation management decisions at the field level, and to inform the hydrology component of the Land Utilisation and Capability Indicator (LUCI) ecosystem service assessment framework. Standalone SLIM outputs include time-series files, water balance plots, and raster maps describing the efficiency and efficacy of the modelled irrigation system.   SLIM has been applied in three different agroecosystems in New Zealand under surface, micro, and spray irrigation systems, each characterised by different levels of data availability. Results show that SLIM is able to accurately predict the timing of irrigation applications and provide usable information to inform irrigation application decisions. SLIM outputs emphasise the importance of soil variability with regard to water loss and risk of nutrient leaching. Opportunity exists for irrigation water use efficiency to be improved through targeted management at sub-field scales in New Zealand farming systems.
The Utilisation and Perceived Value of Archives: New Zealand’s Recordkeeping Standards by Public Sector Recordkeepers
Authors:   , Currie Grace Elizabeth
Published: November 2021

Archives New Zealand has issued and revised seven recordkeeping standards since the passing of the Public Records Act 2005, four of which are mandatory compliance standards for all public offices and local authorities. Public sector recordkeepers are charged with achieving their organisations’ compliance with the Public Records Act but no research has been done into the utilisation and perceived value of these standards by this group. This project aimed to reveal how widespread utilisation of Archives New Zealand’s recordkeeping standards is and how valuable public sector recordkeepers believe the standards are by seeking evidence of utilisation of the standards, reasons behind this utilisation or lack thereof, and perceived drivers and/or barriers to the standards’ utilisation. A quantitative survey research approach was taken to obtain data from public sector recordkeepers. The research found that the standards are being used by many recordkeepers and for multiple purposes within organisations. The mandatory standards are the most utilised and compliance to the Public Records Act the biggest driver behind utilisation. Overall the standards are deemed valuable, but opinions are conflicting concerning the style and content of the standards. Further research into this area is recommended to provide more detailed results about the standards as individual entities.
Empathear: Design of a system to elicit empathy in siblings of voice hearers
Authors:   , Mokhtar Sarah
Published: November 2021

It is said that one in five adults will be affected by some form of mental disorder every year, and nearly half the population (45%) will experience a mental disorder at some stage in their life (SaneAustralia, 2004).  This research poses the question: ‘How can design elicit empathy in siblings of voices hearers? Testing and using a designed device to simulate dynamic Auditory Hallucinations or ‘Voices’ in order for family members to experience an in-depth understanding of their own reaction to hearing ‘voices’. With multiple studies affirming that families are crucial to recovery, this thesis research targets families to provide an education on how to positively perpetuate the recovery of a loved one suffering from hearing voices.  Empathy is the driving concept of this research, challenging the ability of a designed devices ability to elicit empathy. Through the design of a wearable technology scarf and smart phone App (both entitled Empathear) created to emulate ‘voices’, this thesis has developed and tested, a product-service system that provides family members a simulated voice hearing experience which can be undertaken in the family home and out in the general public. These voices adapt to the wearer’s environment, becoming louder, softer, more intense or relaxed. Using Empathear outside of the home is very important to this research as it allows family members to see what it is like to speak to members of the public with the distraction of voices.  This research identified four common themes expressed by those interviewed: - Distraction and Concentration - Personal Adaption into a Progressional Experience - Empathy and Appreciation - Positivity for the Future  Empathear fills a gap in the market, helping families to take control, becoming their own instigators of positive change. From a case study of user testing of the chosen design output – the Empathear App, it was found that this research was successful in achieving improved empathetic concern, with all sibling participants acknowledging a change in empathy towards their loved one. This generated a motivation, especially in younger participants, to improve the future of their loved one akin to Daniel C. Batson’s Altruism (Chapter 5.1 Types of Empathy).  This research worked to avoid personal distress in participants by allowing them the option to turn the App off at any stage, giving participants free range on how they wanted to orchestrate their personal voices experience. Empathear has given premise to understanding that distinguishing the illness from our loved one can be achieved through understanding our own reaction to voices. Participants were given an experience of how their personality could be tested by this adversity, allowing them to recognize the reasons behind their loved ones day to day actions and reactions.
Parkour/Freerunning as a Pathway to Prosocial Change: A Theoretical Analysis
Authors:   , Herrmann Johanna
Published: November 2021

Parkour/freerunning is a training method for overcoming physical and mental obstacles, and has been proposed as a unique tool to engage youth in healthy leisure activities (e.g., Gilchrist & Wheaton, 2011). Although practitioners have started to utilise parkour/freerunning in programmes for youth at risk of antisocial behaviour, this claim is insufficiently grounded in theory and research to date. In fact, the common misrepresentation of the practice in the media has led to confusion and debate about the nature of parkour/freerunning. In a conceptual and historical analysis, I explore what parkour/freerunning is, and how it can impact on the practitioner. Results from the analysis reveal values, goals and assumptions that parkour/freerunning is built upon, as well as a set of physical, mental, socio-moral and cognitive-behavioural skills developed through the practice. As illustrated by its history, parkour/freerunning has emerged as a highly versatile tool for self-development and change. These insights are used to discuss how parkour/freerunning relates to contemporary frameworks of offender rehabilitation. A comparative analysis demonstrates that parkour/freerunning is largely capable of meeting the standards of rehabilitation practice guided by the Risk-Need-Responsivity model. Moreover, key goals, assumptions and general approach in parkour/freerunning are naturally in line with those in the Good Lives Model of offender rehabilitation. The major overlaps of parkour/freerunning with both frameworks suggest that the practice can increase the individual’s capacity to live a healthy and prosocial life, and reduce the risk of reoffending. Particularly when applied within the GLM, parkour/freerunning offers a pathway to identity formation and transformation. Although this claim is in need of further exploration, I propose that parkour/freerunning can be utilised to enhance the practice of offender rehabilitation as an engaging and easily accessible tool for prosocial change.
Inhabiting the threshold: the Women's Gallery as liminal space in New Zealand's feminist art history
Authors:   , Baker Kirsty
Published: November 2021

In the four years between January 1980 and January 1984, a gallery was run in Wellington by a collective of women to display the work of female artists only. This feminist space sought to provide an educational, supportive and inclusive environment, free from the obstacles which were perceived to prohibit women from displaying their work in mainstream art spaces. This thesis tackles the history of this gallery’s reception and seeks to address its absence in the writing of New Zealand’s art history. In reassessing its history, I assert the Women’s Gallery deserves a place within critical accounts of art in New Zealand.  Chapter one locates the Women’s Gallery within the cultural and political context of New Zealand society by tracing the development of the women’s art movement, and feminism as a grassroots political movement. An examination of the gallery’s Opening Show serves as an example of the way in which the ideology of the Women’s Gallery shaped its organisational structure.  Chapter two pinpoints the time of the gallery’s existence at a point of transformation within feminist thinking. This chapter problematises the evolution of feminist thought from ‘essentialism’ to a critique informed by poststructuralist strategies. A close analysis of artworks demonstrates that the Women’s Gallery was simultaneously occupied by artists who exhibited both tendencies.  By proposing Victor Turner’s model of liminality as a framework upon which to base a discussion of the Women’s Gallery, chapter three reframes the gallery as a liminal space. I argue the temporary existence of the gallery allowed women a space – removed from patriarchal power structures – in which to experiment both politically and creatively.
Rewriting masculinity with male bodies: The sexualization of male martyrs in Prudentius’ Peristephanon
Authors:   , Marshall Christabel
Published: November 2021

It is now generally accepted that Saint Agnes is portrayed in the Peristephanon as ambiguously gendered (she is masculinized and refeminized), sexualized and objectified in such a way as to intentionally lead the reader to view her as a sexual object. Scholars have used philology, intertextual readings, gaze theory and, most successfully, Laura Mulvey’s conception of the workings of voyeurism4 in order to explicate and examine the portrayal of Agnes in Prudentius’ Peristephanon. However, as the above quotations indicate, there is a similar though different, subtler mode of sexualization, sexual allusion and, therefore, objectification that may be read in the Peristephanon’s martyrdoms-- those of the male saints. The passages quoted above show Agnes welcoming her executioner as a lover in strident rhetoric while Cassian’s executioners are exhausted from torturing him to death and are described in terms similar to lovers near the end of their exertions, giving new meaning to his exhortation that they ‘be vigorous’. This highlights the importance of the virility of the executioner/s as they stand in for God as agents whose actions will complete the contract of martyrdom and bring the martyr into a union, or marriage, with Christ. The eagerness and ability of the executioners is integral in this transaction. Agnes’ lover with his ‘eager steps’ and ‘hot desires’ is masculine and forceful enough to please even the masculinized Agnes. While Cassian’s torturers fail because they are not fully-grown and cannot therefore bring the contract to completion. Indeed Cassian only speaks once in the entire poem and it is to exhort his torturers to finish him off, to exhort his lovers to (at last) become men. Cassian is presented with exactly the kind of lover that Agnes has spurned, soft effeminate boys. Yet Cassian does not speak against their suitability as the chosen instruments of his bridegroom. He is feminized through his passive acceptance of the manner of his death. Then, much like Agnes, is remasculinized as the boys’ penetrations fail to kill him and God must step in. Cassian’s masculinity is undermined by that which is not present: ability in rhetoric, agency, and virility. And although it is recouped by God, it is interesting that he and his masculinity have taken a detour through mute objectification and passivity, a sort of sexualization.
Professional Learning and Development (PLD) in Higher Education: The experiences of teacher educators in Vietnam
Authors:   , Tran Hue
Published: November 2021

A key challenge for educators in Vietnamese higher education (HE) lies in the implementation of top-down national educational reforms. Professional learning and development (PLD) is viewed by the government as a primary means to enhance lecturers’ capacity to implement national educational initiatives. However, the nature of PLD for lecturers and its roles in supporting HE reforms in developing countries like Vietnam remain under-investigated. This study explores the practices of PLD for English as a foreign language (EFL) lecturers who are teacher educators within higher education, and the social, cultural, and political contexts within which these occur. The study employs a mixed-methods research methodology with a focus on qualitative approach and the use of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) as the framework of analysis. A case study across three tertiary institutions provides the basis for an analysis of the phenomenon of PLD for EFL lecturers in Vietnam involving academic leaders and EFL lecturers. Complementary data collection methods were used: a questionnaire, individual semi-structured interviews, observations of PLD sessions, and relevant document review. Data were analysed both deductively and inductively to explore the roles of PLD in the educators’ personal and professional growth, and their capacity to enact mandated initiatives in the selected institutions. The findings indicate that PLD is a complex, political and culturally situated phenomenon that plays a key role in supporting the professional aspirations of lecturers. The study foregrounds the lecturers’ PLD experiences, the implications of PLD, and the influence of government and institutional policies and initiatives on the lecturers’ PLD. This study proposes a model of PLD that raises critical questions about how HE institutions and policy makers might provide a supportive PLD environment to better foster lecturers’ capacity to bring about changes at both personal and institutional levels. This model shows that PLD needs to be viewed across diverse forms including formal, collaborative and informal PLD. For PLD to be effective, consideration should be given to ensuring lecturers experience it as: (1) needs-based, relevant and meaningful for their learning and applicable to their teaching contexts, (2) encouraging them to be active and self-regulated learners, (3) promoting reflective and experiential learning, and (4) based on negotiated understandings of the purpose and function of PLD among all involved stakeholders. The study contributes to an understanding of PLD requirements for EFL teacher educators in an Asian context, and may be relevant to PLD for tertiary lecturers in a wider international context.
Vietnamese Academics' Research Capacity in Tertiary Contexts
Authors:   , Huynh Tien
Published: November 2021

Research carried out by academics at higher education institutions (HEIs) has substantially contributed to nations’ development, particularly in a time of globalisation and internationalisation of higher education (HE). A range of studies on academics’ research have been undertaken in western contexts. Those studies can be classified into studies of academics’ research perceptions and studies of factors affecting academics’ research productivity. However, there has been a very limited number of studies on academics’ research capacity and HEIs’ research capacities in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Government has attempted to develop its HE system to contribute to the success of its national development. Over the past ten years, the Vietnamese Government has issued a series of research related policies and has had a greater investment into the development of its HE system. However, the research capacity of Vietnamese HEIs has been lower than that of its neighbouring countries in the region. Therefore, this study was conducted with the hope that it might provide an in-depth understanding of the research capacities of Vietnamese HEIs and their academics and how they can be better fostered in the Vietnamese HE system.  The study was conducted in three public HEIs at different levels in southern Vietnam: provincial, regional, and national. The study employed an interpretive case study approach with a lens of historical and sociocultural theory. Three key tools used for data collecting were surveys, individual semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The research participants were purposefully selected from the three institutions. For data analysis, the study utilised a combined framework adapted from the predictive model department research productivity of Bland, Center, Finstad, Risbey, and Staples (2005), the model of factors affecting academics’ research productivity of Chen, Gupta, and Hoshower (2006), and Moore’s (2015) social-ecological model: Looking beyond the individual. The study’s findings indicated that the research capacities of Vietnamese HEIs and their academics were influenced by various factors at different levels. At societal level, they include socioeconomic, sociocultural, and political factors. At community level, they comprise resources, research orientation, research networks, professional development practices. At institutional level, they consist of establishment history, geographical location, and organisation. Additionally, the study identified that institutional contexts affected the academics’ research motivation and research engagement at this level. Finally, this study suggested some recommendations for both academic leaders and academics from the three HEIs and Vietnamese HE policy makers to consider so that they may find ways to enhance the research capacities of the Vietnamese HEIs and their academics’ research engagement.
On Idempotent Measures of Small Norm
Authors:   , Mudge Jayden
Published: November 2021

In this Master’s Thesis, we set up the groundwork for [8], a paper co-written by the author and Hung Pham. We summarise the Fourier and Fourier-Stieltjes algebras on both abelian and general locally compact groups. Let Г be a locally compact group. We answer two questions left open in [11] and [13]:  1. When Г is abelian, we prove that if ϰs ∈ B(Г) is an idempotent with norm 1 < ||ϰs|| < 4/3 then S is the union of two cosets of an open subgroup of Г.  2. For general Г, we prove that if ϰs ∈ McbA(Г) is an idempotent with norm ||ϰs||cb < 1+√2/2 , then S is an open coset in Г.
New Methods for Studying Materials Under Shear with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Authors:   , Brox Timothy
Published: November 2021

For over 30 years, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques have been used to study materials under shear. Collectively referred to as Rheo-NMR, these methods measure material behaviour due to external stimuli and provide spatially and temporally resolved maps of NMR spectra, intrinsic NMR parameters (e.g. relaxation times) or motion (e.g. diffusion or flow). As a consequence, Rheo-NMR has been established as a complementary technique to conventional rheological measurements. In this thesis, new hardware and experimental methods are presented with the goal of advancing this exciting field through further integration of traditional rheometry techniques with NMR experiments.  Three key areas of hardware development have been addressed, including: 1) integrating torque sensing into the Rheo-NMR experiment for simultaneous bulk shear stress measurements, 2) constructing shear devices with geometric parameters closer to those used on commercial rheometers and 3) implementing an advanced drive system which allows for new shear profiles including oscillatory shear.  In addition to presenting the design and construction of various prototype instruments, results from validation and proof of concept studies are discussed. This information demonstrates that the hardware operates as expected and establishes an experimental parameter space for these new techniques.  Furthermore, these methods have been applied to open questions in various physical systems. This includes exploring the influence of shear geometry curvature on the onset of shear banding in a wormlike micelle surfactant system, observing shear induced structural changes in a lyotropic nonionic surfactant simultaneously via deuterium spectroscopy and bulk viscosity as well as studying interactions of flowing granular materials. The interpretation and implication of these observations are discussed in addition to motivating further studies.
E Pluribus… Unum?: Multiculturalism, Well-being, and Social Cohesion among Whites and Hispanics in the United States
Authors:   , Watters Sara Morgan
Published: November 2021

Multiculturalism has been proclaimed as a failure in several European countries and has been said to divide solidarity in the United States. As many Western nations become increasingly pluralistic, multiculturalism has become one of the most socially and politically divisive issues that has been debated among citizens, scholars, and political leaders, many of which suggest multiculturalism undermines social cohesion. However, a review of the literature suggests that inconsistent findings may be due in part to differences in the conceptualisation of the term multiculturalism. As we argue in the current study, not only is multiculturalism a multi-faceted phenomenon relating to diversity of a population, policy to manage diversity, and ideologies of whether diversity is positive or negative, but also it may have different consequences for minority and majority groups. In the current study we seek to examine how these different conceptualisations of multiculturalism, are related to well-being and social cohesion using a new construct called Subjective Multiculturalism. This measure investigates participants’ perceptions of how multicultural they perceive the United States to be in terms of diversity, policy that promotes equity, and ideology. Results indicate that Whites have higher levels of well-being than Hispanics and are more embedded in society. Results also indicate that perceptions that diversity is positively viewed by Americans predict social cohesion for Hispanics but not for Whites. Overall, findings suggest that multiculturalism does not exert negative effects on well-being or social cohesion, and indeed, in some cases it predicts positive outcomes, particularly for Hispanics.
Investigating educative mentoring for provisionally certificated teachers in the New Zealand primary school
Authors:   , Stannard Diane
Published: November 2021

The Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring and Mentor Teachers were published in 2011 by the New Zealand Teachers Council. The Guidelines signalled a shift from what had been an induction programme based on advice and guidance to one that involved educative mentoring. These guidelines were developed to support the provision of nationally consistent, high quality, and comprehensive support for provisionally certificated teachers (PCTs).  This qualitative investigation used an interpretative case study approach to describe what educative mentoring looked like in three New Zealand primary schools. Data were gathered using an online survey, interviews, recorded meeting and analysis of documents.  The findings were that mentors and provisionally registered teachers had differing levels of understanding of educative mentoring. While mentors espoused using educative mentoring components (Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand, 2015a, pp. 25-26) this did not appear to be happening in practice. This suggests the need for mentor training if educative mentoring is to become embedded. Mentors need training to understand what educative mentoring really means. In particular the elements of deconstruction (describing, analysing, and discussing evidence) and co-construction (setting new personal goals) were missing to some degree in each relationship investigated. The process of induction and mentoring is to develop practice and ultimately for the provisionally registered teacher to attain the Practising Teacher Criteria. However this study revealed that the developmental process of practice appears to be more focused on meeting the Practising Teacher Criteria than developing understanding through the setting of personal goals.
Generalizing the Algebra of Throws to Rank-3 Matroids
Authors:   , Hall Jasmine
Published: November 2021

The algebra of throws is a geometric construction which reveals the underlying algebraic operations of addition and multiplication in a projective plane. In Desarguesian projective planes, the algebra of throws is a well-defined, commutative and associative binary operation. However, when we consider an analogous operation in a more general point-line configuration that comes from rank-3 matroids, none of these properties are guaranteed. We construct lists of forbidden configurations which give polynomial time checks for certain properties. Using these forbidden configurations, we can check whether a configuration has a group structure under this analogous operation. We look at the properties of configurations with such a group structure, and discuss their connection to the jointless Dowling geometries.
Factors Influencing Consumer Trust in Mobile Payments in the United Arab Emirates
Authors:   , Shuhaiber Ahmed
Published: November 2021

While mobile payments have been adopted by a huge number of businesses, the body of knowledge regarding user trust in mobile payments shows that trust is a major issue in its adoption and development. The purpose of this study was to better understand the factors that influence consumer trust in mobile payments in one significant country in this region; The United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the research region. The UAE is one of the leading economies in the Middle East Arab region, and mobile technology is well advanced and widely utilised.  An analysis of relevant literature provided the basis for the development of a conceptual model. The model, classified into five logical groups (consumer characteristics, environmental influences, provider characteristics, perceived risks and mobile-device characteristics), was further explored, validated, extended and tested through a mixed-method methodology, combining both qualitative (phase one) and quantitative (phase two) approaches, with semi-structured interviewing in exploratory focus groups and an online survey being used respectively.  The findings of the qualitative phase were used to clarify the appropriateness of the preliminary Consumer Trust in Mobile Payments (CTMP) model, which was accordingly revised and extended. The second phase (the quantitative approach) was based on a survey of 340 respondents in the UAE. The collected data were analysed by using Structural Equation Modelling with the Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) approach. Many of the factors in the qualitative CTMP model were successfully validated and statistically significant. The resulting, quantitatively weighted CTMP model shows that users‟ awareness and provider‟s trustworthiness are the most positive influential factor, followed by perceive security levels and device-design suitability. Customers‟ uncertainty avoidance, on the other hand, is the most negatively influential factor on trust, followed by perceived privacy risks associated with m-payments. The model contributes towards better acceptance and usage of mobile payments. The findings also provide a number of theoretical implications for academic research and useful information for practitioners.
Maximality in the ⍺-C.A. Degrees
Authors:   , Arthur Katie
Published: November 2021

In [4], Downey and Greenberg define the notion of totally ⍺-c.a. for appropriately small ordinals ⍺, and discuss the hierarchy this notion begets on the Turing degrees. The hierarchy is of particular interest because it has already given rise to several natural definability results, and provides a definable antichain in the c.e. degrees. Following on from the work of [4], we solve problems which are left open in the aforementioned relating to this hierarchy. Our proofs are all constructive, using strategy trees to build c.e. sets, usually with some form of permitting. We identify levels of the hierarchy where there is absolutely no collapse above any totally ⍺-c.a. c.e. degree, and construct, for every ⍺ ≼ ε0, both a totally ⍺-c.a. c.e. minimal cover and a chain of totally ⍺-c.a. c.e. degrees cofinal in the totally ⍺-c.a. c.e. degrees in the cone above the chain's least member.
The molecular forms of BMP15 in a range of mammalian species
Authors:   , Swinerd Gene
Published: November 2021

BMP15 is an oocyte-secreted growth factor that is critical for ovarian follicular development and fertility in mammals. To improve our understanding of the species-specific effects of BMP15 on fertility, the aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular forms of BMP15 in mammals with high (rat and pigs) and low (sheep and deer) litter sizes. Western blotting experiments were undertaken using a monoclonal antibody directed against a semi-conserved area on the mature region of E.coli-expressed ovine BMP15.  Within the oocyte lysate of all species tested, the predominant form was promature BMP15, although mature BMP15 was also present. Within oocyte-conditioned media of sheep, pigs and deer, the promature:mature BMP15 ratio dropped significantly from what was seen inside the oocyte, with promature BMP15 only slightly predominant in deer, and relatively equal amounts of each protein were present in pigs and sheep. No BMP15 was detected in the oocyte-conditioned media of rats. Cross-linking studies did not provide any evidence of BMP15/BMP15 homodimers or BMP15/GDF9 heterodimers in any species tested.  Intra-oocyte levels of both promature and mature BMP15, from highest to lowest, were detected in deer, followed by sheep and pigs (similar), and then rats (significantly lower). In the oocyte-conditioned media, with the exception of the rat where BMP15 was absent, there was a similar pattern of promature BMP15 levels observed between species, whereas mature BMP15 levels showed no inter-species variation.  In summary, the molecular forms and relative amounts of BMP15 protein differ across species. Generally, high BMP15 levels were associated with low litter size; however the pig is an exception. Furthermore, the molecular forms observed in this study differed from those reported in studies using recombinant BMP15 suggesting that recombinantly-expressed protein may not provide a fair representation of native BMP15.