title: Preliminary impacts of a new seasonal work program on rural household incomes in the Pacific

authors: Gibson, John

subjects: propensity score matching

abstract: Seasonal work programs are increasingly advocated by international aid agencies as a way of enabling both developed and developing countries to benefit from migration. They are argued to provide workers with new skills and allow them to send remittances home, without the receiving country having to worry about long-term assimilation and the source country worrying about permanent loss of skills. However, formal evidence as to the development impact of seasonal worker programs is non-existent. This paper provides the first such evaluation, studying New Zealand's new Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) program which allows Pacific Island migrants to work in horticulture and viticulture in New Zealand for up to seven months per year. We use baseline and follow-up waves of surveys we are carrying out in Tonga to form difference-in-difference and propensity score matching estimates of short-term impacts on household income and consumption.

text: Preliminary impacts of a new seasonal work program on rural household incomes in the Pacific Seasonal work programs are increasingly advocated by international aid agencies as a way of enabling both developed and developing countries to benefit from migration. They are argued to provide workers with new skills and allow them to send remittances home, without the receiving country having to worry about long-term assimilation and the source country worrying about permanent loss of skills. However, formal evidence as to the development impact of seasonal worker programs is non-existent. This paper provides the first such evaluation, studying New Zealand's new Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) program which allows Pacific Island migrants to work in horticulture and viticulture in New Zealand for up to seven months per year. We use baseline and follow-up waves of surveys we are carrying out in Tonga to form difference-in-difference and propensity score matching estimates of short-term impacts on household income and consumption.

year: 2008-12

title: Dogs' scent detection performance with rapidly changing targets

authors: Chia, Maria Shue Ying

abstract: Scent detection dogs trained to detect one target scent are sometimes needed to detect a different target. Recent studies have demonstrated that scent detection animals can be trained to detect multiple scents simultaneously. However, in some cases, it may be problematic if the dogs indicate on previous targets. Therefore, it would be useful to know how quickly they can learn to detect new target scents, and not to indicate on previously trained target scents. The aim of this study was to evaluate dogs’ ability to learn to detect new target scents while simultaneously rejecting all previously trained target scents. Firstly, five pet dogs were trained to detect a training scent (amyl acetate) using an automated apparatus. The dogs were then required to detect a four new target scents within four phases. Target scents were treated as non-target scents in all subsequent phases; indications on previously trained target scents were not reinforced. Non-target scents in each phase consisted of three randomly selected chemicals that were presented in a randomised rotation. The dogs were required to complete a phase with one target and meet the criteria of more than 80% for correct indication and correct rejection responses, without performing an indication response more than once on the previous target scent for four out of five sessions. The results of the experiment demonstrated that (1) the dogs were able to successfully discriminate between the specified target scent and all non-target scents within each phase; (2) the persistence of indication behaviour on previously trained target scents decreased more rapidly with each phase; and (3) there was a re-emergence of indication responses when each previously trained target scent was presented after extinction conditions. In summary, the present study demonstrates that dogs can be retrained to indicate on new targets and reject previous targets. The learning processes associated with the dogs learning to indicate on new targets, and learning not to indicate on previous target scents must both be considered. These results have significant practical implications and it is hoped that the they will improve our ability to employ individual scent-detection animals to find multiple targets.

text: Dogs' scent detection performance with rapidly changing targets Scent detection dogs trained to detect one target scent are sometimes needed to detect a different target. Recent studies have demonstrated that scent detection animals can be trained to detect multiple scents simultaneously. However, in some cases, it may be problematic if the dogs indicate on previous targets. Therefore, it would be useful to know how quickly they can learn to detect new target scents, and not to indicate on previously trained target scents. The aim of this study was to evaluate dogs’ ability to learn to detect new target scents while simultaneously rejecting all previously trained target scents. Firstly, five pet dogs were trained to detect a training scent (amyl acetate) using an automated apparatus. The dogs were then required to detect a four new target scents within four phases. Target scents were treated as non-target scents in all subsequent phases; indications on previously trained target scents were not reinforced. Non-target scents in each phase consisted of three randomly selected chemicals that were presented in a randomised rotation. The dogs were required to complete a phase with one target and meet the criteria of more than 80% for correct indication and correct rejection responses, without performing an indication response more than once on the previous target scent for four out of five sessions. The results of the experiment demonstrated that (1) the dogs were able to successfully discriminate between the specified target scent and all non-target scents within each phase; (2) the persistence of indication behaviour on previously trained target scents decreased more rapidly with each phase; and (3) there was a re-emergence of indication responses when each previously trained target scent was presented after extinction conditions. In summary, the present study demonstrates that dogs can be retrained to indicate on new targets and reject previous targets. The learning processes associated with the dogs learning to indicate on new targets, and learning not to indicate on previous target scents must both be considered. These results have significant practical implications and it is hoped that the they will improve our ability to employ individual scent-detection animals to find multiple targets.

year: 2020

title: Barriers to and supports for success for Maori students in the Psychology Department at the University of Waikato

authors: Hunt, Hanna

subjects: Maori students

abstract: The overall objective for this evaluation was to investigate the barriers to participating in tertiary education for Maori, and supports for academic success for Maori students in the Psychology Department. With this objective in mind, we set out to:
Investigate the barriers that impede success for Maori students in the Psychology Department. 
Identify variables of success and how they can be more effectively managed within the Psychology Department. 
Identify factors that contribute to Maori students continuing their studies through to graduate level. 
Provide recommendations for future development of a supportive environment for Maori students in the Psychology Department.

text: Barriers to and supports for success for Maori students in the Psychology Department at the University of Waikato The overall objective for this evaluation was to investigate the barriers to participating in tertiary education for Maori, and supports for academic success for Maori students in the Psychology Department. With this objective in mind, we set out to:
Investigate the barriers that impede success for Maori students in the Psychology Department. 
Identify variables of success and how they can be more effectively managed within the Psychology Department. 
Identify factors that contribute to Maori students continuing their studies through to graduate level. 
Provide recommendations for future development of a supportive environment for Maori students in the Psychology Department.

year: 2001-01-01