title: Placing the spotlight on open educational resources: Global phenomenon or cultural guise?

authors: Cobb, Donella J.

subjects: Open Educational Resources

abstract: The quest to enhance the quality of teaching in low-income countries has encouraged international aid agencies to look for alternative platforms to provide teacher education. Open Educational Resources have attracted the attention of the international community because of their ability to provide accessible and cost-effective teacher education programs across diverse cultural contexts. Yet, despite increasing support, little consideration has been given to whose knowledge, values, and cultural norms are legitimized within these open education platforms. This paper responds to such concerns by drawing on Bernstein’s (2000) notion of regulative discourse to examine the Open Education Resources for English Language Teachers (ORELT) teacher education modules. Findings reveal that regulative discourse is strongly framed within these ORELT modules, which supports the socialization of teachers and their students into Western culture, values, and beliefs. This paper challenges the assumption that Open Educational Resources are a socially neutral pedagogical platform and raises questions about the educational and cultural implications for local contexts.

text: Placing the spotlight on open educational resources: Global phenomenon or cultural guise? The quest to enhance the quality of teaching in low-income countries has encouraged international aid agencies to look for alternative platforms to provide teacher education. Open Educational Resources have attracted the attention of the international community because of their ability to provide accessible and cost-effective teacher education programs across diverse cultural contexts. Yet, despite increasing support, little consideration has been given to whose knowledge, values, and cultural norms are legitimized within these open education platforms. This paper responds to such concerns by drawing on Bernstein’s (2000) notion of regulative discourse to examine the Open Education Resources for English Language Teachers (ORELT) teacher education modules. Findings reveal that regulative discourse is strongly framed within these ORELT modules, which supports the socialization of teachers and their students into Western culture, values, and beliefs. This paper challenges the assumption that Open Educational Resources are a socially neutral pedagogical platform and raises questions about the educational and cultural implications for local contexts.

year: 2018

title: Design of Building Integrated Photovoltaic Product for Long Run Metal Roofing

authors: McGuinness, Benjamin John

abstract: In this study an innovative concept for a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) product was generated and verified at the University of Waikato in partnership with Dimond Roofing. The concept is based on a new principle which consists of laminating solar cells directly to a COLORSTEEL substrate, with a thin polymer cover, and folding this post-lamination into a profile which is capable of mating with standard long run metal roofing profiles. There were two major unknowns associated with the new concept which needed to be verified. Firstly, the suitability of laminating directly onto COLORSTEEL was in question as this material has not been used for this purpose before. More importantly, it was unsure whether the laminate would withstand the folding process without causing damage to the cells or other laminate materials. The issue of laminating to COLORSTEEL was addressed experimentally by producing small scale COLORSTEEL-EVA laminates. T peel tests were performed on samples from two different laminates - one which consisted of COLORSTEEL which had not undergone any kind of surface treatment, and another which was subjected to flame treatment to increase its surface energy. The flame treated sample exhibited a 7 fold increase in adhesion strength over the untreated sample, with average adhesion values of 56 N/cm, which is comparable to proven materials currently used in commercial quality photovoltaic modules. Untreated COLORSTEEL is not suitable for PV laminates. Further optimization of the treatment and lamination processes is likely to produce laminates with even greater adhesion strengths. Subsequently, it was necessary to fabricate equipment to replicate the commercial lamination process in order to produce laminates of high quality. These laminates were then folded on a hand brake to determine the feasibility of forming them into shapes capable of mating with existing metal roofing profiles. Folds were able to be started very close to the edge of the cell, even as close as 1 mm, without affecting the performance of the laminate, or causing any damage to the cell or laminate materials. This study was successful in designing an innovative BIPV product with huge potential to succeed in today’s market. It was shown that the product is worth further investigation, therefore it is recommended that larger scale prototypes are produced and subjected to a range of testing.

text: Design of Building Integrated Photovoltaic Product for Long Run Metal Roofing In this study an innovative concept for a building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) product was generated and verified at the University of Waikato in partnership with Dimond Roofing. The concept is based on a new principle which consists of laminating solar cells directly to a COLORSTEEL substrate, with a thin polymer cover, and folding this post-lamination into a profile which is capable of mating with standard long run metal roofing profiles. There were two major unknowns associated with the new concept which needed to be verified. Firstly, the suitability of laminating directly onto COLORSTEEL was in question as this material has not been used for this purpose before. More importantly, it was unsure whether the laminate would withstand the folding process without causing damage to the cells or other laminate materials. The issue of laminating to COLORSTEEL was addressed experimentally by producing small scale COLORSTEEL-EVA laminates. T peel tests were performed on samples from two different laminates - one which consisted of COLORSTEEL which had not undergone any kind of surface treatment, and another which was subjected to flame treatment to increase its surface energy. The flame treated sample exhibited a 7 fold increase in adhesion strength over the untreated sample, with average adhesion values of 56 N/cm, which is comparable to proven materials currently used in commercial quality photovoltaic modules. Untreated COLORSTEEL is not suitable for PV laminates. Further optimization of the treatment and lamination processes is likely to produce laminates with even greater adhesion strengths. Subsequently, it was necessary to fabricate equipment to replicate the commercial lamination process in order to produce laminates of high quality. These laminates were then folded on a hand brake to determine the feasibility of forming them into shapes capable of mating with existing metal roofing profiles. Folds were able to be started very close to the edge of the cell, even as close as 1 mm, without affecting the performance of the laminate, or causing any damage to the cell or laminate materials. This study was successful in designing an innovative BIPV product with huge potential to succeed in today’s market. It was shown that the product is worth further investigation, therefore it is recommended that larger scale prototypes are produced and subjected to a range of testing.

year: 2011

title: E kore e ngaro, he takere waka nui: Te mātauranga whakatere waka me ōna take nunui

authors: Tuaupiki, Jackie Whetumarama

abstract: E kapi ana te hautoru o te ao i te Moana nui a Kiwa. I ngā tau manomano ka huri, ka puea ake i Āhia ki te tonga mā rāwhiti, he iwi māia, he iwi mātau ki te hanga me te whakatere i ō rātou waka. Ka tupu ngātahi hoki i a rātou tētehi mātauranga whakatere i tarawhitia e rātou ngā tōpito katoa o te Moana nui a Kiwa. Koinei ngā tāngata tuatahi, nāna i kau ngā ara terenga waka onamata. Nō ngā tau maha i muri iho, ka whanake tēnei mātauranga me tō rātou hangarau waka, ā, ka tīmata ngā terenga whakawhiti roa e tau haeretia ana ngā moutere o Poronīhia, tatū mai ki Aotearoa. Engari ia, i roto i te wā, i tino waikauere ngā mahi whakatere waka, ā, i ētehi moutere o Poronīhia, i wairuhi kau, he mahara noa i mau i te kōrero tuku iho. Ko tātou tērā, te iwi Māori.

Otirā, i roto i ngā tau e whā tekau ka pahemo atu rā, kua whakawhāiti mai tētehi ohu ki te whakahaumanu i ngā mahi whakatere waka me tōna mātauranga. He waka hourua kua hangaia i Poronīhia, i te ātārangi tawhito hei amo i ngā whakamanawatanga o ngā iwi me ngā kaupapa whakarauora i ēnei mahi tūpuna. Ka tika te oha ki te hunga hāpai kura i takere nui ai, i haumi tūporo ai ki te whakahaumanu i te mātauranga whakatere waka. Nō reira, o ngā mahi rangatira kua tutuki i te rāngai waka i Aotearoa i ngā tau tata nei, ko tā tēnei rangahau, he kohura i ētehi o ngā take nunui me ngā kaupapa whakahirahira e puta mai ana i mua i te aroaro o te mātauranga whakatere waka me ōna kaumoana i ēnei rangi, ki tā te Māori titiro. Waihoki, ko te pānga o aua take nunui ki te ahurea Māori. Koinei te matū o tēnei tuhinga kairangi. He pūtoi whakaaro, he whakaemieminga kōrero ki te whakatakoto i ngā huatau o ngā puhi kai moana Māori e tākawe ana i tēnei wānanga.

Mātua rā, e kore e tukua kia riro anō ngā mahi whakatere waka i te nenewhatanga o te rā, tau ki te rua. Kua whakatupuria e te wā he kura kaumoana Māori, māna ngā take matua o tēnei tuhinga roa e whakatutuki ki tua i te pae kai ao.

“E kore e ngaro, he takere waka nui”

text: E kore e ngaro, he takere waka nui: Te mātauranga whakatere waka me ōna take nunui E kapi ana te hautoru o te ao i te Moana nui a Kiwa. I ngā tau manomano ka huri, ka puea ake i Āhia ki te tonga mā rāwhiti, he iwi māia, he iwi mātau ki te hanga me te whakatere i ō rātou waka. Ka tupu ngātahi hoki i a rātou tētehi mātauranga whakatere i tarawhitia e rātou ngā tōpito katoa o te Moana nui a Kiwa. Koinei ngā tāngata tuatahi, nāna i kau ngā ara terenga waka onamata. Nō ngā tau maha i muri iho, ka whanake tēnei mātauranga me tō rātou hangarau waka, ā, ka tīmata ngā terenga whakawhiti roa e tau haeretia ana ngā moutere o Poronīhia, tatū mai ki Aotearoa. Engari ia, i roto i te wā, i tino waikauere ngā mahi whakatere waka, ā, i ētehi moutere o Poronīhia, i wairuhi kau, he mahara noa i mau i te kōrero tuku iho. Ko tātou tērā, te iwi Māori.

Otirā, i roto i ngā tau e whā tekau ka pahemo atu rā, kua whakawhāiti mai tētehi ohu ki te whakahaumanu i ngā mahi whakatere waka me tōna mātauranga. He waka hourua kua hangaia i Poronīhia, i te ātārangi tawhito hei amo i ngā whakamanawatanga o ngā iwi me ngā kaupapa whakarauora i ēnei mahi tūpuna. Ka tika te oha ki te hunga hāpai kura i takere nui ai, i haumi tūporo ai ki te whakahaumanu i te mātauranga whakatere waka. Nō reira, o ngā mahi rangatira kua tutuki i te rāngai waka i Aotearoa i ngā tau tata nei, ko tā tēnei rangahau, he kohura i ētehi o ngā take nunui me ngā kaupapa whakahirahira e puta mai ana i mua i te aroaro o te mātauranga whakatere waka me ōna kaumoana i ēnei rangi, ki tā te Māori titiro. Waihoki, ko te pānga o aua take nunui ki te ahurea Māori. Koinei te matū o tēnei tuhinga kairangi. He pūtoi whakaaro, he whakaemieminga kōrero ki te whakatakoto i ngā huatau o ngā puhi kai moana Māori e tākawe ana i tēnei wānanga.

Mātua rā, e kore e tukua kia riro anō ngā mahi whakatere waka i te nenewhatanga o te rā, tau ki te rua. Kua whakatupuria e te wā he kura kaumoana Māori, māna ngā take matua o tēnei tuhinga roa e whakatutuki ki tua i te pae kai ao.

“E kore e ngaro, he takere waka nui”

year: 2017