title: Defining and designing work-integrated learning curriculum

authors: Ferns, SJ

subjects: Curriculum

abstract: The scope of work-integrated learning (WIL) has expanded and evolved globally and is a recognised pedagogy that enhances graduate employability, strengthens students’ personal attributes, and affords a personalised learning experience. Despite abundant research and discourse on WIL, misconceptions about what WIL is and how WIL educative experiences are enacted continue to prevail, partially due to the absence of a universal definition of WIL. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into WIL curriculum design and educational practices that reflect a recently published inclusive definition of WIL. The importance of pre- and post-WIL for optimising outcomes during WIL is emphasised. A framework for conceptualising the enactment of the WIL curriculum is presented that preserves the flexibility of WIL while establishing a consistent interpretation of what WIL curriculum entails. Consensus on the defining elements of WIL and its enactment will facilitate stronger global collaboration, shared teaching ethos, augmented research impact, and agreement on what constitutes quality WIL.

text: Defining and designing work-integrated learning curriculum The scope of work-integrated learning (WIL) has expanded and evolved globally and is a recognised pedagogy that enhances graduate employability, strengthens students’ personal attributes, and affords a personalised learning experience. Despite abundant research and discourse on WIL, misconceptions about what WIL is and how WIL educative experiences are enacted continue to prevail, partially due to the absence of a universal definition of WIL. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into WIL curriculum design and educational practices that reflect a recently published inclusive definition of WIL. The importance of pre- and post-WIL for optimising outcomes during WIL is emphasised. A framework for conceptualising the enactment of the WIL curriculum is presented that preserves the flexibility of WIL while establishing a consistent interpretation of what WIL curriculum entails. Consensus on the defining elements of WIL and its enactment will facilitate stronger global collaboration, shared teaching ethos, augmented research impact, and agreement on what constitutes quality WIL.

year: 2024

title: Carrying Capacity of Red-crowned Cranes in the National Yancheng Nature Reserve, Jiangsu, China

authors: Ke, Dong

subjects: Red-crowned Cranes

abstract: The coastal-zone wetland in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province is the largest winter habitat of the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) in the world. The essential research question addressed in this paper is: What is the carrying capacity for Red-crowned Cranes in this habitat? Since water is ample in the salt marsh, the two vital limiting factors for the crane habitat are food and shelter. In this study, based upon crane numbers and their distribution during the winter of 2004-2005, the authors adopt the “Neu technique” to analyze habitat selection of Red-crowned Cranes to 8 types of tidal flat environments in the Yancheng Nature Reserve. Applying the “heat quantity method”, we find corn feed distributed by the nature reserve staff cannot support survival of wild cranes. Subsequently, using the “gravimetric method”, with the crane utilization of each habitat as a weighting, we estimate that total food supply in the nature reserve is far greater than required by the crane population in one winter season. This indicates that food supply is not a determining factor for this particular habitat selection. Moreover, from analysis of food selectivity it is evident that the preferred food comprises vegetal paddy chaff and supplemental corn feed, with natural vegetation occupying only a small proportion of their total food consumption. The spatial distribution of cranes was between 0.8-2.5 individuals per km2, so that an optimum habitat of 1000 km2 may contain 800-2500 cranes. Observations from the present study show that preferred spatial location has shrunk in the past 10 years toward a core area surrounded by a buffer area (641 km2 in all), so that potentially the entire nature reserve could support ~570-2000 cranes. In addition, some 500 cranes are contained within an artificial waterfowl lake. In total it appears that the carrying capacity of the Yancheng Nature Reserve is of order 2500-3000 cranes, and they prefer to roost in a coastal habitat of lower salinity where food supply is plentiful, and which is distant from human disturbance.

text: Carrying Capacity of Red-crowned Cranes in the National Yancheng Nature Reserve, Jiangsu, China The coastal-zone wetland in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province is the largest winter habitat of the Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) in the world. The essential research question addressed in this paper is: What is the carrying capacity for Red-crowned Cranes in this habitat? Since water is ample in the salt marsh, the two vital limiting factors for the crane habitat are food and shelter. In this study, based upon crane numbers and their distribution during the winter of 2004-2005, the authors adopt the “Neu technique” to analyze habitat selection of Red-crowned Cranes to 8 types of tidal flat environments in the Yancheng Nature Reserve. Applying the “heat quantity method”, we find corn feed distributed by the nature reserve staff cannot support survival of wild cranes. Subsequently, using the “gravimetric method”, with the crane utilization of each habitat as a weighting, we estimate that total food supply in the nature reserve is far greater than required by the crane population in one winter season. This indicates that food supply is not a determining factor for this particular habitat selection. Moreover, from analysis of food selectivity it is evident that the preferred food comprises vegetal paddy chaff and supplemental corn feed, with natural vegetation occupying only a small proportion of their total food consumption. The spatial distribution of cranes was between 0.8-2.5 individuals per km2, so that an optimum habitat of 1000 km2 may contain 800-2500 cranes. Observations from the present study show that preferred spatial location has shrunk in the past 10 years toward a core area surrounded by a buffer area (641 km2 in all), so that potentially the entire nature reserve could support ~570-2000 cranes. In addition, some 500 cranes are contained within an artificial waterfowl lake. In total it appears that the carrying capacity of the Yancheng Nature Reserve is of order 2500-3000 cranes, and they prefer to roost in a coastal habitat of lower salinity where food supply is plentiful, and which is distant from human disturbance.

year: 2009

title: Mā mahi, ka ora: by work, we prosper--traditional healers and workforce development.

authors: Ahuriri-Driscoll, Annabel

subjects: Adult

abstract: AIM: Rongoā Māori practitioners make a valuable contribution towards Māori health outcomes, albeit with limited resourcing or formal training. This paper reports on a survey of healers/healing practices-specifically healers' aspirations for professional development and training-and considers the implications for healing practice and future training undertakings. 
METHODS: Healers in seven districts around the country were surveyed about rongoā practice and service delivery during 2013. Consenting healers completed surveys either in person, via phone, or returned them via post, according to their preference and convenience. Resulting data were analysed and reported according to frequency of responses. 
RESULTS: Thirty-eight healers/rongoā clinics completed the survey--a 79% response rate. Respondents were primarily Māori (88%), female (69%), aged 50 years or older (60%), and worked as volunteers. Informal training modes focused on te reo, mātauranga and tikanga were the most common means of skill/ knowledge acquisition, and preferred modes for further training. 
CONCLUSIONS: The survey highlights the pressing need for expansion of the rongoā Māori workforce and training/service funding, to sustain rongoā practice. The findings add to what little is known about the training pathways and aspirations of practising healers, identified targets of the Māori Health Workforce Development Plan 2006.

text: Mā mahi, ka ora: by work, we prosper--traditional healers and workforce development. AIM: Rongoā Māori practitioners make a valuable contribution towards Māori health outcomes, albeit with limited resourcing or formal training. This paper reports on a survey of healers/healing practices-specifically healers' aspirations for professional development and training-and considers the implications for healing practice and future training undertakings. 
METHODS: Healers in seven districts around the country were surveyed about rongoā practice and service delivery during 2013. Consenting healers completed surveys either in person, via phone, or returned them via post, according to their preference and convenience. Resulting data were analysed and reported according to frequency of responses. 
RESULTS: Thirty-eight healers/rongoā clinics completed the survey--a 79% response rate. Respondents were primarily Māori (88%), female (69%), aged 50 years or older (60%), and worked as volunteers. Informal training modes focused on te reo, mātauranga and tikanga were the most common means of skill/ knowledge acquisition, and preferred modes for further training. 
CONCLUSIONS: The survey highlights the pressing need for expansion of the rongoā Māori workforce and training/service funding, to sustain rongoā practice. The findings add to what little is known about the training pathways and aspirations of practising healers, identified targets of the Māori Health Workforce Development Plan 2006.

year: 2015