title: A philosophical anchor for creating inclusive communities in early childhood education: anti-bias philosophy and Te Whāriki: Early childhood curriculum.

authors: Gunn, Alexandra Claire

subjects: early childhood education

abstract: The basic premise of this paper is that inclusion in early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand is a worthy focus of early childhood education curriculum and that an anti-bias philosophy assists in developing curriculum that is inclusive. It is claimed that the early childhood curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand is an emancipatory one, and arguments for activism and anti-bias principles in support of curriculum implementation are made. Drawing on anti-bias principles, the current curriculum statement (Te Whāriki: Early Childhood Curriculum) is examined to ascertain what support for anti-bias foci exists. Teaching strategies based upon discussion, critical thinking and an awareness of diversity themes/difference are considered in support of active anti-bias work in early childhood education.

text: A philosophical anchor for creating inclusive communities in early childhood education: anti-bias philosophy and Te Whāriki: Early childhood curriculum. The basic premise of this paper is that inclusion in early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand is a worthy focus of early childhood education curriculum and that an anti-bias philosophy assists in developing curriculum that is inclusive. It is claimed that the early childhood curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand is an emancipatory one, and arguments for activism and anti-bias principles in support of curriculum implementation are made. Drawing on anti-bias principles, the current curriculum statement (Te Whāriki: Early Childhood Curriculum) is examined to ascertain what support for anti-bias foci exists. Teaching strategies based upon discussion, critical thinking and an awareness of diversity themes/difference are considered in support of active anti-bias work in early childhood education.

year: 2003

title: Efficient three-dimensional reconstruction of aquatic vegetation geometry: Estimating morphological parameters influencing hydrodynamic drag

authors: Liénard, Jean

subjects: drag coefficient

abstract: Aquatic vegetation can shelter coastlines from energetic waves and tidal currents, sometimes enabling accretion of fine sediments. Simulation of flow and sediment transport within submerged canopies requires quantification of vegetation geometry. However, field surveys used to determine vegetation geometry can be limited by the time required to obtain conventional caliper and ruler measurements. Building on recent progress in photogrammetry and computer vision, we present a method for reconstructing three-dimensional canopy geometry. The method was used to survey a dense canopy of aerial mangrove roots, called pneumatophores, in Vietnam’s Mekong River Delta. Photogrammetric estimation of geometry required 1) taking numerous photographs at low tide from multiple viewpoints around 1 m2 quadrats, 2) computing relative camera locations and orientations by triangulation of key features present in multiple images and reconstructing a dense 3D point cloud, and 3) extracting pneumatophore locations and diameters from the point cloud data. Step 3) was accomplished by a new ‘sector-slice’ algorithm, yielding geometric parameters every 5 mm along a vertical profile. Photogrammetric analysis was compared with manual caliper measurements. In all 5 quadrats considered, agreement was found between manual and photogrammetric estimates of stem number, and of number × mean diameter, which is a key parameter appearing in hydrodynamic models. In two quadrats, pneumatophores were encrusted with numerous barnacles, generating a complex geometry not resolved by hand measurements. In remaining cases, moderate agreement between manual and photogrammetric estimates of stem diameter and solid volume fraction was found. By substantially reducing measurement time in the field while capturing in greater detail the 3D structure, photogrammetry has potential to improve input to hydrodynamic models, particularly for simulations of flow through large-scale, heterogenous canopies.

text: Efficient three-dimensional reconstruction of aquatic vegetation geometry: Estimating morphological parameters influencing hydrodynamic drag Aquatic vegetation can shelter coastlines from energetic waves and tidal currents, sometimes enabling accretion of fine sediments. Simulation of flow and sediment transport within submerged canopies requires quantification of vegetation geometry. However, field surveys used to determine vegetation geometry can be limited by the time required to obtain conventional caliper and ruler measurements. Building on recent progress in photogrammetry and computer vision, we present a method for reconstructing three-dimensional canopy geometry. The method was used to survey a dense canopy of aerial mangrove roots, called pneumatophores, in Vietnam’s Mekong River Delta. Photogrammetric estimation of geometry required 1) taking numerous photographs at low tide from multiple viewpoints around 1 m2 quadrats, 2) computing relative camera locations and orientations by triangulation of key features present in multiple images and reconstructing a dense 3D point cloud, and 3) extracting pneumatophore locations and diameters from the point cloud data. Step 3) was accomplished by a new ‘sector-slice’ algorithm, yielding geometric parameters every 5 mm along a vertical profile. Photogrammetric analysis was compared with manual caliper measurements. In all 5 quadrats considered, agreement was found between manual and photogrammetric estimates of stem number, and of number × mean diameter, which is a key parameter appearing in hydrodynamic models. In two quadrats, pneumatophores were encrusted with numerous barnacles, generating a complex geometry not resolved by hand measurements. In remaining cases, moderate agreement between manual and photogrammetric estimates of stem diameter and solid volume fraction was found. By substantially reducing measurement time in the field while capturing in greater detail the 3D structure, photogrammetry has potential to improve input to hydrodynamic models, particularly for simulations of flow through large-scale, heterogenous canopies.

year: 2016

title: Young people, technology and the future of te Reo Māori

authors: Keegan, Te Taka Adrian Gregory

abstract: After decades of neglect and, in some instances, suppression, te reo Māori has achieved a degree of recognition and support from the Government and people. Language strategies have been written, schooling is available in both languages, and since 1987 the language has had official status. However, despite demonstrable progress in some areas, it remains a small-minority language. Within New Zealand there are 157,000 speakers of te reo Māori, about 4.1 percent of the population (Statistics New Zealand: Te Tari Tatau, 2007), and the language is classified as 'vulnerable' by UNESCO (Mosley, 2010). The language continues to face considerable pressure from English, not just because English is a majority national language but because it is an increasingly global language, with a significant presence in culture, science, media and technology. This chapter considers the relationships between young people, technology and te reo Māori. It argues that technology is an important domain of use for te reo Māori, particularly the continued use of the language by young people.

text: Young people, technology and the future of te Reo Māori After decades of neglect and, in some instances, suppression, te reo Māori has achieved a degree of recognition and support from the Government and people. Language strategies have been written, schooling is available in both languages, and since 1987 the language has had official status. However, despite demonstrable progress in some areas, it remains a small-minority language. Within New Zealand there are 157,000 speakers of te reo Māori, about 4.1 percent of the population (Statistics New Zealand: Te Tari Tatau, 2007), and the language is classified as 'vulnerable' by UNESCO (Mosley, 2010). The language continues to face considerable pressure from English, not just because English is a majority national language but because it is an increasingly global language, with a significant presence in culture, science, media and technology. This chapter considers the relationships between young people, technology and te reo Māori. It argues that technology is an important domain of use for te reo Māori, particularly the continued use of the language by young people.

year: 2014