title: Student perceptions of paid and unpaid work placements: A comparative analysis

authors: Zegwaard, Karsten E.

abstract: Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an educational approach that is highly authentic and meaningful, therefore, some of the challenges within can be complex. Student wellbeing has been a focal point within higher education for some years (Konstantinou et al., 2023), albeit the debate around unpaid work placements has only recently been given some scholarly attention (see, e.g., Hoskyn et al., 2023).

text: Student perceptions of paid and unpaid work placements: A comparative analysis Work-integrated learning (WIL) is an educational approach that is highly authentic and meaningful, therefore, some of the challenges within can be complex. Student wellbeing has been a focal point within higher education for some years (Konstantinou et al., 2023), albeit the debate around unpaid work placements has only recently been given some scholarly attention (see, e.g., Hoskyn et al., 2023).

year: 2024

title: A Test of Weber's Law with Dogs

authors: Cliff, Jessica Helen

subjects: Weber's Law

abstract: This study investigated Weber’s Law through a temporal bisection procedure using domestic dogs as subjects, a previously untested species in temporal bisections. Six dogs were trained to response to the blue lever when the short signal duration was presented, and response to the red lever when the long signal duration was presented. The four conditions were 0.5 – 2.0 s, 1.0 – 4.0 s, 2.0 – 8.0 s and 4.0 – 16.0 s. The intermediate durations presented were logarithmic intervals of the two original signal durations. On each trial there were 7 possible durations for the green light, the two trained durations and the 5 intermediate logarithmic durations between them. Reinforcement was provided for correct responses to trained durations through out training and testing, no reinforcement was given for intermediate durations.
  	This study demonstrated the PSE was close to the geometric mean and a failure of Weber’s Law. Weber fractions were not constant and instead produced a U-shaped function. Starting large for the shortest condition, (0.5 – 2.0 s), getting smaller for the middle two conditions (1.0 – 4.0 s & 2.0 – 8.0 s) and increased again for the longest condition (4.0 – 16.0 s). Results demonstrated that subjects found discriminating between durations within the 0.5 – 2.0 s condition the hardest. These results replicate the findings of Church and Deluty (1977) where the PSE was also close to the geometric mean, as well as Bizo et al. (2006) and Zeiler (1991) who were both able to demonstrate a failure of Weber’s Law.

text: A Test of Weber's Law with Dogs This study investigated Weber’s Law through a temporal bisection procedure using domestic dogs as subjects, a previously untested species in temporal bisections. Six dogs were trained to response to the blue lever when the short signal duration was presented, and response to the red lever when the long signal duration was presented. The four conditions were 0.5 – 2.0 s, 1.0 – 4.0 s, 2.0 – 8.0 s and 4.0 – 16.0 s. The intermediate durations presented were logarithmic intervals of the two original signal durations. On each trial there were 7 possible durations for the green light, the two trained durations and the 5 intermediate logarithmic durations between them. Reinforcement was provided for correct responses to trained durations through out training and testing, no reinforcement was given for intermediate durations.
  	This study demonstrated the PSE was close to the geometric mean and a failure of Weber’s Law. Weber fractions were not constant and instead produced a U-shaped function. Starting large for the shortest condition, (0.5 – 2.0 s), getting smaller for the middle two conditions (1.0 – 4.0 s & 2.0 – 8.0 s) and increased again for the longest condition (4.0 – 16.0 s). Results demonstrated that subjects found discriminating between durations within the 0.5 – 2.0 s condition the hardest. These results replicate the findings of Church and Deluty (1977) where the PSE was also close to the geometric mean, as well as Bizo et al. (2006) and Zeiler (1991) who were both able to demonstrate a failure of Weber’s Law.

year: 2013

title: Utuhina Stream 2006-2020: In-stream alum dosing effects on fish and aquatic invertebrates

authors: Ling, Nicholas

abstract: This report presents the results of an on-going assessment of the fish and aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of the Utuhina Stream, Lake Rotorua, from 2006 to 2020, and an assessment of the bioavailability of aluminium in fish and kōura to satisfy Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s annual resource consent conditions 9.6, 9.8 and 9.7, respectively, for consent 65321 for the discharge of alum to the Utuhina Stream. Macroinvertebrates, fish and kōura (freshwater crayfish) were sampled from one control and two treatment reaches of the Utuhina Stream annually. Common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) is the dominant species in the fish community of the Utuhina Stream. Kōura (Paranephrops planifrons) and juvenile trout were always present at all sites but variable in abundance. Differences in species abundance from year to year are most likely due to flood-related disturbances to stream bank morphology and in-stream vegetative cover or physical displacement of fish. No obvious effects of alum dosing on stream fish or macroinvertebrate communities were observed between the upstream control site and sites downstream of the alum discharge. Several other fish species were occasionally captured during sampling and the regular occurrence of juvenile koaro from 2016 to 2019 is possible evidence of this taonga species becoming established in the Utuhina. Analysis of stream macroinvertebrates also showed no consistent differences between the upstream control site and the sites downstream of the alum dosing. Overall, all sites were characterised as fair to good quality for a soft-bottomed stream. Some evidence of aluminium bioaccumulation was seen in some tissues of common bully (gills and liver) in some years, resulting from continuous alum dosing of the Utuhina Stream, but there was no evidence of bioaccumulation of aluminium in the tissues of kōura. Alum exposure in these species does not appear to affect their health or abundance in the stream.   iii Overall, continuous alum discharge does not appear to negatively impact the ecology of the lower Utuhina and improvements in the ecological condition of the Utuhina Stream will be achieved by ongoing riparian restoration and mitigation of the impacts of flood flows.

text: Utuhina Stream 2006-2020: In-stream alum dosing effects on fish and aquatic invertebrates This report presents the results of an on-going assessment of the fish and aquatic macroinvertebrate communities of the Utuhina Stream, Lake Rotorua, from 2006 to 2020, and an assessment of the bioavailability of aluminium in fish and kōura to satisfy Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s annual resource consent conditions 9.6, 9.8 and 9.7, respectively, for consent 65321 for the discharge of alum to the Utuhina Stream. Macroinvertebrates, fish and kōura (freshwater crayfish) were sampled from one control and two treatment reaches of the Utuhina Stream annually. Common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) is the dominant species in the fish community of the Utuhina Stream. Kōura (Paranephrops planifrons) and juvenile trout were always present at all sites but variable in abundance. Differences in species abundance from year to year are most likely due to flood-related disturbances to stream bank morphology and in-stream vegetative cover or physical displacement of fish. No obvious effects of alum dosing on stream fish or macroinvertebrate communities were observed between the upstream control site and sites downstream of the alum discharge. Several other fish species were occasionally captured during sampling and the regular occurrence of juvenile koaro from 2016 to 2019 is possible evidence of this taonga species becoming established in the Utuhina. Analysis of stream macroinvertebrates also showed no consistent differences between the upstream control site and the sites downstream of the alum dosing. Overall, all sites were characterised as fair to good quality for a soft-bottomed stream. Some evidence of aluminium bioaccumulation was seen in some tissues of common bully (gills and liver) in some years, resulting from continuous alum dosing of the Utuhina Stream, but there was no evidence of bioaccumulation of aluminium in the tissues of kōura. Alum exposure in these species does not appear to affect their health or abundance in the stream.   iii Overall, continuous alum discharge does not appear to negatively impact the ecology of the lower Utuhina and improvements in the ecological condition of the Utuhina Stream will be achieved by ongoing riparian restoration and mitigation of the impacts of flood flows.

year: 2021-06