title: Mega events - The impact of the Commonwealth Games on the hotel industry

authors: Kumar, Bhupesh

subjects: hotel

abstract: This research considers the factors that affected the hotel industry over the period of the Delhi India Commonwealth Games. It begins by evaluating the accommodation pre-games anticipations for hotel rooms; it then looks at what happened during the Games and the impact on hotels. The data were gathered through a number of structured interviews held with hotel senior management. The analysis used a thematic approach to understand and make sense of the large amount of data had a large impact on the overall success of the hotel during the Games period.  It also demonstrates that a number of unexpected external factors also influence the success of hotel during the Games period.

text: Mega events - The impact of the Commonwealth Games on the hotel industry This research considers the factors that affected the hotel industry over the period of the Delhi India Commonwealth Games. It begins by evaluating the accommodation pre-games anticipations for hotel rooms; it then looks at what happened during the Games and the impact on hotels. The data were gathered through a number of structured interviews held with hotel senior management. The analysis used a thematic approach to understand and make sense of the large amount of data had a large impact on the overall success of the hotel during the Games period.  It also demonstrates that a number of unexpected external factors also influence the success of hotel during the Games period.

year: 2013

title: Becoming effective technology teachers: enhancing  assessment practices in primary classrooms

authors: Moreland, Judy

abstract: This thesis explores primary school teachers’ technology pedagogical content knowledge and how this impacts on teaching practices in technology education, particularly formative interactions. Based in the interpretist paradigm and using case study methods, the two-year journeys of eight co-educational teachers from two primary schools and their technology education perceptions and practices are described. The first year (1998) explores existing teacher knowledge and practices and student learning. The second year (1999) traces the impact of a professional development programme aimed at enhancing teachers’ technology pedagogical content knowledge in relationship to formative assessment. The significant impact of a planning framework containing the categories of technological practice, conceptual aspects, procedural aspects, societal aspects and technical aspects is examined.

Findings from the first year reveal that existing school subcultures, school policies and teacher subject expertise influence teacher classroom practices in technology. Planning, teaching and assessment were often related to social and managerial aspects rather than procedural and conceptual technological aspects. Hence, learning and formative assessment interactions focussed on these aspects rather than student understandings in technology. The second year explores the development of teachers’ technological knowledge through a collaborative, ongoing teacher development programme. The development and use of a planning framework exerted considerable influence on teachers’ constructing appropriate knowledge and understandings and on developing a technological knowledge base robust and distinct from previous knowledge bases. A complex mix of specialist knowledge is required for teachers to become competent, confident teachers of technology. It is important to decide on appropriate student learning outcomes and to transform teacher technological understandings to those suitable for students. 

Further, the study shows that improvement in classroom formative interactions, especially the provision of descriptive feedback, makes a strong contribution to enhancing learning. It confirms that enhancing teacher pedagogical content knowledge impacts on their ability to provide descriptive feedback. Embedding formative assessment in technology and undertaking it in a sociocultural, transactional, conversational and future-oriented way strengthens student technological learning. Student gains are made in technology when teachers focus descriptive feedback on specific technological goals, particular technological qualities of student work and the provision of advice on how to improve technologically. This study provides empirical evidence that teacher perceptions and practices in technology and technology education impact on the technological learning of students. The assumption that students’ learning of technology can be enhanced through enhancing teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and formative assessment practices is justified.

text: Becoming effective technology teachers: enhancing  assessment practices in primary classrooms This thesis explores primary school teachers’ technology pedagogical content knowledge and how this impacts on teaching practices in technology education, particularly formative interactions. Based in the interpretist paradigm and using case study methods, the two-year journeys of eight co-educational teachers from two primary schools and their technology education perceptions and practices are described. The first year (1998) explores existing teacher knowledge and practices and student learning. The second year (1999) traces the impact of a professional development programme aimed at enhancing teachers’ technology pedagogical content knowledge in relationship to formative assessment. The significant impact of a planning framework containing the categories of technological practice, conceptual aspects, procedural aspects, societal aspects and technical aspects is examined.

Findings from the first year reveal that existing school subcultures, school policies and teacher subject expertise influence teacher classroom practices in technology. Planning, teaching and assessment were often related to social and managerial aspects rather than procedural and conceptual technological aspects. Hence, learning and formative assessment interactions focussed on these aspects rather than student understandings in technology. The second year explores the development of teachers’ technological knowledge through a collaborative, ongoing teacher development programme. The development and use of a planning framework exerted considerable influence on teachers’ constructing appropriate knowledge and understandings and on developing a technological knowledge base robust and distinct from previous knowledge bases. A complex mix of specialist knowledge is required for teachers to become competent, confident teachers of technology. It is important to decide on appropriate student learning outcomes and to transform teacher technological understandings to those suitable for students. 

Further, the study shows that improvement in classroom formative interactions, especially the provision of descriptive feedback, makes a strong contribution to enhancing learning. It confirms that enhancing teacher pedagogical content knowledge impacts on their ability to provide descriptive feedback. Embedding formative assessment in technology and undertaking it in a sociocultural, transactional, conversational and future-oriented way strengthens student technological learning. Student gains are made in technology when teachers focus descriptive feedback on specific technological goals, particular technological qualities of student work and the provision of advice on how to improve technologically. This study provides empirical evidence that teacher perceptions and practices in technology and technology education impact on the technological learning of students. The assumption that students’ learning of technology can be enhanced through enhancing teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge and formative assessment practices is justified.

year: 2003

title: New stories of identity: Alternatives to suspension and exclusion from school

authors: McMenamin, Donald

subjects: School suspension

abstract: School suspension and exclusion practices are currently under the spotlight. Many schools go to great lengths before employing these disciplinary options. However even in the midst of practices of care for young people, very little attention is paid to the discursive conditions in which exclusion and suspension arise. In this thesis I theorise and research an alternative response to suspension and exclusion. I engage in post-structuralist discursive analysis to propose that young peoples’ actions, including unacceptable behaviours, are not so much evidence of a personality to be fixed, managed or disciplined, as they are the effect of prevailing discourses about how young people ought to act. Calling on narrative therapy practice I then propose that young people’s discursively shaped identity stories and reputations can be re-authored within communities of care. Such re-authoring produces a range of changes including in a young person’s actions at school.
In this study I use case examples from two New Zealand schools to demonstrate how prevailing discourses shape the language and responses of participants at times which may lead to suspension or exclusion from school being considered. I explore how the development of alternative identity stories and reputations for young people can lead to significant changes in young peoples’ actions and those of their teachers at school. To achieve this I analyse interview transcripts and school records concerning a situation which led to a suspension. I highlight the presence and effect of prevailing discourses (discursive analysis), and the way participants’ words intend a desired effect (performative language) and draw on familiar stories to enhance desired effect (intertextuality). In this thesis I offer a critique of rationalist interpretations of young peoples’ actions, and explore alternative discursive and narrative models of interpreting and responding to young peoples’ actions.
My research findings highlight: the effectiveness of discursive awareness and re-authoring as a response to young people at times of suspension and exclusion being considered; the need for on-going support for emerging alternative reputations; the need for cultural safety and awareness in providing a place for Pakeha researchers to work effectively with Māori young people and communities; and the need for discursive and narrative practices to be offered in dialogue with schools’ particular ethical purposes. I argue that the practices I research in this thesis offer a way for schools to further reduce the use of suspensions and exclusions at school.

text: New stories of identity: Alternatives to suspension and exclusion from school School suspension and exclusion practices are currently under the spotlight. Many schools go to great lengths before employing these disciplinary options. However even in the midst of practices of care for young people, very little attention is paid to the discursive conditions in which exclusion and suspension arise. In this thesis I theorise and research an alternative response to suspension and exclusion. I engage in post-structuralist discursive analysis to propose that young peoples’ actions, including unacceptable behaviours, are not so much evidence of a personality to be fixed, managed or disciplined, as they are the effect of prevailing discourses about how young people ought to act. Calling on narrative therapy practice I then propose that young people’s discursively shaped identity stories and reputations can be re-authored within communities of care. Such re-authoring produces a range of changes including in a young person’s actions at school.
In this study I use case examples from two New Zealand schools to demonstrate how prevailing discourses shape the language and responses of participants at times which may lead to suspension or exclusion from school being considered. I explore how the development of alternative identity stories and reputations for young people can lead to significant changes in young peoples’ actions and those of their teachers at school. To achieve this I analyse interview transcripts and school records concerning a situation which led to a suspension. I highlight the presence and effect of prevailing discourses (discursive analysis), and the way participants’ words intend a desired effect (performative language) and draw on familiar stories to enhance desired effect (intertextuality). In this thesis I offer a critique of rationalist interpretations of young peoples’ actions, and explore alternative discursive and narrative models of interpreting and responding to young peoples’ actions.
My research findings highlight: the effectiveness of discursive awareness and re-authoring as a response to young people at times of suspension and exclusion being considered; the need for on-going support for emerging alternative reputations; the need for cultural safety and awareness in providing a place for Pakeha researchers to work effectively with Māori young people and communities; and the need for discursive and narrative practices to be offered in dialogue with schools’ particular ethical purposes. I argue that the practices I research in this thesis offer a way for schools to further reduce the use of suspensions and exclusions at school.

year: 2014