title: Papua New Guinea Primary School Technology Teachers: The Impacts of Support Materials on Their Perceptions and Practices

authors: Hagunama, Eron

subjects: Papua New Guinea

abstract: This thesis explores the perceptions of technology and technology education held by
six primary school teachers in Papua New Guinea, and their views of the materials
developed to use as a support for teaching technology and the impacts on their
perceptions and their teaching practices of technology. Based on the interpretivist
paradigm, a case study approach and qualitative data collection methods were used to
explore the teachers' views of technology and technology education and how the support materials influenced these perceptions and practices. One to one, semistructured
interviews with the teachers, and an analysis of their planning documents were used to collect data.
As part of the curriculum reforms, technology education was introduced as a new
subject into primary education in PNG in 1994. However, no formal professional
development was provided for helping the primary teachers implement technology
education. Instead, curriculum materials were developed and distributed to teachers in
2005 as a support for their technology teaching.
This thesis supports the idea that teachers need support to help them learn. It is also
argues that teachers' beliefs about subject areas, teaching, their students, and
curriculum materials influence how they interact with these support materials. The
findings show that the support materials were very useful in enhancing the teachers'
knowledge of technology and effective teaching of technology.
There were changes to teachers' perceptions of technology and technological
practices when they began to use the support materials. Changes included the views of
technology as more than modern artefacts to include traditional technology, that
technology was more than just practical. It also has a knowledge base. However, not
all aspects of technology as advocated in the support materials have been taken up by
these teachers. Problem-solving and design aspects have received marginal attention.
Other factors were at play including subject subcultures, subject backgrounds, past
hands-on experiences and ownership of personal technological artefacts. To be even
more effective technology teachers, it is advocated that teacher professional
development is required for Papua New Guinean primary teachers to implement the
technology successfully.

text: Papua New Guinea Primary School Technology Teachers: The Impacts of Support Materials on Their Perceptions and Practices This thesis explores the perceptions of technology and technology education held by
six primary school teachers in Papua New Guinea, and their views of the materials
developed to use as a support for teaching technology and the impacts on their
perceptions and their teaching practices of technology. Based on the interpretivist
paradigm, a case study approach and qualitative data collection methods were used to
explore the teachers' views of technology and technology education and how the support materials influenced these perceptions and practices. One to one, semistructured
interviews with the teachers, and an analysis of their planning documents were used to collect data.
As part of the curriculum reforms, technology education was introduced as a new
subject into primary education in PNG in 1994. However, no formal professional
development was provided for helping the primary teachers implement technology
education. Instead, curriculum materials were developed and distributed to teachers in
2005 as a support for their technology teaching.
This thesis supports the idea that teachers need support to help them learn. It is also
argues that teachers' beliefs about subject areas, teaching, their students, and
curriculum materials influence how they interact with these support materials. The
findings show that the support materials were very useful in enhancing the teachers'
knowledge of technology and effective teaching of technology.
There were changes to teachers' perceptions of technology and technological
practices when they began to use the support materials. Changes included the views of
technology as more than modern artefacts to include traditional technology, that
technology was more than just practical. It also has a knowledge base. However, not
all aspects of technology as advocated in the support materials have been taken up by
these teachers. Problem-solving and design aspects have received marginal attention.
Other factors were at play including subject subcultures, subject backgrounds, past
hands-on experiences and ownership of personal technological artefacts. To be even
more effective technology teachers, it is advocated that teacher professional
development is required for Papua New Guinean primary teachers to implement the
technology successfully.

year: 2008

title: Predicting Water Availability in the Antarctic Dry Valleys using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing

authors: Stichbury, Glen

subjects: Antarctica

abstract: Water is one of the most important ingredients for life on Earth. The presence or absence of biologically available water determines whether or not life will exist.  Antarctica is an environment where abiotic constraints, particularly water, strongly influence the distribution and diversity of biota. As Antarctic biology is relatively simple when compared to more temperate climates, it is a prime location for researching constraints on biodiversity, and what may be the impacts of changes to these constraints resulting from climate change and human disturbance. This research uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing to develop a relative water availability index of three Dry Valleys in Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. This study area is being used for the IPY Terrestrial Biocomplexity project, an international collaboration researching the distribution, diversity and complexity of biology in the Dry Valleys. The development of a predictive water availability model will contribute greatly to their research goals.
This thesis describes the sources of biologically available water in the Dry Valleys and its interaction with biota. Remotely sensed data of these sources is gathered and various methods of analysing the data are explored. This includes creating a mean snow cover distribution model from MODIS data over 4 summer seasons, and Landsat7 ETM+ surface temperature data. These data sets, combined with a high resolution LIDAR Digital Elevation Model and glacier and lake locations, are then analysed with GIS to produce a Compound Topographic Index (CTI), a model showing the likely accumulation and dispersal of liquid water given the spatial distribution of water sources and the flow of water over the terrain according to the influence of gravity. Visualisation techniques are used to validate the resulting model, including the use of 3D visualisation and comparison of drainage patterns using overlays of a high resolution ALOS image. This research concludes that GIS and remote sensing are valuable tools for predicting water distribution in Antarctica. Although cloud cover, varied illumination and differing spatial resolutions can create limitations, remote sensing's cost effective and environmentally sound method of data capture and the computational and spatial modelling capabilities of GIS make their use well suited to the Antarctic environment.

text: Predicting Water Availability in the Antarctic Dry Valleys using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing Water is one of the most important ingredients for life on Earth. The presence or absence of biologically available water determines whether or not life will exist.  Antarctica is an environment where abiotic constraints, particularly water, strongly influence the distribution and diversity of biota. As Antarctic biology is relatively simple when compared to more temperate climates, it is a prime location for researching constraints on biodiversity, and what may be the impacts of changes to these constraints resulting from climate change and human disturbance. This research uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing to develop a relative water availability index of three Dry Valleys in Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. This study area is being used for the IPY Terrestrial Biocomplexity project, an international collaboration researching the distribution, diversity and complexity of biology in the Dry Valleys. The development of a predictive water availability model will contribute greatly to their research goals.
This thesis describes the sources of biologically available water in the Dry Valleys and its interaction with biota. Remotely sensed data of these sources is gathered and various methods of analysing the data are explored. This includes creating a mean snow cover distribution model from MODIS data over 4 summer seasons, and Landsat7 ETM+ surface temperature data. These data sets, combined with a high resolution LIDAR Digital Elevation Model and glacier and lake locations, are then analysed with GIS to produce a Compound Topographic Index (CTI), a model showing the likely accumulation and dispersal of liquid water given the spatial distribution of water sources and the flow of water over the terrain according to the influence of gravity. Visualisation techniques are used to validate the resulting model, including the use of 3D visualisation and comparison of drainage patterns using overlays of a high resolution ALOS image. This research concludes that GIS and remote sensing are valuable tools for predicting water distribution in Antarctica. Although cloud cover, varied illumination and differing spatial resolutions can create limitations, remote sensing's cost effective and environmentally sound method of data capture and the computational and spatial modelling capabilities of GIS make their use well suited to the Antarctic environment.

year: 2009

title: Decolonizing Lamanite Studies – A Critical and Decolonial Indigenist Perspective

authors: Simon, Hemopereki

abstract: The emergence of Lamanite Studies exemplifies the need for decolonial and Indigenous-centered reevaluations of Mormon–Indigenous relations. This article advocates for the reclamation of Indigenous identity independent of the constraints imposed by Mormon doctrine. The incorporation of Indigenous genealogies into Mormon theology results in epistemic violence, disconnecting Indigenous peoples from their ancestral identities and substituting the latter with the settler/invader colonial construct of “Lamanite”. This paper advocates for the decolonization of Indigenous identities within Mormonism, emphasizing the need for a radical intervention that prioritizes Indigenous sovereignty and self-definition over the maintenance of colonial categories. I present approaches and scholarship in Lamanite Studies that align with Indigenous land and spiritual repatriation, promoting the restoration of Indigenous epistemologies to Indigenous communities. Theoretical colonialism must be supplemented by grassroots initiatives that empower Indigenous communities to reclaim their spiritual and cultural identities.

text: Decolonizing Lamanite Studies – A Critical and Decolonial Indigenist Perspective The emergence of Lamanite Studies exemplifies the need for decolonial and Indigenous-centered reevaluations of Mormon–Indigenous relations. This article advocates for the reclamation of Indigenous identity independent of the constraints imposed by Mormon doctrine. The incorporation of Indigenous genealogies into Mormon theology results in epistemic violence, disconnecting Indigenous peoples from their ancestral identities and substituting the latter with the settler/invader colonial construct of “Lamanite”. This paper advocates for the decolonization of Indigenous identities within Mormonism, emphasizing the need for a radical intervention that prioritizes Indigenous sovereignty and self-definition over the maintenance of colonial categories. I present approaches and scholarship in Lamanite Studies that align with Indigenous land and spiritual repatriation, promoting the restoration of Indigenous epistemologies to Indigenous communities. Theoretical colonialism must be supplemented by grassroots initiatives that empower Indigenous communities to reclaim their spiritual and cultural identities.

year: 2025