title: Stepwise refinement of processes

authors: Reeves, Steve

subjects: components

abstract: Industry is looking to create a market in reliable "plug-and-play" components. To model components in a modular style it would be useful to combine event-based and state-based
reasoning. One of the first steps in building an event-based model is to decide upon a set of atomic actions. This choice will depend on the formalism used, and may restrict in quite
unexpected ways what we are able to formalise. In this paper we illustrate some limits to developing real world processes using existing formalisms, and we define a new notion of refinement, vertical refinement, which addresses some of these limitations. We show that using vertical refinement we can rewrite specification into a different formalism, allowing us to move between handshake processes, broadcast processes and abstract data types.

text: Stepwise refinement of processes Industry is looking to create a market in reliable "plug-and-play" components. To model components in a modular style it would be useful to combine event-based and state-based
reasoning. One of the first steps in building an event-based model is to decide upon a set of atomic actions. This choice will depend on the formalism used, and may restrict in quite
unexpected ways what we are able to formalise. In this paper we illustrate some limits to developing real world processes using existing formalisms, and we define a new notion of refinement, vertical refinement, which addresses some of these limitations. We show that using vertical refinement we can rewrite specification into a different formalism, allowing us to move between handshake processes, broadcast processes and abstract data types.

year: 2005-01-01

title: An Investigation into Secondary Science Teachers' Use of Research to Inform Their Science Teaching

authors: van der Merwe, Suskia

subjects: science teachers

abstract: The perceived irrelevance and lack of accessibility of academic research for science teachers has long been recognised as a significant problem in much educational literature. While interventions have been suggested to enhance applicability and accessibility to support teachers in their use of research findings, too little attention has been paid to how teachers’ access findings and how use of findings influences teachers’ learning. There is a need for investigating efficiency of access to research findings and use thereof for enriching science teachers’ subject content knowledge and pedagogy. 

This study explored ways in which science teachers access findings, how they reported these influence teacher pedagogy and practice and the factors that affect motivation of teachers to access research findings and develop as reflective practitioners. Exploration into teacher learning as a result of engaging with research findings that specifically results in the teacher changing teaching pedagogy is also undertaken.   

Guided by an interpretative inquiry, this study initially administered a questionnaire to a group of thirty five secondary science teachers and answers analysed to guide and inform further questioning. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews with nine science teachers provided data that was also analysed to explore teachers’ use of research findings. 

This study argues that a focus on making research findings accessible to science teachers is in the interest of teacher learning and should be considered priority for researchers, those publishing in educational research and for those planning professional development programmes for teacher learning.  In addition, both failing and successful strategies for disseminating findings and the ways access and use of findings by teachers can be enhanced.  This study also gives science teachers some insight into making use of research findings to inform their own teacher learning, pedagogy and practice by a deep engaging with research findings.

text: An Investigation into Secondary Science Teachers' Use of Research to Inform Their Science Teaching The perceived irrelevance and lack of accessibility of academic research for science teachers has long been recognised as a significant problem in much educational literature. While interventions have been suggested to enhance applicability and accessibility to support teachers in their use of research findings, too little attention has been paid to how teachers’ access findings and how use of findings influences teachers’ learning. There is a need for investigating efficiency of access to research findings and use thereof for enriching science teachers’ subject content knowledge and pedagogy. 

This study explored ways in which science teachers access findings, how they reported these influence teacher pedagogy and practice and the factors that affect motivation of teachers to access research findings and develop as reflective practitioners. Exploration into teacher learning as a result of engaging with research findings that specifically results in the teacher changing teaching pedagogy is also undertaken.   

Guided by an interpretative inquiry, this study initially administered a questionnaire to a group of thirty five secondary science teachers and answers analysed to guide and inform further questioning. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews with nine science teachers provided data that was also analysed to explore teachers’ use of research findings. 

This study argues that a focus on making research findings accessible to science teachers is in the interest of teacher learning and should be considered priority for researchers, those publishing in educational research and for those planning professional development programmes for teacher learning.  In addition, both failing and successful strategies for disseminating findings and the ways access and use of findings by teachers can be enhanced.  This study also gives science teachers some insight into making use of research findings to inform their own teacher learning, pedagogy and practice by a deep engaging with research findings.

year: 2012

title: Implications and opportunities for Maori land in the Rotorua catchment

authors: Tahana, Arapeta

abstract: Arapeta is the Portfolio Manager, Waiariki Region, at Te Tumu Paeroa. He works with Maori land owners to enable them to achieve higher aspirations for their land and assets. He also collaborates with a wide range of other people and organisations, from owners in Māori land blocks, to government agencies, private sector companies and experts in many fields to find innovative and pragmatic solutions to the challenges of growing Māori. He is an elected member on the Māori Advisory Committee to RDC working to develop a meaningful partnership between Te Arawa and the Council.

text: Implications and opportunities for Maori land in the Rotorua catchment Arapeta is the Portfolio Manager, Waiariki Region, at Te Tumu Paeroa. He works with Maori land owners to enable them to achieve higher aspirations for their land and assets. He also collaborates with a wide range of other people and organisations, from owners in Māori land blocks, to government agencies, private sector companies and experts in many fields to find innovative and pragmatic solutions to the challenges of growing Māori. He is an elected member on the Māori Advisory Committee to RDC working to develop a meaningful partnership between Te Arawa and the Council.

year: 2013