title: Chinese Reality TV- A Case Study of GDTV’s The Great Challenge for Survival

authors: Luo, Wei

subjects: Chinese

abstract: The emergence of reality programming has a parallel development with Chinese television media at the beginning of this century. This study of Chinese “Reality TV” is based on a case study of a pioneer Chinese reality production, namely The Great Challenge for Survivor (GDTV, 2000-2006). The general concern of this thesis is an examination of the localizing of popular foreign outdoor survival formats (the Japanese top-rating Airway Boys and the international format Survivor) within a Chinese context. The study of this subject consists of field research into a major Party-state owned television broadcaster and a comparative analysis of the six broadcast seasons of the selected example. The research outcome presented here highlights some distinctive Chinese patterns in the outdoor survival reality strand prevailing early in this century and articulates the complex roles that a nationalized television station was required to play in the industrialized reform era. By recognizing the GDTV crew’s continuous efforts to improve production quality and to satisfy their assumed audiences’ needs, the thesis further addresses some key factors of the specific institutional system and broad media environment shaping local reality programme makers' decision making. Facing a “special television zone” in China, the local producer’s continuous modification of their reality programming was on the cutting edge of commercialization and globalization in the early 2000s. The production of the studied case was an exploratory enterprise which involved a set of negotiations, arguments and compromises while dealing with a range of issues which emerged in such areas as the cultural landscape, social environment, political discourse and economic power. To a large extent, the manifested transition taking place in this studied local production mirrors unprecedented social and economic changes occurring in contemporary China.

text: Chinese Reality TV- A Case Study of GDTV’s The Great Challenge for Survival The emergence of reality programming has a parallel development with Chinese television media at the beginning of this century. This study of Chinese “Reality TV” is based on a case study of a pioneer Chinese reality production, namely The Great Challenge for Survivor (GDTV, 2000-2006). The general concern of this thesis is an examination of the localizing of popular foreign outdoor survival formats (the Japanese top-rating Airway Boys and the international format Survivor) within a Chinese context. The study of this subject consists of field research into a major Party-state owned television broadcaster and a comparative analysis of the six broadcast seasons of the selected example. The research outcome presented here highlights some distinctive Chinese patterns in the outdoor survival reality strand prevailing early in this century and articulates the complex roles that a nationalized television station was required to play in the industrialized reform era. By recognizing the GDTV crew’s continuous efforts to improve production quality and to satisfy their assumed audiences’ needs, the thesis further addresses some key factors of the specific institutional system and broad media environment shaping local reality programme makers' decision making. Facing a “special television zone” in China, the local producer’s continuous modification of their reality programming was on the cutting edge of commercialization and globalization in the early 2000s. The production of the studied case was an exploratory enterprise which involved a set of negotiations, arguments and compromises while dealing with a range of issues which emerged in such areas as the cultural landscape, social environment, political discourse and economic power. To a large extent, the manifested transition taking place in this studied local production mirrors unprecedented social and economic changes occurring in contemporary China.

year: 2011

title: An exploration of Board of Trustees' perceptions of their impact on student learning

authors: Sheterline, Richard Colin

subjects: boards of trustees

abstract: The radical changes within the Tomorrow’s Schools reforms came to fruition in 1989 amid much debate about the ideology that underpinned the change and the capability and roles of boards of trustees.  The roles of boards have evolved from a primary focus on compliance to the current focus on student achievement.  This has raised the question of whether trustees, individually or collectively, have an impact on student learning through their governance roles.
 
This small-scale study sets out to explore the perceptions of a small group of trustees.  It uses a qualitative framework, based on data from semi-structured interviews with ten trustees across five primary schools.  The interview data was supplemented with school and sector-based documentation.  The study sought of trustees their perceptions of their impact on student learning through an analysis of the data, and with consideration given to participants’ context. 

The literature review provides an historical review of Tomorrow’s Schools and outlines how boards are enabled, or constrained, by aspects of the governance model.

The findings of the study suggest that trustees perceived that they had both a direct and indirect impact on student learning.  It identified challenges for trustees related to the governance-management model, and how trustees understood student learning.  It highlighted a perceived lack of support for trustees and a need for improved quality and quantity of trustee training, as well as noting the influence of compliance on trustees’ thinking.

This study raises questions about the support that the current governance model provides for student learning and concludes with a range of recommendations for policy-makers and for future research.  It suggests that, in relation to student learning, Nash’s (1989) comment that the ‘jury is still out’ about the effectiveness of the model may still be valid.

text: An exploration of Board of Trustees' perceptions of their impact on student learning The radical changes within the Tomorrow’s Schools reforms came to fruition in 1989 amid much debate about the ideology that underpinned the change and the capability and roles of boards of trustees.  The roles of boards have evolved from a primary focus on compliance to the current focus on student achievement.  This has raised the question of whether trustees, individually or collectively, have an impact on student learning through their governance roles.
 
This small-scale study sets out to explore the perceptions of a small group of trustees.  It uses a qualitative framework, based on data from semi-structured interviews with ten trustees across five primary schools.  The interview data was supplemented with school and sector-based documentation.  The study sought of trustees their perceptions of their impact on student learning through an analysis of the data, and with consideration given to participants’ context. 

The literature review provides an historical review of Tomorrow’s Schools and outlines how boards are enabled, or constrained, by aspects of the governance model.

The findings of the study suggest that trustees perceived that they had both a direct and indirect impact on student learning.  It identified challenges for trustees related to the governance-management model, and how trustees understood student learning.  It highlighted a perceived lack of support for trustees and a need for improved quality and quantity of trustee training, as well as noting the influence of compliance on trustees’ thinking.

This study raises questions about the support that the current governance model provides for student learning and concludes with a range of recommendations for policy-makers and for future research.  It suggests that, in relation to student learning, Nash’s (1989) comment that the ‘jury is still out’ about the effectiveness of the model may still be valid.

year: 2013

title: Hostile shores: catastrophic events in prehistoric New Zealand and their impact on Maori coastal communities [Book Review]

authors: Lowe, David J.

abstract: This article reviews the book: “Hostile shores: catastrophic events in prehistoric New Zealand and their impact on Maori coastal communities”, by Bruct McFadgen.

text: Hostile shores: catastrophic events in prehistoric New Zealand and their impact on Maori coastal communities [Book Review] This article reviews the book: “Hostile shores: catastrophic events in prehistoric New Zealand and their impact on Maori coastal communities”, by Bruct McFadgen.

year: 2008