title: A Comparison of Children’s Books: Picture books versus physically and intellectually adaptive interactive children’s books

authors: Wright, Kristy

subjects: Children's Books

abstract: Children’s book design has a great impact on shared reading practices, interaction and engagement. This study aimed to analyse a comparison of children’s picture books versus children’s interactive, adaptive picture books, in order to discover how physical and intellectual enhancements change the level and types of interaction within a shared reading environment. In turn, the study aimed to provide design solutions for designing effective children’s books in the future. 

The study was undertaken by designing a picture book with an age appropriate narrative and illustrations. The same storyline and design assets were then teamed with physical and intellectual enhancements to create the interactive, adaptive version of the book. The books were designed using a combination of currently accepted frameworks of a ‘successful children’s book’, as well as educational practices that align with the New Zealand Curriculum. Seven families with children aged 4-6 were observed utilising these books in three shared reading sessions over a number of weeks, and their interactions were analysed and compared. 

The results were compared to findings from numerous other researchers whose work centers around effective children’s books, shared reading, and adaption of children’s books.  In addition, by comparing the findings to a background study, many comparisons and common themes could be found between the interactive, adaptive book designed for the study, and interactive books currently on the market. 

Conclusions drawn from the study show that the basic principles of an effective children’s book need to be implemented by all designers in order to ensure engagement and interaction. These include standards of illustration, appropriate text and storyline, moral of story and relation to the child and the real world. In turn, the inclusion of physical and intellectual enhancements within the book promote a greater level of interaction and engagement from the parent and child. However, this is only the case if the enhancements provide meaningful interaction, and have a relevance to the story.  The inclusion of adaptive features within a children’s book - particularly the addition of a ‘goal’ - provides the highest level of interaction from children, prompting higher engagement levels and hence allowing the shared reading session to be more successful and educationally beneficial. 

This thesis provides designers with frameworks to enable the successful design of interactive, adaptive children’s books.

text: A Comparison of Children’s Books: Picture books versus physically and intellectually adaptive interactive children’s books Children’s book design has a great impact on shared reading practices, interaction and engagement. This study aimed to analyse a comparison of children’s picture books versus children’s interactive, adaptive picture books, in order to discover how physical and intellectual enhancements change the level and types of interaction within a shared reading environment. In turn, the study aimed to provide design solutions for designing effective children’s books in the future. 

The study was undertaken by designing a picture book with an age appropriate narrative and illustrations. The same storyline and design assets were then teamed with physical and intellectual enhancements to create the interactive, adaptive version of the book. The books were designed using a combination of currently accepted frameworks of a ‘successful children’s book’, as well as educational practices that align with the New Zealand Curriculum. Seven families with children aged 4-6 were observed utilising these books in three shared reading sessions over a number of weeks, and their interactions were analysed and compared. 

The results were compared to findings from numerous other researchers whose work centers around effective children’s books, shared reading, and adaption of children’s books.  In addition, by comparing the findings to a background study, many comparisons and common themes could be found between the interactive, adaptive book designed for the study, and interactive books currently on the market. 

Conclusions drawn from the study show that the basic principles of an effective children’s book need to be implemented by all designers in order to ensure engagement and interaction. These include standards of illustration, appropriate text and storyline, moral of story and relation to the child and the real world. In turn, the inclusion of physical and intellectual enhancements within the book promote a greater level of interaction and engagement from the parent and child. However, this is only the case if the enhancements provide meaningful interaction, and have a relevance to the story.  The inclusion of adaptive features within a children’s book - particularly the addition of a ‘goal’ - provides the highest level of interaction from children, prompting higher engagement levels and hence allowing the shared reading session to be more successful and educationally beneficial. 

This thesis provides designers with frameworks to enable the successful design of interactive, adaptive children’s books.

year: 2015

title: Agency costs, ownership structure and corporate governance mechanisms: A case study in New Zealand unlisted small companies

authors: Hewa Wellalage, Nirosha

subjects: corporate governance

abstract: This study investigates the linkage between agency costs, ownership structure and corporate governance in small business. Eleven years of data for 100 unlisted small businesses, are collected and 1099 observations are analysed using as dynamic panel GMM estimation. Various diagnostic tests are utilised to check for stationary and convergence of variables. The results indicate that ownership concentration has the most significant governance effect and also has the largest impact on corporate governance. Moreover, this study finds U-shape relationship between internal ownership and performance, which under that agency proxy. Agency costs vary with leverage the life of the business and with its size.

text: Agency costs, ownership structure and corporate governance mechanisms: A case study in New Zealand unlisted small companies This study investigates the linkage between agency costs, ownership structure and corporate governance in small business. Eleven years of data for 100 unlisted small businesses, are collected and 1099 observations are analysed using as dynamic panel GMM estimation. Various diagnostic tests are utilised to check for stationary and convergence of variables. The results indicate that ownership concentration has the most significant governance effect and also has the largest impact on corporate governance. Moreover, this study finds U-shape relationship between internal ownership and performance, which under that agency proxy. Agency costs vary with leverage the life of the business and with its size.

year: 2011

title: Ko wai tēnei e tū ake nei? Activating collectivity and accountability through grounded positioning

authors: Rata, Arama

abstract: Building on conference conversations about positionality—about who we are and how our identities shape our views of the world, about the connections and disconnections experienced between us, and about our proximities to place, power, and privilege—this piece brings together four conference participants to continue to reflect on what positionality means, on why it is important, and on how to practice it in non-performative, well-developed, and mutually nourishing ways. Their dialogue reflects active and critical positioning in process and practice, creating opportunities for acknowledging our relationships and activating both collectivity and accountability in the various spaces where we live, work, create, and hope.

text: Ko wai tēnei e tū ake nei? Activating collectivity and accountability through grounded positioning Building on conference conversations about positionality—about who we are and how our identities shape our views of the world, about the connections and disconnections experienced between us, and about our proximities to place, power, and privilege—this piece brings together four conference participants to continue to reflect on what positionality means, on why it is important, and on how to practice it in non-performative, well-developed, and mutually nourishing ways. Their dialogue reflects active and critical positioning in process and practice, creating opportunities for acknowledging our relationships and activating both collectivity and accountability in the various spaces where we live, work, create, and hope.

year: 2021-12