title: Capacity-testing as a means of increasing political inclusion

authors: Munn, Nicholas

subjects: voting

abstract: Some competent political actors, primarily young people and the cognitively impaired, are excluded from political participation by modern liberal democratic states. This exclusion occurs because the means utilized by states to distinguish between competent citizens (who must be included) and incompetent ones (who may be excluded) are imperfect. They include age restrictions on enfranchisement and, commonly, legal restrictions on enfranchisement for those with cognitive disabilities. Capacity-testing provides a means to improve on these existing mechanisms for exclusion. It is not, however, often suggested, nor seen as viable. Here, I argue that we should utilize capacity-testing to more effectively include capable citizens in our democratic practice. I defend a particular scope and kind of capacity-testing against common objections.

text: Capacity-testing as a means of increasing political inclusion Some competent political actors, primarily young people and the cognitively impaired, are excluded from political participation by modern liberal democratic states. This exclusion occurs because the means utilized by states to distinguish between competent citizens (who must be included) and incompetent ones (who may be excluded) are imperfect. They include age restrictions on enfranchisement and, commonly, legal restrictions on enfranchisement for those with cognitive disabilities. Capacity-testing provides a means to improve on these existing mechanisms for exclusion. It is not, however, often suggested, nor seen as viable. Here, I argue that we should utilize capacity-testing to more effectively include capable citizens in our democratic practice. I defend a particular scope and kind of capacity-testing against common objections.

year: 2012

title: Functional group‐dependent responses of forest bird communities to invasive predator control and habitat fragmentation

authors: Morgan, Shaun

abstract: Aim
Mounting global pressure on bird populations from invasive predators and habitat loss has driven a rapid growth in restoration and conservation action around the world, yet the efficacy of such actions is still not well understood. We investigated the relative and interactive effects of invasive predator control and habitat fragmentation on the abundance of native birds and invasive mammalian predators in native forest fragments.

Location
Waikato region, New Zealand.

Methods
We sampled invasive mammalian predator and native bird abundances using camera traps and bird counts at 26 sites in 15 forest fragments across New Zealand's Waikato region. Fragment area, shape complexity and surrounding land cover of exotic and native forest were determined in ArcMap. We further created two composite gradients reflecting predator control intensity and temporal distribution of control based on seven quantitative variables recorded in each of the 5 years preceding data collection. Finally, we estimated the relative influence of these drivers on invasive mammals and functional groups of native birds using model averaging.

Results
Both the intensity and temporal distribution of invasive predator control significantly affected invasive predator abundance. Landscape and fragment structure were often equally important drivers of invasive predator abundances, but responses varied among invasive mammal species. Both invasive predator control intensity and fragment structure were similarly important drivers of native bird abundance, though bird community responses varied markedly between functional groups.

Main conclusions
Our findings suggest that spatial extent of invasive predator control and fragment area constrain invasive predator numbers and enhance bird abundance, especially for small insectivorous species, whilst other aspects of habitat fragmentation are less important for invasive mammals but at least as important for native bird communities. Consequently, both drivers should be given strong consideration when undertaking landscape-scale conservation and restoration of bird communities in human-altered landscapes threatened by invasive predators.

text: Functional group‐dependent responses of forest bird communities to invasive predator control and habitat fragmentation Aim
Mounting global pressure on bird populations from invasive predators and habitat loss has driven a rapid growth in restoration and conservation action around the world, yet the efficacy of such actions is still not well understood. We investigated the relative and interactive effects of invasive predator control and habitat fragmentation on the abundance of native birds and invasive mammalian predators in native forest fragments.

Location
Waikato region, New Zealand.

Methods
We sampled invasive mammalian predator and native bird abundances using camera traps and bird counts at 26 sites in 15 forest fragments across New Zealand's Waikato region. Fragment area, shape complexity and surrounding land cover of exotic and native forest were determined in ArcMap. We further created two composite gradients reflecting predator control intensity and temporal distribution of control based on seven quantitative variables recorded in each of the 5 years preceding data collection. Finally, we estimated the relative influence of these drivers on invasive mammals and functional groups of native birds using model averaging.

Results
Both the intensity and temporal distribution of invasive predator control significantly affected invasive predator abundance. Landscape and fragment structure were often equally important drivers of invasive predator abundances, but responses varied among invasive mammal species. Both invasive predator control intensity and fragment structure were similarly important drivers of native bird abundance, though bird community responses varied markedly between functional groups.

Main conclusions
Our findings suggest that spatial extent of invasive predator control and fragment area constrain invasive predator numbers and enhance bird abundance, especially for small insectivorous species, whilst other aspects of habitat fragmentation are less important for invasive mammals but at least as important for native bird communities. Consequently, both drivers should be given strong consideration when undertaking landscape-scale conservation and restoration of bird communities in human-altered landscapes threatened by invasive predators.

year: 2022

title: Enabling conditions for professional development of te reo Māori teachers

authors: Franken, Margaret

subjects: Māori language teachers

abstract: The paper outlines a professional development programme for secondary school teachers of te reo Māori (under the auspices of Te Hiringa i te Mahara) conducted by a language teacher educator and an expert in Māori bilingualism and biliteracy. While the principles underpinning the programme reflect a strong task-based
orientation, the programme approached development needs for the teachers from the point of view of understanding “enabling conditions” (Franken, Rau, Ngata & Parata, n.d.) for effective language learning and teaching (see also Ellis, 2005),
rather than understanding task based learning and teaching per se. The programme drew on the current practices of the teachers and made use of epistemology of Māori language and Māori language learning. The paper presents observations from monitoring data collected during the programme supporting the claim that such an approach to the professional development of language teachers promotes a strong knowledge base and pedagogical reasoning skills (Richards, 1998), and in particular for te reo Māori teachers, fosters a sense of their own professional identity.

text: Enabling conditions for professional development of te reo Māori teachers The paper outlines a professional development programme for secondary school teachers of te reo Māori (under the auspices of Te Hiringa i te Mahara) conducted by a language teacher educator and an expert in Māori bilingualism and biliteracy. While the principles underpinning the programme reflect a strong task-based
orientation, the programme approached development needs for the teachers from the point of view of understanding “enabling conditions” (Franken, Rau, Ngata & Parata, n.d.) for effective language learning and teaching (see also Ellis, 2005),
rather than understanding task based learning and teaching per se. The programme drew on the current practices of the teachers and made use of epistemology of Māori language and Māori language learning. The paper presents observations from monitoring data collected during the programme supporting the claim that such an approach to the professional development of language teachers promotes a strong knowledge base and pedagogical reasoning skills (Richards, 1998), and in particular for te reo Māori teachers, fosters a sense of their own professional identity.

year: 2009