title: Neon Chalk: Designing Software to Support Drawing as Play for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

authors: Shannon, Grant

subjects: autism spectrum disorders

abstract: Neon Chalk is a prototype piece of software designed to support drawing as play, for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). It incorporates a minimalist interface to reduce distraction while drawing, compelling colours and sound that are configurable for each user, and an interaction design that makes the stimulus reward outputted by the software contingent on input from the child drawing.
The design and development of the Neon Chalk prototype has motivated and informed the assessment of user-centred data gathering techniques. Six children with ASD were involved in this research. The techniques used within this studied are evaluated based on their suitability of use with this challenging user population.

text: Neon Chalk: Designing Software to Support Drawing as Play for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Neon Chalk is a prototype piece of software designed to support drawing as play, for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). It incorporates a minimalist interface to reduce distraction while drawing, compelling colours and sound that are configurable for each user, and an interaction design that makes the stimulus reward outputted by the software contingent on input from the child drawing.
The design and development of the Neon Chalk prototype has motivated and informed the assessment of user-centred data gathering techniques. Six children with ASD were involved in this research. The techniques used within this studied are evaluated based on their suitability of use with this challenging user population.

year: 2009

title: Consumer law and practice in China: A critique on the 20-year experience and the recent amendment bill

authors: Zheng, Xiang

abstract: Recently an amendment bill (the Bill), the first in the past two decades, to China’s core legislation on consumer protection, the Consumers Rights and Interests Protection Law (Consumer Protection Law), was introduced to the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress (NPC). While the Bill proposes some great changes to the Consumer Protection Law in response to China’s substantially changed market and society, it leaves some important issues unaddressed. This paper, adopting an “economic law in context” approach, critically reviews the historical development and the status quo of China’s consumer protection law and practice. It argues that further changes are required for better consumer law and practice in China.

text: Consumer law and practice in China: A critique on the 20-year experience and the recent amendment bill Recently an amendment bill (the Bill), the first in the past two decades, to China’s core legislation on consumer protection, the Consumers Rights and Interests Protection Law (Consumer Protection Law), was introduced to the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress (NPC). While the Bill proposes some great changes to the Consumer Protection Law in response to China’s substantially changed market and society, it leaves some important issues unaddressed. This paper, adopting an “economic law in context” approach, critically reviews the historical development and the status quo of China’s consumer protection law and practice. It argues that further changes are required for better consumer law and practice in China.

year: 2013

title: Manaaki whenua. Manaaki tangata: Care for the land, care for the people: Leading critical school reform with mana whenua and whānau Māori

authors: Ford, Therese

subjects: Critical school reform

abstract: Education disparities between Māori and Pākehā students in Aotearoa, have their origins in colonial education policies and practices which considerably advantaged Pākehā students and compromised the ability of Māori students to engage with learning and succeed.  Despite the promises of equality inherent in the Treaty of Waitangi,  this historical foundation has, for over 150 years, perpetuated intergenerational cycles of education failure for Māori resulting in high levels of endemic social and economic disadvantage in many Māori communities.
This thesis examines the leadership praxis of two Pākehā principals, to understand how, with more respectful connections with Māori communities, they were able to address education disparities and facilitate success for Māori students as Māori. Culturally responsive research methodologies guided two, in-depth case studies which employed mixed methods.
Two collaborative stories, with the voices of mana whenua and whānau Māori, identified the importance of school leaders developing critical levels of consciousness, through authentic, bidirectional relationships with Māori communities.  These relationships enabled the principals to understand the authentic local, pre-colonial iwi histories of the land. This in turn fostered connections between the schools and local Māori communities that enabled them to collaboratively respond to the implications of colonisation.  
The thesis challenges the monocultural, monolingual, unidirectional policies and practices that characterise the current model of colonial education.  It presents instead a decolonising model of critical school reform and a framework for implementation and evaluation.  It contends that honouring the Treaty of Waitangi requires an equity focused response with power sharing relationships, critically led by principals alongside Māori communities.

text: Manaaki whenua. Manaaki tangata: Care for the land, care for the people: Leading critical school reform with mana whenua and whānau Māori Education disparities between Māori and Pākehā students in Aotearoa, have their origins in colonial education policies and practices which considerably advantaged Pākehā students and compromised the ability of Māori students to engage with learning and succeed.  Despite the promises of equality inherent in the Treaty of Waitangi,  this historical foundation has, for over 150 years, perpetuated intergenerational cycles of education failure for Māori resulting in high levels of endemic social and economic disadvantage in many Māori communities.
This thesis examines the leadership praxis of two Pākehā principals, to understand how, with more respectful connections with Māori communities, they were able to address education disparities and facilitate success for Māori students as Māori. Culturally responsive research methodologies guided two, in-depth case studies which employed mixed methods.
Two collaborative stories, with the voices of mana whenua and whānau Māori, identified the importance of school leaders developing critical levels of consciousness, through authentic, bidirectional relationships with Māori communities.  These relationships enabled the principals to understand the authentic local, pre-colonial iwi histories of the land. This in turn fostered connections between the schools and local Māori communities that enabled them to collaboratively respond to the implications of colonisation.  
The thesis challenges the monocultural, monolingual, unidirectional policies and practices that characterise the current model of colonial education.  It presents instead a decolonising model of critical school reform and a framework for implementation and evaluation.  It contends that honouring the Treaty of Waitangi requires an equity focused response with power sharing relationships, critically led by principals alongside Māori communities.

year: 2020