title: An introduction to ethical consideration in international environmental law

authors: Gillespie, Alexander

subjects: international environmental law

abstract: The purpose of this chapter is to give the reader an overview of where some of the ethical debates in international environmental law are currently found. This chapter builds upon my earlier work in this area, which is contained in “International Environmental Law, Policy and Ethics”.

text: An introduction to ethical consideration in international environmental law The purpose of this chapter is to give the reader an overview of where some of the ethical debates in international environmental law are currently found. This chapter builds upon my earlier work in this area, which is contained in “International Environmental Law, Policy and Ethics”.

year: 2010

title: Testing and calibration of smart pebble for river bed sediment transport monitoring

authors: Akeila, Ehad

subjects: Smart Pebble

abstract: The Smart Pebble (smart particle), SP, has been developed for the past two years to monitor sediment transport in riverbeds. The implementation is based on use of small size and low cost acceleration and angular motion sensors. In this stage, the project is focused on calibrating and testing the final version of the SP as well as its packaging in a 4-cm diameter spherical package. The calibration was done in two stages; individual sensor calibration and complete system calibration. The complete SP unit was tested under linear motions generated by a shake table, and 2D rotational motions using two manually controlled servomotors. Offline digital signal conditioning was done in MATLAB. The preliminary results show that the system has relatively large amplitude error due to low sampling frequency. Experiments conducted by sampling a 1-Hz sinusoidal signal at different rates show that to keep the amplitude error of the system under 5% the sampling rate has to be at least 10 times the maximum bandwidth of the signals acquired from sensors.

text: Testing and calibration of smart pebble for river bed sediment transport monitoring The Smart Pebble (smart particle), SP, has been developed for the past two years to monitor sediment transport in riverbeds. The implementation is based on use of small size and low cost acceleration and angular motion sensors. In this stage, the project is focused on calibrating and testing the final version of the SP as well as its packaging in a 4-cm diameter spherical package. The calibration was done in two stages; individual sensor calibration and complete system calibration. The complete SP unit was tested under linear motions generated by a shake table, and 2D rotational motions using two manually controlled servomotors. Offline digital signal conditioning was done in MATLAB. The preliminary results show that the system has relatively large amplitude error due to low sampling frequency. Experiments conducted by sampling a 1-Hz sinusoidal signal at different rates show that to keep the amplitude error of the system under 5% the sampling rate has to be at least 10 times the maximum bandwidth of the signals acquired from sensors.

year: 2007

title: Exploring the experiences of Māori Wāhine in a STEM project-based secondary classroom: A relational and intersectional perspective

authors: Cheryl, Mitchell

abstract: Using phenomenology, an intersectional lens, and the principles of Kaupapa Māori research, this study investigates how young Māori (Indigenous) wāhine (women) ākonga (students) experience interdisciplinary project-based STEM education. Historical educational policies in Aotearoa New Zealand required Māori to assimilate into a Pākehā (European) school system, contributing to persistent academic underperformance, particularly in science. Māori have been more likely to leave school early, and those who remain often opt out of science subjects, especially Māori wāhine. International literature suggests that transdisciplinary STEM education grounded in social justice and equity can improve engagement and outcomes for underrepresented learners. The study was guided by two questions: (1) how Māori wāhine experienced the STEM programme, and (2) what their challenges were to succeed in STEM.

In 2016, while teaching at a low-decile (socioeconomic disadvantaged), urban, co-educational English-medium high school, I trialled an integrated, interdisciplinary project-based STEM class that incorporated meaningful phenomena and culturally responsive pedagogy. The class’s success led to STEM becoming a core component of a broader school initiative. In 2018, the seven Māori wāhine ākonga enrolled in the Year 11 (age 15–16) STEM class were invited to become “Story Sharers” and reflect on their experiences. As a teacher-researcher (insider), I used reflexive practices and clear role delineation to leverage contextual knowledge while minimising bias. Narrative data were collected over two years (2018–2019) through six semi-structured discussion groups and one individual interview. Quantitative data included tracking attendance records, retention, and academic achievement.

Findings indicate that the Story Sharers valued co-constructed topics and tasks, a supportive whānau (family/community) class format, and authentic project work undertaken over extended learning periods. They consistently identified strengthened relationships, particularly among peers as central to engagement, wellbeing, motivation to learn, and as the most salient indicator of success. Academic performance increased relative to prior Year-10 e-asTTle (Electronic Assessment Tool for Teaching and Learning in mathematics, reading, and writing) benchmarks, alongside improved STEM class attendance, retention in school, and intentions to continue in STEM.

Interpretive thematic analysis using an intersectional lens revealed that racism, stereotyping, and impacts on wellbeing were significant barriers to learning. These discriminatory experiences were pervasive across school, community, and online spaces and were compounded by gendered and intergenerational dynamics. The Story Sharers described complex, fluid, and intersecting identities shaped by lived experiences, including witnessing discrimination against Māori wāhine in their whānau and the legacy of colonial schooling practices such as the suppression of te reo Māori.

In this study, STEM project-based learning was shaped by two interwoven design elements: relational pedagogy and relational thinking. Relational pedagogy prioritised relationships and co-construction within a whānau-formatted classroom. Relational thinking described the interdisciplinary logic of the programme itself, connecting disciplinary knowledge to place, context, and community so that learning is organised around meaningful phenomena rather than siloed subjects. Together, these elements functioned as a counterspace that fostered inclusive engagement, affirmed identities, and supported belonging for Māori wāhine. Grounded in culturally responsive and whānau-based approaches, this model enabled learners to challenge deficit narratives and engage meaningfully in STEM. The outcomes offer assurance that integrated, project-based STEM education, underpinned by these relational frameworks, can improve outcomes for learners whose identities and experiences have been marginalised in traditional schooling. However, policymakers must remain attentive to historical policy barriers and intersectional factors that continue to perpetuate inequities within the education system.

text: Exploring the experiences of Māori Wāhine in a STEM project-based secondary classroom: A relational and intersectional perspective Using phenomenology, an intersectional lens, and the principles of Kaupapa Māori research, this study investigates how young Māori (Indigenous) wāhine (women) ākonga (students) experience interdisciplinary project-based STEM education. Historical educational policies in Aotearoa New Zealand required Māori to assimilate into a Pākehā (European) school system, contributing to persistent academic underperformance, particularly in science. Māori have been more likely to leave school early, and those who remain often opt out of science subjects, especially Māori wāhine. International literature suggests that transdisciplinary STEM education grounded in social justice and equity can improve engagement and outcomes for underrepresented learners. The study was guided by two questions: (1) how Māori wāhine experienced the STEM programme, and (2) what their challenges were to succeed in STEM.

In 2016, while teaching at a low-decile (socioeconomic disadvantaged), urban, co-educational English-medium high school, I trialled an integrated, interdisciplinary project-based STEM class that incorporated meaningful phenomena and culturally responsive pedagogy. The class’s success led to STEM becoming a core component of a broader school initiative. In 2018, the seven Māori wāhine ākonga enrolled in the Year 11 (age 15–16) STEM class were invited to become “Story Sharers” and reflect on their experiences. As a teacher-researcher (insider), I used reflexive practices and clear role delineation to leverage contextual knowledge while minimising bias. Narrative data were collected over two years (2018–2019) through six semi-structured discussion groups and one individual interview. Quantitative data included tracking attendance records, retention, and academic achievement.

Findings indicate that the Story Sharers valued co-constructed topics and tasks, a supportive whānau (family/community) class format, and authentic project work undertaken over extended learning periods. They consistently identified strengthened relationships, particularly among peers as central to engagement, wellbeing, motivation to learn, and as the most salient indicator of success. Academic performance increased relative to prior Year-10 e-asTTle (Electronic Assessment Tool for Teaching and Learning in mathematics, reading, and writing) benchmarks, alongside improved STEM class attendance, retention in school, and intentions to continue in STEM.

Interpretive thematic analysis using an intersectional lens revealed that racism, stereotyping, and impacts on wellbeing were significant barriers to learning. These discriminatory experiences were pervasive across school, community, and online spaces and were compounded by gendered and intergenerational dynamics. The Story Sharers described complex, fluid, and intersecting identities shaped by lived experiences, including witnessing discrimination against Māori wāhine in their whānau and the legacy of colonial schooling practices such as the suppression of te reo Māori.

In this study, STEM project-based learning was shaped by two interwoven design elements: relational pedagogy and relational thinking. Relational pedagogy prioritised relationships and co-construction within a whānau-formatted classroom. Relational thinking described the interdisciplinary logic of the programme itself, connecting disciplinary knowledge to place, context, and community so that learning is organised around meaningful phenomena rather than siloed subjects. Together, these elements functioned as a counterspace that fostered inclusive engagement, affirmed identities, and supported belonging for Māori wāhine. Grounded in culturally responsive and whānau-based approaches, this model enabled learners to challenge deficit narratives and engage meaningfully in STEM. The outcomes offer assurance that integrated, project-based STEM education, underpinned by these relational frameworks, can improve outcomes for learners whose identities and experiences have been marginalised in traditional schooling. However, policymakers must remain attentive to historical policy barriers and intersectional factors that continue to perpetuate inequities within the education system.

year: 2025-10-17