title: A simple forecasting scheme for predicting low rainfalls in Funafuti, Tuvalu

authors: Vavae, Hilia

subjects: long-range forecasting

abstract: The development of some ability for forecasting low rainfalls would be helpful in Tuvalu as rainwater is the only source of fresh water in the country. The subsurface water is brackish and saline so the entire country depends totally on rainwater for daily domestic supplies, agricultural and farming activities. More importantly, these atolls are often influenced by droughts which consequently make inadequate drinking water an issue. A simple graph-based forecasting scheme is developed and presented in this thesis for forecasting below average mean rainfall in Funafuti over the next n-month period. The approach uses precursor ocean surface temperature data to make predictions of below average rainfall for n = 1, 2   12. The simplicity of the approach makes it a suitable method for the country and thus for the Tuvalu Meteorological Service to use as an operational forecasting tool in the climate forecasting desk. The graphical method was derived from standardised monthly rainfalls from the Funafuti manual raingauge for the period January 1945 to July 2007. The method uses lag-1 and-lag 2 NINO4 sea surface temperatures to define whether prediction conditions hold. The persistence of predictability tends to be maintained when the observed NINO4 ocean surface temperatures fall below 26.0oC. Although the developed method has a high success probability of up to 80 percent, this can only be achieved when conditions are within the predictable field. A considerable number of below average rainfall periods are not within the predictable field and therefore cannot be forecast by this method. However, the graphical approach has particular value in warning when an existing drought is likely to continue.

text: A simple forecasting scheme for predicting low rainfalls in Funafuti, Tuvalu The development of some ability for forecasting low rainfalls would be helpful in Tuvalu as rainwater is the only source of fresh water in the country. The subsurface water is brackish and saline so the entire country depends totally on rainwater for daily domestic supplies, agricultural and farming activities. More importantly, these atolls are often influenced by droughts which consequently make inadequate drinking water an issue. A simple graph-based forecasting scheme is developed and presented in this thesis for forecasting below average mean rainfall in Funafuti over the next n-month period. The approach uses precursor ocean surface temperature data to make predictions of below average rainfall for n = 1, 2   12. The simplicity of the approach makes it a suitable method for the country and thus for the Tuvalu Meteorological Service to use as an operational forecasting tool in the climate forecasting desk. The graphical method was derived from standardised monthly rainfalls from the Funafuti manual raingauge for the period January 1945 to July 2007. The method uses lag-1 and-lag 2 NINO4 sea surface temperatures to define whether prediction conditions hold. The persistence of predictability tends to be maintained when the observed NINO4 ocean surface temperatures fall below 26.0oC. Although the developed method has a high success probability of up to 80 percent, this can only be achieved when conditions are within the predictable field. A considerable number of below average rainfall periods are not within the predictable field and therefore cannot be forecast by this method. However, the graphical approach has particular value in warning when an existing drought is likely to continue.

year: 2008

title: Health and digital gaming: The benefits of a community of practice

authors: Schott, Gareth R.

subjects: community

abstract: Psychologists have a tendency to focus on the negative side of life. Our discipline has become preoccupied with illness rather than health. Where the media are concerned we explore the consequences of unhealthy messages for the population in general or young people in particular. This commentary breaks with tradition by outlining ways in which digital games can enhance health. Positive health consequences of gaming are explored in relation to surgical training and therapeutic interventions, physical exercise, health education and community participation.

text: Health and digital gaming: The benefits of a community of practice Psychologists have a tendency to focus on the negative side of life. Our discipline has become preoccupied with illness rather than health. Where the media are concerned we explore the consequences of unhealthy messages for the population in general or young people in particular. This commentary breaks with tradition by outlining ways in which digital games can enhance health. Positive health consequences of gaming are explored in relation to surgical training and therapeutic interventions, physical exercise, health education and community participation.

year: 2006

title: Te tukuihotanga o te reo Māori: He aronga motuhake – ngā mokopuna a Te Kapunga

authors: Dewes, Te Kuru o te Marama

subjects: Reo Māori

abstract: Ko te tāhū o tēnei rangahau ko te reo Māori. Ko te ariā matua ko te tukuihotanga o te reo Māori, arā, ko te tuku iho o te reo ki rō whānau mai i ngā mātua ki ngā tamariki, ā, tae rawa iho ki ngā mokopuna. Kia whakawhāiti i te kaupapa, he aronga motuhake tēnei kei te titiro hāngai atu ki ngā whānau e whā ki ngā tāone e toru o Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Tāmakimakaurau me Te Rotorua-Nui-a-Kahumatamomoe. Nā te hurahura i ngā āhuatanga reo i roto i ngā kāenga o ngā whānau e whā i kitea mehemea kei te tutuki tēnei tūāhua te tukuihotanga o te reo Māori. Tuia, he aha ngā momo āhuatanga kei te taunaki i tēnei mahi, ā, he aha hoki ngā ārai e whakahōtaetae ana i a ia.  piti atu, i noho ki te ketuketu i ngā whakaaro o ngā mātua e pā ana ki tēnei kaupapa te tuku iho i te reo ki ngā tamariki mokopuna. Kāre i aro ki te kounga o te reo, he kaute noa i ngā whakamahinga reo Māori me whakamahinga reo Pākehā. Kia whakaritea ngā āhuatanga reo o ngā whānau me ngā tamariki, i tū ngā mahi whakarongo ki ngā wāhi e toru, arā, ki rō kāenga, ki rō kura, ka mutu, i tū ki wāhi kē atu hoki. Nā runga i te whakaaro kei te mōrearea tonu te reo Māori, kua herea tēnei kaupapa ki te ahurea me te tuakiri Māori, te mana motuhake me te tino rangatiratanga.

text: Te tukuihotanga o te reo Māori: He aronga motuhake – ngā mokopuna a Te Kapunga Ko te tāhū o tēnei rangahau ko te reo Māori. Ko te ariā matua ko te tukuihotanga o te reo Māori, arā, ko te tuku iho o te reo ki rō whānau mai i ngā mātua ki ngā tamariki, ā, tae rawa iho ki ngā mokopuna. Kia whakawhāiti i te kaupapa, he aronga motuhake tēnei kei te titiro hāngai atu ki ngā whānau e whā ki ngā tāone e toru o Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Tāmakimakaurau me Te Rotorua-Nui-a-Kahumatamomoe. Nā te hurahura i ngā āhuatanga reo i roto i ngā kāenga o ngā whānau e whā i kitea mehemea kei te tutuki tēnei tūāhua te tukuihotanga o te reo Māori. Tuia, he aha ngā momo āhuatanga kei te taunaki i tēnei mahi, ā, he aha hoki ngā ārai e whakahōtaetae ana i a ia.  piti atu, i noho ki te ketuketu i ngā whakaaro o ngā mātua e pā ana ki tēnei kaupapa te tuku iho i te reo ki ngā tamariki mokopuna. Kāre i aro ki te kounga o te reo, he kaute noa i ngā whakamahinga reo Māori me whakamahinga reo Pākehā. Kia whakaritea ngā āhuatanga reo o ngā whānau me ngā tamariki, i tū ngā mahi whakarongo ki ngā wāhi e toru, arā, ki rō kāenga, ki rō kura, ka mutu, i tū ki wāhi kē atu hoki. Nā runga i te whakaaro kei te mōrearea tonu te reo Māori, kua herea tēnei kaupapa ki te ahurea me te tuakiri Māori, te mana motuhake me te tino rangatiratanga.

year: 2017