title: Picturebooks in teacher education: Eight teacher educators share their practice

authors: Daly, Nicola

abstract: There is a great deal of contemporary research demonstrating the effective use of picturebooks in the classroom; however, there are few studies recording perceptions and use of picturebooks in Initial Teacher Education [ITE]. This study explores the reported use of picturebooks within a New Zealand university-based ITE degree programme. The data discussed in this article was collected using semi structured interviews with eight teacher educators from different learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum. In order to unpack the power of using picturebooks as part of teacher preparation a discussion of why and how picturebooks are used by teacher educators is presented. These themes include modeling pedagogy for future teachers; dealing with negative attitudes to certain curriculum areas; plugging gaps in pre-service teacher knowledge among others.

text: Picturebooks in teacher education: Eight teacher educators share their practice There is a great deal of contemporary research demonstrating the effective use of picturebooks in the classroom; however, there are few studies recording perceptions and use of picturebooks in Initial Teacher Education [ITE]. This study explores the reported use of picturebooks within a New Zealand university-based ITE degree programme. The data discussed in this article was collected using semi structured interviews with eight teacher educators from different learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum. In order to unpack the power of using picturebooks as part of teacher preparation a discussion of why and how picturebooks are used by teacher educators is presented. These themes include modeling pedagogy for future teachers; dealing with negative attitudes to certain curriculum areas; plugging gaps in pre-service teacher knowledge among others.

year: 2015

title: A capabilities approach to freedom of employment: Hierarchical capabilities

authors: Blight, Damian

subjects: Capabilities approach

abstract: When people in New Zealand are unhappy with their current employment, they are often advised to find a new job. Implicit here is the assumption that a new job will be better, but it is not entirely clear that this is always the case. In this thesis I aim to navigate the complexities of this suggestion in order to ascertain whether or not the task of finding new employment, that is more meaningful to the individual, is as simple as it sounds. To do this I have developed a hierarchical chart, in combination with the capabilities approach from Amartya Sen. The capabilities approach allows us to focus on the options that are available to the individual, rather than ensuring that everyone is given access to everything, including things that they do not need. By looking at freedom of employment as a capability, we may identify meaningful options for individuals even if some options are closed off to them. However, if there are not enough available options then individuals may lack access to meaningful freedom of employment.
By ordering the capabilities that are required for individuals to enjoy meaningful freedom of employment into a hierarchy, I am able to structure them such that any necessary capabilities can be investigated based on how many available options individuals have to achieve them. I will investigate three main groups of capabilities that are required by individuals in their pursuit of meaningful freedom of employment; find meaningful employment, achieve education and training, and receive adequate government intervention, to see if there are adequate options available for individuals to have access to meaningful freedom of employment. Employment plays a large role in the ability of individuals to live a life that is meaningful to themselves. For this reason, it is important that individuals have access to freedom of employment in a meaningful way.
The capabilities of individuals may be obstructed through power discrepancies between the government, employers and employees, which the capabilities approach is able to highlight. In later chapters I will discuss who ought to keep their finger on the scale and offer some suggestions in the conclusion as to how this may be achieved. Using this approach, I hope to provide some additional insight into the complexities of meaningful employment, which may be used to develop new policies to ensure access to the capabilities that are required for meaningful freedom of employment for everyone who resides in New Zealand.

text: A capabilities approach to freedom of employment: Hierarchical capabilities When people in New Zealand are unhappy with their current employment, they are often advised to find a new job. Implicit here is the assumption that a new job will be better, but it is not entirely clear that this is always the case. In this thesis I aim to navigate the complexities of this suggestion in order to ascertain whether or not the task of finding new employment, that is more meaningful to the individual, is as simple as it sounds. To do this I have developed a hierarchical chart, in combination with the capabilities approach from Amartya Sen. The capabilities approach allows us to focus on the options that are available to the individual, rather than ensuring that everyone is given access to everything, including things that they do not need. By looking at freedom of employment as a capability, we may identify meaningful options for individuals even if some options are closed off to them. However, if there are not enough available options then individuals may lack access to meaningful freedom of employment.
By ordering the capabilities that are required for individuals to enjoy meaningful freedom of employment into a hierarchy, I am able to structure them such that any necessary capabilities can be investigated based on how many available options individuals have to achieve them. I will investigate three main groups of capabilities that are required by individuals in their pursuit of meaningful freedom of employment; find meaningful employment, achieve education and training, and receive adequate government intervention, to see if there are adequate options available for individuals to have access to meaningful freedom of employment. Employment plays a large role in the ability of individuals to live a life that is meaningful to themselves. For this reason, it is important that individuals have access to freedom of employment in a meaningful way.
The capabilities of individuals may be obstructed through power discrepancies between the government, employers and employees, which the capabilities approach is able to highlight. In later chapters I will discuss who ought to keep their finger on the scale and offer some suggestions in the conclusion as to how this may be achieved. Using this approach, I hope to provide some additional insight into the complexities of meaningful employment, which may be used to develop new policies to ensure access to the capabilities that are required for meaningful freedom of employment for everyone who resides in New Zealand.

year: 2021

title: The source, composition and typology of ‘Limestone’ Adzes from Eastern North Island, New Zealand

authors: Nelson, Campbell S.

subjects: adzes

abstract: Collections of stone adzes (toki) from the eastern North Island of New Zealand include a number of typologically early (Archaic) forms made from what has been previously described as ‘siliceous or silicified limestone’. Seventy five finished adzes and preforms of this material were recorded in the present study. Their geographic distribution is primarily restricted to southern Hawkes Bay – Wairarapa, and they apparently originated from a single manufacturing centre at Owahanga, on the northern Wairarapa coast. Chemical and mineralogical analyses (by X-ray fluorescence, portable XRF, vacuum gasometry and X-ray diffraction) of two artefacts from Owahanga show they contain about 20–30 per cent CaCO3 (as calcite), while samples of the presumed local source rock have a slightly higher carbonate content but comparable silica (quartz) and Rb concentrations. The rock type used in the manufacture of adzes was therefore not a true limestone but calcareous mudstone, compositionally distinct from siliceous limestones in southern Wairarapa and probably derived from the Whangai Formation. Possible reasons for the use of this stone material are discussed.

text: The source, composition and typology of ‘Limestone’ Adzes from Eastern North Island, New Zealand Collections of stone adzes (toki) from the eastern North Island of New Zealand include a number of typologically early (Archaic) forms made from what has been previously described as ‘siliceous or silicified limestone’. Seventy five finished adzes and preforms of this material were recorded in the present study. Their geographic distribution is primarily restricted to southern Hawkes Bay – Wairarapa, and they apparently originated from a single manufacturing centre at Owahanga, on the northern Wairarapa coast. Chemical and mineralogical analyses (by X-ray fluorescence, portable XRF, vacuum gasometry and X-ray diffraction) of two artefacts from Owahanga show they contain about 20–30 per cent CaCO3 (as calcite), while samples of the presumed local source rock have a slightly higher carbonate content but comparable silica (quartz) and Rb concentrations. The rock type used in the manufacture of adzes was therefore not a true limestone but calcareous mudstone, compositionally distinct from siliceous limestones in southern Wairarapa and probably derived from the Whangai Formation. Possible reasons for the use of this stone material are discussed.

year: 2016