title: Prospective actuarial risk assessment: A comparison of five risk assessment instruments in different sexual offender subtypes

authors: Rettenberger, Martin

subjects: sexual offending

abstract: This study examines the predictive validity of the most commonly used risk assessment instruments for sexual offenders: Static-99, Rapid Risk Assessment for Sexual Offense Recidivism, Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide, Sexual Violence Risk—20, and Psychopathy Checklist—Revised in a prospective research design. Although risk assessment is part of a regime leading to various efforts to reduce risk by treatment and aftercare, all instruments show good predictive validity. However, depending on the instrument, recidivism category, and subgroup, the predictive accuracy varies markedly. Furthermore, the authors fail to demonstrate predictive validity for sexual violent reoffences—for the whole sample and for all subgroups. The results, nevertheless, support the utility and predictive validity of actuarial risk assessment complementary to treatment efforts to reduce risk. On the other hand, forensic practitioners have to be aware of the limitations of actuarial risk assessment methods, in particular as regards to variable predictive accuracy for different sexual offender subgroups and reoffence categories.

text: Prospective actuarial risk assessment: A comparison of five risk assessment instruments in different sexual offender subtypes This study examines the predictive validity of the most commonly used risk assessment instruments for sexual offenders: Static-99, Rapid Risk Assessment for Sexual Offense Recidivism, Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide, Sexual Violence Risk—20, and Psychopathy Checklist—Revised in a prospective research design. Although risk assessment is part of a regime leading to various efforts to reduce risk by treatment and aftercare, all instruments show good predictive validity. However, depending on the instrument, recidivism category, and subgroup, the predictive accuracy varies markedly. Furthermore, the authors fail to demonstrate predictive validity for sexual violent reoffences—for the whole sample and for all subgroups. The results, nevertheless, support the utility and predictive validity of actuarial risk assessment complementary to treatment efforts to reduce risk. On the other hand, forensic practitioners have to be aware of the limitations of actuarial risk assessment methods, in particular as regards to variable predictive accuracy for different sexual offender subgroups and reoffence categories.

year: 2010

title: Primary school physical education: Professional learning as a partnership between a specialist and generalists

authors: Johnson, Nicola

subjects: Physical Education

abstract: The quality of physical education (PE) lessons delivered by generalist primary school teachers is recognised across the literature as inadequate. As a secondary PE teacher, I became acutely aware of the challenges faced by generalist primary school teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand delivering PE lessons to their students. Issues underpinning the research were concerned with the effect of the marginalisation of PE in primary schools on teachers, the impact high stakes testing for literacy and numeracy has had on the availability of professional learning (PL) for teachers, and also a lack of confidence to deliver PE for many generalist teachers. The motivation for this study was to provide generalist primary teachers with a structured and supportive PL programme that could enhance their pedagogical skills, knowledge and confidence to teach PE.

This research sought to examine how a specialist secondary PE teacher could support primary school teachers in the delivery of PE lessons. The PE Partnership Programme was developed with the support of Sport New Zealand’s KiwiSport funding initiative. The PL programme involved the modelling of lessons, co- teaching opportunities and the provision of resources to enhance pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and understanding of the curriculum model Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), with the aims of growing their confidence, and facilitating the delivery of high-quality lessons.

This study was situated in both the interpretivist and constructivist research paradigms. An interpretive paradigm was adopted as it allowed for an appreciation of how the teachers constructed and understood the realities of their lived experiences, feelings and interactions during the PL programme. The research was also positioned within the constructivist theory where knowledge acquisition is constructed rather than transmitted. Qualitative methods provided a basis for a study that was evaluative and reflective. Qualitative data was collected through analysis of documentation, semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, observation of teachers teaching PE and the collation of field notes throughout the PE Partnership Programme.

The findings revealed that the teachers involved in the programme increased their confidence to teach PE and that their attitudes towards PE were changed: as a result three significant key learnings were identified. Firstly, it showed the need for positive relationships to be built between the facilitator and the participants. The relationship between the PL provider/knowledgeable expert and the generalist teachers has been observed to be crucial for the programme to be successful. Secondly, the necessity for the facilitator to understand the context in which the PL is being undertaken, which includes the school culture and the working conditions of the teachers. Thirdly, the teachers valued the fact that the PL was situated in their classroom practice alongside the students, using school facilities and equipment, and was not abstract theorising.

Conversely, the findings indicated that despite the significant amount of time spent with each of the teachers, limited progress was made in developing PCK and physical education-content knowledge (PE-CK). This issue, in turn affected the teachers’ ability to move beyond the level of asking surface questions and they struggled to adapt activities to meet the needs of their students. The challenges of supporting generalist teachers as teachers of PE are highlighted, and guidelines are suggested for providers of PL concerning their responsibilities and positive attributes required. Also proposals have been made for the way that future PE professional earning (PE-PL) could be delivered to primary teachers.
PE in the form that was presented in this PL programme has been shown to be valued by the primary teachers. Mixed with the reflections of where change in the programme may have been needed the research offers useful insights into how PE- PL for primary teachers could be reconsidered. The recommendations from this research are aimed at the funding organisations and providers of PL with the view to enhancing the future provision of primary school PE-PL in Aotearoa New Zealand and possibly considered in other contexts.

text: Primary school physical education: Professional learning as a partnership between a specialist and generalists The quality of physical education (PE) lessons delivered by generalist primary school teachers is recognised across the literature as inadequate. As a secondary PE teacher, I became acutely aware of the challenges faced by generalist primary school teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand delivering PE lessons to their students. Issues underpinning the research were concerned with the effect of the marginalisation of PE in primary schools on teachers, the impact high stakes testing for literacy and numeracy has had on the availability of professional learning (PL) for teachers, and also a lack of confidence to deliver PE for many generalist teachers. The motivation for this study was to provide generalist primary teachers with a structured and supportive PL programme that could enhance their pedagogical skills, knowledge and confidence to teach PE.

This research sought to examine how a specialist secondary PE teacher could support primary school teachers in the delivery of PE lessons. The PE Partnership Programme was developed with the support of Sport New Zealand’s KiwiSport funding initiative. The PL programme involved the modelling of lessons, co- teaching opportunities and the provision of resources to enhance pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and understanding of the curriculum model Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU), with the aims of growing their confidence, and facilitating the delivery of high-quality lessons.

This study was situated in both the interpretivist and constructivist research paradigms. An interpretive paradigm was adopted as it allowed for an appreciation of how the teachers constructed and understood the realities of their lived experiences, feelings and interactions during the PL programme. The research was also positioned within the constructivist theory where knowledge acquisition is constructed rather than transmitted. Qualitative methods provided a basis for a study that was evaluative and reflective. Qualitative data was collected through analysis of documentation, semi-structured individual and focus group interviews, observation of teachers teaching PE and the collation of field notes throughout the PE Partnership Programme.

The findings revealed that the teachers involved in the programme increased their confidence to teach PE and that their attitudes towards PE were changed: as a result three significant key learnings were identified. Firstly, it showed the need for positive relationships to be built between the facilitator and the participants. The relationship between the PL provider/knowledgeable expert and the generalist teachers has been observed to be crucial for the programme to be successful. Secondly, the necessity for the facilitator to understand the context in which the PL is being undertaken, which includes the school culture and the working conditions of the teachers. Thirdly, the teachers valued the fact that the PL was situated in their classroom practice alongside the students, using school facilities and equipment, and was not abstract theorising.

Conversely, the findings indicated that despite the significant amount of time spent with each of the teachers, limited progress was made in developing PCK and physical education-content knowledge (PE-CK). This issue, in turn affected the teachers’ ability to move beyond the level of asking surface questions and they struggled to adapt activities to meet the needs of their students. The challenges of supporting generalist teachers as teachers of PE are highlighted, and guidelines are suggested for providers of PL concerning their responsibilities and positive attributes required. Also proposals have been made for the way that future PE professional earning (PE-PL) could be delivered to primary teachers.
PE in the form that was presented in this PL programme has been shown to be valued by the primary teachers. Mixed with the reflections of where change in the programme may have been needed the research offers useful insights into how PE- PL for primary teachers could be reconsidered. The recommendations from this research are aimed at the funding organisations and providers of PL with the view to enhancing the future provision of primary school PE-PL in Aotearoa New Zealand and possibly considered in other contexts.

year: 2018

title: He whare mātātuhi Tūhoe:  A Tūhoe re-visioning of English language literary texts

authors: Salsano, Marama

subjects: Māori writers

abstract: This thesis urges more Māori to undertake iwi-based readings of English language literary texts. I have chosen to privilege my father’s iwi, Ngāi Tūhoe, and to examine what Tūhoetana means to me and how it might thus enrich my reading of texts. In our ancestral tongue, Ngāi Tūhoe have a rich and pronounced history of storytelling, literary composition, analysis and critique. Unfortunately, this richness is woefully underappreciated within the English language literary landscape. Yet, as the ranks of Māori writers swell, along with the diversity of literary forms that Māori create, so too must Māori – and more specifically iwi – literary scholarship flourish, for if we do not critique the texts that are written about, of, and on behalf of us, who will? Throughout this thesis, I use the terms ‘iwi literary scholars’ and ‘iwi literary scholarship’ to consciously and repeatedly remind the reader of the rich, literary legacies residing within iwi archives; I also hope to highlight the exciting and endless possiblitites for the English language literary landscape to be enriched by readings that are founded within these archives – including the histories, everyday experiences and understandings from our tīpuna. 

Structurally, this thesis is divided into three broad strands. Chapters 1-3 focus on whakawhanaunatana and background information to my research. Because this thesis also represents the singular piece of writing that I wish I had read prior to enrolling in the thesis paper for this Master’s degree, my academic hīkoi – frustrations and all – is a necessary component and is covered in chapter 2. Chapters 4-6 then examine three different types of literary texts created by wāhine. These texts include the short story “Birth Rights” by Ngāi Tahu science fiction and fantasy writer, J.C. Hart (2010), the Instagram post Te Kuharere tapes by Ngāti Kahungungu and Ngāti Tuwharetoa songwriter and storyteller @tekahureremoa (2019) – also known as the performer Ladyfruit – and the young adult novel Dark Souls by Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Manuhiri, and Ngāti Whatua writer, Paula Morris (2011). While 21st century texts published on platforms such as Instagram may not sit easily within a traditional English literary curriculum, and indeed the novelty of these specific forms may well prove fleeting, the ‘everydayness’ of online texts yields rewarding analysis opportunities and is currently amiss within mainstream English literary studies. Each of these analysis chapters contains a focused introduction and conclusion, since chapter 7, the concluding chapter of this thesis, is a letter to future iwi literary scholars. 

Woven throughout this rangahau is a call for iwi scholars to consciously: engage with the literary traditions of their own iwi; identify the colonial thoughts and motives that they bring to the reading of literary texts; bring their tīpuna to the reading, but let the text itself breathe life into the critique and; consider the genres and types of texts that they critique. Ultimately, this thesis considers how engaging with the literary legacies of our tīpuna might broaden the English language literary landscape and thus enhance the body of iwi literary scholarship in Oceania and beyond.

text: He whare mātātuhi Tūhoe:  A Tūhoe re-visioning of English language literary texts This thesis urges more Māori to undertake iwi-based readings of English language literary texts. I have chosen to privilege my father’s iwi, Ngāi Tūhoe, and to examine what Tūhoetana means to me and how it might thus enrich my reading of texts. In our ancestral tongue, Ngāi Tūhoe have a rich and pronounced history of storytelling, literary composition, analysis and critique. Unfortunately, this richness is woefully underappreciated within the English language literary landscape. Yet, as the ranks of Māori writers swell, along with the diversity of literary forms that Māori create, so too must Māori – and more specifically iwi – literary scholarship flourish, for if we do not critique the texts that are written about, of, and on behalf of us, who will? Throughout this thesis, I use the terms ‘iwi literary scholars’ and ‘iwi literary scholarship’ to consciously and repeatedly remind the reader of the rich, literary legacies residing within iwi archives; I also hope to highlight the exciting and endless possiblitites for the English language literary landscape to be enriched by readings that are founded within these archives – including the histories, everyday experiences and understandings from our tīpuna. 

Structurally, this thesis is divided into three broad strands. Chapters 1-3 focus on whakawhanaunatana and background information to my research. Because this thesis also represents the singular piece of writing that I wish I had read prior to enrolling in the thesis paper for this Master’s degree, my academic hīkoi – frustrations and all – is a necessary component and is covered in chapter 2. Chapters 4-6 then examine three different types of literary texts created by wāhine. These texts include the short story “Birth Rights” by Ngāi Tahu science fiction and fantasy writer, J.C. Hart (2010), the Instagram post Te Kuharere tapes by Ngāti Kahungungu and Ngāti Tuwharetoa songwriter and storyteller @tekahureremoa (2019) – also known as the performer Ladyfruit – and the young adult novel Dark Souls by Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Manuhiri, and Ngāti Whatua writer, Paula Morris (2011). While 21st century texts published on platforms such as Instagram may not sit easily within a traditional English literary curriculum, and indeed the novelty of these specific forms may well prove fleeting, the ‘everydayness’ of online texts yields rewarding analysis opportunities and is currently amiss within mainstream English literary studies. Each of these analysis chapters contains a focused introduction and conclusion, since chapter 7, the concluding chapter of this thesis, is a letter to future iwi literary scholars. 

Woven throughout this rangahau is a call for iwi scholars to consciously: engage with the literary traditions of their own iwi; identify the colonial thoughts and motives that they bring to the reading of literary texts; bring their tīpuna to the reading, but let the text itself breathe life into the critique and; consider the genres and types of texts that they critique. Ultimately, this thesis considers how engaging with the literary legacies of our tīpuna might broaden the English language literary landscape and thus enhance the body of iwi literary scholarship in Oceania and beyond.

year: 2021