title: Improving student learning? Research evidence about teacher feedback for improvement in New Zealand schools.

authors: Eyers, Gayle

subjects: students

abstract: The importance of giving both evaluative and descriptive feedback to improve learning and achievement has been confirmed through research. This paper draws on assessment and feedback research to interrogate the evidence about how well teachers use feedback in New Zealand classrooms. It reveals that there is very little New Zealand research that investigates NZ teachers' use of feedback. Those studies that do investigate teachers' use of assessment information show that very little of the information gained from assessment is used to inform students about how to improve. More often teachers praise students, give unspecific information about their work and use the data gathered about students' competence and skills for school-wide aggregation and evidence of meeting targets. Questions are raised about why this might be the case, how professional development might be implicated in this and how the situation might be improved through wider policy alignment at both local and national levels.

text: Improving student learning? Research evidence about teacher feedback for improvement in New Zealand schools. The importance of giving both evaluative and descriptive feedback to improve learning and achievement has been confirmed through research. This paper draws on assessment and feedback research to interrogate the evidence about how well teachers use feedback in New Zealand classrooms. It reveals that there is very little New Zealand research that investigates NZ teachers' use of feedback. Those studies that do investigate teachers' use of assessment information show that very little of the information gained from assessment is used to inform students about how to improve. More often teachers praise students, give unspecific information about their work and use the data gathered about students' competence and skills for school-wide aggregation and evidence of meeting targets. Questions are raised about why this might be the case, how professional development might be implicated in this and how the situation might be improved through wider policy alignment at both local and national levels.

year: 2004

title: Species composition and cyanotoxin production in periphyton mats from three lakes of varying trophic status

authors: Wood, Susanna A.

subjects: cyanobacteria

abstract: In lakes, benthic micro-algae and cyanobacteria (periphyton) can contribute significantly to total primary productivity and provide important food sources for benthic invertebrates. Despite recognition of their importance, few studies have explored the diversity of the algal and cyanobacterial composition of periphyton mats in temperate lakes. In this study, we sampled periphyton from three New Zealand lakes: Tikitapu (oligotrophic), Ōkāreka (mesotrophic) and Rotoiti (eutrophic). Statistical analysis of morphological data showed a clear delineation in community structure among lakes and highlighted the importance of cyanobacteria. Automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were used to investigate cyanobacterial diversity. Despite the close geographic proximity of the lakes, cyanobacterial species differed markedly. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis identified eight cyanobacterial OTUs. A comparison with other known cyanobacterial sequences in GenBank showed relatively low similarities (91–97%). Cyanotoxin analysis identified nodularin in all mats from Lake Tikitapu. ndaF gene sequences from these samples had very low (≤ 89%) homology to sequences in other known nodularin producers. To our knowledge, this is the first detection of nodularin in a freshwater environment in the absence of Nodularia. Six cyanobacteria species were isolated from Lake Tikitapu mats. None were found to produce nodularin. Five of the species shared low (< 97%) 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with other cultured cyanobacteria.

text: Species composition and cyanotoxin production in periphyton mats from three lakes of varying trophic status In lakes, benthic micro-algae and cyanobacteria (periphyton) can contribute significantly to total primary productivity and provide important food sources for benthic invertebrates. Despite recognition of their importance, few studies have explored the diversity of the algal and cyanobacterial composition of periphyton mats in temperate lakes. In this study, we sampled periphyton from three New Zealand lakes: Tikitapu (oligotrophic), Ōkāreka (mesotrophic) and Rotoiti (eutrophic). Statistical analysis of morphological data showed a clear delineation in community structure among lakes and highlighted the importance of cyanobacteria. Automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA) and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were used to investigate cyanobacterial diversity. Despite the close geographic proximity of the lakes, cyanobacterial species differed markedly. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis identified eight cyanobacterial OTUs. A comparison with other known cyanobacterial sequences in GenBank showed relatively low similarities (91–97%). Cyanotoxin analysis identified nodularin in all mats from Lake Tikitapu. ndaF gene sequences from these samples had very low (≤ 89%) homology to sequences in other known nodularin producers. To our knowledge, this is the first detection of nodularin in a freshwater environment in the absence of Nodularia. Six cyanobacteria species were isolated from Lake Tikitapu mats. None were found to produce nodularin. Five of the species shared low (< 97%) 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with other cultured cyanobacteria.

year: 2012-02

title: Ka Pū Te Ruha, Ka Hao Te Rangatahi: Maori identities in the twenty-first century

authors: Kukutai, Tahu

abstract: These social divides and problems are at the heart of this text.

text: Ka Pū Te Ruha, Ka Hao Te Rangatahi: Maori identities in the twenty-first century These social divides and problems are at the heart of this text.

year: 2017-02