title: Curriculum enactment, challenges and enablers for change and transformation in early childhood education

authors: Ong, Patricia Ai Lay

subjects: Curriculum enactment

abstract: This research study examines the ECE curriculum in the changing and evolving landscape of early childhood care and education in a diverse and globalized society and world that is becoming increasingly connected via advances in communicative technology. The study aimed to explore the relationship between the enacted curriculum and the intended curriculum as guided by the national curriculum framework in diverse early childhood education settings in Singapore. With broad objectives framing the study, an exploratory sequential QUAL-quan mixed methods research design was adopted. The first phase involved visual ethnography and netnography, as well as interviews with twenty-two teacher participants. In-depth interviews with five of these twenty-two participants provided a greater depth of understanding of the perspectives and experiences of the early childhood educators. These interview findings, together with participant-generated data were collated in the qualitative phase. A survey instrument was designed drawing on the data derived from the first phase of the study, as well as relevant research literature. Mixed methods research was considered as it is able to integrate qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques; giving voice to participants and allows a greater comprehensiveness by addressing the research questions through complementary approaches. The qualitative phase enabled a more detailed investigation on curriculum enactment and the challenges faced by teachers in ECE settings while the quantitative allowed a more objective description of various aspects of curriculum delivery and challenges faced. The study also identifies some of the enabling conditions that have allowed transformation and positive change within the context of early childhood services in Singapore. The thesis also argues for the development of a sustainable and future oriented approach to the curriculum through the blending of approaches that include the adoption of not only the national curriculum guidelines, but also more international modern approaches that challenge localized practices and traditions. It also contends that a pedagogical third space in the curriculum allows for a more inclusive approach that is both culturally and practically relevant. The implications of this study are tied to teacher preparation, professional development, in-service learning and future-oriented curriculum development and research directions.

text: Curriculum enactment, challenges and enablers for change and transformation in early childhood education This research study examines the ECE curriculum in the changing and evolving landscape of early childhood care and education in a diverse and globalized society and world that is becoming increasingly connected via advances in communicative technology. The study aimed to explore the relationship between the enacted curriculum and the intended curriculum as guided by the national curriculum framework in diverse early childhood education settings in Singapore. With broad objectives framing the study, an exploratory sequential QUAL-quan mixed methods research design was adopted. The first phase involved visual ethnography and netnography, as well as interviews with twenty-two teacher participants. In-depth interviews with five of these twenty-two participants provided a greater depth of understanding of the perspectives and experiences of the early childhood educators. These interview findings, together with participant-generated data were collated in the qualitative phase. A survey instrument was designed drawing on the data derived from the first phase of the study, as well as relevant research literature. Mixed methods research was considered as it is able to integrate qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques; giving voice to participants and allows a greater comprehensiveness by addressing the research questions through complementary approaches. The qualitative phase enabled a more detailed investigation on curriculum enactment and the challenges faced by teachers in ECE settings while the quantitative allowed a more objective description of various aspects of curriculum delivery and challenges faced. The study also identifies some of the enabling conditions that have allowed transformation and positive change within the context of early childhood services in Singapore. The thesis also argues for the development of a sustainable and future oriented approach to the curriculum through the blending of approaches that include the adoption of not only the national curriculum guidelines, but also more international modern approaches that challenge localized practices and traditions. It also contends that a pedagogical third space in the curriculum allows for a more inclusive approach that is both culturally and practically relevant. The implications of this study are tied to teacher preparation, professional development, in-service learning and future-oriented curriculum development and research directions.

year: 2021

title: The major lipid cores of the archaeon Ignisphaera aggregans: implications for the phylogeny and biosynthesis of glycerol monoalkyl glycerol tetraether isoprenoid lipids

authors: Knappy, Chris S.

subjects: Ignisphaera

abstract: The lipid cores from Ignisphaera aggregans, a hyperthermophilic Crenarchaeon recently isolated from New Zealand hot springs, have been profiled by liquid chromatography– tandem mass spectrometry. The distribution revealed includes relatively high proportions of monoalkyl (also known as H-shaped) tetraether cores which have previously been implicated as kingdom-specific biomarkers for the Euryarchaeota. Such high expression ofmonoalkyl tetraether lipids is unusual in the archaeal domain and may indicate that formation of these components is an adaptive mechanism that allows I. aggregans to regulate membrane behaviour at high temperatures. The observed dialkyl tetraether and monoalkyl tetraether lipid distributions are similar but not fully concordant, showing differences in the average number of incorporated rings. The similarity supports a biosynthetic route to the ring-containing dialkyl and monoalkyl tetraether lipids via a dialkyl tetraether core containing zero rings, or a closely related structural relative, as an intermediate. Currently, however, the precise nature of the biosynthetic route to these lipids cannot be deduced.

text: The major lipid cores of the archaeon Ignisphaera aggregans: implications for the phylogeny and biosynthesis of glycerol monoalkyl glycerol tetraether isoprenoid lipids The lipid cores from Ignisphaera aggregans, a hyperthermophilic Crenarchaeon recently isolated from New Zealand hot springs, have been profiled by liquid chromatography– tandem mass spectrometry. The distribution revealed includes relatively high proportions of monoalkyl (also known as H-shaped) tetraether cores which have previously been implicated as kingdom-specific biomarkers for the Euryarchaeota. Such high expression ofmonoalkyl tetraether lipids is unusual in the archaeal domain and may indicate that formation of these components is an adaptive mechanism that allows I. aggregans to regulate membrane behaviour at high temperatures. The observed dialkyl tetraether and monoalkyl tetraether lipid distributions are similar but not fully concordant, showing differences in the average number of incorporated rings. The similarity supports a biosynthetic route to the ring-containing dialkyl and monoalkyl tetraether lipids via a dialkyl tetraether core containing zero rings, or a closely related structural relative, as an intermediate. Currently, however, the precise nature of the biosynthetic route to these lipids cannot be deduced.

year: 2011

title: Decolonising professional learning: Weaving a whānau of interest

authors: Pennicott, Katie

subjects: educational leadership

abstract: Raranga (weaving) has been described as an act of decolonisation and resistance. In my experience, learning to weave was more than an act of learning the tikanga (rituals) and methods with which to weave flax and tukutuku (lattice work); it was learning about learning and learning about living, life and all the things that make us who we are. As I experienced and began to understand Māori metaphors such as whanaungatanga, kaupapa, ako and manaakitanga I found that learning the art of weaving shaped me as I shaped the weaving. This thesis ideates a metaphor of weaving to describe a model of cultural and structural school reform that emerged from a school’s teaching and learning collaborations over time. It calls for the weaving of a new, decolonised model of education.

text: Decolonising professional learning: Weaving a whānau of interest Raranga (weaving) has been described as an act of decolonisation and resistance. In my experience, learning to weave was more than an act of learning the tikanga (rituals) and methods with which to weave flax and tukutuku (lattice work); it was learning about learning and learning about living, life and all the things that make us who we are. As I experienced and began to understand Māori metaphors such as whanaungatanga, kaupapa, ako and manaakitanga I found that learning the art of weaving shaped me as I shaped the weaving. This thesis ideates a metaphor of weaving to describe a model of cultural and structural school reform that emerged from a school’s teaching and learning collaborations over time. It calls for the weaving of a new, decolonised model of education.

year: 2020