title: ‘Troubling’ gender in virtual gaming spaces

authors: Todd, Cherie J.

subjects: Avatar

abstract: This article considers the relationship between gaming and gender, and explores how eight mature women gamers (30 years of age and older), living in the Waikato region of New Zealand negotiate their ‘real-life’ identities with their ‘virtual’ gaming identities. In particular, performances of ‘gender-bending’ in gaming are examined and Butler's notion of ‘gender trouble’ is drawn upon to look at the ways in which ‘gender-bending’ disrupts and/or reinforces hegemonic binary distinctions of gender – masculinity/femininity and man/woman. This article concludes by arguing that gender-switching within gaming spaces is a normative practice within gaming culture, and as such, acts of ‘gender-bending’ do very little to challenge or ‘bend’ dominant notions of gender within the spaces of mainstream gaming.

text: ‘Troubling’ gender in virtual gaming spaces This article considers the relationship between gaming and gender, and explores how eight mature women gamers (30 years of age and older), living in the Waikato region of New Zealand negotiate their ‘real-life’ identities with their ‘virtual’ gaming identities. In particular, performances of ‘gender-bending’ in gaming are examined and Butler's notion of ‘gender trouble’ is drawn upon to look at the ways in which ‘gender-bending’ disrupts and/or reinforces hegemonic binary distinctions of gender – masculinity/femininity and man/woman. This article concludes by arguing that gender-switching within gaming spaces is a normative practice within gaming culture, and as such, acts of ‘gender-bending’ do very little to challenge or ‘bend’ dominant notions of gender within the spaces of mainstream gaming.

year: 2012

title: Impact of running first year and final year electronics laboratory classes in parallel

authors: Scott, Jonathan B.

subjects: electronics laboratory

abstract: First electronics courses are considered difficult by students because of the circuit theory content, and retention of students in electronics is a problem worldwide. Retention is especially problematic at universities that offer a common first-year program since the students can change streams, for example from Electrical to Mechanical. At our university we ran the laboratory classes for a challenging first-year electronics course in the same room at the same time as a popular final-year mechatronics class that involved visible use of Lego Mindstorms, a model elevator, digital model trains and slot cars, etc. We report the outcomes of a quantitative and qualitative study of the impact of this organisation. One lab stream did not see the parallel classes and thus acted as a control group.

text: Impact of running first year and final year electronics laboratory classes in parallel First electronics courses are considered difficult by students because of the circuit theory content, and retention of students in electronics is a problem worldwide. Retention is especially problematic at universities that offer a common first-year program since the students can change streams, for example from Electrical to Mechanical. At our university we ran the laboratory classes for a challenging first-year electronics course in the same room at the same time as a popular final-year mechatronics class that involved visible use of Lego Mindstorms, a model elevator, digital model trains and slot cars, etc. We report the outcomes of a quantitative and qualitative study of the impact of this organisation. One lab stream did not see the parallel classes and thus acted as a control group.

year: 2010

title: Conclusion: Relationships of interdependence—Making the difference together

authors: Berryman, Mere

abstract: This chapter begins by taking a brief look at New Zealand history. It then presents two different Māori whakataukī as metaphors, both to reconnect to the beginning of the book and also to make connections throughout the book as a whole. These metaphors are used to bring the chapters together and to consider how inclusion, a term that is often highly contested and poorly understood (Wearmouth, 2009), might begin to be better understood and applied when working with Māori children and young people with disabilities, or special education needs, or both, and with their families.

text: Conclusion: Relationships of interdependence—Making the difference together This chapter begins by taking a brief look at New Zealand history. It then presents two different Māori whakataukī as metaphors, both to reconnect to the beginning of the book and also to make connections throughout the book as a whole. These metaphors are used to bring the chapters together and to consider how inclusion, a term that is often highly contested and poorly understood (Wearmouth, 2009), might begin to be better understood and applied when working with Māori children and young people with disabilities, or special education needs, or both, and with their families.

year: 2015