title: Boat electrofishing survey of fish abundance in the Ohau Channel, Rotorua, in 2014

authors: Hicks, Brendan J.

abstract: The aim of the survey was to provide on-going monitoring of the fish communities and abundance by boat electrofishing in the Ohau Channel, especially fish species that are taonga to Maori (eels, goldfish, and koura). In the current study, we present the findings from the eighth year of sampling (2014) and a summary of previous surveys.
We used the University of Waikato’s 4.5 m-long, aluminium-hulled electrofishing boat to catch a total of 642 fish (11.3 kg) 11 sites on 9 December 2014, which comprised 2,914 lineal m and 11,656 m² in area. Koura and 4 fish species were present, with common bully most abundant (up to 27 fish 100 m⁻² at the site 5, edge habitat). Goldfish (up to 5.92 g m⁻²) was the next most abundant species, and was most abundant in sites 8-11 the lower channel, especially at site 11, the excavated side channel. Rainbow trout were next the most abundant species (up to 0.25 fish 100 m⁻² ). Mean bully biomass (5.25 g m⁻²) was much higher than for smelt (0.07 g m⁻²). Koura had a patchy distribution; 5 individuals were caught.
Comparing catches over the 8 years of sampling, the abundance of common bullies in 2014 (4.81 fish 100 m⁻²) was consistent with catch rates in most post-wall years (after 2007; range 0.81-5.72 fish 100 m⁻²), but lower than in 2013. The cause of fluctuating bully abundance is not known, and was not accounted for by changes in water clarity expressed as black disc distance (BDD), water temperature, or water conductivity. Poor water clarity can reduce the efficiency of electrofishing, suggesting that bully density estimates might decrease with decreasing BDD. However, common bully densities in 2012 and 2011 were inversely related BDD. In 2014, catches of smelt, a similar sized fish to bullies, were extremely low.
Goldfish biomass increased initially 2009 and 2010 because of targeted fishing in the excavated side channel (site 11), which has dense macrophyte beds that provide good habitat for goldfish. The continued rise in goldfish density from 2012 on suggests a real increase in goldfish numbers has occurred. Eels were scarce in the Ohau Channel and catches were very variable. Longfin eels were caught in most years, and in 2012 and 2013 shortfin eels were also caught, but in 2014 no eels were caught.
Analysis of fish densities before and after wall closure is hampered by the single data point before closure. However, we now have 7 years of post-wall data, and comparison of means and standard deviations suggest that the number of bullies has decreased.
An intriguing trend of decreasing rainbow trout densities with increasing BDD, which is a measure of both water clarity and phytoplankton abundance, has occurred following wall construction (Figure 3). The trend is opposite to the usual decline of catch rate by boat electrofishing with reduced water clarity. The explanation for this is not immediately clear, and could be increased avoidance of the electrofishing boat by trout in clearer water. It is also possible that reduced BDD indicates high algal productivity in Lake Rotorua, which in turn could increase trout abundance in the Ohau Channel. This remains to be tested

text: Boat electrofishing survey of fish abundance in the Ohau Channel, Rotorua, in 2014 The aim of the survey was to provide on-going monitoring of the fish communities and abundance by boat electrofishing in the Ohau Channel, especially fish species that are taonga to Maori (eels, goldfish, and koura). In the current study, we present the findings from the eighth year of sampling (2014) and a summary of previous surveys.
We used the University of Waikato’s 4.5 m-long, aluminium-hulled electrofishing boat to catch a total of 642 fish (11.3 kg) 11 sites on 9 December 2014, which comprised 2,914 lineal m and 11,656 m² in area. Koura and 4 fish species were present, with common bully most abundant (up to 27 fish 100 m⁻² at the site 5, edge habitat). Goldfish (up to 5.92 g m⁻²) was the next most abundant species, and was most abundant in sites 8-11 the lower channel, especially at site 11, the excavated side channel. Rainbow trout were next the most abundant species (up to 0.25 fish 100 m⁻² ). Mean bully biomass (5.25 g m⁻²) was much higher than for smelt (0.07 g m⁻²). Koura had a patchy distribution; 5 individuals were caught.
Comparing catches over the 8 years of sampling, the abundance of common bullies in 2014 (4.81 fish 100 m⁻²) was consistent with catch rates in most post-wall years (after 2007; range 0.81-5.72 fish 100 m⁻²), but lower than in 2013. The cause of fluctuating bully abundance is not known, and was not accounted for by changes in water clarity expressed as black disc distance (BDD), water temperature, or water conductivity. Poor water clarity can reduce the efficiency of electrofishing, suggesting that bully density estimates might decrease with decreasing BDD. However, common bully densities in 2012 and 2011 were inversely related BDD. In 2014, catches of smelt, a similar sized fish to bullies, were extremely low.
Goldfish biomass increased initially 2009 and 2010 because of targeted fishing in the excavated side channel (site 11), which has dense macrophyte beds that provide good habitat for goldfish. The continued rise in goldfish density from 2012 on suggests a real increase in goldfish numbers has occurred. Eels were scarce in the Ohau Channel and catches were very variable. Longfin eels were caught in most years, and in 2012 and 2013 shortfin eels were also caught, but in 2014 no eels were caught.
Analysis of fish densities before and after wall closure is hampered by the single data point before closure. However, we now have 7 years of post-wall data, and comparison of means and standard deviations suggest that the number of bullies has decreased.
An intriguing trend of decreasing rainbow trout densities with increasing BDD, which is a measure of both water clarity and phytoplankton abundance, has occurred following wall construction (Figure 3). The trend is opposite to the usual decline of catch rate by boat electrofishing with reduced water clarity. The explanation for this is not immediately clear, and could be increased avoidance of the electrofishing boat by trout in clearer water. It is also possible that reduced BDD indicates high algal productivity in Lake Rotorua, which in turn could increase trout abundance in the Ohau Channel. This remains to be tested

year: 2015

title: What are the perceptions of Māori bilingual-educated families towards growing up and learning the Māori language?

authors: Hill, Richard Kenneth

abstract: The Māori language occupies an important place as New Zealand’s indigenous language. This is despite over a century  of attempts  to wipe it out. The revitalisation movement from the 1980s has made a significant contribution to raise its profile and ensure younger generations of primarily Māori students can grow up learning the Māori language through school. However, significant issues still exist, as low numbers of families take advantage of bilingual education options, and remain there to develop high levels of proficiency.


Attitudes of both Māori and non-Māori (Pākehā) populations towards the Māori language have been steadily improving in recent decades. There are increasing calls to make it a compulsory subject in all New Zealand schools. Whilst these are positive signs, the long term health of the Māori language is still precarious. Using the findings of recent studies into Māori bilingual school transitions, including Hill, Rameka and Skerrett (2017) and Hill (2014, 2016, 2017), this presentation seeks to unpack the perceptions of Māori students and their families from a range of programmes towards their languages (Māori and English) and their lives. The findings will illustrate that families within the Māori bilingual education context are enthusiastic about  Māori language learning and being educated bilingually. They are also resolute that bilingual education will help to prepare their children  for their world. However,  families often differ in the extent to which they commit to high immersion programmes, thus affecting the potential success of the Māori language revitalisation aim.

text: What are the perceptions of Māori bilingual-educated families towards growing up and learning the Māori language? The Māori language occupies an important place as New Zealand’s indigenous language. This is despite over a century  of attempts  to wipe it out. The revitalisation movement from the 1980s has made a significant contribution to raise its profile and ensure younger generations of primarily Māori students can grow up learning the Māori language through school. However, significant issues still exist, as low numbers of families take advantage of bilingual education options, and remain there to develop high levels of proficiency.


Attitudes of both Māori and non-Māori (Pākehā) populations towards the Māori language have been steadily improving in recent decades. There are increasing calls to make it a compulsory subject in all New Zealand schools. Whilst these are positive signs, the long term health of the Māori language is still precarious. Using the findings of recent studies into Māori bilingual school transitions, including Hill, Rameka and Skerrett (2017) and Hill (2014, 2016, 2017), this presentation seeks to unpack the perceptions of Māori students and their families from a range of programmes towards their languages (Māori and English) and their lives. The findings will illustrate that families within the Māori bilingual education context are enthusiastic about  Māori language learning and being educated bilingually. They are also resolute that bilingual education will help to prepare their children  for their world. However,  families often differ in the extent to which they commit to high immersion programmes, thus affecting the potential success of the Māori language revitalisation aim.

year: 2018

title: Identifying an appropriate science curriculum for undergraduate nursing in New Zealand

authors: Fenton, Christine Dunnington

subjects: Nursing education

abstract: The depth and breadth of science knowledge that is required to educate registered nurses has been the subject of much debate, both nationally and internationally. Central to the debate is the lack of clarity on what science is required for nursing. Nursing students world-wide report anxieties and difficulties with learning science within nursing programmes. It has not been established if science is required for nursing, nor has it been established how science is used by nurses engaged in clinical practice. This research was aimed at examining the use of science in nursing practice and therefore identifying an appropriate undergraduate nursing science curriculum for New Zealand nursing schools. To achieve this aim, a mixed method, interpretive, naturalistic approach has been employed involving interviews, surveys, observation studies and document analysis. The research had four phases; interviews with nine nurse educators and lecturers, written surveys undertaken by 71 registered nurses, observation and in-depth interviews with 17 registered nurses’ in practice across the central and lower North Island, and document analysis. Nurse educators and lecturers were interviewed to gain their perspectives of the role of science in nursing. A Science Attitude and Self-Efficacy (SASE) survey included sections that focused on nurses’ attitudes towards their nursing science courses, attitudes towards science in nursing, and probed their confidence in their own ability to use science in practice. Observations of nurses in their clinical practice were conducted over several hours and the nurses interviewed about their observed actions. The observed nursing actions and espoused science knowledge that were extracted from clinical practice were categorised into science and science-related topics which frame the breadth of content used in nursing practice, and the depth was ascertained by the level of complexity the nurse was able to articulate. Document analysis of curriculum information as well as Nursing Council of New Zealand standards for education, competencies and scopes of practice was also performed to ascertain the importance and relevance of science to nursing practice. Nursing Council documents state that science is important for all levels of nursing practice, from patient observation, to clinical decision-making. Science knowledge assists the nurse when conducting risk analyses and when performing nursing care and assessment. A competent nurse needs to provide advocacy and education for a patient. To be effective at this, a nurse needs to be able to read, critique, understand and translate scientific information and be able to effectively communicate with other health professionals. The majority of nurses in practice felt that science knowledge was the foundation for nursing practice, and that nurses require an in-depth knowledge of science. Nurses who had passed Level 3 secondary school science were more likely to have found studying nursing science courses easy, and had a positive attitude towards using science-in-practice. Those nurses who had a positive attitude towards science were more likely to use in-depth science knowledge in their nursing practice. Nurses who practice in areas where their decision-making is independent and autonomous were more likely to use more in-depth science to inform their practice. Nurses that had a less positive attitude towards science were more likely to have experienced difficulty studying science courses as a student, and were more likely to apply shallow science in their nursing practice. The curriculum design processes within nursing schools may contribute to devaluation of science in nursing. Nursing lecturers were more likely to have a less positive attitude of science’s relevance to nursing practice than nurses in practice. Some aspects of science’s contribution to nursing were unrecognised and may explain why aspects of science-based knowledge and skills that were observed in clinical practice were not represented formally in the reviewed curricula. Nursing science curricula are often represented as discrete packages of science information, whereas in nursing practice, science is entirely integrated. As such, nursing science education needs to become integrated, but explicit within nursing, and its contribution and relevance to nursing more emphasised. Trends in healthcare indicate that the nursing workplace of the future will require nurses to engage in more independent and autonomous practice in the community. This will require nurses who can engage with scientific material, as well be able to innovate and advance nursing practice, which has implications for nursing education. This thesis identifies an appropriate science curriculum for undergraduate nursing in New Zealand and contains recommendations for its implementation.

text: Identifying an appropriate science curriculum for undergraduate nursing in New Zealand The depth and breadth of science knowledge that is required to educate registered nurses has been the subject of much debate, both nationally and internationally. Central to the debate is the lack of clarity on what science is required for nursing. Nursing students world-wide report anxieties and difficulties with learning science within nursing programmes. It has not been established if science is required for nursing, nor has it been established how science is used by nurses engaged in clinical practice. This research was aimed at examining the use of science in nursing practice and therefore identifying an appropriate undergraduate nursing science curriculum for New Zealand nursing schools. To achieve this aim, a mixed method, interpretive, naturalistic approach has been employed involving interviews, surveys, observation studies and document analysis. The research had four phases; interviews with nine nurse educators and lecturers, written surveys undertaken by 71 registered nurses, observation and in-depth interviews with 17 registered nurses’ in practice across the central and lower North Island, and document analysis. Nurse educators and lecturers were interviewed to gain their perspectives of the role of science in nursing. A Science Attitude and Self-Efficacy (SASE) survey included sections that focused on nurses’ attitudes towards their nursing science courses, attitudes towards science in nursing, and probed their confidence in their own ability to use science in practice. Observations of nurses in their clinical practice were conducted over several hours and the nurses interviewed about their observed actions. The observed nursing actions and espoused science knowledge that were extracted from clinical practice were categorised into science and science-related topics which frame the breadth of content used in nursing practice, and the depth was ascertained by the level of complexity the nurse was able to articulate. Document analysis of curriculum information as well as Nursing Council of New Zealand standards for education, competencies and scopes of practice was also performed to ascertain the importance and relevance of science to nursing practice. Nursing Council documents state that science is important for all levels of nursing practice, from patient observation, to clinical decision-making. Science knowledge assists the nurse when conducting risk analyses and when performing nursing care and assessment. A competent nurse needs to provide advocacy and education for a patient. To be effective at this, a nurse needs to be able to read, critique, understand and translate scientific information and be able to effectively communicate with other health professionals. The majority of nurses in practice felt that science knowledge was the foundation for nursing practice, and that nurses require an in-depth knowledge of science. Nurses who had passed Level 3 secondary school science were more likely to have found studying nursing science courses easy, and had a positive attitude towards using science-in-practice. Those nurses who had a positive attitude towards science were more likely to use in-depth science knowledge in their nursing practice. Nurses who practice in areas where their decision-making is independent and autonomous were more likely to use more in-depth science to inform their practice. Nurses that had a less positive attitude towards science were more likely to have experienced difficulty studying science courses as a student, and were more likely to apply shallow science in their nursing practice. The curriculum design processes within nursing schools may contribute to devaluation of science in nursing. Nursing lecturers were more likely to have a less positive attitude of science’s relevance to nursing practice than nurses in practice. Some aspects of science’s contribution to nursing were unrecognised and may explain why aspects of science-based knowledge and skills that were observed in clinical practice were not represented formally in the reviewed curricula. Nursing science curricula are often represented as discrete packages of science information, whereas in nursing practice, science is entirely integrated. As such, nursing science education needs to become integrated, but explicit within nursing, and its contribution and relevance to nursing more emphasised. Trends in healthcare indicate that the nursing workplace of the future will require nurses to engage in more independent and autonomous practice in the community. This will require nurses who can engage with scientific material, as well be able to innovate and advance nursing practice, which has implications for nursing education. This thesis identifies an appropriate science curriculum for undergraduate nursing in New Zealand and contains recommendations for its implementation.

year: 2010