title: A mixed digital / physical snapshot of early internet / web usage in New Zealand

authors: Cunningham, Sally Jo

subjects: computer science

abstract: We are in the early stages of developing a unique physical and digital record of New Zealand's early experience of the Internet.

text: A mixed digital / physical snapshot of early internet / web usage in New Zealand We are in the early stages of developing a unique physical and digital record of New Zealand's early experience of the Internet.

year: 2009

title: The Role of Children's Literature in the Teaching of English to Young Learners in Taiwan

authors: Yu Chang, Jui-Fang

subjects: role of children's literature

abstract: Teachers of young learners of English in Taiwan are often encouraged to use children's literature in their teaching. My overall aims in this research project were to find out:

 	whether there is any agreement about the meaning of the term 'children's literature', particularly among those who recommend its use in the teaching of English to young learners in Taiwan;
 	what types of teaching materials and resources teachers of English to young learners in Taiwan claim to use and to value, and what types of teaching materials and resources they actually use, and how they use them;
 	how a sample of textbooks, guided readers and popular children's literature commonly used by teachers of young learners in Taiwan rate when considered in relation to a range of criteria derived from a critical review of writing on children's literature and, in particular, 'good' children's literature.

There is considerable disagreement about what constitutes children's literature and, in particular, 'good' children's literature. Furthermore, although many writers claim that children's literature, particularly narrative, can contribute to children's social, cognitive and linguistic development, very little appears to have been written about the problems that can be associated with using literature designed for first language speakers in the foreign language classroom (Chapter 2). 

Although over half of respondents to a questionnaire for teachers of young learners in Taiwan (256 returns) indicated that they used story books in their classes at least once a week, some indicated that they never used them (Chapter 3). Furthermore, in 23 observed lessons taught in primary schools in Taiwan, children's literature featured only once. On that occasion, the book selected was used as supplementary material. It was not thematically linked to the main part of the lesson. Analysis of its language revealed considerable linguistic complexity, something that helped to explain the lack of any positive learner response to it. Although every one of 10 observed lessons taught to children (aged 7 on average) in a cram school in Taiwan made use of children's literature in some form, the difficulties the teacher and the learners had in relation to the texts seemed to outweigh any advantages associated with their inclusion (Chapter 4).

A sample of texts from English textbooks commonly used in Taiwan was analyzed and found to be largely made up of artificial dialogue snippets that had no genuine communicative purpose or imaginative interest (Chapter 5). A sample of graded readers commonly used in Taiwanese primary schools (designed primarily for speakers of English as a first language) was found to be culturally and linguistically inappropriate, the language being stilted and often, from the perspective of young learners in Asia, extremely complex, and the content being dated and often confusing (Chapter 6). The analysis of a sample of children's literature that is very popular in Taiwan also revealed problems relating to the level and complexity of the language (Chapter 7). 

My overall conclusion (Chapter 8) is that the use of literature designed primarily for first language speakers of English in teaching English to young learners may have little positive impact on learning, particularly where it is selected and used inappropriately. Nevertheless, there is much that those who design materials for use in language teaching, in Taiwan and elsewhere, can learn from children's literature.

text: The Role of Children's Literature in the Teaching of English to Young Learners in Taiwan Teachers of young learners of English in Taiwan are often encouraged to use children's literature in their teaching. My overall aims in this research project were to find out:

 	whether there is any agreement about the meaning of the term 'children's literature', particularly among those who recommend its use in the teaching of English to young learners in Taiwan;
 	what types of teaching materials and resources teachers of English to young learners in Taiwan claim to use and to value, and what types of teaching materials and resources they actually use, and how they use them;
 	how a sample of textbooks, guided readers and popular children's literature commonly used by teachers of young learners in Taiwan rate when considered in relation to a range of criteria derived from a critical review of writing on children's literature and, in particular, 'good' children's literature.

There is considerable disagreement about what constitutes children's literature and, in particular, 'good' children's literature. Furthermore, although many writers claim that children's literature, particularly narrative, can contribute to children's social, cognitive and linguistic development, very little appears to have been written about the problems that can be associated with using literature designed for first language speakers in the foreign language classroom (Chapter 2). 

Although over half of respondents to a questionnaire for teachers of young learners in Taiwan (256 returns) indicated that they used story books in their classes at least once a week, some indicated that they never used them (Chapter 3). Furthermore, in 23 observed lessons taught in primary schools in Taiwan, children's literature featured only once. On that occasion, the book selected was used as supplementary material. It was not thematically linked to the main part of the lesson. Analysis of its language revealed considerable linguistic complexity, something that helped to explain the lack of any positive learner response to it. Although every one of 10 observed lessons taught to children (aged 7 on average) in a cram school in Taiwan made use of children's literature in some form, the difficulties the teacher and the learners had in relation to the texts seemed to outweigh any advantages associated with their inclusion (Chapter 4).

A sample of texts from English textbooks commonly used in Taiwan was analyzed and found to be largely made up of artificial dialogue snippets that had no genuine communicative purpose or imaginative interest (Chapter 5). A sample of graded readers commonly used in Taiwanese primary schools (designed primarily for speakers of English as a first language) was found to be culturally and linguistically inappropriate, the language being stilted and often, from the perspective of young learners in Asia, extremely complex, and the content being dated and often confusing (Chapter 6). The analysis of a sample of children's literature that is very popular in Taiwan also revealed problems relating to the level and complexity of the language (Chapter 7). 

My overall conclusion (Chapter 8) is that the use of literature designed primarily for first language speakers of English in teaching English to young learners may have little positive impact on learning, particularly where it is selected and used inappropriately. Nevertheless, there is much that those who design materials for use in language teaching, in Taiwan and elsewhere, can learn from children's literature.

year: 2007

title: Mauri oho, mauri tu, mauri ora: Enhancing Maori health and wellbeing through a critical engagement with social marketing

authors: Ellis, Riri Te Whara

abstract: This PhD research originally explored the efficacy of social marketing as potentially beneficial for Maori health providers involved with Maori health promotion activities. However, as I became conscientised to the potentially assimilist and neocolortial impacts .of functional management disciplines, such as social marketing I turned my attention as a Kaupapa Maori researcher to the task of critique and transformative social action. I also became acutely aware that the future of Maori health advancement lies in the flourishing of Te Ao Maori - a flourishing deemed necessary for the wellbeing of the people and the natural environment .in which Maori live is presented in this thesis. Te Ao Maori is therefore repositioned as a way in which to conceptualise Maori health and wellbeing, based upon holistic and cultural principles of living. 
Based on the transformative aspirations of critical theorists and emerging theories of kaupapa Maori, I incorporate the holistic constructs of Te Ao Maori while minimising the impact of the externally imposed mechanistic and functional metaphors dominating the contemporary formulation of human wellbeing. Using a localised participative methodology called Kaupapa Maori, I have worked collaboratively with four Maori groups and various kaiarahi hauora in Tauranga Moana to examine and articulate a series of collective responses to research issues. As a result of this research, my findings indicate that Maori continue to articulate a desire to live by principles and practices espoused through holistic models of Maori health and wellbeing, nestled into Te Ao Maori. That vision however is affected by continual structural change, limited resources, lack of access to skilled people, the imposition of contractual regulations within the health system, the erosion of Maori cultural systems and the ongoing commodification of Maori health and wellbeing in concert with the principles of market driven economies driving much human activity globally. The experience of Maori in Aotearoa New Zealand is the localised manifestation of the experiences of indigenous people across the globe. We share with them a position of resistance to the values of others and the affirmation of our own values. 
The potential of social marketing to contribute to enhancing Maori health and wellbeing was critiqued within these lived experiences, not those defined by social marketers themselves. In the control of uncritical social marketers, social marketing models are one of many conceptual frameworks that are being used to intensify economic rationality associated with the contemporary form of capitalism and the exacerbation of resource scarcity sanctioned by the existing health services system. Many of the co-participants in this research sought to provide health services and programmes that resembled and encouraged strong Maori cultural practices based upon tikanga Maori that emphasises a commitment to Whanau, Hapu and Iwi. However, the current health system does not help these goals to flourish. Instead, proponents of the system endorsed a regime of health services that operated within the specific constraints of contractual agreements - agreements which require responsibility for outcomes and accountability protocols that consume many resources better spent elsewhere. The opportunity then to engage in the enrichment of Maori health and wellbeing, through a holistic means was reported by participants in this research to be often undermined, minimised and sometimes made impossible. 
This research demonstrates that Maori efforts to enhance Maori health development are negatively impacted upon by an ongoing commercialisation and commodification of health services. Ongoing efforts _must be made to reinvigorate with and within Maori, an enduring commitment to a foundation of holistic health and wellbeing in the future, stemming from our own worldview - Te Ao Maori. The critical and Kaupapa Maori theories that inform this thesis have been used to bring into the open the contradictions and paradoxes Maori health providers in the Tauranga region are facing. The transformational aspirations of these theories would invite attention to be paid to values underpinning Maori communities and the ways in which they are useful to them. As reported upon in this research, those Maori health advocates adopting social marketing will find it difficult to achieve these aspirations. Instead, the assimilist modem colonising practices inherent in social marketing would tum Maori adopters into self colonisers.

text: Mauri oho, mauri tu, mauri ora: Enhancing Maori health and wellbeing through a critical engagement with social marketing This PhD research originally explored the efficacy of social marketing as potentially beneficial for Maori health providers involved with Maori health promotion activities. However, as I became conscientised to the potentially assimilist and neocolortial impacts .of functional management disciplines, such as social marketing I turned my attention as a Kaupapa Maori researcher to the task of critique and transformative social action. I also became acutely aware that the future of Maori health advancement lies in the flourishing of Te Ao Maori - a flourishing deemed necessary for the wellbeing of the people and the natural environment .in which Maori live is presented in this thesis. Te Ao Maori is therefore repositioned as a way in which to conceptualise Maori health and wellbeing, based upon holistic and cultural principles of living. 
Based on the transformative aspirations of critical theorists and emerging theories of kaupapa Maori, I incorporate the holistic constructs of Te Ao Maori while minimising the impact of the externally imposed mechanistic and functional metaphors dominating the contemporary formulation of human wellbeing. Using a localised participative methodology called Kaupapa Maori, I have worked collaboratively with four Maori groups and various kaiarahi hauora in Tauranga Moana to examine and articulate a series of collective responses to research issues. As a result of this research, my findings indicate that Maori continue to articulate a desire to live by principles and practices espoused through holistic models of Maori health and wellbeing, nestled into Te Ao Maori. That vision however is affected by continual structural change, limited resources, lack of access to skilled people, the imposition of contractual regulations within the health system, the erosion of Maori cultural systems and the ongoing commodification of Maori health and wellbeing in concert with the principles of market driven economies driving much human activity globally. The experience of Maori in Aotearoa New Zealand is the localised manifestation of the experiences of indigenous people across the globe. We share with them a position of resistance to the values of others and the affirmation of our own values. 
The potential of social marketing to contribute to enhancing Maori health and wellbeing was critiqued within these lived experiences, not those defined by social marketers themselves. In the control of uncritical social marketers, social marketing models are one of many conceptual frameworks that are being used to intensify economic rationality associated with the contemporary form of capitalism and the exacerbation of resource scarcity sanctioned by the existing health services system. Many of the co-participants in this research sought to provide health services and programmes that resembled and encouraged strong Maori cultural practices based upon tikanga Maori that emphasises a commitment to Whanau, Hapu and Iwi. However, the current health system does not help these goals to flourish. Instead, proponents of the system endorsed a regime of health services that operated within the specific constraints of contractual agreements - agreements which require responsibility for outcomes and accountability protocols that consume many resources better spent elsewhere. The opportunity then to engage in the enrichment of Maori health and wellbeing, through a holistic means was reported by participants in this research to be often undermined, minimised and sometimes made impossible. 
This research demonstrates that Maori efforts to enhance Maori health development are negatively impacted upon by an ongoing commercialisation and commodification of health services. Ongoing efforts _must be made to reinvigorate with and within Maori, an enduring commitment to a foundation of holistic health and wellbeing in the future, stemming from our own worldview - Te Ao Maori. The critical and Kaupapa Maori theories that inform this thesis have been used to bring into the open the contradictions and paradoxes Maori health providers in the Tauranga region are facing. The transformational aspirations of these theories would invite attention to be paid to values underpinning Maori communities and the ways in which they are useful to them. As reported upon in this research, those Maori health advocates adopting social marketing will find it difficult to achieve these aspirations. Instead, the assimilist modem colonising practices inherent in social marketing would tum Maori adopters into self colonisers.

year: 2006