title: The way forward – Strengthening the advocate-activist early childhood profession and teachers’ professional identities

authors: Kamenarac, Olivera

subjects: teachers’ professional identities

abstract: The New Zealand early childhood education and care (ECEC) has been torn between tensions created through an interplay of opposing discursive windows. Discursive windows of enterprise, economic investment and vulnerability have promoted competition, individualism, entrepreneurship and social-intervention emphases in the sector. On the other hand, discourses of collectivism, collegiality, and empowerment, reinforcing democratic education and democratic professionalism, have been frequently overpowered. Through a struggle to resolve ongoing tensions among the confronting and yet simultaneously coexisting discourses in ECEC policies and practices, early childhood teachers constantly reinvent their professional selves and transform their teaching practices. This paper draws on my doctoral study investigating how teachers’ professional identities have been re-constructed in response to shifting discourses in ECEC policies and practices in Aotearoa New Zealand. By sharing an analysis of some key ECEC policy documents over the last two decades, and collective and individual interviews with teachers, professional leaders and managers from both community-owned and for-profit services, I exemplify how opposing political interests and priorities have created a space for multiple and yet confronting constructions of teachers’ identities. I argue that straightening of the advocate-activist early childhood profession and teachers’ professional identities is the necessity and the priority for bringing in a much needed paradigm shift in the contemporary context of ECEC, in which teachers are forced to favour enterprise interests over well-being of children, families and community. Keywords: teachers’ professional identities, democratic professionalism, advocacy

text: The way forward – Strengthening the advocate-activist early childhood profession and teachers’ professional identities The New Zealand early childhood education and care (ECEC) has been torn between tensions created through an interplay of opposing discursive windows. Discursive windows of enterprise, economic investment and vulnerability have promoted competition, individualism, entrepreneurship and social-intervention emphases in the sector. On the other hand, discourses of collectivism, collegiality, and empowerment, reinforcing democratic education and democratic professionalism, have been frequently overpowered. Through a struggle to resolve ongoing tensions among the confronting and yet simultaneously coexisting discourses in ECEC policies and practices, early childhood teachers constantly reinvent their professional selves and transform their teaching practices. This paper draws on my doctoral study investigating how teachers’ professional identities have been re-constructed in response to shifting discourses in ECEC policies and practices in Aotearoa New Zealand. By sharing an analysis of some key ECEC policy documents over the last two decades, and collective and individual interviews with teachers, professional leaders and managers from both community-owned and for-profit services, I exemplify how opposing political interests and priorities have created a space for multiple and yet confronting constructions of teachers’ identities. I argue that straightening of the advocate-activist early childhood profession and teachers’ professional identities is the necessity and the priority for bringing in a much needed paradigm shift in the contemporary context of ECEC, in which teachers are forced to favour enterprise interests over well-being of children, families and community. Keywords: teachers’ professional identities, democratic professionalism, advocacy

year: 2018

title: Selection of attributes for modelling Bach chorales by a genetic algorithm

authors: Hall, Mark A.

subjects: computer science

abstract: A genetic algorithm selected combinations of attributes for a machine learning system. The algorithm used 90 Bach chorale melodies to train models and randomly selected sets of 10 chorales for evaluation. Compression of pitch was used as the fitness evaluation criterion. The best models were used to compress a different test set of chorales and their performance compared to human generate models. G.A. models outperformed the human models, improving compression by 10 percent.

text: Selection of attributes for modelling Bach chorales by a genetic algorithm A genetic algorithm selected combinations of attributes for a machine learning system. The algorithm used 90 Bach chorale melodies to train models and randomly selected sets of 10 chorales for evaluation. Compression of pitch was used as the fitness evaluation criterion. The best models were used to compress a different test set of chorales and their performance compared to human generate models. G.A. models outperformed the human models, improving compression by 10 percent.

year: 1995

title: Iwi interests and the RMA: An evaluation of the quality of first generation council plans

authors: Jefferies, Richard

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: This working paper analyses the processes adopted by councils for involving hapū
/iwi in plan implementation, including the resource consents process. Three topic issues were investigated to assess plan implementation — urban amenity,
storm water, and issues of importance to iwi. Questions were asked about the capacity of hapū/iwi to engage in the resource consent
process, which resource issues were of concern to them, their relationship with
council and consent applicants, and their perception of the consent process. Most resources listed in the questionnaire were of concern to hapū/iwi, with water
quality, wāhi tapu and heritage the most commonly cited. In conclusion, we found a general dissatisfaction on the part of hapū/iwi with
councils’ performance with respect to both Treaty relationships and consent
processing under the RMA. A further contributing factor to the poor relationships
found between hapū/iwi and councils, was the lack of clarity over the role of hapū and
iwi in resource management. In several districts, diverging responses from hapū/iwi
and councils to questions about level of understanding and commitment suggests there
is a need for more effective communication. These problems are compounded by the
generally low capacity of hapū/iwi to participate in resource consent processes. These findings suggest that there is much to be done to improve relationships and
behaviour of these key stakeholder groups in the plan implementation process if key
provisions in the RMA related to hapū/iwi interests are to be fulfilled. The differences
shown in reciprocal perceptions have serious implications for establishing a sound
working partnership between councils and hapū/iwi in their areas. Making clear these
discrepancies is a first step towards taking the measures needed for building a better
partnership. Further, the capacity of hapū/iwi to participate could be better utilised if
there was greater integration between regional and district councils on issues of
significance and processes for iwi involvement.

text: Iwi interests and the RMA: An evaluation of the quality of first generation council plans This working paper analyses the processes adopted by councils for involving hapū
/iwi in plan implementation, including the resource consents process. Three topic issues were investigated to assess plan implementation — urban amenity,
storm water, and issues of importance to iwi. Questions were asked about the capacity of hapū/iwi to engage in the resource consent
process, which resource issues were of concern to them, their relationship with
council and consent applicants, and their perception of the consent process. Most resources listed in the questionnaire were of concern to hapū/iwi, with water
quality, wāhi tapu and heritage the most commonly cited. In conclusion, we found a general dissatisfaction on the part of hapū/iwi with
councils’ performance with respect to both Treaty relationships and consent
processing under the RMA. A further contributing factor to the poor relationships
found between hapū/iwi and councils, was the lack of clarity over the role of hapū and
iwi in resource management. In several districts, diverging responses from hapū/iwi
and councils to questions about level of understanding and commitment suggests there
is a need for more effective communication. These problems are compounded by the
generally low capacity of hapū/iwi to participate in resource consent processes. These findings suggest that there is much to be done to improve relationships and
behaviour of these key stakeholder groups in the plan implementation process if key
provisions in the RMA related to hapū/iwi interests are to be fulfilled. The differences
shown in reciprocal perceptions have serious implications for establishing a sound
working partnership between councils and hapū/iwi in their areas. Making clear these
discrepancies is a first step towards taking the measures needed for building a better
partnership. Further, the capacity of hapū/iwi to participate could be better utilised if
there was greater integration between regional and district councils on issues of
significance and processes for iwi involvement.

year: 2002-10-31