title: Emerging assessment practices in an emergent curriculum: implications for technology

authors: Moreland, Judy

subjects: conceptual and procedural aspect

abstract: This paper reports on detailed case studies into emerging assessment practices in technology in two New Zealand primary schools (Years 1–6) with nine teachers. This research is part of the two year Research in Assessment of Primary Technology (RAPT) project and formed the basis for the one year New Zealand Ministry of Education funded Learning in Technology Education (Assessment) project.
Emerging classroom assessment practices in technology, a new subject area in the national curriculum, are discussed. It was found that the existing subcultures in schools, teachers' subject expertise and the school wide policies impacted on the teachers' assessment practices. Assessment was often seen in terms of social and managerial aspects such as team work, turn taking and information skills, rather than procedural and conceptual aspects. Therefore teachers' formative interactions with students distorted the learning away from procedural and conceptual aspects of the subject, and the learning and the formative assessment interactions focused on generic skills rather than student technological understanding.
The importance of developing teacher expertise in three dimensions of knowledge about the subject, knowledge in the subject and general pedagogical knowledge is highlighted. Thus the findings from this research have implications for thinking about teaching, learning and assessment in technology.

text: Emerging assessment practices in an emergent curriculum: implications for technology This paper reports on detailed case studies into emerging assessment practices in technology in two New Zealand primary schools (Years 1–6) with nine teachers. This research is part of the two year Research in Assessment of Primary Technology (RAPT) project and formed the basis for the one year New Zealand Ministry of Education funded Learning in Technology Education (Assessment) project.
Emerging classroom assessment practices in technology, a new subject area in the national curriculum, are discussed. It was found that the existing subcultures in schools, teachers' subject expertise and the school wide policies impacted on the teachers' assessment practices. Assessment was often seen in terms of social and managerial aspects such as team work, turn taking and information skills, rather than procedural and conceptual aspects. Therefore teachers' formative interactions with students distorted the learning away from procedural and conceptual aspects of the subject, and the learning and the formative assessment interactions focused on generic skills rather than student technological understanding.
The importance of developing teacher expertise in three dimensions of knowledge about the subject, knowledge in the subject and general pedagogical knowledge is highlighted. Thus the findings from this research have implications for thinking about teaching, learning and assessment in technology.

year: 2000

title: A study of the drivers influencing players of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games to make micro-transactional purchases

authors: Millar, Gina

subjects: MOBA

abstract: This research project examines what motivates game players to purchase virtual items within the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, League of Legends. This MOBA is one of the most commercially successful free-to-play online games in recent years, however, the genre has received little attention in academic literature, and there is hardly any research on the game genre itself. Purchasing motivation for players of this game are obscure, as virtual items in online games typically have a functional, ‘in-game’ value, yet the most popular items within MOBA games do not have traditional functional values. This exploratory research aims to identify the drivers behind micro-transactional activity occuring in MOBA games, based on the attributes of the virtual items available for purchase, as well as examining the core motivators for MOBA game play. 

This study was conducted within the Oceanic region using a mixed methods approach, utilising semi-structured interviews analysed via thematic analysis, with findings from the qualitative research phase informing the design of a quantitative online survey. Notable findings include the absence of traditional immersive motivators for MOBA players, and identification of a unique play motivation known as mood repair. Additionally, the construct of identity for MOBA players is found to be remarkably different to that found in previous studies on other online games such as World of Warcraft, with gender having no impact on players’ selection of a character. A model for further confirmatory research into the drivers behind the micro-transactional activity of MOBA game players is also developed and proposed.

text: A study of the drivers influencing players of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games to make micro-transactional purchases This research project examines what motivates game players to purchase virtual items within the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, League of Legends. This MOBA is one of the most commercially successful free-to-play online games in recent years, however, the genre has received little attention in academic literature, and there is hardly any research on the game genre itself. Purchasing motivation for players of this game are obscure, as virtual items in online games typically have a functional, ‘in-game’ value, yet the most popular items within MOBA games do not have traditional functional values. This exploratory research aims to identify the drivers behind micro-transactional activity occuring in MOBA games, based on the attributes of the virtual items available for purchase, as well as examining the core motivators for MOBA game play. 

This study was conducted within the Oceanic region using a mixed methods approach, utilising semi-structured interviews analysed via thematic analysis, with findings from the qualitative research phase informing the design of a quantitative online survey. Notable findings include the absence of traditional immersive motivators for MOBA players, and identification of a unique play motivation known as mood repair. Additionally, the construct of identity for MOBA players is found to be remarkably different to that found in previous studies on other online games such as World of Warcraft, with gender having no impact on players’ selection of a character. A model for further confirmatory research into the drivers behind the micro-transactional activity of MOBA game players is also developed and proposed.

year: 2017

title: Assessment of fish populations in Lake Horowhenua, Levin

authors: Tempero, Grant Wayne

subjects: Lake Horowhenua

abstract: Lake Horowhenua (Waipunahau) is of substantial historical, cultural and recreational value to the people of the Horowhenua region. However, water quality and biodiversity within the lake has been in decline for a number of years. As part of lake restoration efforts by Horizons Regional Council and the Lake Horowhenua Trustees, a survey of fish species in Lake Horowhenua was conducted by the University of Waikato using boat electrofishing and fyke netting. A lake restoration plan had previously identified invasive fish species such as koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) as being potential barriers to rehabilitation of the lake. The purpose of this survey was to determine the abundance and diversity of fish species within the lake and to ascertain if pest fish species were present at biomasses high enough to be negatively impacting on lake ecology. Recommendations would then be made as to the potential methods and necessity for pest fish removal.

text: Assessment of fish populations in Lake Horowhenua, Levin Lake Horowhenua (Waipunahau) is of substantial historical, cultural and recreational value to the people of the Horowhenua region. However, water quality and biodiversity within the lake has been in decline for a number of years. As part of lake restoration efforts by Horizons Regional Council and the Lake Horowhenua Trustees, a survey of fish species in Lake Horowhenua was conducted by the University of Waikato using boat electrofishing and fyke netting. A lake restoration plan had previously identified invasive fish species such as koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and European perch (Perca fluviatilis) as being potential barriers to rehabilitation of the lake. The purpose of this survey was to determine the abundance and diversity of fish species within the lake and to ascertain if pest fish species were present at biomasses high enough to be negatively impacting on lake ecology. Recommendations would then be made as to the potential methods and necessity for pest fish removal.

year: 2013