title: Experiencing a mathematical problem-solving teaching approach: Opportunities to identify ambitious teaching practices

authors: Bailey, Judy

subjects: practice-based pre-service teacher education

abstract: Learning to teach is a complex matter, and many different models of pre-service teacher education have been used to support novice teachers in preparation for the classroom. More recently there have been calls for embedding practice at the centre of teachers’ professional preparation. Preparing novice teachers for ambitious teaching is demanding. A focus on core high-leverage practices such as teaching through problem-solving are suggested. In this study novice teachers engaged in practice-based teacher education to explore the learning and teaching of mathematics using a problem-solving approach. Findings suggest experiencing this approach is an important first step towards novice teachers learning about practices congruent with current reform expectations such as justifying mathematical reasoning, emphasising conceptual understanding, and catering for all learners. Novice teachers also began to envisage how ambitious mathematics pedagogies could be enacted in their future practice.

text: Experiencing a mathematical problem-solving teaching approach: Opportunities to identify ambitious teaching practices Learning to teach is a complex matter, and many different models of pre-service teacher education have been used to support novice teachers in preparation for the classroom. More recently there have been calls for embedding practice at the centre of teachers’ professional preparation. Preparing novice teachers for ambitious teaching is demanding. A focus on core high-leverage practices such as teaching through problem-solving are suggested. In this study novice teachers engaged in practice-based teacher education to explore the learning and teaching of mathematics using a problem-solving approach. Findings suggest experiencing this approach is an important first step towards novice teachers learning about practices congruent with current reform expectations such as justifying mathematical reasoning, emphasising conceptual understanding, and catering for all learners. Novice teachers also began to envisage how ambitious mathematics pedagogies could be enacted in their future practice.

year: 2015

title: Representations of Domestic Violence in Pakistani Television News and Activist Campaigns: Perspectives from Journalists, Women's Rights Campaigners, and Audiences

authors: Nasir, Omer Bin

subjects: Representations of Domestic Violence in Pakistani Television News and Activist Campaigns

abstract: This thesis offers an in-depth examination of the representation of domestic violence news on television channels and in activists’ campaigns in Pakistan from the perspective of journalists, women’s rights activists, and audiences. It is a compilation of five studies; three investigate the perspectives of Pakistani television news journalists regarding representation, professional ethics, and journalistic imperatives involved in domestic violence news reporting. The fourth study examines the viewpoints of Pakistani women’s rights activists regarding domestic violence news coverage and how activist campaigns represent the issue in their efforts to highlight and prevent this kind of violence. The fifth study is centred on Pakistani audiences’ responses to news media reporting of domestic violence and materials designed to draw attention to women’s rights issues including campaigns against domestic violence. Together, these studies provide important insights into the as yet largely unexamined issue of how domestic violence is portrayed in television news and activists’ campaign materials in Pakistan. Research for this thesis was conducted using qualitative methodological approaches. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with television news journalists and women’s rights activists, and four focus groups with Pakistani television news audiences. Eleven experienced Pakistani television news journalists were interviewed to explore: how Pakistani television news media represent domestic violence; how reporting is perceived to reflect ethical practices; and which journalistic imperatives are involved in the selection of news. Five Pakistani women’s rights activists were interviewed to explore their views about domestic violence reporting in mainstream media and how they address domestic violence violence in the course of their activism. To understand audience responses to domestic violence reporting on television news and women’s rights activists’ campaigns, 22 participants (11 females and 11 males) constituting focus groups representing higher, middle, and lower socioeconomic backgrounds were recruited. All four focus groups were conducted in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The research findings demonstrate how socio-cultural factors and ethical practices shape Pakistani journalists, activists, and audience understanding of domestic violence. Even though domestic violence has been criminalised in Pakistan, television news channels do not prioritise it in primetime reporting unless the incident is particularly horrific or involves well known named individuals. The coverage is predominantly incident-based and relies on limited sources. The research findings highlighted that there are no written guidelines or training for the coverage of domestic violence. At most, journalists do not disclose the victim’s identity, though this is not consistently practised. Consent is also often bypassed and data gathering practices can be unethical. Pakistani activists and audiences were of the view that coverage of domestic violence provided by television news is limited and sensational, while Pakistani audiences expressed appreciation for women’s rights campaign materials initiating educated and transformative debate about the endemic and structural social nature of women subjugation. Women’s rights activists cited patriarchal cultural practices and an unresponsive state as factors that contribute towards the widespread abuse of women in the country, and perceive the news media to be only interested in generating controversy and ratings. This thesis identifies an urgent need to develop comprehensive ethical guidelines and training programmes for responsible reporting of domestic violence on television news channels in Pakistan. Dialogue between decision makers in television news organisations and women’s rights activists should be initiated to shift the focus of the news agenda towards promoting better awareness and understanding of the causes and consequences of domestic violence in Pakistan.

text: Representations of Domestic Violence in Pakistani Television News and Activist Campaigns: Perspectives from Journalists, Women's Rights Campaigners, and Audiences This thesis offers an in-depth examination of the representation of domestic violence news on television channels and in activists’ campaigns in Pakistan from the perspective of journalists, women’s rights activists, and audiences. It is a compilation of five studies; three investigate the perspectives of Pakistani television news journalists regarding representation, professional ethics, and journalistic imperatives involved in domestic violence news reporting. The fourth study examines the viewpoints of Pakistani women’s rights activists regarding domestic violence news coverage and how activist campaigns represent the issue in their efforts to highlight and prevent this kind of violence. The fifth study is centred on Pakistani audiences’ responses to news media reporting of domestic violence and materials designed to draw attention to women’s rights issues including campaigns against domestic violence. Together, these studies provide important insights into the as yet largely unexamined issue of how domestic violence is portrayed in television news and activists’ campaign materials in Pakistan. Research for this thesis was conducted using qualitative methodological approaches. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with television news journalists and women’s rights activists, and four focus groups with Pakistani television news audiences. Eleven experienced Pakistani television news journalists were interviewed to explore: how Pakistani television news media represent domestic violence; how reporting is perceived to reflect ethical practices; and which journalistic imperatives are involved in the selection of news. Five Pakistani women’s rights activists were interviewed to explore their views about domestic violence reporting in mainstream media and how they address domestic violence violence in the course of their activism. To understand audience responses to domestic violence reporting on television news and women’s rights activists’ campaigns, 22 participants (11 females and 11 males) constituting focus groups representing higher, middle, and lower socioeconomic backgrounds were recruited. All four focus groups were conducted in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The research findings demonstrate how socio-cultural factors and ethical practices shape Pakistani journalists, activists, and audience understanding of domestic violence. Even though domestic violence has been criminalised in Pakistan, television news channels do not prioritise it in primetime reporting unless the incident is particularly horrific or involves well known named individuals. The coverage is predominantly incident-based and relies on limited sources. The research findings highlighted that there are no written guidelines or training for the coverage of domestic violence. At most, journalists do not disclose the victim’s identity, though this is not consistently practised. Consent is also often bypassed and data gathering practices can be unethical. Pakistani activists and audiences were of the view that coverage of domestic violence provided by television news is limited and sensational, while Pakistani audiences expressed appreciation for women’s rights campaign materials initiating educated and transformative debate about the endemic and structural social nature of women subjugation. Women’s rights activists cited patriarchal cultural practices and an unresponsive state as factors that contribute towards the widespread abuse of women in the country, and perceive the news media to be only interested in generating controversy and ratings. This thesis identifies an urgent need to develop comprehensive ethical guidelines and training programmes for responsible reporting of domestic violence on television news channels in Pakistan. Dialogue between decision makers in television news organisations and women’s rights activists should be initiated to shift the focus of the news agenda towards promoting better awareness and understanding of the causes and consequences of domestic violence in Pakistan.

year: 2024

title: Merea Wikiriwhi and George Thomas Wilkinson

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Merea Wikiriwhi was one of the few women to invest in Te Aroha mining. Her life has been traced in as much detail as can be found because so little has survived about the lives of Maori women. As George Thomas Wilkinson’s surviving diaries reveal his importance in her life, his story was included as well, concentrating on his personal life rather than his official career. 
Merea was a member of several Ohinemuri hapu, with links through whakapapa to some of their more senior rangatira. Mostly living at or near Waitoki, between Paeroa and Te Aroha, she lived a frugal life, not wasting the income she received from land sales. These sales first required her to insist on her rights both in the land court and in a convoluted legal battle over a will signed in her favour by a distant relative. Over time, she would sell most of her land, but never became entirely landless. She invested in only one mining claim, but in the 1930s joined others to claim that the government was not paying them goldfields revenue for land they had sold.
George Thomas Wilkinson entered her life in 1880, when he was the ‘native agent’ in Hauraki. Despite having fought against Maori and nearly being killed, his surviving diaries reveal that he lived in the manner of a Pakeha Maori with three Maori women (simultaneously for a time), having children both by Merea and the woman he would eventually marry. Wilkinson had close friendships with many Maori and Pakeha Maori, and his genuine regard for them is reflected not only in his attempting, in his official capacity, to be fair to their interests – even as he assisted the government to separate them from their land – but in particular by his affection for a young girl, Wairingiringi, who shared his house in Thames. Although he and Merea would part, he tried to ensure that her children, like all his children, would do well in a Pakeha world.

text: Merea Wikiriwhi and George Thomas Wilkinson Merea Wikiriwhi was one of the few women to invest in Te Aroha mining. Her life has been traced in as much detail as can be found because so little has survived about the lives of Maori women. As George Thomas Wilkinson’s surviving diaries reveal his importance in her life, his story was included as well, concentrating on his personal life rather than his official career. 
Merea was a member of several Ohinemuri hapu, with links through whakapapa to some of their more senior rangatira. Mostly living at or near Waitoki, between Paeroa and Te Aroha, she lived a frugal life, not wasting the income she received from land sales. These sales first required her to insist on her rights both in the land court and in a convoluted legal battle over a will signed in her favour by a distant relative. Over time, she would sell most of her land, but never became entirely landless. She invested in only one mining claim, but in the 1930s joined others to claim that the government was not paying them goldfields revenue for land they had sold.
George Thomas Wilkinson entered her life in 1880, when he was the ‘native agent’ in Hauraki. Despite having fought against Maori and nearly being killed, his surviving diaries reveal that he lived in the manner of a Pakeha Maori with three Maori women (simultaneously for a time), having children both by Merea and the woman he would eventually marry. Wilkinson had close friendships with many Maori and Pakeha Maori, and his genuine regard for them is reflected not only in his attempting, in his official capacity, to be fair to their interests – even as he assisted the government to separate them from their land – but in particular by his affection for a young girl, Wairingiringi, who shared his house in Thames. Although he and Merea would part, he tried to ensure that her children, like all his children, would do well in a Pakeha world.

year: 2016