title: Local solutions for local problems: Addressing teacher supply in rural communities

authors: Yates, Russell

subjects: preservice teacher education

abstract: Teacher shortage in rural localities is a long-standing issue in New Zealand. This paper reports on an attempt to reduce the impact of shortages by redesigning the way pre- service teacher education was delivered. Called the Mixed Media Programme (MMP), this is a primary (elementary) teacher education program that was established in 1997 in New Zealand by the University of Waikato. It was initially introduced to rural areas of the North Island of New Zealand. It continues now as a viable and accessible flexible option for teacher education and is a significant means of ensuring better teacher supply in numerous rural areas. The program uses a combination of face-to-face teaching; school based learning activities and electronic communication. There is an annual intake of about 60 student teachers, most of who study at home in their local area. Now in its tenth year, the program has produced more than 400 graduates, many of whom are still teaching in schools throughout New Zealand. This paper reports on a small-scale study, which sought to examine the way that student teachers, teachers and school principals from two communities perceive the program and its effects on these communities. School principals, teachers, graduates and current student teachers were asked about the way that the program has enabled people from local communities to firstly study to become teachers in these communities and then to teach in them. Their views show that student teachers have found this approach to teacher education very beneficial to local communities for a number of reasons, including stable staffing for schools, commitment to teacher education programs, confidence about the quality of the graduates they employed. The student teachers reported that they were able to become teachers without having to leave their local communities, were exposed to university education as mature student teachers and that their study has had a range of effects on them and their families. It can be concluded from the evidence that the Mixed Media Programme has had important positive effects upon the two small communities of the study, at individual, school and wider community level.

text: Local solutions for local problems: Addressing teacher supply in rural communities Teacher shortage in rural localities is a long-standing issue in New Zealand. This paper reports on an attempt to reduce the impact of shortages by redesigning the way pre- service teacher education was delivered. Called the Mixed Media Programme (MMP), this is a primary (elementary) teacher education program that was established in 1997 in New Zealand by the University of Waikato. It was initially introduced to rural areas of the North Island of New Zealand. It continues now as a viable and accessible flexible option for teacher education and is a significant means of ensuring better teacher supply in numerous rural areas. The program uses a combination of face-to-face teaching; school based learning activities and electronic communication. There is an annual intake of about 60 student teachers, most of who study at home in their local area. Now in its tenth year, the program has produced more than 400 graduates, many of whom are still teaching in schools throughout New Zealand. This paper reports on a small-scale study, which sought to examine the way that student teachers, teachers and school principals from two communities perceive the program and its effects on these communities. School principals, teachers, graduates and current student teachers were asked about the way that the program has enabled people from local communities to firstly study to become teachers in these communities and then to teach in them. Their views show that student teachers have found this approach to teacher education very beneficial to local communities for a number of reasons, including stable staffing for schools, commitment to teacher education programs, confidence about the quality of the graduates they employed. The student teachers reported that they were able to become teachers without having to leave their local communities, were exposed to university education as mature student teachers and that their study has had a range of effects on them and their families. It can be concluded from the evidence that the Mixed Media Programme has had important positive effects upon the two small communities of the study, at individual, school and wider community level.

year: 2007

title: Visual analogy in creative design: case study of fractals and crochet lace

authors: Cunningham, Sally Jo

subjects: computer science

abstract: One powerful technique for supporting creativity in design is analogy: drawing similarities between seemingly unrelated objects taken from different domain. A case study is presented in which fractal images serve as a source for novel crochet lace patterns. The human designer searches a potential design space by manipulating the parameters of fractal systems, and then translates portions of fractal forms to lacework. This approach to supporting innovation in design is compared with previous work based on formal modelling of the domain with generative grammars.

text: Visual analogy in creative design: case study of fractals and crochet lace One powerful technique for supporting creativity in design is analogy: drawing similarities between seemingly unrelated objects taken from different domain. A case study is presented in which fractal images serve as a source for novel crochet lace patterns. The human designer searches a potential design space by manipulating the parameters of fractal systems, and then translates portions of fractal forms to lacework. This approach to supporting innovation in design is compared with previous work based on formal modelling of the domain with generative grammars.

year: 1996-10

title: The relationship between on-water performance and physical characteristics in elite and sub-elite outrigger canoe paddlers

authors: King, Tupuria

abstract: Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare and investigate the relationship between 500 m on-water performance and physical characteristics in elite and sub-elite outrigger canoe paddlers. Methods: A total of 16 males participated in the study including eight elite paddlers (age: 24.8 ± 10.5 yrs., total paddling experience: 12.5 ± 5.2 yrs.) and eight sub-elite paddlers (age: 34.4 ± 15.4 yrs., total paddling experience: 6.8 ± 5.2 yrs.). Body mass, height, sitting height, arm span, arm length, body fat percentage, 50 kg muscular endurance (bench press and bench pull), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and Wingate performance (30 sec maximal effort) were assessed and subsequently correlated with 500 m outrigger canoeing performance at a national championship’s regatta. Results: When group data were combined, moderate to strong correlations were found between 500 m outrigger canoeing performance and absolute VO2peak (r = -0.61), upper limb length (r = -0.60) 50 kg bench press (r = -0.56), total paddling experience (r = -0.53), body mass (r = -0.51), sitting height (r = -0.51), singles paddling experience (r = -0.49), height (r = -0.48) and Wingate distance (r = -0.42). When groups were compared, elite paddlers showed significantly greater Wingate mean power and distance, paddling experience and 500 m on-water performance times than sub-elite paddlers (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in anthropometrical measures, muscular endurance and VO2peak between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: VO2peak and upper limb length were the best predictors of performance over the 500 m sprint distance across the entire group. Thirty-second Wingate mean power and distance, years of paddling experience and subsequent 500 m on-water performance differentiated elite from sub-elite paddlers.

text: The relationship between on-water performance and physical characteristics in elite and sub-elite outrigger canoe paddlers Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare and investigate the relationship between 500 m on-water performance and physical characteristics in elite and sub-elite outrigger canoe paddlers. Methods: A total of 16 males participated in the study including eight elite paddlers (age: 24.8 ± 10.5 yrs., total paddling experience: 12.5 ± 5.2 yrs.) and eight sub-elite paddlers (age: 34.4 ± 15.4 yrs., total paddling experience: 6.8 ± 5.2 yrs.). Body mass, height, sitting height, arm span, arm length, body fat percentage, 50 kg muscular endurance (bench press and bench pull), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and Wingate performance (30 sec maximal effort) were assessed and subsequently correlated with 500 m outrigger canoeing performance at a national championship’s regatta. Results: When group data were combined, moderate to strong correlations were found between 500 m outrigger canoeing performance and absolute VO2peak (r = -0.61), upper limb length (r = -0.60) 50 kg bench press (r = -0.56), total paddling experience (r = -0.53), body mass (r = -0.51), sitting height (r = -0.51), singles paddling experience (r = -0.49), height (r = -0.48) and Wingate distance (r = -0.42). When groups were compared, elite paddlers showed significantly greater Wingate mean power and distance, paddling experience and 500 m on-water performance times than sub-elite paddlers (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in anthropometrical measures, muscular endurance and VO2peak between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: VO2peak and upper limb length were the best predictors of performance over the 500 m sprint distance across the entire group. Thirty-second Wingate mean power and distance, years of paddling experience and subsequent 500 m on-water performance differentiated elite from sub-elite paddlers.

year: 2019