title: What was the original forest composition of Great Island (Three Kings)?

authors: de Lange, P.J.

abstract: Following the extermination of goats (Capra bircus) from Great Island in 1946 the recovery of that island's vegetation has been of tremendous scientific interest. Numerous papers have been written on the subject and recent visits to Great Island by the Northland Conservancy have continued to document changes in forest structure. Since 1989 it is becoming evident that in many places the monotonous and extremely dense kanuka (Kunzea ericoides s.l.) canopy is starting to collapse, presumably due to the combined affects of old age and exposure to the often stormy maritime climate. Of interest is what the new forest structure will be. While in places the canopy and understorey is now dotted with rapidly growing specimens of porokaiwhiri (Hedycarya arborea), mangeao (Litsea calicaris) (Cameron et al. 1987; P.]. de Lange pers. obs.) and albeit less frequently, titoki (Alectryon excelsus var. grandis), the spread of these trees is being hampered by a lack of natural seed dispersers. Therefore many patches of forest either lack an understorey or have a forest composition comprising short-lived smaller trees such as pukanui (Meryta sinclairii), cabbage tree (Cordyline kaspar), Three Kings rangiora (Brachyglottis arborescens) or shorter stature trees (really large shrubs) e.g. Fairchild's kohuhu (Pittosporum fairchildii) and Oliver's mapou (Myrsine oliverii).

text: What was the original forest composition of Great Island (Three Kings)? Following the extermination of goats (Capra bircus) from Great Island in 1946 the recovery of that island's vegetation has been of tremendous scientific interest. Numerous papers have been written on the subject and recent visits to Great Island by the Northland Conservancy have continued to document changes in forest structure. Since 1989 it is becoming evident that in many places the monotonous and extremely dense kanuka (Kunzea ericoides s.l.) canopy is starting to collapse, presumably due to the combined affects of old age and exposure to the often stormy maritime climate. Of interest is what the new forest structure will be. While in places the canopy and understorey is now dotted with rapidly growing specimens of porokaiwhiri (Hedycarya arborea), mangeao (Litsea calicaris) (Cameron et al. 1987; P.]. de Lange pers. obs.) and albeit less frequently, titoki (Alectryon excelsus var. grandis), the spread of these trees is being hampered by a lack of natural seed dispersers. Therefore many patches of forest either lack an understorey or have a forest composition comprising short-lived smaller trees such as pukanui (Meryta sinclairii), cabbage tree (Cordyline kaspar), Three Kings rangiora (Brachyglottis arborescens) or shorter stature trees (really large shrubs) e.g. Fairchild's kohuhu (Pittosporum fairchildii) and Oliver's mapou (Myrsine oliverii).

year: 1996

title: Investigating teachers’ lived experiences in teaching Literature in English in Ghana

authors: Adjei Baah, Eric

abstract: This thesis investigates the professional experiences of a group of Literature in English secondary school teachers in Ghanaian schools. At the secondary level, LiE is an elective (optional) subject, and so we could expect that those choosing it would probably do well. However, this thesis investigation arose from a concern about the persistent lack of quality of student achievement in this subject, as noted in the annual Chief Examiner’ Literature in English report. These reports outlined challenges students face in responding to West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) Literature in English questions. I was curious about understanding what might be behind this persistent issue.  

Though English is the official language and medium of instruction from the upper primary to the tertiary level in Ghana, English is a second language. This is important when considering the nature of texts mandated by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) Ghana every five years.  

In order to investigate this Literature in English phenomenon, I recruited volunteer teachers from Ashanti Mampong Municipal, using phenomenology as the methodological framework. As part of the investigation, I reviewed teachers’ perspectives about their professional lives through the lens of PCK, since teachers’ knowledge is an important element in teaching specific subjects. I also sought to know more about their professional teaching conditions - both barriers and enablers.  

The findings revealed teachers’ great passion for the subject and what they thought it could provide for students’ learning in terms of reading, critical thinking and writing skills. However, major barriers interfered with their good intentions:  

- the unreliability of having mandated texts available in a timely manner  
- the cost of texts to students and teachers, who must purchase them  
- the language complexity and cultural, social and historical contexts of some set texts  
- class sizes.  

The findings implied that if texts were supplied in a timely manner, and offered for students and teachers to borrow rather than purchase outright, then teachers would not need to find their own workarounds to manage the lack of texts. Also if the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) chose more contemporary and local texts, students might be more familiar with the language and contexts of the literature, and thus be more able to offer original perspectives. Teachers also had to manage large classes, making it difficult to meet students’ specific learning needs. Such barriers are likely to mitigate against teachers using the kinds of co-constructive, student-centred pedagogical practices known to enhance learning and leverage teachers’ PCK. Instead, they resorted to a range of teacher-centred pedagogies, especially when neither students nor teachers could access copies of the set texts.  

Revealing these barriers to learning can inform WAEC as it makes the next set of mandated literature choices for the next five year term. Should the government also review the status of the subject and how learning materials are provided in a timely manner, this might also benefit both learners and teachers.  

For participant teachers themselves, knowing their experiences - both positive and negative - are shared, may help them develop networks of professional support to mitigate the effects of access, class size, and text difficulty. In the end, these relatively small changes may be significant in positively altering the experiences of students and teachers in classes of Literature in English.

text: Investigating teachers’ lived experiences in teaching Literature in English in Ghana This thesis investigates the professional experiences of a group of Literature in English secondary school teachers in Ghanaian schools. At the secondary level, LiE is an elective (optional) subject, and so we could expect that those choosing it would probably do well. However, this thesis investigation arose from a concern about the persistent lack of quality of student achievement in this subject, as noted in the annual Chief Examiner’ Literature in English report. These reports outlined challenges students face in responding to West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) Literature in English questions. I was curious about understanding what might be behind this persistent issue.  

Though English is the official language and medium of instruction from the upper primary to the tertiary level in Ghana, English is a second language. This is important when considering the nature of texts mandated by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) Ghana every five years.  

In order to investigate this Literature in English phenomenon, I recruited volunteer teachers from Ashanti Mampong Municipal, using phenomenology as the methodological framework. As part of the investigation, I reviewed teachers’ perspectives about their professional lives through the lens of PCK, since teachers’ knowledge is an important element in teaching specific subjects. I also sought to know more about their professional teaching conditions - both barriers and enablers.  

The findings revealed teachers’ great passion for the subject and what they thought it could provide for students’ learning in terms of reading, critical thinking and writing skills. However, major barriers interfered with their good intentions:  

- the unreliability of having mandated texts available in a timely manner  
- the cost of texts to students and teachers, who must purchase them  
- the language complexity and cultural, social and historical contexts of some set texts  
- class sizes.  

The findings implied that if texts were supplied in a timely manner, and offered for students and teachers to borrow rather than purchase outright, then teachers would not need to find their own workarounds to manage the lack of texts. Also if the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) chose more contemporary and local texts, students might be more familiar with the language and contexts of the literature, and thus be more able to offer original perspectives. Teachers also had to manage large classes, making it difficult to meet students’ specific learning needs. Such barriers are likely to mitigate against teachers using the kinds of co-constructive, student-centred pedagogical practices known to enhance learning and leverage teachers’ PCK. Instead, they resorted to a range of teacher-centred pedagogies, especially when neither students nor teachers could access copies of the set texts.  

Revealing these barriers to learning can inform WAEC as it makes the next set of mandated literature choices for the next five year term. Should the government also review the status of the subject and how learning materials are provided in a timely manner, this might also benefit both learners and teachers.  

For participant teachers themselves, knowing their experiences - both positive and negative - are shared, may help them develop networks of professional support to mitigate the effects of access, class size, and text difficulty. In the end, these relatively small changes may be significant in positively altering the experiences of students and teachers in classes of Literature in English.

year: 2024

title: A critical analysis of the place of culture in evaluation

authors: Masters-Awatere, Bridgette

abstract: For the past 100 or so years formal evaluation has taken its lead from frameworks that originate from a culturally blind standpoint. Worldwide the major influence on evaluation practice comes from the United States of America. The absence of non-dominant (or indigenous) culturally constructed frameworks has been replicated around the world. Before the formation of the Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association (ANZEA), as a New Zealand specific evaluation group, practitioners generally belonged to the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) and joined in the sharing, adoption and adaptation of USAs Program Evaluation Standards. However, the context of evaluation in New Zealand has been somewhat different from the rest of the world, becoming more culturally centered than other countries. The role and place of the Treaty of Waitangi has been acknowledged as an attributing factor (ANZEA, 2011). Four indigenous “By Maori for Maori” health & wellbeing programmes externally evaluated were case studies within my research. I draw upon examples from the cases studies to highlight the vulnerable and contentious position indigenous service providers and indigenous evaluators were in. Adapting Sandra Grande’s (2004) analysis, I critiqued the context of the case study evaluations that commissioners considered as Kaupapa Maori. In this presentation I argue that while stakeholders perceived the work to be an indigenous evaluation, the case studies demonstrate that whitestream evaluation was prevalent.

text: A critical analysis of the place of culture in evaluation For the past 100 or so years formal evaluation has taken its lead from frameworks that originate from a culturally blind standpoint. Worldwide the major influence on evaluation practice comes from the United States of America. The absence of non-dominant (or indigenous) culturally constructed frameworks has been replicated around the world. Before the formation of the Aotearoa New Zealand Evaluation Association (ANZEA), as a New Zealand specific evaluation group, practitioners generally belonged to the Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) and joined in the sharing, adoption and adaptation of USAs Program Evaluation Standards. However, the context of evaluation in New Zealand has been somewhat different from the rest of the world, becoming more culturally centered than other countries. The role and place of the Treaty of Waitangi has been acknowledged as an attributing factor (ANZEA, 2011). Four indigenous “By Maori for Maori” health & wellbeing programmes externally evaluated were case studies within my research. I draw upon examples from the cases studies to highlight the vulnerable and contentious position indigenous service providers and indigenous evaluators were in. Adapting Sandra Grande’s (2004) analysis, I critiqued the context of the case study evaluations that commissioners considered as Kaupapa Maori. In this presentation I argue that while stakeholders perceived the work to be an indigenous evaluation, the case studies demonstrate that whitestream evaluation was prevalent.

year: 2015