title: Re-evaluating risk and exploring educational alternatives

authors: Brown, Mike

subjects: outdoor adventure education

abstract: Risk is positioned as a distinguishing feature of outdoor adventure education (OAE) pedagogy. Risk defines much of what happens in OAE, from participants 'taking' risks to instructors 'managing' risks. The taken-for-granted centrality of risk continues to have currency due to the thrill and allure of adventurous outdoor activities. This paper questions the centrality of some current conceptions of risk in OAE and explores an alternative pedagogical perspective where risk is less central. A sociocultural lens expands possibilities for how OAE is conceptualized, with a focus more on learning than on risk. This alternative approach is well supported by research on teaching and learning, and as such offers an opportunity to broaden instructors' repertoires of practice for the benefit of OAE participants.

text: Re-evaluating risk and exploring educational alternatives Risk is positioned as a distinguishing feature of outdoor adventure education (OAE) pedagogy. Risk defines much of what happens in OAE, from participants 'taking' risks to instructors 'managing' risks. The taken-for-granted centrality of risk continues to have currency due to the thrill and allure of adventurous outdoor activities. This paper questions the centrality of some current conceptions of risk in OAE and explores an alternative pedagogical perspective where risk is less central. A sociocultural lens expands possibilities for how OAE is conceptualized, with a focus more on learning than on risk. This alternative approach is well supported by research on teaching and learning, and as such offers an opportunity to broaden instructors' repertoires of practice for the benefit of OAE participants.

year: 2009

title: The chemistry and metallurgy of beryllium

authors: Raymond, Onyekachi

subjects: beryllium

abstract: Beryllium (Be), the first of the group 2 alkali-earth ele­ments, is a silver-gray metal possessing an unmatched combination of physical and mechanical properties, which are vital for a variety of applications that offer tre­mendous benefits to society. It is the lightest workable metal, only two-thirds the weight of aluminium, yet it has six times the stiffness of steel, making it an ideal mate­rial for stiffness-dependent and weight-limited applica­tions. The chart in Fig. 1 illustrates how much beryllium outclasses other engineering materials with respect to thermal conductivity and dimensional stability (ability of a material to retain its uniformity under stress measured as the Young's modulus to density ratio). These unique properties of beryllium translate into performance en­hancement in the end product, for instance the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST: see Fig. 2). The next gen­eration James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to be launched in 2018 as NASA's replacement for the Hubble telescope, will utilise a 6.5 meter wide beryllium mirror to reveal images of distant galaxies 200 times beyond what has ever been sighted.

text: The chemistry and metallurgy of beryllium Beryllium (Be), the first of the group 2 alkali-earth ele­ments, is a silver-gray metal possessing an unmatched combination of physical and mechanical properties, which are vital for a variety of applications that offer tre­mendous benefits to society. It is the lightest workable metal, only two-thirds the weight of aluminium, yet it has six times the stiffness of steel, making it an ideal mate­rial for stiffness-dependent and weight-limited applica­tions. The chart in Fig. 1 illustrates how much beryllium outclasses other engineering materials with respect to thermal conductivity and dimensional stability (ability of a material to retain its uniformity under stress measured as the Young's modulus to density ratio). These unique properties of beryllium translate into performance en­hancement in the end product, for instance the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST: see Fig. 2). The next gen­eration James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to be launched in 2018 as NASA's replacement for the Hubble telescope, will utilise a 6.5 meter wide beryllium mirror to reveal images of distant galaxies 200 times beyond what has ever been sighted.

year: 2015-07

title: "Takahi ngā takahanga o ngā tūpuna" - Tramp the pathways of our ancestors

authors: Williams, Taniwha

subjects: Māori health and wellbeing

abstract: The rise of reconnecting to holistic approaches to health to improve wellbeing outcomes for Māori has become increasingly prominent in recent years. Such developments have highlighted the need to introduce traditional Māori concepts, values and practices within whānau, hapū and iwi as vehicles for promoting and improving Māori health. This research had two objectives. Firstly, it aimed to explore the process of reclaiming mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge systems) with my whānau who had limited access to te ao Māori (the Māori world). The second objective sought to explore the experiences of my whānau reconnecting with te reo me ōna tikanga (Māori language and culture). Using the Whiti Te Rā as a guide informed the design and structure of the wānanga (workshops). The Whiti Te Rā is a therapeutic model designed to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Māori by developing and enhancing a cultural identity. Central to this model are six Māori customary practices and values that provide pathways to wellbeing and flourishing mauri. These dimensions also have synergies with other models of health – Te Whare Tapa Whā, Te Wheke. Four tāne (men) from my whānau took part in this research. We used the Pūrākau Method to record, explore, and analyse the narratives that emerged following each wānanga. The key findings from this research included connection to history, whakapapa and wairua; connection to pepeha and cultural practices; connection to self as a Māori; connection through whanaungatanga; and connection to taiao (the environment). This study showed that Māori models of health and wellbeing are consistent in demonstrating their effectiveness in connecting Māori to their language and culture. Despite the impact of colonisation, reconnection to customary practices and values was meaningful and valuable to my whānau. Future research is needed to revitalise, regenerate and reclaim a thriving Māori identity.

text: "Takahi ngā takahanga o ngā tūpuna" - Tramp the pathways of our ancestors The rise of reconnecting to holistic approaches to health to improve wellbeing outcomes for Māori has become increasingly prominent in recent years. Such developments have highlighted the need to introduce traditional Māori concepts, values and practices within whānau, hapū and iwi as vehicles for promoting and improving Māori health. This research had two objectives. Firstly, it aimed to explore the process of reclaiming mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge systems) with my whānau who had limited access to te ao Māori (the Māori world). The second objective sought to explore the experiences of my whānau reconnecting with te reo me ōna tikanga (Māori language and culture). Using the Whiti Te Rā as a guide informed the design and structure of the wānanga (workshops). The Whiti Te Rā is a therapeutic model designed to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for Māori by developing and enhancing a cultural identity. Central to this model are six Māori customary practices and values that provide pathways to wellbeing and flourishing mauri. These dimensions also have synergies with other models of health – Te Whare Tapa Whā, Te Wheke. Four tāne (men) from my whānau took part in this research. We used the Pūrākau Method to record, explore, and analyse the narratives that emerged following each wānanga. The key findings from this research included connection to history, whakapapa and wairua; connection to pepeha and cultural practices; connection to self as a Māori; connection through whanaungatanga; and connection to taiao (the environment). This study showed that Māori models of health and wellbeing are consistent in demonstrating their effectiveness in connecting Māori to their language and culture. Despite the impact of colonisation, reconnection to customary practices and values was meaningful and valuable to my whānau. Future research is needed to revitalise, regenerate and reclaim a thriving Māori identity.

year: 2024