title: Education leaders can reduce educational disparities

authors: Bishop, Russell

subjects: education

abstract: This chapter is about how education leaders can act to reduce educational disparities for indigenous and other minoritized peoples through strategic goal setting, supporting effective pedagogies of relations, promoting distributed leadership, enacting inclusivity, using evidence and owning the need for reform. Examples are drawn from a large-scale, theory-based education reform project called Te Kotahitanga which is currently running in 50 secondary schools in New Zealand. Developing a model for effective leadership needs to commence with the understanding that the key to change is teacher action supported by responsive structural reform (Elmore 2004). In our earlier work (Bishop et al. 2003, 2007) we investigated what effective teacher action looks like. This chapter presents a model of what “responsive structural reform” looks like in practice and what leaders need to do to implement and sustain gains made in student performance at the classroom, school and system-wide levels.

text: Education leaders can reduce educational disparities This chapter is about how education leaders can act to reduce educational disparities for indigenous and other minoritized peoples through strategic goal setting, supporting effective pedagogies of relations, promoting distributed leadership, enacting inclusivity, using evidence and owning the need for reform. Examples are drawn from a large-scale, theory-based education reform project called Te Kotahitanga which is currently running in 50 secondary schools in New Zealand. Developing a model for effective leadership needs to commence with the understanding that the key to change is teacher action supported by responsive structural reform (Elmore 2004). In our earlier work (Bishop et al. 2003, 2007) we investigated what effective teacher action looks like. This chapter presents a model of what “responsive structural reform” looks like in practice and what leaders need to do to implement and sustain gains made in student performance at the classroom, school and system-wide levels.

year: 2011

title: The importance of Māori identity for athletes and sportspeople within sporting contexts

authors: Westrupp, Maia Takamoana

subjects: Māori

abstract: Identity is an important concept within psychology given its influence upon how we perceive ourselves, who we are as people, and how it can impact behaviour. For Māori, colonisation has had a detrimental impact on the maintenance and flourishing of a strong cultural identity. Sport is an area where Māori have not only contributed successfully nationally and internationally alongside Pakeha, but have been able to either affirm or rebuild their sense of cultural identity and connectedness. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the importance of Māori identity for athletes and sports people within a sporting context. This research project encompassed a qualitative approach, drawing upon a kaupapa Māori research paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were employed to ascertain in depth knowledge of participant’s experiences. A total of six participants took part in this study, all of whom were made up of athletes, coaches, and sports psychologists. When interpreting participants understanding of Māori identity within a sporting context, participants indicated a desire to configure their Māori identity based on Māori cultural concepts such as whakapapa, manaakitanga, and pēpeha. The key findings also identified a link between Māori identity and sport as participants illustrated how important Māori identity was within their sports team and organisation. Participants also indicated an unconscious link to enhanced sporting behaviours given the essence of Māori identity and the significance it places on serving the collective. Ultimately, for Māori athletes and sports people, the sporting realm offers an opportunity to engage and reaffirm Māori identity. Additionally, the value sporting teams and organisations place on Māori identity, can lead to flourishing in sport given the behaviours that may transpire by connecting the individual beyond purely, the physical domain.

text: The importance of Māori identity for athletes and sportspeople within sporting contexts Identity is an important concept within psychology given its influence upon how we perceive ourselves, who we are as people, and how it can impact behaviour. For Māori, colonisation has had a detrimental impact on the maintenance and flourishing of a strong cultural identity. Sport is an area where Māori have not only contributed successfully nationally and internationally alongside Pakeha, but have been able to either affirm or rebuild their sense of cultural identity and connectedness. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the importance of Māori identity for athletes and sports people within a sporting context. This research project encompassed a qualitative approach, drawing upon a kaupapa Māori research paradigm. Semi-structured interviews were employed to ascertain in depth knowledge of participant’s experiences. A total of six participants took part in this study, all of whom were made up of athletes, coaches, and sports psychologists. When interpreting participants understanding of Māori identity within a sporting context, participants indicated a desire to configure their Māori identity based on Māori cultural concepts such as whakapapa, manaakitanga, and pēpeha. The key findings also identified a link between Māori identity and sport as participants illustrated how important Māori identity was within their sports team and organisation. Participants also indicated an unconscious link to enhanced sporting behaviours given the essence of Māori identity and the significance it places on serving the collective. Ultimately, for Māori athletes and sports people, the sporting realm offers an opportunity to engage and reaffirm Māori identity. Additionally, the value sporting teams and organisations place on Māori identity, can lead to flourishing in sport given the behaviours that may transpire by connecting the individual beyond purely, the physical domain.

year: 2022

title: Microbial Processes and Nitrate removal in Denitrification Beds

authors: Warneke, Sören

subjects: denitrification

abstract: Abstract The anthropogenic abundance of reactive nitrogen (N) forms has increased in the last few decades, increasing food production, but also resulting in increased eutrophication, algae blooms, loss of biodiversity, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Denitrification beds are one approach to return this reactive N back to the atmosphere. These beds are large containers filled with a carbon (C) substrate, often wood byproducts. This substrate acts as a C and energy source for denitrifiers to reduce nitrate (NO₃⁻) from point source discharges into non-reactive dinitrogen (N₂) gas. This study investigated the biological mechanisms, controlling factors and adverse effects of NO₃⁻ removal in a woodchip denitrification bed (176 m x 5 m x 1.5 m) treating glasshouse effluent, and in barrels (0.2 m³) testing alternative carbon substrates for use in denitrification beds (pine and eucalyptus woodchips, sawdust, green waste, maize cobs and wheat straw). Furthermore, different techniques for measuring denitrification rates were compared and an approach for determining reliable NO₃⁻ removal rates in denitrification beds was developed. 
The NO₃⁻-N removal rates of the large denitrification bed averaged 7.6 g N m⁻³ bed volume d⁻¹ and increased with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 2.1). Microbial denitrification was the main NO₃⁻ removal mechanism in the denitrification bed and was always limited by C, rather than by NO₃⁻ availability. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and anammox were likely minor processes due to low ammonia (NH₄⁺) and nitrite (NO₂⁻) concentrations throughout the bed. Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) reduction, and methanogenesis, could not compete with NO₃⁻ reduction for C due to continuously high NO₃⁻ concentrations in the bed (>37 mg N L⁻¹). Aerobic processes dominated in the first few meters of the bed and close to the surface, but dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations decreased rapidly along the bed from the inlet and remained low throughout most of the bed. There were some adverse effects observed in the denitrification bed associated with NO₃⁻ removal. About 4.3% of NO₃⁻-N removed from the bed was released as nitrous oxide (N₂O), but methane (CH₄) emissions from the surface of the bed were very low. A total of 35.4 kg d⁻¹ of carbon dioxide (CO₂) was released from the bed, but was not considered to contribute to a net increase in CO₂ concentrations of the atmosphere as the substrate (woodchips) used in the bed would likely decayed to CO₂ if used for other purposes. A net dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loss from the outlet was not detected. Longevity of the C substrate of the denitrification bed to support denitrification was about 39 years as calculated from the total C losses (CO₂ emissions and release of dissolved CO₂ and DOC from the bed). In a barrel study of different carbon substrates, NO₃⁻ removal was predominantly limited by C availability and temperature (Q₁₀ = 1.2) when NO₃⁻-N concentrations were above 1 mg L⁻¹. All C substrates showed high numbers of denitrification genes (nitrite reductase, nirS and nirK; nitrous oxide reductase, nosZ), providing further support that microbial denitrification was responsible for NO₃⁻ removal. Substrates incubated at 27.1 °C had greater ratio of nir/nosZ genes than substrates incubated at 16.8 °C, which was possibly a partial explanation for higher N₂O production in the warmer barrels. Wheat straw released 10% of NO₃⁻-N removed as dissolved N₂O, while all other carbon substrates released on average about 1.4% of the removed NO₃⁻-N as dissolved N₂O. Methane production occurred when NO₃⁻ concentrations were below 2 mg L-1 in the barrels. Maize cobs removed about 2.5 times more NO₃⁻ than woodchips, but released total organic carbon (TOC) in the outflow and a substantial portion of C was likely consumed by non-denitrifiers. Woodchips had low adverse effects and provided ideal conditions for denitrifiers determined by the relatively high ratio of denitrification gene copies/16S rRNA copies compared to the other C substrates examined. 
Investigating different approaches to determine denitrification rates revealed that both the acetylene inhibition method and the copy number of nitrite reductase genes (nirS, nirK) were useful for comparative estimations of NO₃⁻ removal rates between different carbon substrates and temperatures. However, neither approach could be used to quantify actual rates of denitrification. The acetylene inhibition method overestimated the actual NO₃⁻ removal rate by five fold. An in situ push-pull test using enriched ¹⁵NO₃⁻ was useful for determining denitrification rates at one specific point in a denitrification bed but would require multiple testing sites to obtain an average rate of NO₃⁻ removal for the bed. Comparing the ratio of the slopes of natural abundance ¹⁵N-N₂ and ¹⁵N- NO₃⁻ along the length of the bed determined the portion of NO₃⁻ removed by microbial denitrification, but not the denitrification rate. Measurements of dissolved N₂ concentration along the length of the bed were a useful approach to determine denitrification rates. This last approach was rapid and produced relatively accurate rates of NO₃⁻ removal compared to the other approaches conducted in this study. In summary, denitrification beds are an efficient approach for removing NO₃⁻ from point source discharges, but the beds do produce some N₂O. Woodchips could be combined with maize cobs to enhance NO₃⁻ removal rates while keeping adverse effects low in denitrification beds. Measurement of N₂ concentrations along the length and water flow of the bed was the most appropriate approach to determine denitrification rates of denitrifying bioreactors, and may also be useful in other ecosystems with high NO₃⁻ concentration and even flow.

text: Microbial Processes and Nitrate removal in Denitrification Beds Abstract The anthropogenic abundance of reactive nitrogen (N) forms has increased in the last few decades, increasing food production, but also resulting in increased eutrophication, algae blooms, loss of biodiversity, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Denitrification beds are one approach to return this reactive N back to the atmosphere. These beds are large containers filled with a carbon (C) substrate, often wood byproducts. This substrate acts as a C and energy source for denitrifiers to reduce nitrate (NO₃⁻) from point source discharges into non-reactive dinitrogen (N₂) gas. This study investigated the biological mechanisms, controlling factors and adverse effects of NO₃⁻ removal in a woodchip denitrification bed (176 m x 5 m x 1.5 m) treating glasshouse effluent, and in barrels (0.2 m³) testing alternative carbon substrates for use in denitrification beds (pine and eucalyptus woodchips, sawdust, green waste, maize cobs and wheat straw). Furthermore, different techniques for measuring denitrification rates were compared and an approach for determining reliable NO₃⁻ removal rates in denitrification beds was developed. 
The NO₃⁻-N removal rates of the large denitrification bed averaged 7.6 g N m⁻³ bed volume d⁻¹ and increased with increasing temperature (Q₁₀ = 2.1). Microbial denitrification was the main NO₃⁻ removal mechanism in the denitrification bed and was always limited by C, rather than by NO₃⁻ availability. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and anammox were likely minor processes due to low ammonia (NH₄⁺) and nitrite (NO₂⁻) concentrations throughout the bed. Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) reduction, and methanogenesis, could not compete with NO₃⁻ reduction for C due to continuously high NO₃⁻ concentrations in the bed (>37 mg N L⁻¹). Aerobic processes dominated in the first few meters of the bed and close to the surface, but dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations decreased rapidly along the bed from the inlet and remained low throughout most of the bed. There were some adverse effects observed in the denitrification bed associated with NO₃⁻ removal. About 4.3% of NO₃⁻-N removed from the bed was released as nitrous oxide (N₂O), but methane (CH₄) emissions from the surface of the bed were very low. A total of 35.4 kg d⁻¹ of carbon dioxide (CO₂) was released from the bed, but was not considered to contribute to a net increase in CO₂ concentrations of the atmosphere as the substrate (woodchips) used in the bed would likely decayed to CO₂ if used for other purposes. A net dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loss from the outlet was not detected. Longevity of the C substrate of the denitrification bed to support denitrification was about 39 years as calculated from the total C losses (CO₂ emissions and release of dissolved CO₂ and DOC from the bed). In a barrel study of different carbon substrates, NO₃⁻ removal was predominantly limited by C availability and temperature (Q₁₀ = 1.2) when NO₃⁻-N concentrations were above 1 mg L⁻¹. All C substrates showed high numbers of denitrification genes (nitrite reductase, nirS and nirK; nitrous oxide reductase, nosZ), providing further support that microbial denitrification was responsible for NO₃⁻ removal. Substrates incubated at 27.1 °C had greater ratio of nir/nosZ genes than substrates incubated at 16.8 °C, which was possibly a partial explanation for higher N₂O production in the warmer barrels. Wheat straw released 10% of NO₃⁻-N removed as dissolved N₂O, while all other carbon substrates released on average about 1.4% of the removed NO₃⁻-N as dissolved N₂O. Methane production occurred when NO₃⁻ concentrations were below 2 mg L-1 in the barrels. Maize cobs removed about 2.5 times more NO₃⁻ than woodchips, but released total organic carbon (TOC) in the outflow and a substantial portion of C was likely consumed by non-denitrifiers. Woodchips had low adverse effects and provided ideal conditions for denitrifiers determined by the relatively high ratio of denitrification gene copies/16S rRNA copies compared to the other C substrates examined. 
Investigating different approaches to determine denitrification rates revealed that both the acetylene inhibition method and the copy number of nitrite reductase genes (nirS, nirK) were useful for comparative estimations of NO₃⁻ removal rates between different carbon substrates and temperatures. However, neither approach could be used to quantify actual rates of denitrification. The acetylene inhibition method overestimated the actual NO₃⁻ removal rate by five fold. An in situ push-pull test using enriched ¹⁵NO₃⁻ was useful for determining denitrification rates at one specific point in a denitrification bed but would require multiple testing sites to obtain an average rate of NO₃⁻ removal for the bed. Comparing the ratio of the slopes of natural abundance ¹⁵N-N₂ and ¹⁵N- NO₃⁻ along the length of the bed determined the portion of NO₃⁻ removed by microbial denitrification, but not the denitrification rate. Measurements of dissolved N₂ concentration along the length of the bed were a useful approach to determine denitrification rates. This last approach was rapid and produced relatively accurate rates of NO₃⁻ removal compared to the other approaches conducted in this study. In summary, denitrification beds are an efficient approach for removing NO₃⁻ from point source discharges, but the beds do produce some N₂O. Woodchips could be combined with maize cobs to enhance NO₃⁻ removal rates while keeping adverse effects low in denitrification beds. Measurement of N₂ concentrations along the length and water flow of the bed was the most appropriate approach to determine denitrification rates of denitrifying bioreactors, and may also be useful in other ecosystems with high NO₃⁻ concentration and even flow.

year: 2011