title: Increased Inter-Colony Fusion Rates Are Associated with Reduced COI Haplotype Diversity in an Invasive Colonial Ascidian Didemnum vexillum

authors: Smith, Kirsty Fiona

subjects: biology

abstract: Considerable progress in our understanding of the population genetic changes associated with biological invasions has been made over the past decade. Using selectively neutral loci, it has been established that reductions in genetic diversity, reflecting founder effects, have occurred during the establishment of some invasive populations. However, some colonial organisms may actually gain an ecological advantage from reduced genetic diversity because of the associated reduction in inter-colony conflict. Here we report population genetic analyses, along with colony fusion experiments, for a highly invasive colonial ascidian, Didemnum vexillum. Analyses based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) partial coding sequences revealed two distinct D. vexillum clades. One COI clade appears to be restricted to the probable native region (i.e., north-west Pacific Ocean), while the other clade is present in widely dispersed temperate coastal waters around the world. This clade structure was supported by 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data, which revealed a one base-pair difference between the two clades. Recently established populations of D. vexillum in New Zealand displayed greatly reduced COI genetic diversity when compared with D. vexillum in Japan. In association with this reduction in genetic diversity was a significantly higher inter-colony fusion rate between randomly paired New Zealand D. vexillum colonies (80%, standard deviation ±18%) when compared with colonies found in Japan (27%, standard deviation ±15%). The results of this study add to growing evidence that for colonial organisms reductions in population level genetic diversity may alter colony interaction dynamics and enhance the invasive potential of newly colonizing species.

text: Increased Inter-Colony Fusion Rates Are Associated with Reduced COI Haplotype Diversity in an Invasive Colonial Ascidian Didemnum vexillum Considerable progress in our understanding of the population genetic changes associated with biological invasions has been made over the past decade. Using selectively neutral loci, it has been established that reductions in genetic diversity, reflecting founder effects, have occurred during the establishment of some invasive populations. However, some colonial organisms may actually gain an ecological advantage from reduced genetic diversity because of the associated reduction in inter-colony conflict. Here we report population genetic analyses, along with colony fusion experiments, for a highly invasive colonial ascidian, Didemnum vexillum. Analyses based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) partial coding sequences revealed two distinct D. vexillum clades. One COI clade appears to be restricted to the probable native region (i.e., north-west Pacific Ocean), while the other clade is present in widely dispersed temperate coastal waters around the world. This clade structure was supported by 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence data, which revealed a one base-pair difference between the two clades. Recently established populations of D. vexillum in New Zealand displayed greatly reduced COI genetic diversity when compared with D. vexillum in Japan. In association with this reduction in genetic diversity was a significantly higher inter-colony fusion rate between randomly paired New Zealand D. vexillum colonies (80%, standard deviation ±18%) when compared with colonies found in Japan (27%, standard deviation ±15%). The results of this study add to growing evidence that for colonial organisms reductions in population level genetic diversity may alter colony interaction dynamics and enhance the invasive potential of newly colonizing species.

year: 2012

title: Performance measurement of state secondary schools of New Zealand: The teachers’ perspective

authors: Malik, Arshad Ashfaque

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: The performance of State secondary schools of New Zealand is currently measured by the schools’ performance measurement system (PMS) as well as by the Education Review Office (ERO) and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). The schools’ PMS is established by the BOT (Board of Trustees) as per the detailed guideline of the Ministry of Education (MoE). The ERO audits compliance of the schools with respect to a set of legal statutes and directives of the Government. The NZQA measures the academic performance of the schools’ students on the basis of standards and processes (National Certificate of Educational Achievement; NCEA) established by it. Since MoE, ERO and NZQA are all government entities; performance measurement of State secondary schools currently appears to be dominated by governmental thinking. 
Hence State secondary schools do not measure how they are meeting the expectations of their teachers. This investigation identifies the key performance factors (KPFs) that the schools’ teachers consider significant in defining the schools’ performance and the indicators that they consider best reflects the status of the KPFs. 
The potential users of the outcome of this research are expected to be the State secondary school’s management as well as the MoE. This investigation is expected to improve the engagement of the school’s teachers with the school which may lead to better outcomes for State secondary schools, such as improved academic achievement of the students and greater initiation of students into the trades and tertiary education.

text: Performance measurement of state secondary schools of New Zealand: The teachers’ perspective The performance of State secondary schools of New Zealand is currently measured by the schools’ performance measurement system (PMS) as well as by the Education Review Office (ERO) and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). The schools’ PMS is established by the BOT (Board of Trustees) as per the detailed guideline of the Ministry of Education (MoE). The ERO audits compliance of the schools with respect to a set of legal statutes and directives of the Government. The NZQA measures the academic performance of the schools’ students on the basis of standards and processes (National Certificate of Educational Achievement; NCEA) established by it. Since MoE, ERO and NZQA are all government entities; performance measurement of State secondary schools currently appears to be dominated by governmental thinking. 
Hence State secondary schools do not measure how they are meeting the expectations of their teachers. This investigation identifies the key performance factors (KPFs) that the schools’ teachers consider significant in defining the schools’ performance and the indicators that they consider best reflects the status of the KPFs. 
The potential users of the outcome of this research are expected to be the State secondary school’s management as well as the MoE. This investigation is expected to improve the engagement of the school’s teachers with the school which may lead to better outcomes for State secondary schools, such as improved academic achievement of the students and greater initiation of students into the trades and tertiary education.

year: 2011

title: Te Whiuwhiu o te Hau Maori Counselling Certificate Programme: Agency placements and supervision. Summary of and evaluation

authors: Moeke-Pickering, Taima Materangatira

subjects: counselling

abstract: Three major characteristics in determining a potentially successful practicum were identified. Firstly, the importance of determining early on whether an agency can expose the student to the necessary counselling experience that enables students to meet the requirements of the course. Secondly, the importance of exposing students to information that enable them to efficiently achieve practicum placement goals. Thirdly, the need to utilise both reflective and skills based assessment to assess the development of counselling skills, as well as the completion of tasks and duties that are required of students. Further information was gleaned about the research participants' perspectives on supervision procedures, practicum contracts, benefits of having a practicum placement and suggested training areas for the proposed TWH supervision module.

text: Te Whiuwhiu o te Hau Maori Counselling Certificate Programme: Agency placements and supervision. Summary of and evaluation Three major characteristics in determining a potentially successful practicum were identified. Firstly, the importance of determining early on whether an agency can expose the student to the necessary counselling experience that enables students to meet the requirements of the course. Secondly, the importance of exposing students to information that enable them to efficiently achieve practicum placement goals. Thirdly, the need to utilise both reflective and skills based assessment to assess the development of counselling skills, as well as the completion of tasks and duties that are required of students. Further information was gleaned about the research participants' perspectives on supervision procedures, practicum contracts, benefits of having a practicum placement and suggested training areas for the proposed TWH supervision module.

year: 1995-01-01