title: Using gamification to support positive health behaviour change: A kaupapa Māori approach

authors: Jefferies, Dannette (Dannie) Louise

subjects: Gamification

abstract: As our lives become increasingly technology-dependent, healthcare practitioners and researchers recognise the opportunities to deliver effective digital healthcare initiatives to improve patient outcomes. Gamification is one such technological approach to consider. While some important work has been done in gamification, to date, there have been few gamified healthy lifestyle intervention studies undertaken within an Indigenous or minority population. Therefore, this research extends the current knowledge of gamification with a focus on an Indigenous population.
Māori are the Indigenous People of New Zealand, and as in many other colonised countries, Māori are over-represented in obesity statistics; a factor which contributes to significant health inequities, such as a higher incidence of chronic illness among Māori people. Gamification may be an effective means of supporting positive lifestyle choices (e.g., increased physical activity) to reduce the prevalence of chronic illness. This research takes a Kaupapa Māori approach to address the research question: How can gamification support positive health behaviour change? Kaupapa Māori is a philosophical Māori-centric approach that ensures tino rangatiratanga (the right to self-determination). The research approach follows Māori tikanga (customary practices) and recognises the importance of Te Reo Māori (Māori language) and Te Ao Māori (a Māori worldview).
This research followed a design science research (DSR) process and consisted of two phases: Phase One was a prototype design phase, and Phase Two evaluated the prototype. Phase One involved a series of co-design hui (focus groups) to explore the social context and health aspirations of Māori and to ideate potential solutions. Phase One found that normative beliefs strongly influence effective gamification design preference for Māori and that culturally-tailored design is effective for Māori; a notion that contradicts previous Western-oriented gamification implementations. Phase Two consisted of a cross-sectional survey and regression analysis to evaluate the prototype designed during Phase One. Major findings from Phase Two show that three critical factors predict whether Māori users would use the gamified intervention: Perceived Ease-of-Use; Māori-Centric Design; and the use of Whakataetae (competitive) persuasive design strategies.  
This research contributes to gamification literature by identifying the gamification elements that most significantly impact behavioural intention toward gamified health applications for Māori; knowledge that may be transferable to other Indigenous populations. The importance of implementing a competitive strategy contradicts previous literature on collectivist cultures and guides the development of future gamified interventions. This research also contributes to theoretical and practical knowledge by demonstrating that effective persuasive strategies are not universal; Māori-centric design is a self-determined approach that keeps the needs of the target audience central to the design of a solution. This research provides theory-driven practical guidelines for design processes and design decisions that are driven by the needs and aspirations of Māori.

text: Using gamification to support positive health behaviour change: A kaupapa Māori approach As our lives become increasingly technology-dependent, healthcare practitioners and researchers recognise the opportunities to deliver effective digital healthcare initiatives to improve patient outcomes. Gamification is one such technological approach to consider. While some important work has been done in gamification, to date, there have been few gamified healthy lifestyle intervention studies undertaken within an Indigenous or minority population. Therefore, this research extends the current knowledge of gamification with a focus on an Indigenous population.
Māori are the Indigenous People of New Zealand, and as in many other colonised countries, Māori are over-represented in obesity statistics; a factor which contributes to significant health inequities, such as a higher incidence of chronic illness among Māori people. Gamification may be an effective means of supporting positive lifestyle choices (e.g., increased physical activity) to reduce the prevalence of chronic illness. This research takes a Kaupapa Māori approach to address the research question: How can gamification support positive health behaviour change? Kaupapa Māori is a philosophical Māori-centric approach that ensures tino rangatiratanga (the right to self-determination). The research approach follows Māori tikanga (customary practices) and recognises the importance of Te Reo Māori (Māori language) and Te Ao Māori (a Māori worldview).
This research followed a design science research (DSR) process and consisted of two phases: Phase One was a prototype design phase, and Phase Two evaluated the prototype. Phase One involved a series of co-design hui (focus groups) to explore the social context and health aspirations of Māori and to ideate potential solutions. Phase One found that normative beliefs strongly influence effective gamification design preference for Māori and that culturally-tailored design is effective for Māori; a notion that contradicts previous Western-oriented gamification implementations. Phase Two consisted of a cross-sectional survey and regression analysis to evaluate the prototype designed during Phase One. Major findings from Phase Two show that three critical factors predict whether Māori users would use the gamified intervention: Perceived Ease-of-Use; Māori-Centric Design; and the use of Whakataetae (competitive) persuasive design strategies.  
This research contributes to gamification literature by identifying the gamification elements that most significantly impact behavioural intention toward gamified health applications for Māori; knowledge that may be transferable to other Indigenous populations. The importance of implementing a competitive strategy contradicts previous literature on collectivist cultures and guides the development of future gamified interventions. This research also contributes to theoretical and practical knowledge by demonstrating that effective persuasive strategies are not universal; Māori-centric design is a self-determined approach that keeps the needs of the target audience central to the design of a solution. This research provides theory-driven practical guidelines for design processes and design decisions that are driven by the needs and aspirations of Māori.

year: 2023

title: Telling “Us” in the “Days Destined to You: Response Life-Telling: Indigenous Oral Autobiography and the Performance of Relation

authors: Mahuika, Nepia

subjects: Arts & Humanities

abstract: This “tau-utuutu” (responsive) protocol feels familiar to me.² My turn to speak, to respond, to share in a conversation with Warren Cariou’s stimulating essay on “Life-Telling,” Indigenous autobiography, and Dovie Thomason. It reminds me of how life-telling, orality, and history, interweave and work in my tribal universe. At home, we take turns speaking. We inherit our words, we respond, carve, and weave new narratives—make them ours. Where I come from, lives are frequently “told,” sung, cried, carved, and performed, through tribal conversations, a chorus of textured tones, sometimes in a grand debate within which our personal and collective pasts, presents, and futures converge and diverge.³ I am glad, then, to be invited, to add my voice to this present discussion. It feels natural . . . normal . . . Native.

text: Telling “Us” in the “Days Destined to You: Response Life-Telling: Indigenous Oral Autobiography and the Performance of Relation This “tau-utuutu” (responsive) protocol feels familiar to me.² My turn to speak, to respond, to share in a conversation with Warren Cariou’s stimulating essay on “Life-Telling,” Indigenous autobiography, and Dovie Thomason. It reminds me of how life-telling, orality, and history, interweave and work in my tribal universe. At home, we take turns speaking. We inherit our words, we respond, carve, and weave new narratives—make them ours. Where I come from, lives are frequently “told,” sung, cried, carved, and performed, through tribal conversations, a chorus of textured tones, sometimes in a grand debate within which our personal and collective pasts, presents, and futures converge and diverge.³ I am glad, then, to be invited, to add my voice to this present discussion. It feels natural . . . normal . . . Native.

year: 2016

title: The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Structure and Properties of Hemp/PLA Composites

authors: Jayaraman, Jeevan

subjects: PLA

abstract: This project focuses on bio-derived composites made from poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and hemp as well as the influence of PLA crystallinity on material properties. 
It is known that crystallinity can occur as spherulites within a polymer matrix bulk and as transcrystallinity on fibre surfaces in thermoplastic matrix composites. In addition, thermal history is known to influence the degree of crystallinity of polymer materials. The aim of this project was to study the effect of heat treatment or  annealing  on crystallinity and the influence of this on properties of hemp/PLA composites. 
	Composites were observed to become more opaque during heat treatment and increased crystallinity after heat treatment was seen using optical microscopy. XRD and DSC results showed that crystallinity was much higher for composites than PLA, supporting the fibre acting as a nucleating agent. There was no apparent change to tensile strength with increased heat treatment for PLA, however, for composite samples, increased heat treatment led to a small reduction in average tensile strength. Although there was no discernable trend for change of fracture toughness with increased crystallinity for PLA, it decreased for composite materials. It appears that the increased crystallinity present in the composite in combination with increased stress concentration due to the presence of fibres is reducing composite toughness as well as leading to premature failure in tensile tests due to PLA brittleness explaining lower strengths for composites. DMTA suggests that increase in crystallinity contributes to thermal stability of the composite.

text: The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Structure and Properties of Hemp/PLA Composites This project focuses on bio-derived composites made from poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and hemp as well as the influence of PLA crystallinity on material properties. 
It is known that crystallinity can occur as spherulites within a polymer matrix bulk and as transcrystallinity on fibre surfaces in thermoplastic matrix composites. In addition, thermal history is known to influence the degree of crystallinity of polymer materials. The aim of this project was to study the effect of heat treatment or  annealing  on crystallinity and the influence of this on properties of hemp/PLA composites. 
	Composites were observed to become more opaque during heat treatment and increased crystallinity after heat treatment was seen using optical microscopy. XRD and DSC results showed that crystallinity was much higher for composites than PLA, supporting the fibre acting as a nucleating agent. There was no apparent change to tensile strength with increased heat treatment for PLA, however, for composite samples, increased heat treatment led to a small reduction in average tensile strength. Although there was no discernable trend for change of fracture toughness with increased crystallinity for PLA, it decreased for composite materials. It appears that the increased crystallinity present in the composite in combination with increased stress concentration due to the presence of fibres is reducing composite toughness as well as leading to premature failure in tensile tests due to PLA brittleness explaining lower strengths for composites. DMTA suggests that increase in crystallinity contributes to thermal stability of the composite.

year: 2010