title: Using focused ethnography to understand brokering practices among international students

authors: Lee, Sherrie

subjects: academic learning

abstract: The academic challenges of international students, particularly those with English as an additional language (EAL), have been mostly researched in the context of the formal curriculum (e.g. classroom communication styles, reading and writing skills). These challenges include inadequate English proficiency and differing educational expectations, and being isolated from the host community. However, little is understood about students’ informal academic learning outside the prescribed curriculum, in particular, their brokering practices. Brokering practices are help-seeking interactions that bridge gaps in the seekers’ knowledge and understanding of new cultural practices thus enabling them to access resources they would find difficult to do so on their own. For EAL students, these help-seeking interactions may involve getting others to translate, interpret or explain particular aspects of the host academic environment. In this research, focused ethnography is used to investigate the nature of brokering practices among ten international EAL tertiary students during their initial academic semester of fifteen weeks. Focused ethnography specifically addresses constraints in the research context (e.g. time and access to informants), as well as capitalizes on technological tools such as digital recording devices. In seeking to understand brokering interactions and relationships students have with their brokers, conventional ethnographic methods were adapted, for example, digital ethnographic methods were used instead of participant observation. Digital ethnographic methods allows a large amount of data to be recorded and reviewed, a feature of focused ethnography known as data intensity. While this form of intensity has been argued to compensate for a short period of research activity, this research suggests that another form of intensity – relational intensity – is just as important in addressing research constraints. Relational intensity refers to the researcher’s ongoing responsiveness to the needs of research participants. The article concludes that future focused ethnographic research should consider both data-related and relational forms of intensity in addressing research constraints.

text: Using focused ethnography to understand brokering practices among international students The academic challenges of international students, particularly those with English as an additional language (EAL), have been mostly researched in the context of the formal curriculum (e.g. classroom communication styles, reading and writing skills). These challenges include inadequate English proficiency and differing educational expectations, and being isolated from the host community. However, little is understood about students’ informal academic learning outside the prescribed curriculum, in particular, their brokering practices. Brokering practices are help-seeking interactions that bridge gaps in the seekers’ knowledge and understanding of new cultural practices thus enabling them to access resources they would find difficult to do so on their own. For EAL students, these help-seeking interactions may involve getting others to translate, interpret or explain particular aspects of the host academic environment. In this research, focused ethnography is used to investigate the nature of brokering practices among ten international EAL tertiary students during their initial academic semester of fifteen weeks. Focused ethnography specifically addresses constraints in the research context (e.g. time and access to informants), as well as capitalizes on technological tools such as digital recording devices. In seeking to understand brokering interactions and relationships students have with their brokers, conventional ethnographic methods were adapted, for example, digital ethnographic methods were used instead of participant observation. Digital ethnographic methods allows a large amount of data to be recorded and reviewed, a feature of focused ethnography known as data intensity. While this form of intensity has been argued to compensate for a short period of research activity, this research suggests that another form of intensity – relational intensity – is just as important in addressing research constraints. Relational intensity refers to the researcher’s ongoing responsiveness to the needs of research participants. The article concludes that future focused ethnographic research should consider both data-related and relational forms of intensity in addressing research constraints.

year: 2017

title: Distinguishability of battery equivalent-circuit models containing CPEs: Updating the work of Berthier, Diard, & Michel

authors: Poihipi, Eden Kathleen

subjects: Constant Phase Elements

abstract: This manuscript revisits the assertion of Berthier et al. that competing fractional-element equivalent-circuit models of battery cells are indistinguishable in the presence of noise. Starting with Westerhoff’s general equivalent-circuit model (ECM) of 2016 and an idealized impedance spectrum of a lithium battery, a contemporary set of possible ECMs are chosen. Their distinguishability is investigated. Using the extended frequency range recommended by Mauracher & Karden in 1997 or Hasan & Scott in 2019, an approach is presented that permits selection of the appropriate model, even in the presence of noise. For the given frequency range, models with up to five elements or eight real parameters are studied. Fitting to measured data with straightforward numerical methods and choosing the most primitive appropriate sub-circuit is shown to reproduce the data. Typically a three-element, five-parameter ECM is shown to model real, measured data with precision comparable to individual sample error.

text: Distinguishability of battery equivalent-circuit models containing CPEs: Updating the work of Berthier, Diard, & Michel This manuscript revisits the assertion of Berthier et al. that competing fractional-element equivalent-circuit models of battery cells are indistinguishable in the presence of noise. Starting with Westerhoff’s general equivalent-circuit model (ECM) of 2016 and an idealized impedance spectrum of a lithium battery, a contemporary set of possible ECMs are chosen. Their distinguishability is investigated. Using the extended frequency range recommended by Mauracher & Karden in 1997 or Hasan & Scott in 2019, an approach is presented that permits selection of the appropriate model, even in the presence of noise. For the given frequency range, models with up to five elements or eight real parameters are studied. Fitting to measured data with straightforward numerical methods and choosing the most primitive appropriate sub-circuit is shown to reproduce the data. Typically a three-element, five-parameter ECM is shown to model real, measured data with precision comparable to individual sample error.

year: 2022

title: River Co-management and Planning in the Waikato: An Analysis of Regional and District Plans and Regional Policy Statement Compliance, and a New Approach to Plan Preparation

authors: den Ouden, Hester

subjects: co-management

abstract: The Waikato River is one of New Zealand most significant rivers.  It is an ancestor to one Iwi, significant to four other Iwi generates most of the country’s hydroelectricity and provides large amount of potable water to municipalities.
In 2010 and 2012 three Acts of parliament established the framework for the restoration and protection of the Waikato River Catchment.  It did so in three ways.  The River Co-Management Legislation (RCML) has significantly added to the policy framework under the Resource Management Act 1991 for the Waikato Regional and six Districts.  It introduced the requirement for co-management of decision-making at policy and regulatory approvals, and established the Waikato River Authority which manages a $270 million Clean-Up fund.
This research outlines the provisions of the three statutes that comprise the RCML, how legislation changed the hierarchy of the planning framework, and identifies areas where improvements could be made.  
The RCML introduces a ‘Vision and Strategy’ as a National Policy Statement for the area of the region within the Waikato River Catchment.  The ‘Vision and Strategy’ comprises 13 statements that are the Vision and 12 statements that are the strategy, collectively referred to as stratagems.  The research assesses each plan and policy statement within the Waikato River catchment to determine the nature and level of incorporation of the 25 stratagems of ‘Vision and Strategy’.
A new approach in planning is the requirement for the use of Maatauranga Maaori along with western science, the Māori and western science worldviews.  These worldviews are discussed.  Three Models that use Maatauranga Maaori principles are described.  The purpose of this has been to begin a discussion on the basis of another perspective in future plan and policy making that included better provisions based on the Maatauranga Maaori worldview.
The Planning Under a Co-operative Mandate (PUCM) project assisted in identify criteria against which to assess the regional and district plans and regional policy statement, their quality, comprehensiveness of inclusion of the ‘Vision and Strategy’ stratagems, and the required cascading nature of Objective policies and methods that are contain in the plans and regional policy statement.   
Key findings were that the provisions or inclusion of the ‘Vision and Strategy’ Stratagems was mixed, high in the case of scientifically quantifiable matters and poor and non-existent where matters to be included were less able to be quantified and qualified in a western science worldview.  The strengths and weakness of including the ‘Vision and Strategy’ Stratagems varied and the strength of that inclusion was identified.
A consequential finding was the overall quality of the plans themselves.  The first PUCM report to government in 2001 on plan quality, scored all six districts and regional plans below 50%.  Using PUCM project criteria to assess the degree to which the Stratagems were included in the plans in 2016 showed a similar result.  The consequential findings also found confusion over the nature of good objective, policy and method drafting.  It also found significant lack of cascading from objectives through policies to methods.

text: River Co-management and Planning in the Waikato: An Analysis of Regional and District Plans and Regional Policy Statement Compliance, and a New Approach to Plan Preparation The Waikato River is one of New Zealand most significant rivers.  It is an ancestor to one Iwi, significant to four other Iwi generates most of the country’s hydroelectricity and provides large amount of potable water to municipalities.
In 2010 and 2012 three Acts of parliament established the framework for the restoration and protection of the Waikato River Catchment.  It did so in three ways.  The River Co-Management Legislation (RCML) has significantly added to the policy framework under the Resource Management Act 1991 for the Waikato Regional and six Districts.  It introduced the requirement for co-management of decision-making at policy and regulatory approvals, and established the Waikato River Authority which manages a $270 million Clean-Up fund.
This research outlines the provisions of the three statutes that comprise the RCML, how legislation changed the hierarchy of the planning framework, and identifies areas where improvements could be made.  
The RCML introduces a ‘Vision and Strategy’ as a National Policy Statement for the area of the region within the Waikato River Catchment.  The ‘Vision and Strategy’ comprises 13 statements that are the Vision and 12 statements that are the strategy, collectively referred to as stratagems.  The research assesses each plan and policy statement within the Waikato River catchment to determine the nature and level of incorporation of the 25 stratagems of ‘Vision and Strategy’.
A new approach in planning is the requirement for the use of Maatauranga Maaori along with western science, the Māori and western science worldviews.  These worldviews are discussed.  Three Models that use Maatauranga Maaori principles are described.  The purpose of this has been to begin a discussion on the basis of another perspective in future plan and policy making that included better provisions based on the Maatauranga Maaori worldview.
The Planning Under a Co-operative Mandate (PUCM) project assisted in identify criteria against which to assess the regional and district plans and regional policy statement, their quality, comprehensiveness of inclusion of the ‘Vision and Strategy’ stratagems, and the required cascading nature of Objective policies and methods that are contain in the plans and regional policy statement.   
Key findings were that the provisions or inclusion of the ‘Vision and Strategy’ Stratagems was mixed, high in the case of scientifically quantifiable matters and poor and non-existent where matters to be included were less able to be quantified and qualified in a western science worldview.  The strengths and weakness of including the ‘Vision and Strategy’ Stratagems varied and the strength of that inclusion was identified.
A consequential finding was the overall quality of the plans themselves.  The first PUCM report to government in 2001 on plan quality, scored all six districts and regional plans below 50%.  Using PUCM project criteria to assess the degree to which the Stratagems were included in the plans in 2016 showed a similar result.  The consequential findings also found confusion over the nature of good objective, policy and method drafting.  It also found significant lack of cascading from objectives through policies to methods.

year: 2017