title: Climate change made record breaking early season heat in Argentina and Paraguay about 60 times more likely

authors: Rivera, Juan Antonio

abstract: Heatwaves are a regular occurrence in Paraguay and Argentina and as the attribution analysis indicates, these types of events are increasing in frequency and intensity, which adds urgency to the need to adapt to this new normal. Investments in improving heat early warning systems, urban planning for heat, and behavioural change communication can help to reduce heat impacts now and in the future.

text: Climate change made record breaking early season heat in Argentina and Paraguay about 60 times more likely Heatwaves are a regular occurrence in Paraguay and Argentina and as the attribution analysis indicates, these types of events are increasing in frequency and intensity, which adds urgency to the need to adapt to this new normal. Investments in improving heat early warning systems, urban planning for heat, and behavioural change communication can help to reduce heat impacts now and in the future.

year: 2022-12-21

title: Effect of pore forming agents on geopolymer porosity and mechanical properties

authors: Kaliappan, Suresh K.

abstract: Generation of industrial waste materials such as fly ash and slag in bulk provides an opportunity to convert these wastes into eco-friendly, value-added products. A geopolymer, a strong, porous and environmentally friendly material, was synthesized by mixing fly-ash with an alkaline activator, followed by addition of a pore forming agent (PFA) which created voids of varied pore sizes within the mixture. This polymer has potential applications as an adsorbent or membrane material; however, there is no established technology to regulate the pore size. Corn oil, waste palm oil and starch were investigated as potential organic additives to produce geopolymer materials with pore sizes suitable for water treatment membranes. Geopolymer without additives had a compressive strength of 30.93 MPa. Corn oil induced the highest porosity of up to 26.6 % with a compressive strength of 9.9 MPa, waste palm oil at 21.3 % and 9.0 MPa and starch at 17.9 % and 20.41 MPa. SEM analysis revealed that the voids and tunnels formation increased with increased PFA dosage.

text: Effect of pore forming agents on geopolymer porosity and mechanical properties Generation of industrial waste materials such as fly ash and slag in bulk provides an opportunity to convert these wastes into eco-friendly, value-added products. A geopolymer, a strong, porous and environmentally friendly material, was synthesized by mixing fly-ash with an alkaline activator, followed by addition of a pore forming agent (PFA) which created voids of varied pore sizes within the mixture. This polymer has potential applications as an adsorbent or membrane material; however, there is no established technology to regulate the pore size. Corn oil, waste palm oil and starch were investigated as potential organic additives to produce geopolymer materials with pore sizes suitable for water treatment membranes. Geopolymer without additives had a compressive strength of 30.93 MPa. Corn oil induced the highest porosity of up to 26.6 % with a compressive strength of 9.9 MPa, waste palm oil at 21.3 % and 9.0 MPa and starch at 17.9 % and 20.41 MPa. SEM analysis revealed that the voids and tunnels formation increased with increased PFA dosage.

year: 2018

title: Can te ao Māori worldviews exist within a western institute’s online teaching and learning environment?

authors: Hudson, Petera Whaiao

subjects: whakawhanaungatanga

abstract: Tertiary institutions in Aotearoa (New Zealand) offer students online teaching and learning papers across a variety of disciplines. The purpose of this research was to examine whether online teaching and learning environments in a tertiary institute provide opportunities to create conditions that promote te ao Māori (a Māori world view) aspirations for Māori scholars. Following a critical review of selected literature on how technologies and its pedagogical implications can realise cultural, educational, political and social aspirations in an online environment (see Chapter 2), the ethical practices according to Kaupapa Māori theory methodology, whakawhanaungatanga and spiral discourse is outlined (see Chapter 3). These practices together with spiral discourse and conversation analysis, were used to analyse the factors that facilitated or hindered optimal conditions that promoted teacher and student aspirations in the online environment (see Chapter 4). That analysis, conducted in relation to a number of focus points, revealed that when Māori practices of tikanga and ako pedagogy were applied in this realm, Māori scholars experienced the fulfilment of personal aspirations. Participants also experienced positive outcomes when whanaungatanga, the creation of interrelationships relationships between Māori students and teachers, whānau, friends, colleagues, was a focus together with good support facilities and services, and quality resources. This research supports the conclusion that online teaching and learning environments in a tertiary institute can provide opportunities to create conditions that promote te ao Māori aspirations for Māori scholars. Further investigations are needed to unravel the types and nature of the interrelationships between ako Māori pedagogies and the student and teacher, and whanaungatanga between students and other students that facilitate conditions that promoted Māori aspirations in an online environment.

text: Can te ao Māori worldviews exist within a western institute’s online teaching and learning environment? Tertiary institutions in Aotearoa (New Zealand) offer students online teaching and learning papers across a variety of disciplines. The purpose of this research was to examine whether online teaching and learning environments in a tertiary institute provide opportunities to create conditions that promote te ao Māori (a Māori world view) aspirations for Māori scholars. Following a critical review of selected literature on how technologies and its pedagogical implications can realise cultural, educational, political and social aspirations in an online environment (see Chapter 2), the ethical practices according to Kaupapa Māori theory methodology, whakawhanaungatanga and spiral discourse is outlined (see Chapter 3). These practices together with spiral discourse and conversation analysis, were used to analyse the factors that facilitated or hindered optimal conditions that promoted teacher and student aspirations in the online environment (see Chapter 4). That analysis, conducted in relation to a number of focus points, revealed that when Māori practices of tikanga and ako pedagogy were applied in this realm, Māori scholars experienced the fulfilment of personal aspirations. Participants also experienced positive outcomes when whanaungatanga, the creation of interrelationships relationships between Māori students and teachers, whānau, friends, colleagues, was a focus together with good support facilities and services, and quality resources. This research supports the conclusion that online teaching and learning environments in a tertiary institute can provide opportunities to create conditions that promote te ao Māori aspirations for Māori scholars. Further investigations are needed to unravel the types and nature of the interrelationships between ako Māori pedagogies and the student and teacher, and whanaungatanga between students and other students that facilitate conditions that promoted Māori aspirations in an online environment.

year: 2020