title: Specification and interpretation issues in behavioural models used for environmental assessment

authors: Hess, Stephane

subjects: transport

abstract: While the environmental damage caused by transport is the direct result of engineering design – the use of mechanical vehicles largely propelled by fossil fuels – it is human behaviour that influences the way transport is used and the infrastructure that is provided. There has been a tendency in the past to seek technological solutions to environmental problems, and there is clearly a continuing role for policies that foster this approach. But more recently, over the past 20 years or so, there has been a recognition that changing the ways transport is used, as well as the physical nature of the hardware, is at least as important. In both cases, however, there is a need to understand the responses of society to alternative policies. This entails, at one level, insights into the likely reaction of people to alternative policies – basically good forecasting models. At another level, that of project and policy evaluation, there is a need to understand the values that society puts on environmental improvement.

text: Specification and interpretation issues in behavioural models used for environmental assessment While the environmental damage caused by transport is the direct result of engineering design – the use of mechanical vehicles largely propelled by fossil fuels – it is human behaviour that influences the way transport is used and the infrastructure that is provided. There has been a tendency in the past to seek technological solutions to environmental problems, and there is clearly a continuing role for policies that foster this approach. But more recently, over the past 20 years or so, there has been a recognition that changing the ways transport is used, as well as the physical nature of the hardware, is at least as important. In both cases, however, there is a need to understand the responses of society to alternative policies. This entails, at one level, insights into the likely reaction of people to alternative policies – basically good forecasting models. At another level, that of project and policy evaluation, there is a need to understand the values that society puts on environmental improvement.

year: 2010

title: What about talented students? An exploratory study.

authors: Rubie-Davies, Christine

abstract: This study was the final phase in a three-phase project. The first phase was exploratory in design and explored across four faculties, what support existed for high achieving students. The second phase introduced the intervention outlined below to one faculty in which there were no supports for high achieving students. The current phase introduced the same intervention across three contexts and was designed to support the learning of talented undergraduate students in tertiary settings. The study was based in three institutions: The Universities of Auckland and Waikato (based in the Faculties of Education) and Massey University (based in the College of Sciences).
Students whose Grade Point Average (GPA) was above 7.0 (i.e., students’ whose overall grade across all their courses was in the A range) were identified in the respective institutions and invited to take part. Of those (N = 496), 126 students chose to take part. The intervention had five components:
1) A congratulatory letter sent to all undergraduate students receiving a GPA above 7.0 across all their courses
2) An invitation to a morning or afternoon tea
3) Invitations to all research seminars and presentations (normally reserved for staff and
postgraduate students)
4) The opportunity to work alongside an academic on a research project
5) Acting as academic mentors for other undergraduate students
Quantitative data were gathered at the beginning of the study in order to determine differences among groups represented in the sample. Students (n = 55) were interviewed about their backgrounds, why they considered they had been identified, factors they believed had helped or hindered their learning, and perceptions of university support for their learning. Following the intervention student views on its success were sought in a questionnaire and focus group interview.

text: What about talented students? An exploratory study. This study was the final phase in a three-phase project. The first phase was exploratory in design and explored across four faculties, what support existed for high achieving students. The second phase introduced the intervention outlined below to one faculty in which there were no supports for high achieving students. The current phase introduced the same intervention across three contexts and was designed to support the learning of talented undergraduate students in tertiary settings. The study was based in three institutions: The Universities of Auckland and Waikato (based in the Faculties of Education) and Massey University (based in the College of Sciences).
Students whose Grade Point Average (GPA) was above 7.0 (i.e., students’ whose overall grade across all their courses was in the A range) were identified in the respective institutions and invited to take part. Of those (N = 496), 126 students chose to take part. The intervention had five components:
1) A congratulatory letter sent to all undergraduate students receiving a GPA above 7.0 across all their courses
2) An invitation to a morning or afternoon tea
3) Invitations to all research seminars and presentations (normally reserved for staff and
postgraduate students)
4) The opportunity to work alongside an academic on a research project
5) Acting as academic mentors for other undergraduate students
Quantitative data were gathered at the beginning of the study in order to determine differences among groups represented in the sample. Students (n = 55) were interviewed about their backgrounds, why they considered they had been identified, factors they believed had helped or hindered their learning, and perceptions of university support for their learning. Following the intervention student views on its success were sought in a questionnaire and focus group interview.

year: 2015

title: Old bones tell new tales

authors: Lowe, David J.

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: Of all the so-called evidence that has been presented in support of human settlement in New Zealand before the second millennium, only a set of radiocarbon-dated rat bones has appeared scientifically credible. Now even that is coming under close scrutiny.

text: Old bones tell new tales Of all the so-called evidence that has been presented in support of human settlement in New Zealand before the second millennium, only a set of radiocarbon-dated rat bones has appeared scientifically credible. Now even that is coming under close scrutiny.

year: 2006