title: Middle leaders dialogic practices: Facilitating professional learning for research academics in higher education settings

authors: Petrie, Kirsten Culhane

subjects: dialogic practices

abstract: Professional learning for academics is an important facet for teaching development in higher education. Facilitating this development work for research-intensive academics across different faculties is sometimes delegated to middle leaders. The practices of middle leaders in such situations where research academics have little experience or education for their role as teachers are undeniably complex. In this paper we present research examining a case study of dialogue practices encountered and promoted in a professional learning group in a higher education setting in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this case a middle leader responsible for leading professional learning created an intersubjective space where purposive dialogues helped facilitate shared learning about teaching practices for research-focused academics from the biological sciences. Analysis of the middle leader’s talk moves demonstrates that the dialogic practices of the middle leader create conditions for establishing genuine collegial collaboration, a pedagogically focused space and tentative knowledge building. These practices allow dialogues to be responsive to participants’ varied levels of experience and progress in becoming conscious of what is ‘best fit practice’ for their own tertiary teaching. Implications for providers of tertiary teaching development are proposed.

text: Middle leaders dialogic practices: Facilitating professional learning for research academics in higher education settings Professional learning for academics is an important facet for teaching development in higher education. Facilitating this development work for research-intensive academics across different faculties is sometimes delegated to middle leaders. The practices of middle leaders in such situations where research academics have little experience or education for their role as teachers are undeniably complex. In this paper we present research examining a case study of dialogue practices encountered and promoted in a professional learning group in a higher education setting in Aotearoa New Zealand. In this case a middle leader responsible for leading professional learning created an intersubjective space where purposive dialogues helped facilitate shared learning about teaching practices for research-focused academics from the biological sciences. Analysis of the middle leader’s talk moves demonstrates that the dialogic practices of the middle leader create conditions for establishing genuine collegial collaboration, a pedagogically focused space and tentative knowledge building. These practices allow dialogues to be responsive to participants’ varied levels of experience and progress in becoming conscious of what is ‘best fit practice’ for their own tertiary teaching. Implications for providers of tertiary teaching development are proposed.

year: 2025

title: Infra-red vision in ferrets (Mustela furo)

authors: Newbold, Haylie Goldene

subjects: ferret

abstract: Ferrets are labelled Unwanted Organisms under the Biosecurity Act (1993) due to their predation on New Zealand's native protected species and their status as potential vectors of Bovine Tuberculosis. There was suspicion that ferrets could detect the infrared light-emitting equipment used to monitor predator and prey behaviour. A two-alternative forced-choice operant procedure was used to test whether five pigmented male ferrets could detect infrared (870 and 920 nm) light. 
First, the ferrets were taught to press a lever under a lit visible (white) light emitting diode (LED) for food rewards. After up to 101 40-minute sessions, each ferret could lever press under the lit-light at or above the pass criteria of 75% responses over four consecutive (or five out of six) sessions. 
The same ferrets were then tested for stimulus generalisation over different stimulus properties by changing the wavelength/colour and intensity of the lit-light. The overall mean accuracy of each ferret's response to each coloured light varied between 92% and 84%. When a red light was systematically dimmed to halve the intensity nine times, all five ferrets still met the set pass criteria with overall accuracies of between 88% and 78%. This indicated that changing the properties of the light stimuli would not disrupt the ferrets' abilities to perform the learned task. This test was a necessary prerequisite before changing the light stimuli to potentially invisible wavelengths in the infrared spectrum.
The light stimulus was changed to a single infrared (870) nm LED. Two of five ferrets showed strong evidence (response accuracies of 77%   4 and 72%   2) and one ferret showed weak evidence (60%   3) that they could see the light at this wavelength. Extraneous cues such as ultrasound emitted at the onset of a stimulus light or a predictable schedule of reinforcement were eliminated as potential response cues. These tests helped to prove that the ferrets were using only the light stimulus to discriminate which stimulus was lit. It may be possible that at least some feral ferrets can detect the light produced from infrared monitoring equipment that emits light wavelengths at or below 870 nm. This has significant implications for conservation because infrared equipment is used by conservation agencies in New Zealand and overseas to monitor predator and prey behaviour in the wild. If the infrared lighting is detected by the subject being observed, then it may potentially influence the behaviour of the animal, or attract a predator towards threatened native species.

text: Infra-red vision in ferrets (Mustela furo) Ferrets are labelled Unwanted Organisms under the Biosecurity Act (1993) due to their predation on New Zealand's native protected species and their status as potential vectors of Bovine Tuberculosis. There was suspicion that ferrets could detect the infrared light-emitting equipment used to monitor predator and prey behaviour. A two-alternative forced-choice operant procedure was used to test whether five pigmented male ferrets could detect infrared (870 and 920 nm) light. 
First, the ferrets were taught to press a lever under a lit visible (white) light emitting diode (LED) for food rewards. After up to 101 40-minute sessions, each ferret could lever press under the lit-light at or above the pass criteria of 75% responses over four consecutive (or five out of six) sessions. 
The same ferrets were then tested for stimulus generalisation over different stimulus properties by changing the wavelength/colour and intensity of the lit-light. The overall mean accuracy of each ferret's response to each coloured light varied between 92% and 84%. When a red light was systematically dimmed to halve the intensity nine times, all five ferrets still met the set pass criteria with overall accuracies of between 88% and 78%. This indicated that changing the properties of the light stimuli would not disrupt the ferrets' abilities to perform the learned task. This test was a necessary prerequisite before changing the light stimuli to potentially invisible wavelengths in the infrared spectrum.
The light stimulus was changed to a single infrared (870) nm LED. Two of five ferrets showed strong evidence (response accuracies of 77%   4 and 72%   2) and one ferret showed weak evidence (60%   3) that they could see the light at this wavelength. Extraneous cues such as ultrasound emitted at the onset of a stimulus light or a predictable schedule of reinforcement were eliminated as potential response cues. These tests helped to prove that the ferrets were using only the light stimulus to discriminate which stimulus was lit. It may be possible that at least some feral ferrets can detect the light produced from infrared monitoring equipment that emits light wavelengths at or below 870 nm. This has significant implications for conservation because infrared equipment is used by conservation agencies in New Zealand and overseas to monitor predator and prey behaviour in the wild. If the infrared lighting is detected by the subject being observed, then it may potentially influence the behaviour of the animal, or attract a predator towards threatened native species.

year: 2007

title: Iwi sex ratios in the New Zealand population census: Why are women so dominant?

authors: Kukutai, Tahu

abstract: Recent census-based studies of iwi (tribal) population growth have revealed a high degree of volatility that cannot be explained by demographic factors alone. Although focused on a small number of iwi, these studies have shown that changing patterns of identification are an important driver of iwi population growth, and that the propensity to identify with an iwi appears to be much stronger among Māori women than men. Thus, the vast majority of iwi in the census have far more females than males, and female domination has increased over time. This paper describes the key features of female-favoured iwi sex ratios in the census and explores possible explanations. Focusing on sex ratios for the ten largest iwi, we find that female domination is highest in the 25–44 age group, and that this pattern is consistent over time. Further analysis shows that Māori women aged 25–34 years are more likely than their male counterparts to know detailed aspects of their pepeha (tribal identity), to explore whakapapa (genealogy) and to speak te reo Māori. Our results underscore the importance of Māori women as cultural connectors within their whānau, as well as in a broader iwi context.

text: Iwi sex ratios in the New Zealand population census: Why are women so dominant? Recent census-based studies of iwi (tribal) population growth have revealed a high degree of volatility that cannot be explained by demographic factors alone. Although focused on a small number of iwi, these studies have shown that changing patterns of identification are an important driver of iwi population growth, and that the propensity to identify with an iwi appears to be much stronger among Māori women than men. Thus, the vast majority of iwi in the census have far more females than males, and female domination has increased over time. This paper describes the key features of female-favoured iwi sex ratios in the census and explores possible explanations. Focusing on sex ratios for the ten largest iwi, we find that female domination is highest in the 25–44 age group, and that this pattern is consistent over time. Further analysis shows that Māori women aged 25–34 years are more likely than their male counterparts to know detailed aspects of their pepeha (tribal identity), to explore whakapapa (genealogy) and to speak te reo Māori. Our results underscore the importance of Māori women as cultural connectors within their whānau, as well as in a broader iwi context.

year: 2017