title: Culturally responsive teaching in a globalized world

authors: Volante, Louis

abstract: In an increasingly diverse global education landscape, culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is vital for equitable learning. CRT involves recognizing and incorporating students' cultural backgrounds in teaching practices. While current discussions emphasize the need for diverse role models and experiences in classrooms, a crucial aspect often overlooked is the development of culturally responsive assessment and evaluation practices. Education systems and teachers must adapt assessment strategies to boost student success. The imbalance between student and teacher diversity underscores the necessity of attracting a more representative demographic of teachers. Targeted recruitment efforts, enrollment targets, and specialized programs for underrepresented groups are strategies to enhance teacher diversity. However, with changing student demographics, providing relevant cultural training and professional development for teachers becomes imperative. Such training should move beyond traditional multicultural education, adopting a multi-dimensional approach that integrates content from diverse cultures and examines how cultural identity impacts learning. The importance of assessment literacy, the ability to use assessment to support learning, is highlighted. Assessment, traditionally used as a measure of final learning, should be incorporated throughout learning stages to provide meaningful feedback. Teachers need culturally responsive frameworks for fair assessment, emphasizing the need to combine CRT with attention to responsive assessment practices. Without addressing assessment practices, CRT's success in creating inclusive classrooms may be limited.

text: Culturally responsive teaching in a globalized world In an increasingly diverse global education landscape, culturally responsive teaching (CRT) is vital for equitable learning. CRT involves recognizing and incorporating students' cultural backgrounds in teaching practices. While current discussions emphasize the need for diverse role models and experiences in classrooms, a crucial aspect often overlooked is the development of culturally responsive assessment and evaluation practices. Education systems and teachers must adapt assessment strategies to boost student success. The imbalance between student and teacher diversity underscores the necessity of attracting a more representative demographic of teachers. Targeted recruitment efforts, enrollment targets, and specialized programs for underrepresented groups are strategies to enhance teacher diversity. However, with changing student demographics, providing relevant cultural training and professional development for teachers becomes imperative. Such training should move beyond traditional multicultural education, adopting a multi-dimensional approach that integrates content from diverse cultures and examines how cultural identity impacts learning. The importance of assessment literacy, the ability to use assessment to support learning, is highlighted. Assessment, traditionally used as a measure of final learning, should be incorporated throughout learning stages to provide meaningful feedback. Teachers need culturally responsive frameworks for fair assessment, emphasizing the need to combine CRT with attention to responsive assessment practices. Without addressing assessment practices, CRT's success in creating inclusive classrooms may be limited.

year: 2019-01-24

title: Brews and blooms: Development of a novel seaweed biostimulant supporting sustainable primary industry practices

authors: Robertson, Holly A.

abstract: With a growing global population and increasing needs for environmentally friendly food production, novel technologies and products are required to increase food production sustainably. In this regard, seaweed biostimulants are an innovative tool to improve crop growth and yield. However, seaweed biomass is typically obtained through wild harvest or collection of beach cast, with challenges around the consistency of quality and reliability of supply. Furthermore, common manufacturing methods can have issues with high chemical input, loss of potentially important compounds, and cost. Therefore, this thesis aims to develop a seaweed biostimulant utilising the cultivated seaweed Ulva stenophylloides and a novel low-input fermentation method. This research covers optimisation of fermentation parameters and detailed compositional characterisation of the resulting products (Chapter 2), and the quantification of the effect of selected ferments on growth and yield in plants in hydroponics systems (Chapter 3) and in potted soil (Chapter 4).
The fermentation parameters: biomass loading, sucrose input, and incubation temperature were optimised. The initial sucrose input had the largest impact on fermentation progression and success, and was the main driver in resulting glucose content, total dissolved solids, pH, and pellicle yield. Excluding treatments with low biomass loadings, treatments with low and medium sucrose inputs reached completion and treatments with high sucrose inputs did not. As indicated by residual glucose, high biomass loadings provided valuable nutrients for microbial growth and high incubation temperatures were optimal for microbial growth. A range of nutrients were extracted from the seaweed biomass, but concentrations were insufficient as a sole nutrient source for plants based on chemical analyses. High biomass loadings were the main driver in the yield of protein and the sulfated polysaccharide ulvan, which both may modulate gene expression and induce metabolic changes in plants. High incubation temperature was the main driver for the yield of the auxin phenylacetic acid and indicates the production of other possible plant growth stimulating microbial biochemicals at high temperatures. 
Of the four ferments selected for further testing by ferment progression and chemical composition, ferment four (high biomass loading, mid-range sucrose loading, and high incubation temperature) was the best performing biostimulant tested on mung bean seedlings in hydroponics; at a 1 % (v/v) dose, plant fresh and dry weight were increased by 15 and 16 %, respectively, and the most root growth was generated. An auxin-like effect was not detected at any biostimulant dose. At a 1 % dose, an interactive effect with fertiliser was demonstrated in tomato seedling root number. A 2 % dose of biostimulant had adverse impacts on root growth over multiple root growth assays. When applied to potted tomato plants, inconclusive results were obtained in growth and yield due to sub-optimal application volumes and growing conditions that require further method development and retesting.
Overall, this thesis advances knowledge in seaweed biostimulant manufacturing utilising U. stenophylloides with a fermentation production method. These results warrant further investigation into refinement of plant assays and growing conditions, the composition of the ferments through metabolomics and microbial identification, and the biostimulant effects on soil.

text: Brews and blooms: Development of a novel seaweed biostimulant supporting sustainable primary industry practices With a growing global population and increasing needs for environmentally friendly food production, novel technologies and products are required to increase food production sustainably. In this regard, seaweed biostimulants are an innovative tool to improve crop growth and yield. However, seaweed biomass is typically obtained through wild harvest or collection of beach cast, with challenges around the consistency of quality and reliability of supply. Furthermore, common manufacturing methods can have issues with high chemical input, loss of potentially important compounds, and cost. Therefore, this thesis aims to develop a seaweed biostimulant utilising the cultivated seaweed Ulva stenophylloides and a novel low-input fermentation method. This research covers optimisation of fermentation parameters and detailed compositional characterisation of the resulting products (Chapter 2), and the quantification of the effect of selected ferments on growth and yield in plants in hydroponics systems (Chapter 3) and in potted soil (Chapter 4).
The fermentation parameters: biomass loading, sucrose input, and incubation temperature were optimised. The initial sucrose input had the largest impact on fermentation progression and success, and was the main driver in resulting glucose content, total dissolved solids, pH, and pellicle yield. Excluding treatments with low biomass loadings, treatments with low and medium sucrose inputs reached completion and treatments with high sucrose inputs did not. As indicated by residual glucose, high biomass loadings provided valuable nutrients for microbial growth and high incubation temperatures were optimal for microbial growth. A range of nutrients were extracted from the seaweed biomass, but concentrations were insufficient as a sole nutrient source for plants based on chemical analyses. High biomass loadings were the main driver in the yield of protein and the sulfated polysaccharide ulvan, which both may modulate gene expression and induce metabolic changes in plants. High incubation temperature was the main driver for the yield of the auxin phenylacetic acid and indicates the production of other possible plant growth stimulating microbial biochemicals at high temperatures. 
Of the four ferments selected for further testing by ferment progression and chemical composition, ferment four (high biomass loading, mid-range sucrose loading, and high incubation temperature) was the best performing biostimulant tested on mung bean seedlings in hydroponics; at a 1 % (v/v) dose, plant fresh and dry weight were increased by 15 and 16 %, respectively, and the most root growth was generated. An auxin-like effect was not detected at any biostimulant dose. At a 1 % dose, an interactive effect with fertiliser was demonstrated in tomato seedling root number. A 2 % dose of biostimulant had adverse impacts on root growth over multiple root growth assays. When applied to potted tomato plants, inconclusive results were obtained in growth and yield due to sub-optimal application volumes and growing conditions that require further method development and retesting.
Overall, this thesis advances knowledge in seaweed biostimulant manufacturing utilising U. stenophylloides with a fermentation production method. These results warrant further investigation into refinement of plant assays and growing conditions, the composition of the ferments through metabolomics and microbial identification, and the biostimulant effects on soil.

year: 2024

title: Creating an environment to inform, build, and sustain a Māori health research workforce

authors: Barrett, Nikki Maree

subjects: Kaupapa Māori

abstract: Ensuring the growth and development of the Māori health research workforce is key to achieving health equity for Māori and enabling positive change for all New Zealanders. The purpose of this study was to identify enablers and barriers to research for Māori staff in a large health organisation, and to understand how research is developed and undertaken. A Kaupapa Māori mixed-methods study was undertaken, using an electronic survey comprised of quantitative data and open-ended responses delivered to all Māori staff at the Waikato District Health Board. Following the survey were 10 one on one interviews. Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and open-ended responses summarised. A descriptive thematic analysis was undertaken of the interview data. Each of the interview responses was coded and five themes emerged. Frontline Māori staff affirmed their desire to conduct, design, and undertake health research. Challenges to staff included a lack of information on research opportunities, unclear processes for initiating research, and lack of support and resource. The evidence from participants provides insights into Māori health research priorities, considerations for those wanting to undertake research, and solutions for informing, building, and sustaining the Māori health research workforce.

text: Creating an environment to inform, build, and sustain a Māori health research workforce Ensuring the growth and development of the Māori health research workforce is key to achieving health equity for Māori and enabling positive change for all New Zealanders. The purpose of this study was to identify enablers and barriers to research for Māori staff in a large health organisation, and to understand how research is developed and undertaken. A Kaupapa Māori mixed-methods study was undertaken, using an electronic survey comprised of quantitative data and open-ended responses delivered to all Māori staff at the Waikato District Health Board. Following the survey were 10 one on one interviews. Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and open-ended responses summarised. A descriptive thematic analysis was undertaken of the interview data. Each of the interview responses was coded and five themes emerged. Frontline Māori staff affirmed their desire to conduct, design, and undertake health research. Challenges to staff included a lack of information on research opportunities, unclear processes for initiating research, and lack of support and resource. The evidence from participants provides insights into Māori health research priorities, considerations for those wanting to undertake research, and solutions for informing, building, and sustaining the Māori health research workforce.

year: 2023