title: Comfort zone: Model or metaphor?

authors: Brown, Mike

subjects: adventure education

abstract: The comfort zone model is widespread within adventure education literature. It is based on the belief that when placed in a stressful situation people will respond by overcoming their fear and therefore grow as individuals. This model is often
presented to participants prior to activities with a highly perceived sense of risk and challenge which arouses strong emotional and physical responses to novel tasks (e.g., ropes courses or rock climbing activities). Students are encouraged to think about
‘stretching themselves’ by moving outside their comfort zone, to expand their preconceived limits and by inference learn (and become better people). This paper explores theories from cognitive and social psychology, based on the work of Piaget
and Festinger respectively, that underpin the comfort zone model. The perpetuation of this model which uses risk to promote situations of disequilibrium/dissonance does not find strong support in educational literature. It is therefore suggested that the comfort zone model be reframed as a metaphor, for possible discussion post activity, rather than being used as a model to
underpin programming and pedagogy in adventure education settings.

text: Comfort zone: Model or metaphor? The comfort zone model is widespread within adventure education literature. It is based on the belief that when placed in a stressful situation people will respond by overcoming their fear and therefore grow as individuals. This model is often
presented to participants prior to activities with a highly perceived sense of risk and challenge which arouses strong emotional and physical responses to novel tasks (e.g., ropes courses or rock climbing activities). Students are encouraged to think about
‘stretching themselves’ by moving outside their comfort zone, to expand their preconceived limits and by inference learn (and become better people). This paper explores theories from cognitive and social psychology, based on the work of Piaget
and Festinger respectively, that underpin the comfort zone model. The perpetuation of this model which uses risk to promote situations of disequilibrium/dissonance does not find strong support in educational literature. It is therefore suggested that the comfort zone model be reframed as a metaphor, for possible discussion post activity, rather than being used as a model to
underpin programming and pedagogy in adventure education settings.

year: 2008

title: Cloning of the IL-1β3 gene and IL-1β4 pseudogene in salmonids uncovers a second type of IL-1β gene in teleost fish

authors: Husain, Mansourah

subjects: Atlantic salmon

abstract: To date two closely related interleukin-1β genes (IL-1β1 and IL-β2) have been found in salmonids. The cloning of trout and salmon IL-1β3., and a salmon IL-1β4 pseudogene reveals that two types of IL-1β genes exist in teleost species. Type I teleost IL-1β genes, including salmonid IL-1β3, share a similar 6 coding exon structure as in tetrapods. Type II teleost IL-1β genes, e.g. salmonid IL-1β1-2, lack one or two coding exons at their 5'-end, and share higher identities within this subgroup than within the type I subgroup. Both types of IL-1β genes have been found in species of Salmoniformes, Perciformes and Beloniformes, suggesting the divergence occurred early in teleost evolution. Trout IL-1β3 is highly expressed in ovary suggesting a role in reproduction. A relatively high constitutive expression in gills, spleen and kidney and the up-regulation by PAMPs, proinflammatory cytokines and viral infection suggests IL-1β3 also has a role in inflammation and host defence.

text: Cloning of the IL-1β3 gene and IL-1β4 pseudogene in salmonids uncovers a second type of IL-1β gene in teleost fish To date two closely related interleukin-1β genes (IL-1β1 and IL-β2) have been found in salmonids. The cloning of trout and salmon IL-1β3., and a salmon IL-1β4 pseudogene reveals that two types of IL-1β genes exist in teleost species. Type I teleost IL-1β genes, including salmonid IL-1β3, share a similar 6 coding exon structure as in tetrapods. Type II teleost IL-1β genes, e.g. salmonid IL-1β1-2, lack one or two coding exons at their 5'-end, and share higher identities within this subgroup than within the type I subgroup. Both types of IL-1β genes have been found in species of Salmoniformes, Perciformes and Beloniformes, suggesting the divergence occurred early in teleost evolution. Trout IL-1β3 is highly expressed in ovary suggesting a role in reproduction. A relatively high constitutive expression in gills, spleen and kidney and the up-regulation by PAMPs, proinflammatory cytokines and viral infection suggests IL-1β3 also has a role in inflammation and host defence.

year: 2012

title: Linking land, river and moana: Collaborative research between Te Whakatōhea and Lincoln University within the coastal rohe

authors: Morris, Richard

abstract: In the eastern Bay of Plenty, where the land yields to the Pacific and the Waioeka and Ōtara Rivers meet Te Moana aToi (the Bay of Plenty), a research partnership is flourishing between Te Whakatōhea iwi, Lincoln University Centre of Excellence Designing Future Productive Landscape (DFPL), and Waikato University. This collaboration has grown over several years into a suite of multidisciplinary research projects focused on agricultural systems design, urban planning, and climate resilience. While distinct in their objectives, these research threads are united by a deeper, unavoidable theme: the interconnection between whenua (land), awa (river), and moana (sea). For Te Whakatōhea, these are not separate domains but a continuous space of identity, sustenance, and economy, an ethos that sits well with DFPL.

text: Linking land, river and moana: Collaborative research between Te Whakatōhea and Lincoln University within the coastal rohe In the eastern Bay of Plenty, where the land yields to the Pacific and the Waioeka and Ōtara Rivers meet Te Moana aToi (the Bay of Plenty), a research partnership is flourishing between Te Whakatōhea iwi, Lincoln University Centre of Excellence Designing Future Productive Landscape (DFPL), and Waikato University. This collaboration has grown over several years into a suite of multidisciplinary research projects focused on agricultural systems design, urban planning, and climate resilience. While distinct in their objectives, these research threads are united by a deeper, unavoidable theme: the interconnection between whenua (land), awa (river), and moana (sea). For Te Whakatōhea, these are not separate domains but a continuous space of identity, sustenance, and economy, an ethos that sits well with DFPL.

year: 2025-11