title: Exploring the beliefs and practices of first year teachers of literacy in New Zealand primary schools

authors: Carss, Wendy Diane

subjects: literacy education

abstract: The teaching of literacy presents ongoing and complex challenges for first-year teachers at the primary level as they strive to address the diverse social and cultural backgrounds of their students, the requirements of educational policy and the demands of national assessment regimes. This journey is further complicated by the need to develop pedagogy that promotes discerning use of complex multimodal texts, both print and digital, in order to prepare students for the multiliterate demands of current and future societies. 
This doctoral thesis provides an in-depth exploration of the journeys of nine beginning teachers as they develop and establish their teaching of literacy practices during their first year of teaching in New Zealand primary classrooms. The participants had all completed the same three-year Bachelor of Teaching degree and secured positions in a diverse range of New Zealand schools.  They were fully responsible for the literacy learning of their students in relation to planning, teaching and assessment, while working towards full registration. 
The study sought to explore how the beliefs and practices of these beginning teachers of literacy changed over the year, and how these were influenced by their initial teacher education programme and the support they received from within the school community.  Using interpretive case-study methodology, qualitative data were collected throughout the year, using a combination of semi-structured interviews, digital surveys and observations of guided reading.  Video footage from the observations provided the foundation for subsequent participant theorising of their teaching.  Participants discussed their beliefs and evolving literacy practices in relation to a range of factors including their pre-service preparation, the mentoring support provided within their schools, the demands of national standards assessment, the socio-cultural backgrounds of their students and the integration of digital technologies.  Based on an analysis of the data, involving a co-construction of meaning between the words of the participants and researcher interpretation, I was able to gain an in-depth understanding of the beliefs and practices of each participant as these developed within his/her individual school context.  My interpretation of these data was informed by my own background as an initial teacher education and former classroom teacher.  
Findings suggest that an effective theory-practice balance within initial teacher education programmes, and alignment between literacy education papers and classroom practice, eases the transition into the classroom and enables the successful establishment of initial literacy programmes.  As the year progressed, participants’ teaching became more attuned to student needs and more explicit in nature.  Professional conversations with more experienced others were found to be essential to facilitate a reflective stance and further developments in teaching. 

Findings also revealed that while participants were aware of the broad nature of literacy, their reflections on teaching focused predominantly on the teaching of reading and writing.  There were strong indications that this was in part conditioned by the national assessment policy mandated at the time of the study.  
This study has implications for schools in relation to their selection of mentors for beginning teachers and their organisation of ongoing professional learning.  The study recommends that both pre-service educators and schools place greater emphasis on literacy across the curriculum, and provide more support for working with the increasingly diverse range of text forms and using of critical literacy approaches.

text: Exploring the beliefs and practices of first year teachers of literacy in New Zealand primary schools The teaching of literacy presents ongoing and complex challenges for first-year teachers at the primary level as they strive to address the diverse social and cultural backgrounds of their students, the requirements of educational policy and the demands of national assessment regimes. This journey is further complicated by the need to develop pedagogy that promotes discerning use of complex multimodal texts, both print and digital, in order to prepare students for the multiliterate demands of current and future societies. 
This doctoral thesis provides an in-depth exploration of the journeys of nine beginning teachers as they develop and establish their teaching of literacy practices during their first year of teaching in New Zealand primary classrooms. The participants had all completed the same three-year Bachelor of Teaching degree and secured positions in a diverse range of New Zealand schools.  They were fully responsible for the literacy learning of their students in relation to planning, teaching and assessment, while working towards full registration. 
The study sought to explore how the beliefs and practices of these beginning teachers of literacy changed over the year, and how these were influenced by their initial teacher education programme and the support they received from within the school community.  Using interpretive case-study methodology, qualitative data were collected throughout the year, using a combination of semi-structured interviews, digital surveys and observations of guided reading.  Video footage from the observations provided the foundation for subsequent participant theorising of their teaching.  Participants discussed their beliefs and evolving literacy practices in relation to a range of factors including their pre-service preparation, the mentoring support provided within their schools, the demands of national standards assessment, the socio-cultural backgrounds of their students and the integration of digital technologies.  Based on an analysis of the data, involving a co-construction of meaning between the words of the participants and researcher interpretation, I was able to gain an in-depth understanding of the beliefs and practices of each participant as these developed within his/her individual school context.  My interpretation of these data was informed by my own background as an initial teacher education and former classroom teacher.  
Findings suggest that an effective theory-practice balance within initial teacher education programmes, and alignment between literacy education papers and classroom practice, eases the transition into the classroom and enables the successful establishment of initial literacy programmes.  As the year progressed, participants’ teaching became more attuned to student needs and more explicit in nature.  Professional conversations with more experienced others were found to be essential to facilitate a reflective stance and further developments in teaching. 

Findings also revealed that while participants were aware of the broad nature of literacy, their reflections on teaching focused predominantly on the teaching of reading and writing.  There were strong indications that this was in part conditioned by the national assessment policy mandated at the time of the study.  
This study has implications for schools in relation to their selection of mentors for beginning teachers and their organisation of ongoing professional learning.  The study recommends that both pre-service educators and schools place greater emphasis on literacy across the curriculum, and provide more support for working with the increasingly diverse range of text forms and using of critical literacy approaches.

year: 2019

title: The DNA Binding Protein Lsr2 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

authors: Summers, Emma Louise

subjects: DNA binding protein

abstract: Lsr2 is a small, basic DNA binding protein that is highly conserved in mycobacteria and related actinomycetes. Lsr2 is essential for growth in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and previous studies have shown that Lsr2 is involved in down-regulating a wide range of genes involved in cell wall synthesis and metabolic functions. This regulatory function is likely to influence bacterial growth and survival.

This research investigated the biochemistry and 3D structure of Lsr2 from M. tuberculosis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of Lsr2 in complex with DNA revealed a regular fibril-like arrangement of protein coating double-stranded DNA. In addition, it was shown that Lsr2 physically protected DNA from DNase activity. The structure of the C-terminal DNA binding domain of Lsr2, determined by others part way through this research, prompted site directed mutagenesis of residues proposed to interact with DNA. Modification of arginine residues significantly reduced the binding of Lsr2 to DNA and fibril-like structures were not observed using TEM, for arginine mutants.

The first crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of Lsr2 is reported here. Two high resolution structures in monoclinic and hexagonal space groups were solved using X-ray crystallography and ab initio phasing. Proteolytic processing of the N-terminus of Lsr2 was revealed by the structure in P2₁ and this process was recreated using the protease trypsin which resulted in crystal formation in a P3₁21 space group. Both structures show linear chains of dimeric N-terminal Lsr2, as shown by crystallographic symmetry, linked by overlapping anti-parallel β-sheets, revealing a mechanism of protein oligomerisation. Oligomerisation only occurs after the removal of the first three residues M1, A2 and K3. In solution, protein oligomerisation was recreated with trypsin, resulting in the formation of large protein complexes. A change in DNA topology after the addition of trypsin to full-length Lsr2/DNA complexes was observed using TEM. This mechanism is likely to be important to M. tuberculosis under “stress” conditions where proteases are known to be upregulated and where cross-linking and condensation of DNA is critical.

text: The DNA Binding Protein Lsr2 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Lsr2 is a small, basic DNA binding protein that is highly conserved in mycobacteria and related actinomycetes. Lsr2 is essential for growth in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and previous studies have shown that Lsr2 is involved in down-regulating a wide range of genes involved in cell wall synthesis and metabolic functions. This regulatory function is likely to influence bacterial growth and survival.

This research investigated the biochemistry and 3D structure of Lsr2 from M. tuberculosis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of Lsr2 in complex with DNA revealed a regular fibril-like arrangement of protein coating double-stranded DNA. In addition, it was shown that Lsr2 physically protected DNA from DNase activity. The structure of the C-terminal DNA binding domain of Lsr2, determined by others part way through this research, prompted site directed mutagenesis of residues proposed to interact with DNA. Modification of arginine residues significantly reduced the binding of Lsr2 to DNA and fibril-like structures were not observed using TEM, for arginine mutants.

The first crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of Lsr2 is reported here. Two high resolution structures in monoclinic and hexagonal space groups were solved using X-ray crystallography and ab initio phasing. Proteolytic processing of the N-terminus of Lsr2 was revealed by the structure in P2₁ and this process was recreated using the protease trypsin which resulted in crystal formation in a P3₁21 space group. Both structures show linear chains of dimeric N-terminal Lsr2, as shown by crystallographic symmetry, linked by overlapping anti-parallel β-sheets, revealing a mechanism of protein oligomerisation. Oligomerisation only occurs after the removal of the first three residues M1, A2 and K3. In solution, protein oligomerisation was recreated with trypsin, resulting in the formation of large protein complexes. A change in DNA topology after the addition of trypsin to full-length Lsr2/DNA complexes was observed using TEM. This mechanism is likely to be important to M. tuberculosis under “stress” conditions where proteases are known to be upregulated and where cross-linking and condensation of DNA is critical.

year: 2012

title: Hone Werahiko: the discoverer of gold at Te Aroha

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: Originally Hone Kahukahu, when he was living at Ohinemutu in the 1860s he became known as Hone Werahiko, an Arawa name he retained for the rest of his life. His father, a member of Ngati Kahungungu, had been captured by Arawa; his mother was a Waikato. A widow living at Maketu chose him as her second husband because he was ‘a good looking fellow & understood English’. 
In the late 1860s and much of the 1870s, he prospected in Hauraki and even in the King Country, and worked underground in a Thames mine, the only Maori known to have done so. But in the early 1870s he gave up mining to be a pioneer publican and storekeeper at Ohinemutu, at Rotorua. He acquired land and property there, but after his wife died he returned to prospecting full-time. 
Werahiko’s first investigation of Te Aroha was in 1877, when he was ordered off by the local hapu. He returned in 1880 as the head of a prospecting party subsidized by the government. After finding gold, he was granted the Prospectors’ Claim and, in due course, a reward, and for a time supervised its development. Investing in other claims, he traded in shares. When his discovery turned out to be a duffer, he explored other parts of the mountain, first having high hopes for the Tui portion but then, after four months of exploring over winter with the support of three other Maori, he announced the discovery of his New Find at Waiorongomai. Once again he acquired partners, mostly Paheka, and traded in shares, and for some time supervised the opening up of his new find.
Later, he was invited to prospect the King Country, but this did not eventuate. His last involvement in mining was at Karangahake. Because of the hardships of his prospecting at Te Aroha, he died at an early age, leaving a young second wife. His memory lived on, amongst Pakeha miners in particular, because he had the rare distinction for a prospector of being regarded as totally honest, and he was admired for succeeding when so many others had failed.

[Note: Especially when he first came to public attention, many Pakeha struggled with Hone Werahiko’s name, which was recorded in a variety of incorrect forms, the worst example being Hoani Whaekareka.  Even the warden at first gave his name as Hone Wharekino.  Many Pakeha found it simpler to refer to him as ‘Johnny the Maori’.  In this paper, his name is given correctly throughout.]

text: Hone Werahiko: the discoverer of gold at Te Aroha Originally Hone Kahukahu, when he was living at Ohinemutu in the 1860s he became known as Hone Werahiko, an Arawa name he retained for the rest of his life. His father, a member of Ngati Kahungungu, had been captured by Arawa; his mother was a Waikato. A widow living at Maketu chose him as her second husband because he was ‘a good looking fellow & understood English’. 
In the late 1860s and much of the 1870s, he prospected in Hauraki and even in the King Country, and worked underground in a Thames mine, the only Maori known to have done so. But in the early 1870s he gave up mining to be a pioneer publican and storekeeper at Ohinemutu, at Rotorua. He acquired land and property there, but after his wife died he returned to prospecting full-time. 
Werahiko’s first investigation of Te Aroha was in 1877, when he was ordered off by the local hapu. He returned in 1880 as the head of a prospecting party subsidized by the government. After finding gold, he was granted the Prospectors’ Claim and, in due course, a reward, and for a time supervised its development. Investing in other claims, he traded in shares. When his discovery turned out to be a duffer, he explored other parts of the mountain, first having high hopes for the Tui portion but then, after four months of exploring over winter with the support of three other Maori, he announced the discovery of his New Find at Waiorongomai. Once again he acquired partners, mostly Paheka, and traded in shares, and for some time supervised the opening up of his new find.
Later, he was invited to prospect the King Country, but this did not eventuate. His last involvement in mining was at Karangahake. Because of the hardships of his prospecting at Te Aroha, he died at an early age, leaving a young second wife. His memory lived on, amongst Pakeha miners in particular, because he had the rare distinction for a prospector of being regarded as totally honest, and he was admired for succeeding when so many others had failed.

[Note: Especially when he first came to public attention, many Pakeha struggled with Hone Werahiko’s name, which was recorded in a variety of incorrect forms, the worst example being Hoani Whaekareka.  Even the warden at first gave his name as Hone Wharekino.  Many Pakeha found it simpler to refer to him as ‘Johnny the Maori’.  In this paper, his name is given correctly throughout.]

year: 2016