title: Testing the promise of access to justice through online courts

authors: Toy-Cronin, Bridgette

subjects: computer science

abstract: Modernization is increasingly knocking on the courthouse door. Many common law countries are investigating ways to introduce technology to improve civil courts, including the introduction of online courts. These state-led initiatives are primarily focused on lowering state costs in providing justice, as well as increasing access to dispute resolution. One possible solution some legal jurisdictions are exploring is ‘online courts’. Online courts hold the promise of making justice more accessible and affordable: a dispute can be filed at any time, from anywhere, by anyone. This model of delivering justice is envisioned as a system that either is lawyer-less or has a minimal role for lawyers. One of the assumptions underpinning an online court is, therefore, that laypeople can effectively explain a dispute to the court, without legal assistance. To date, there is no empirical research investigating that assumption. In this article, we will outline the proposed online court model, consider the need for robust empirical research, and describe a three-part investigation to explore how clearly and accurately people can explain a dispute.

text: Testing the promise of access to justice through online courts Modernization is increasingly knocking on the courthouse door. Many common law countries are investigating ways to introduce technology to improve civil courts, including the introduction of online courts. These state-led initiatives are primarily focused on lowering state costs in providing justice, as well as increasing access to dispute resolution. One possible solution some legal jurisdictions are exploring is ‘online courts’. Online courts hold the promise of making justice more accessible and affordable: a dispute can be filed at any time, from anywhere, by anyone. This model of delivering justice is envisioned as a system that either is lawyer-less or has a minimal role for lawyers. One of the assumptions underpinning an online court is, therefore, that laypeople can effectively explain a dispute to the court, without legal assistance. To date, there is no empirical research investigating that assumption. In this article, we will outline the proposed online court model, consider the need for robust empirical research, and describe a three-part investigation to explore how clearly and accurately people can explain a dispute.

year: 2018

title: Making the implicit explicit: A strategy for developing doctoral writing skills

authors: Johnson, E. Marcia

abstract: This workshop will focus on the conference theme of partnership (doctoral students and generic learning developers) and how it can contribute to student success. Since the late 1990s many factors have affected doctoral education, including the significant increase in enrolments and the diversification of the student body (for example, age, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds). Nevertheless, in many disciplines doctoral students are still expected to master the writing conventions of their research communities through observation or trial and error. More worrying, supervisors are often at a loss as to how to assist students with their written work, which can result in vague or incomplete writing advice. Recognizing a need for writing development, most universities provide generic, one-to-one support for doctoral students. Although such sessions are useful, an individualized approach is time-consuming and misses an essential component in writing development – the use of language and group activities to both encourage and mediate learning. It was this understanding that led to the establishment of our weekly, cross-disciplinary conversation about writing programme, the Doctoral Writing Conversation (DWC) at the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. This workshop will begin with a brief description of the DWC, and the overall goals of our dialogic approaches will be described. Participants will then complete, one of the activities we use to help students become aware of, and understand academic voice – the ability to communicate complex research ideas in a clear, well-organized, and academically robust manner. Intended learning outcomes of the workshop include recognition and understanding not only of the concept of academic voice, but also how a generic, dialogic writing development programme can be used to help doctoral students become empowered as independent writers.

text: Making the implicit explicit: A strategy for developing doctoral writing skills This workshop will focus on the conference theme of partnership (doctoral students and generic learning developers) and how it can contribute to student success. Since the late 1990s many factors have affected doctoral education, including the significant increase in enrolments and the diversification of the student body (for example, age, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds). Nevertheless, in many disciplines doctoral students are still expected to master the writing conventions of their research communities through observation or trial and error. More worrying, supervisors are often at a loss as to how to assist students with their written work, which can result in vague or incomplete writing advice. Recognizing a need for writing development, most universities provide generic, one-to-one support for doctoral students. Although such sessions are useful, an individualized approach is time-consuming and misses an essential component in writing development – the use of language and group activities to both encourage and mediate learning. It was this understanding that led to the establishment of our weekly, cross-disciplinary conversation about writing programme, the Doctoral Writing Conversation (DWC) at the University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. This workshop will begin with a brief description of the DWC, and the overall goals of our dialogic approaches will be described. Participants will then complete, one of the activities we use to help students become aware of, and understand academic voice – the ability to communicate complex research ideas in a clear, well-organized, and academically robust manner. Intended learning outcomes of the workshop include recognition and understanding not only of the concept of academic voice, but also how a generic, dialogic writing development programme can be used to help doctoral students become empowered as independent writers.

year: 2016

title: Technology, culture and location in a recent New Zealand sonic art project

authors: Whalley, Ian

subjects: music

abstract: The HIEMPA (Hybrid Instruments from Electroacoustic Manipulation And Models of Pütorino and Aquascape) project combined a team of people with technical, artistic, environmental and cultural expertise toward the artistic outcome of extending the New Zealand sonic art tradition. The project involved collecting audio samples from the aquascape of the Ruakuri Caves and Nature Reserve in Waitomo, South Waikato, New Zealand; and samples of a variety of Pütorino – a New Zealand Mäori wind instrument. Following a machine learning analysis of this audio material and an analysis of the performance material, hybrid digital instruments were built and mapped to suitable hardware triggers. The new instruments are playable in real-time, along with the electroacoustic manipulation of Pütorino performances. The project takes into account the environmental and cultural significance of the source material, with the results to be released as a set of compositions. This paper discusses the research process.

text: Technology, culture and location in a recent New Zealand sonic art project The HIEMPA (Hybrid Instruments from Electroacoustic Manipulation And Models of Pütorino and Aquascape) project combined a team of people with technical, artistic, environmental and cultural expertise toward the artistic outcome of extending the New Zealand sonic art tradition. The project involved collecting audio samples from the aquascape of the Ruakuri Caves and Nature Reserve in Waitomo, South Waikato, New Zealand; and samples of a variety of Pütorino – a New Zealand Mäori wind instrument. Following a machine learning analysis of this audio material and an analysis of the performance material, hybrid digital instruments were built and mapped to suitable hardware triggers. The new instruments are playable in real-time, along with the electroacoustic manipulation of Pütorino performances. The project takes into account the environmental and cultural significance of the source material, with the results to be released as a set of compositions. This paper discusses the research process.

year: 2008