title: Keeping things on track: School principals as managers

authors: Earl Rinehart, (Suzanne) Kerry

abstract: Literature about education in New Zealand and internationally over the past 30 years has increasingly focused on the need for effective school leadership. In New Zea- land a major Best Evidence Synthesis study (BES 2009) led to an emphasis on instructional leadership aimed at raising achievement. This emphasis has tended to undervalue management, linked to the status quo rather than change and improvement. However, extended interviews with rural primary principals revealed they saw management as crucial to responding to parental concerns, handling disruption, and keeping the school ‘on track’. Making use of local knowledge and taking advice, they held the core responsibility for an observable response. These principals believed that managing issues helped them build and sustain the trust of the school community, which was of value ‘next time’. Thus, aspects of management combine the relational and context-dependent work of school principals. Drawing on Mintzberg (1990) we argue that the recognition and valuing of management aspect of school leadership is crucial for principal effectiveness.

text: Keeping things on track: School principals as managers Literature about education in New Zealand and internationally over the past 30 years has increasingly focused on the need for effective school leadership. In New Zea- land a major Best Evidence Synthesis study (BES 2009) led to an emphasis on instructional leadership aimed at raising achievement. This emphasis has tended to undervalue management, linked to the status quo rather than change and improvement. However, extended interviews with rural primary principals revealed they saw management as crucial to responding to parental concerns, handling disruption, and keeping the school ‘on track’. Making use of local knowledge and taking advice, they held the core responsibility for an observable response. These principals believed that managing issues helped them build and sustain the trust of the school community, which was of value ‘next time’. Thus, aspects of management combine the relational and context-dependent work of school principals. Drawing on Mintzberg (1990) we argue that the recognition and valuing of management aspect of school leadership is crucial for principal effectiveness.

year: 2019

title: LakeAnalyzer: Lake internal dynamics analysis software – fact sheet

authors: Muraoka, Kohji

abstract: LakeAnalyzer is a computer program used to calculate indices of mixing and stratification, which are critical to understanding biogeochemical cycles of lakes and reservoirs. Lake physical stability indices, surface mixing depth and thermocline depth are calculated according to established literature definitions and returned to the user in a time-series format. 
LakeAnalyzer was developed to analyse high-frequency data collected from instrumented lake buoys (Figure 1). It provides a way to compare mixing and stratification indices in lakes across gradients of climate, hydrophysiography, and time, and provides a basis for understanding of the resulting biogeochemical transformations at different spatial and temporal scales.

text: LakeAnalyzer: Lake internal dynamics analysis software – fact sheet LakeAnalyzer is a computer program used to calculate indices of mixing and stratification, which are critical to understanding biogeochemical cycles of lakes and reservoirs. Lake physical stability indices, surface mixing depth and thermocline depth are calculated according to established literature definitions and returned to the user in a time-series format. 
LakeAnalyzer was developed to analyse high-frequency data collected from instrumented lake buoys (Figure 1). It provides a way to compare mixing and stratification indices in lakes across gradients of climate, hydrophysiography, and time, and provides a basis for understanding of the resulting biogeochemical transformations at different spatial and temporal scales.

year: 2015

title: Housing, mental health, and homelessness: Exploring lived experiences of homelessness to identify barriers to sustainable housing for vulnerable populations

authors: Cresswell, Caitlin Grace

subjects: Homelessness

abstract: Homelessness has become a much talked about topic in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2018 and the preceding years. This thesis explores the experiences of five people who have mental illness and have lived experience of homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand, and two staff members who work closely with people who experience both mental illness and homelessness. The theoretical frameworks that inform this thesis are narrative research, social constructionism and humanistic psychology. Particular attention was paid to using theoretical frameworks and interview methods that suited Māori (the indigenous population of Aotearoa New Zealand) due to the inequities experienced by Māori in mental health and homelessness, and the majority of participants identifying as New Zealand Māori. Participants’ narratives were gathered using semi- structured interviews. This study argues the importance of a humanistic perspective being used for research on homelessness. In contrast to traditional psychology, humanistic psychology emphasises respecting individual participants’ voice and narratives about their personal experiences of homelessness while considering the environment that influence these narratives. The participants’ narratives reflected their desire to be viewed as more than their life circumstances and illness through the sharing of their life stories. While there has been growing public awareness about mental illness, stigma still exists about mental illness which influences social narratives and how people who have mental illness understand their experiences. I argue that people who are vulnerable to homelessness, like those who experience mental illness, should have better protection from homelessness. To achieve this, I argue that structural barriers to finding, gaining and sustaining housing need to be addressed,
iii
including the design of welfare and housing services. Additionally, there needs to be recognition that the solutions to homelessness are complex and require a whole of system approach to effectively address and prevent homelessness. Recognising the complex nature of homelessness and it’s solutions will help bring a focus to establishing predominantly preventative solutions while also providing emergency housing for people in need.

text: Housing, mental health, and homelessness: Exploring lived experiences of homelessness to identify barriers to sustainable housing for vulnerable populations Homelessness has become a much talked about topic in Aotearoa New Zealand in 2018 and the preceding years. This thesis explores the experiences of five people who have mental illness and have lived experience of homelessness in Aotearoa New Zealand, and two staff members who work closely with people who experience both mental illness and homelessness. The theoretical frameworks that inform this thesis are narrative research, social constructionism and humanistic psychology. Particular attention was paid to using theoretical frameworks and interview methods that suited Māori (the indigenous population of Aotearoa New Zealand) due to the inequities experienced by Māori in mental health and homelessness, and the majority of participants identifying as New Zealand Māori. Participants’ narratives were gathered using semi- structured interviews. This study argues the importance of a humanistic perspective being used for research on homelessness. In contrast to traditional psychology, humanistic psychology emphasises respecting individual participants’ voice and narratives about their personal experiences of homelessness while considering the environment that influence these narratives. The participants’ narratives reflected their desire to be viewed as more than their life circumstances and illness through the sharing of their life stories. While there has been growing public awareness about mental illness, stigma still exists about mental illness which influences social narratives and how people who have mental illness understand their experiences. I argue that people who are vulnerable to homelessness, like those who experience mental illness, should have better protection from homelessness. To achieve this, I argue that structural barriers to finding, gaining and sustaining housing need to be addressed,
iii
including the design of welfare and housing services. Additionally, there needs to be recognition that the solutions to homelessness are complex and require a whole of system approach to effectively address and prevent homelessness. Recognising the complex nature of homelessness and it’s solutions will help bring a focus to establishing predominantly preventative solutions while also providing emergency housing for people in need.

year: 2018