title: Secondary School Students' Conceptions of Sustainability

authors: Haines, Elizabeth Anne

subjects: sustainability

abstract: Sustainability is a word that is frequently used and often without the understanding that it warrants.  An understanding of sustainability is vital today as people need to adopt strategies to cope with issues caused by environmental degradation, social inequity and economic disparity.   Education for sustainability has gained momentum after calls by international bodies to provide a vehicle for change to prioritise sustainability and integrate sustainable development at all levels of education.   This thesis investigates what secondary school students understand about the complex concept of sustainability.    It explores students’ conceptions of sustainability, their views about sustainability issues and the relationship between the students’ conceptions and their views about sustainability issues. 
 
This research used a mixed method approach to collect quantitative and qualitative data from questionnaires and follow up focus group interviews.  Open and closed questions were used to investigate students’ conceptions of sustainability and these were compared to conceptions of sustainability that educators and scholars regard as important for citizens to hold for a sustainable future.  Students’ views about sustainability issues were explored using modification of semantic differentials that were directly related to principles of sustainability that had been drawn from the literature.   Data gathered were analysed using a thematic approach and simple statistical tests. 
 
Findings showed that students in this study had some understanding of sustainability.  A minority of students held simple, one dimensional conceptions of sustainability but a significant number of students held conceptions that were more complex and multi-dimensional in nature.  There were no students who held the expert conceptions of sustainability that scholars and educators regard as important, where environmental, economic, cultural, social and political conceptions are interrelated within an inter-generational setting.   Findings also showed that students’ views of sustainability issues, determined from a series of differential statements, indicated that the majority of students agreed or strongly agreed with the sustainable view for most of the environmental, economic, cultural, social, political and inter-generational sustainability issues presented to them.  Comparison of these findings indicated that a student who held a more complex conception of sustainability, and was able to identify a number of conceptions of sustainability, is more likely to make a sustainable choice on an issue if given the opportunity.  These findings are encouraging but, because of the importance of sustainability, they suggest a need to further develop students’ understandings of this complex concept.

text: Secondary School Students' Conceptions of Sustainability Sustainability is a word that is frequently used and often without the understanding that it warrants.  An understanding of sustainability is vital today as people need to adopt strategies to cope with issues caused by environmental degradation, social inequity and economic disparity.   Education for sustainability has gained momentum after calls by international bodies to provide a vehicle for change to prioritise sustainability and integrate sustainable development at all levels of education.   This thesis investigates what secondary school students understand about the complex concept of sustainability.    It explores students’ conceptions of sustainability, their views about sustainability issues and the relationship between the students’ conceptions and their views about sustainability issues. 
 
This research used a mixed method approach to collect quantitative and qualitative data from questionnaires and follow up focus group interviews.  Open and closed questions were used to investigate students’ conceptions of sustainability and these were compared to conceptions of sustainability that educators and scholars regard as important for citizens to hold for a sustainable future.  Students’ views about sustainability issues were explored using modification of semantic differentials that were directly related to principles of sustainability that had been drawn from the literature.   Data gathered were analysed using a thematic approach and simple statistical tests. 
 
Findings showed that students in this study had some understanding of sustainability.  A minority of students held simple, one dimensional conceptions of sustainability but a significant number of students held conceptions that were more complex and multi-dimensional in nature.  There were no students who held the expert conceptions of sustainability that scholars and educators regard as important, where environmental, economic, cultural, social and political conceptions are interrelated within an inter-generational setting.   Findings also showed that students’ views of sustainability issues, determined from a series of differential statements, indicated that the majority of students agreed or strongly agreed with the sustainable view for most of the environmental, economic, cultural, social, political and inter-generational sustainability issues presented to them.  Comparison of these findings indicated that a student who held a more complex conception of sustainability, and was able to identify a number of conceptions of sustainability, is more likely to make a sustainable choice on an issue if given the opportunity.  These findings are encouraging but, because of the importance of sustainability, they suggest a need to further develop students’ understandings of this complex concept.

year: 2014

title: Good vibrations: artificial ambience-based relay attack detection

authors: Gurulian, Iakovos

subjects: computer science

abstract: Relay attacks are passive man in the middle attacks, aiming to extend the physical distance of devices involved in a transaction beyond their operating environment, within the restricted time-frame. In the field of smartphones, proposals have been put forward suggesting sensing the natural ambient environment as an effective Proximity and Relay Attack Detection (PRAD) mechanism. However, these proposals are not in compliance with industry imposed constraints (e.g. EMV and ITSO) mandating that transactions should complete within a certain time-frame (e.g. 500ms for EMV contactless transactions). The generation of an artificial ambient environment (AAE) using peripherals of the transaction devices has shown positive results when using infrared light as an AAE actuator. In this paper we propose the use of vibration as an alternative AAE actuator. We empirically evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed solution as a PRAD mechanism on an experimental test-bed that we deployed. A total of 36,000 genuine and relay attack transaction pairs were analysed using well-known machine learning algorithms. The results of our analysis indicate that the proposed solution is highly effective.

text: Good vibrations: artificial ambience-based relay attack detection Relay attacks are passive man in the middle attacks, aiming to extend the physical distance of devices involved in a transaction beyond their operating environment, within the restricted time-frame. In the field of smartphones, proposals have been put forward suggesting sensing the natural ambient environment as an effective Proximity and Relay Attack Detection (PRAD) mechanism. However, these proposals are not in compliance with industry imposed constraints (e.g. EMV and ITSO) mandating that transactions should complete within a certain time-frame (e.g. 500ms for EMV contactless transactions). The generation of an artificial ambient environment (AAE) using peripherals of the transaction devices has shown positive results when using infrared light as an AAE actuator. In this paper we propose the use of vibration as an alternative AAE actuator. We empirically evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed solution as a PRAD mechanism on an experimental test-bed that we deployed. A total of 36,000 genuine and relay attack transaction pairs were analysed using well-known machine learning algorithms. The results of our analysis indicate that the proposed solution is highly effective.

year: 2018

title: He Māori, He Turi, He Turi, He Māori. Advancing the aspirations of Māori Deaf with their indigenous Connections: A case study

authors: Dunn, Katie Merepaea

subjects: Māori Deaf

abstract: Indigenous peoples consider their connection to whenua (land), whakapapa (genealogy), te reo (language) and tikanga (cultural values) to be an integral part of their worldview (Mead, 2003 & Barlow, 1991).

The identity struggle for indigenous minorities living within a colonised environment has been well documented (Bishop, 1995; Smith G, 1997; Smith L, 1999, & Walker, 2004). The controversies over land, customs, culture and language are major issues to understanding and maintaining one’s own cultural identity and, when considering the Deaf indigenous minorities, the task seems colossal.

When a Māori individual belongs to the hearing majority, the ability to find a place to stand, a connection to one’s turangawaewae (standing place), whakapapa, and marae (village) can be a personal struggle; however, this can often be overcome through a shared experience, through communication at a whānau (family), hapū (sub tribe) and iwi (tribe) level.  However, when the individual is part of a double minority such as the Māori Deaf community, the ability to engage and establish a relationship to enhance their connection to their turangawaewae, can become difficult due to the need to communicate in three different languages: English, Māori and Sign Language.  These language issues can create barriers for the Deaf, Māori and hearing communities at a whānau, hapū and iwi level.

This thesis examines a series of workshops created to advance the indigenous connections and understanding within the Māori Deaf community and Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview). It explores how the integration of the Deaf and hearing, indigenous Māori language and New Zealand Sign Language along with practical workshops can assist the aspirations of Māori Deaf within the advancement of Te Ao Māori and Te Reo Māori.  Within this thesis I will undertake a series of interviews with participants who are at the forefront of the Māori Deaf community. A suggestion of moving forward to address the needs of the Māori Deaf community within the desire to connect to their Māori language and customs is also offered within this thesis.

text: He Māori, He Turi, He Turi, He Māori. Advancing the aspirations of Māori Deaf with their indigenous Connections: A case study Indigenous peoples consider their connection to whenua (land), whakapapa (genealogy), te reo (language) and tikanga (cultural values) to be an integral part of their worldview (Mead, 2003 & Barlow, 1991).

The identity struggle for indigenous minorities living within a colonised environment has been well documented (Bishop, 1995; Smith G, 1997; Smith L, 1999, & Walker, 2004). The controversies over land, customs, culture and language are major issues to understanding and maintaining one’s own cultural identity and, when considering the Deaf indigenous minorities, the task seems colossal.

When a Māori individual belongs to the hearing majority, the ability to find a place to stand, a connection to one’s turangawaewae (standing place), whakapapa, and marae (village) can be a personal struggle; however, this can often be overcome through a shared experience, through communication at a whānau (family), hapū (sub tribe) and iwi (tribe) level.  However, when the individual is part of a double minority such as the Māori Deaf community, the ability to engage and establish a relationship to enhance their connection to their turangawaewae, can become difficult due to the need to communicate in three different languages: English, Māori and Sign Language.  These language issues can create barriers for the Deaf, Māori and hearing communities at a whānau, hapū and iwi level.

This thesis examines a series of workshops created to advance the indigenous connections and understanding within the Māori Deaf community and Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview). It explores how the integration of the Deaf and hearing, indigenous Māori language and New Zealand Sign Language along with practical workshops can assist the aspirations of Māori Deaf within the advancement of Te Ao Māori and Te Reo Māori.  Within this thesis I will undertake a series of interviews with participants who are at the forefront of the Māori Deaf community. A suggestion of moving forward to address the needs of the Māori Deaf community within the desire to connect to their Māori language and customs is also offered within this thesis.

year: 2012