title: The Microflora of the Huhu Grub

authors: Williams, Thomas Carl

subjects: Huhu

abstract: New Zealand's endemic longhorned beetle larvae, the Huhu grub (Prionoplus reticularis) feeds on dead coniferous wood. No studies have been conducted on its gut microflora. Given that the Huhu grub feeds solely on lignocelluloses, it is likely that there are microorganisms present in its gut which are capable of degrading lignocelluloses to release energy rich sugars. This process of lignocelluloses release is the rate limiting step in the utilisation of woody material for bioprocesses such as bioethanol production. Microbial communities from wild grubs were compared with those raised on laboratory diets of either: lignocellulose, cellulose, or complex nutrients. Bacterial gut communities were surveyed using 454 pyrosequencing of the variable 5 and 6 regions (400nt reads) of bacterial 16S rRNA genes as well as clone library analysis of the full length gene (1500bp). Fungal gut communities were analysed using cloning and Sanger sequencing of amplified fungal intergenic spacer (ITS) regions. The wild type gut bacterial population was highly diverse, with no known cellulose or lignin degraders detected in any abundance, although a strain of Burkholderia thought to be capable of nitrogen fixation was detected. No methanogenic archaea or acetogenic bacteria were detected. Fungal ITS sequences had high similarity with those of known lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose degraders in the public databases, and an uncultured Basidiomycete made up 51% of the wild type community, while species of the Penicillium genus dominated the grubs reared on laboratory diets of lignocellulose. When grubs were reared on a diet of only cellulose the fungal community was dominated by a single species identified as Candida shehatae, a hemicellulose degrader known to associate with other longhorned beetle larvae. These fungi may be of interest for the biological conversion of lignocelluloses.

text: The Microflora of the Huhu Grub New Zealand's endemic longhorned beetle larvae, the Huhu grub (Prionoplus reticularis) feeds on dead coniferous wood. No studies have been conducted on its gut microflora. Given that the Huhu grub feeds solely on lignocelluloses, it is likely that there are microorganisms present in its gut which are capable of degrading lignocelluloses to release energy rich sugars. This process of lignocelluloses release is the rate limiting step in the utilisation of woody material for bioprocesses such as bioethanol production. Microbial communities from wild grubs were compared with those raised on laboratory diets of either: lignocellulose, cellulose, or complex nutrients. Bacterial gut communities were surveyed using 454 pyrosequencing of the variable 5 and 6 regions (400nt reads) of bacterial 16S rRNA genes as well as clone library analysis of the full length gene (1500bp). Fungal gut communities were analysed using cloning and Sanger sequencing of amplified fungal intergenic spacer (ITS) regions. The wild type gut bacterial population was highly diverse, with no known cellulose or lignin degraders detected in any abundance, although a strain of Burkholderia thought to be capable of nitrogen fixation was detected. No methanogenic archaea or acetogenic bacteria were detected. Fungal ITS sequences had high similarity with those of known lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose degraders in the public databases, and an uncultured Basidiomycete made up 51% of the wild type community, while species of the Penicillium genus dominated the grubs reared on laboratory diets of lignocellulose. When grubs were reared on a diet of only cellulose the fungal community was dominated by a single species identified as Candida shehatae, a hemicellulose degrader known to associate with other longhorned beetle larvae. These fungi may be of interest for the biological conversion of lignocelluloses.

year: 2011

title: Principals’ partnerships: an action research study on the professional development of New Zealand school leaders

authors: Robertson, Jan

abstract: This report describes an action research study conducted between 1992 and 1995 with 12 New Zealand primary school principals. 

Prior to this study, major administrative changes in the education system in New Zealand had been introduced, to give schools more responsibility for their own management in conjunction with elected committees of parents. This research sought a model of professional development which would assist principals to implement new ideas and practices, deal effectively with the current issues and problems in their schools and provide skills, challenges and support.

This was a qualitative study in which an action researching community, consisting of the principals and an academic researcher, met regularly using peer partnerships and group meetings to provide observation, reflection and evaluative feedback on leadership practice.

The questions that guided the research study were:
1. Do partnerships assist in the professional development of primary school principals?
2. If so, in what ways?

This research was designed as a conscious effort to not only develop a theory of professional development for school leaders but in so doing, to provide professional development which would help the school leaders to understand and then change their situation. The underlying theoretical principle of praxis was embedded and interwoven throughout the researcher’s and principals’ actions. The research was practical and based on the needs and concerns of the principals involved. In this way it was both a research and development model.

The findings were analysed using grounded theory techniques within a structure of action research. Thus, the processes of action research in this research study became a method for the analysis process as well as for that of data collection. The community of researchers were jointly involved in the analysis of the findings in this research. There were 18 months of data gathering using methods of oral and written reflections, interactive interviewing, observations and examination of records.

The 12 primary school principals in this study testified that the partnerships’ programme assisted in their professional development. In the words of one principal: 
This research has made me focus on my own educational leadership. It has led me through a series of processes which has enabled me to reflect on and analyse my own actions. The research has made me take an in-depth look at my own leadership style and has given me the opportunity to observe others.

The ways in which these principals believed they had gained from their involvement in the research fell into four major categories. The Partnerships’ programme assisted critical reflection on practice to occur; it increased professional interactions; it assisted in educational leadership development and finally, it established a structure for the principals to use processes of action research for school development. The vehicles for the principals to achieve praxis were reflection and alternative perspectives. Praxis led to emancipatory actions and feelings of agency. The principals’ partnerships, the involvement of the university researcher and the meetings of the community of action researchers, became integral parts of this process.

The thesis that is presented rests on the principals’ perceptions that a model of professional development which involves principals in partnership, with the support and challenge from a university academic, can successfully provide the essential components of professional development programmes in which praxis is the desired outcome. 

This thesis concludes that the Partnerships’ programme assisted in the professional development of these 12 school leaders. The principals, when working together in each other’s schools, created a mild disruption to everyday practice which led to opportunities for reflection on leadership practices. The university researcher also assisted in this intervention process. The combination of the two was effective to enable critical reflection on practice and subsequent change in practice to occur.

On the basis of these findings a grounded theory of professional development is offered and recommendations are made for further research in this area.

text: Principals’ partnerships: an action research study on the professional development of New Zealand school leaders This report describes an action research study conducted between 1992 and 1995 with 12 New Zealand primary school principals. 

Prior to this study, major administrative changes in the education system in New Zealand had been introduced, to give schools more responsibility for their own management in conjunction with elected committees of parents. This research sought a model of professional development which would assist principals to implement new ideas and practices, deal effectively with the current issues and problems in their schools and provide skills, challenges and support.

This was a qualitative study in which an action researching community, consisting of the principals and an academic researcher, met regularly using peer partnerships and group meetings to provide observation, reflection and evaluative feedback on leadership practice.

The questions that guided the research study were:
1. Do partnerships assist in the professional development of primary school principals?
2. If so, in what ways?

This research was designed as a conscious effort to not only develop a theory of professional development for school leaders but in so doing, to provide professional development which would help the school leaders to understand and then change their situation. The underlying theoretical principle of praxis was embedded and interwoven throughout the researcher’s and principals’ actions. The research was practical and based on the needs and concerns of the principals involved. In this way it was both a research and development model.

The findings were analysed using grounded theory techniques within a structure of action research. Thus, the processes of action research in this research study became a method for the analysis process as well as for that of data collection. The community of researchers were jointly involved in the analysis of the findings in this research. There were 18 months of data gathering using methods of oral and written reflections, interactive interviewing, observations and examination of records.

The 12 primary school principals in this study testified that the partnerships’ programme assisted in their professional development. In the words of one principal: 
This research has made me focus on my own educational leadership. It has led me through a series of processes which has enabled me to reflect on and analyse my own actions. The research has made me take an in-depth look at my own leadership style and has given me the opportunity to observe others.

The ways in which these principals believed they had gained from their involvement in the research fell into four major categories. The Partnerships’ programme assisted critical reflection on practice to occur; it increased professional interactions; it assisted in educational leadership development and finally, it established a structure for the principals to use processes of action research for school development. The vehicles for the principals to achieve praxis were reflection and alternative perspectives. Praxis led to emancipatory actions and feelings of agency. The principals’ partnerships, the involvement of the university researcher and the meetings of the community of action researchers, became integral parts of this process.

The thesis that is presented rests on the principals’ perceptions that a model of professional development which involves principals in partnership, with the support and challenge from a university academic, can successfully provide the essential components of professional development programmes in which praxis is the desired outcome. 

This thesis concludes that the Partnerships’ programme assisted in the professional development of these 12 school leaders. The principals, when working together in each other’s schools, created a mild disruption to everyday practice which led to opportunities for reflection on leadership practices. The university researcher also assisted in this intervention process. The combination of the two was effective to enable critical reflection on practice and subsequent change in practice to occur.

On the basis of these findings a grounded theory of professional development is offered and recommendations are made for further research in this area.

year: 1995

title: Sociocultural realities: exploring new horizons by Angus Macfarlane, Sonja Macfarlane and Melinda Webber [Book Review]

authors: McNae, Rachel Elizabeth

abstract: This article reviews the book "Sociocultural realities: exploring new horizons", by Angus Macfarlane, Sonja Macfarlane and Melinda Webber

text: Sociocultural realities: exploring new horizons by Angus Macfarlane, Sonja Macfarlane and Melinda Webber [Book Review] This article reviews the book "Sociocultural realities: exploring new horizons", by Angus Macfarlane, Sonja Macfarlane and Melinda Webber

year: 2017