title: Teaching physics concepts without much mathematics: ensuring physics is available to students of all backgrounds

authors: Wilson, Marcus T.

abstract: Recently, the University of Waikato introduced a first-year physics course requiring no specific physics or mathematics background, to support degrees in other subjects and allowing maximum diversity in student intake. This course uses the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach in which students develop their own experiments to tackle scientific questions. ISLE has proved successful with mathematically able classes; we have adapted it for a less capable cohort in a regional New Zealand context. We have assessed our approach for 2018 using: pre- and post-course concept tests; performance in exams; a student focus group; analysis of laboratory notebooks and marksheets; interviews with teaching staff; and student comments from the university’s course evaluations. Concept tests showed a mean normalised gain of 0.61. Students did well in the exam. Many students were initially unfamiliar with practical scientific investigation and record keeping but laboratory notebooks showed desired learning outcomes were achieved by the end. Students and staff engaged well with this course. Students’ final grades were not significantly different between genders and between under-represented minority and non-minority students. We cannot yet say whether this approach provides a sufficient platform for progress in engineering but students have learned fundamental practical physical concepts.

text: Teaching physics concepts without much mathematics: ensuring physics is available to students of all backgrounds Recently, the University of Waikato introduced a first-year physics course requiring no specific physics or mathematics background, to support degrees in other subjects and allowing maximum diversity in student intake. This course uses the Investigative Science Learning Environment (ISLE) approach in which students develop their own experiments to tackle scientific questions. ISLE has proved successful with mathematically able classes; we have adapted it for a less capable cohort in a regional New Zealand context. We have assessed our approach for 2018 using: pre- and post-course concept tests; performance in exams; a student focus group; analysis of laboratory notebooks and marksheets; interviews with teaching staff; and student comments from the university’s course evaluations. Concept tests showed a mean normalised gain of 0.61. Students did well in the exam. Many students were initially unfamiliar with practical scientific investigation and record keeping but laboratory notebooks showed desired learning outcomes were achieved by the end. Students and staff engaged well with this course. Students’ final grades were not significantly different between genders and between under-represented minority and non-minority students. We cannot yet say whether this approach provides a sufficient platform for progress in engineering but students have learned fundamental practical physical concepts.

year: 2020

title: Multi-dimensional circular supply chain management: A comparative review of the state-of-the-art practices and research

authors: Zhang, Abraham

abstract: The circular economy (CE) concept has gained wide attention in practice as well as in academia in recent years. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art practices and research in “circular supply chain management” (CSCM), i.e., the integration of CE thinking into supply chain management (SCM) with the goal of achieving “zero wastes”. The review covers 68 real-life CE implementation cases collected by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and 124 publications in well-established, high-ranking academic journals in operations and supply chain management. The comparative review shows that CSCM encompasses multiple dimensions, including closed-loop SCM, reverse SCM, remanufacturing SCM, recycling SCM, and industrial symbiosis. A multi-dimensional CSCM (MD-CSCM) framework is developed to synthesize their interrelationships and to categorize academic publications into multiple research themes. Based on the identified research-practice gaps and pressing research needs, this study discusses important directions for future studies to advance supply chain circularity.

text: Multi-dimensional circular supply chain management: A comparative review of the state-of-the-art practices and research The circular economy (CE) concept has gained wide attention in practice as well as in academia in recent years. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art practices and research in “circular supply chain management” (CSCM), i.e., the integration of CE thinking into supply chain management (SCM) with the goal of achieving “zero wastes”. The review covers 68 real-life CE implementation cases collected by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and 124 publications in well-established, high-ranking academic journals in operations and supply chain management. The comparative review shows that CSCM encompasses multiple dimensions, including closed-loop SCM, reverse SCM, remanufacturing SCM, recycling SCM, and industrial symbiosis. A multi-dimensional CSCM (MD-CSCM) framework is developed to synthesize their interrelationships and to categorize academic publications into multiple research themes. Based on the identified research-practice gaps and pressing research needs, this study discusses important directions for future studies to advance supply chain circularity.

year: 2021-10-14

title: Te Kāuta

authors: Roa, Raukura

subjects: Kōrero paki

abstract: He rite tonu tā mātou hokihoki ki te take o Pirongia maunga, ki te tutungi i te ahi kā i Pūrekireki Marae. Ia wā ka hoki mātou ki tēnei o ngā marae, ka hīkaka taku ngākau, i te mea, ko taku mahi i reira, he tiaki ahi. Ao noa, pō noa, ko au te kaiwhakatutungi i te ahi o te kāuta, kei kewa. Ko te ahi o te kāuta o Pūrekireki marae, he ahi nui, he ahi kaitā. E ono tāngata pea ka uru ki te rua o te ahi nei. Nō reira, ko taku mahi i te rā, he kohi rākau i waho, he tapahi wahie, he whakamaroke anō hoki i te wahie, inā mākū i te ua. I ngā pō, kia hoki rā anō te iwi ki te moe, ko tāku, he noho ki roto i te kāuta me te tutungi ahi, kia wera tonu ai te wai mō āpōpō. Kei pōhēhē mai, he mahi mokemoke tēnei! Ehara! Ia pō, ka noho mai aku kuia ki taku taha ki te pahupahu. He nui ngā akoranga me ngā mātauranga i tuku iho mai ki a au i roto i tērā kāuta, i te taha o tērā ahi. Me uaua ka kitea tēnei momo ahi kaitā i ngā marae i ēnei rā. Kāore e whakaaengia ana e ngā ture Pākehā ngā ahi kaitā, pēnei nei te rahi, i roto i ngā kāuta o ngā marae; ‘Health and Safety Standards’ tā rātou i whakatau ai. Nō reira, i karangangia e taku pāpā tētehi hui ki te marae kia wānangahia te whakahōutanga o tō mātou kāuta. Nō taku rongotanga ake i te kaupapa o tēnei hui, ka tangi taku ngākau ki tō mātou kāuta. Nō reira, i whakarite ahau kia haere i tana taha.

text: Te Kāuta He rite tonu tā mātou hokihoki ki te take o Pirongia maunga, ki te tutungi i te ahi kā i Pūrekireki Marae. Ia wā ka hoki mātou ki tēnei o ngā marae, ka hīkaka taku ngākau, i te mea, ko taku mahi i reira, he tiaki ahi. Ao noa, pō noa, ko au te kaiwhakatutungi i te ahi o te kāuta, kei kewa. Ko te ahi o te kāuta o Pūrekireki marae, he ahi nui, he ahi kaitā. E ono tāngata pea ka uru ki te rua o te ahi nei. Nō reira, ko taku mahi i te rā, he kohi rākau i waho, he tapahi wahie, he whakamaroke anō hoki i te wahie, inā mākū i te ua. I ngā pō, kia hoki rā anō te iwi ki te moe, ko tāku, he noho ki roto i te kāuta me te tutungi ahi, kia wera tonu ai te wai mō āpōpō. Kei pōhēhē mai, he mahi mokemoke tēnei! Ehara! Ia pō, ka noho mai aku kuia ki taku taha ki te pahupahu. He nui ngā akoranga me ngā mātauranga i tuku iho mai ki a au i roto i tērā kāuta, i te taha o tērā ahi. Me uaua ka kitea tēnei momo ahi kaitā i ngā marae i ēnei rā. Kāore e whakaaengia ana e ngā ture Pākehā ngā ahi kaitā, pēnei nei te rahi, i roto i ngā kāuta o ngā marae; ‘Health and Safety Standards’ tā rātou i whakatau ai. Nō reira, i karangangia e taku pāpā tētehi hui ki te marae kia wānangahia te whakahōutanga o tō mātou kāuta. Nō taku rongotanga ake i te kaupapa o tēnei hui, ka tangi taku ngākau ki tō mātou kāuta. Nō reira, i whakarite ahau kia haere i tana taha.

year: 2016