title: Play, pause, and skip: touch screen media player interaction on the move

authors: Vanderschantz, Nicholas

subjects: computer science

abstract: Our active lifestyles see us playing, pausing, and skipping through life all the while our phones are in our hands. For many, completing the daily grind requires regular audio and visual media accompaniment and for this we interact with our phones as we skip, run, and jump. In this respect, a unique form of digital library is our mobile media player of choice. These media players serve as both the interface for listening to and watching these audio and visual media as well as the media library and storage. We argue therefore that the interface design considerations of the media library as well as the media interaction require user centered investigation. We tested button placement variations and analyzed the user preferences as well as user interaction with these mobile media player prototypes while on the move. Early insights suggest users prefer what they are most accustomed to, yet issues of accuracy with interface designs that are unfamiliar require further investigation.

text: Play, pause, and skip: touch screen media player interaction on the move Our active lifestyles see us playing, pausing, and skipping through life all the while our phones are in our hands. For many, completing the daily grind requires regular audio and visual media accompaniment and for this we interact with our phones as we skip, run, and jump. In this respect, a unique form of digital library is our mobile media player of choice. These media players serve as both the interface for listening to and watching these audio and visual media as well as the media library and storage. We argue therefore that the interface design considerations of the media library as well as the media interaction require user centered investigation. We tested button placement variations and analyzed the user preferences as well as user interaction with these mobile media player prototypes while on the move. Early insights suggest users prefer what they are most accustomed to, yet issues of accuracy with interface designs that are unfamiliar require further investigation.

year: 2019

title: The cold chain in New Zealand - A review

authors: Carson, James K.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Approximately 45 % of all exports from New Zealand are food products or by-products, and an estimated 60 % of these are exported in the refrigerated state. The leading food sectors in terms of volume and income are in order: the dairy industry, the red meat industry, the horticultural industry and the seafood industry. Due to its geographic isolation, New Zealand food exports form part of some of the longest cold chains in the world. Responsibility for temperature integrity in the cold chain is placed on the processors and exporters and is overseen by the Ministry for Primary Industry of the Government of New Zealand. Currently, the major research theme related to the cold-chain in New Zealand is focussed around optimising chilling and freezing processes for shelf-life extension. Improving energy efficiency in refrigeration processes is also a significant research theme.

text: The cold chain in New Zealand - A review Approximately 45 % of all exports from New Zealand are food products or by-products, and an estimated 60 % of these are exported in the refrigerated state. The leading food sectors in terms of volume and income are in order: the dairy industry, the red meat industry, the horticultural industry and the seafood industry. Due to its geographic isolation, New Zealand food exports form part of some of the longest cold chains in the world. Responsibility for temperature integrity in the cold chain is placed on the processors and exporters and is overseen by the Ministry for Primary Industry of the Government of New Zealand. Currently, the major research theme related to the cold-chain in New Zealand is focussed around optimising chilling and freezing processes for shelf-life extension. Improving energy efficiency in refrigeration processes is also a significant research theme.

year: 2018

title: Investigating the Social Supports of Successful Māori Undergraduate Appellants at the University of Waikato

authors: Diamond, Danielle Jade

subjects: Social Supports

abstract: Educational disparities between Māori and non-Māori tertiary students are evident in regards to participation, retention, and completion rates at secondary and tertiary levels. Instead of focusing on negative statistics, it was of interest to investigate Māori students who had failed sufficient papers to initially be denied re-entry to university study, yet continued to attain their degrees, as a result of a successful appeal. Māori undergraduate students, who had successfully appealed from 2003-2012, were recruited for my research. The availability and utilisation of social supports were investigated, along with the decision to make an appeal, the role of cultural expectations, and barriers experienced by participants. A mixed method approach was utilised in this research through use of an adapted overarching Kaupapa Māori framework, statistical analysis, and 13 interviews. My research found that social supports were beneficial for participants throughout their appeal, as they provided: emotional, instrumental, appraisal, and informational support. Although the social supports utilised by participants were satisfactory, barriers to accessing formal supports were also found, which included: perceived stigma having failed their papers, pride, as well as being whakamā. The appeal process was a beneficial intervention from the University of Waikato, which provided participants another opportunity to overcome the factors that contributed to their initial failure. Post appeal, participants implemented strategies to address and reduce their factors in order to become academically engaged. Participants were deemed to be resilient from their continued pursuit of degree attainment, implementation of their strategies, and their use of perceived social supports.

text: Investigating the Social Supports of Successful Māori Undergraduate Appellants at the University of Waikato Educational disparities between Māori and non-Māori tertiary students are evident in regards to participation, retention, and completion rates at secondary and tertiary levels. Instead of focusing on negative statistics, it was of interest to investigate Māori students who had failed sufficient papers to initially be denied re-entry to university study, yet continued to attain their degrees, as a result of a successful appeal. Māori undergraduate students, who had successfully appealed from 2003-2012, were recruited for my research. The availability and utilisation of social supports were investigated, along with the decision to make an appeal, the role of cultural expectations, and barriers experienced by participants. A mixed method approach was utilised in this research through use of an adapted overarching Kaupapa Māori framework, statistical analysis, and 13 interviews. My research found that social supports were beneficial for participants throughout their appeal, as they provided: emotional, instrumental, appraisal, and informational support. Although the social supports utilised by participants were satisfactory, barriers to accessing formal supports were also found, which included: perceived stigma having failed their papers, pride, as well as being whakamā. The appeal process was a beneficial intervention from the University of Waikato, which provided participants another opportunity to overcome the factors that contributed to their initial failure. Post appeal, participants implemented strategies to address and reduce their factors in order to become academically engaged. Participants were deemed to be resilient from their continued pursuit of degree attainment, implementation of their strategies, and their use of perceived social supports.

year: 2013