title: Negotiating and constructing an educationally relevant leadership programme

authors: Giles, David

subjects: higher education

abstract: Purpose: This article aims to discuss the conceptualisation process of developing a new one-year taught-master's programme in educational leadership at an Aotearoa/New Zealand university. Design/methodology/approach: The perspective taken is a highly personalised one from the two lead "drivers" of the programme and outlines the two-year process of development of the programme from conception through to the first papers delivered in semester one 2008. The article describes the process, the concerns, the underlying philosophy, content and intended delivery pattern within the Master of Educational Leadership (MEdL) programme. As the programme designers, the authors wanted something discernibly different in orientation from the postgraduate programmes offered by other tertiary providers in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The content had to be both educationally and culturally relevant and reflect the nation's bi-cultural heritage, yet growing multi-ethnic population base. Findings: The proposed programme was somewhat controversial and had a rather difficult journey through the New Zealand Vice Chancellors' Committee (NZVCC) that deals with the accreditation process. The philosophy of the programme centred on leadership rather than a management focus. Moreover, the philosophy was premised on both theory and practice as praxis and drew on both developmental and experiential models for leadership development. Originality/value: This article leads a critical discourse amongst tertiary educators in educational leadership programmes towards a greater exploration and articulation of the critical, humanistic, and phenomenological nature of the programmes it offers

text: Negotiating and constructing an educationally relevant leadership programme Purpose: This article aims to discuss the conceptualisation process of developing a new one-year taught-master's programme in educational leadership at an Aotearoa/New Zealand university. Design/methodology/approach: The perspective taken is a highly personalised one from the two lead "drivers" of the programme and outlines the two-year process of development of the programme from conception through to the first papers delivered in semester one 2008. The article describes the process, the concerns, the underlying philosophy, content and intended delivery pattern within the Master of Educational Leadership (MEdL) programme. As the programme designers, the authors wanted something discernibly different in orientation from the postgraduate programmes offered by other tertiary providers in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The content had to be both educationally and culturally relevant and reflect the nation's bi-cultural heritage, yet growing multi-ethnic population base. Findings: The proposed programme was somewhat controversial and had a rather difficult journey through the New Zealand Vice Chancellors' Committee (NZVCC) that deals with the accreditation process. The philosophy of the programme centred on leadership rather than a management focus. Moreover, the philosophy was premised on both theory and practice as praxis and drew on both developmental and experiential models for leadership development. Originality/value: This article leads a critical discourse amongst tertiary educators in educational leadership programmes towards a greater exploration and articulation of the critical, humanistic, and phenomenological nature of the programmes it offers

year: 2012

title: Choosing Choice: An Assessment of Children's Preference to Choose

authors: Penman, Jenna Ann

abstract: The current study examined the effects of choosing among alternatives for five children in a series of experiments. In the first, a concurrent-chains arrangement was used to assess all participant’s preferences for choice making. Initial link selections resulted in access to terminal links in which the completed task resulted (a) the choice of identical reinforcers (choice), (b) the delivery of an identical reinforcer (no-choice), or (c) no reinforcer delivered (control). One of the five participants showed an initial preference for choice, the others had either an inconsistent preference or were indifferent. Additional evaluations were conducted (Experiments 2 and 4) to demonstrate whether preference for choice could be established by either increasing variability of the stimuli, or by increasing the number of stimuli from which to choose. Choice-link selections increased for one participant when more items were available from which to choose and for another participant when the items from which to choose varied.  Experiment 3 and 5 quantified the value of the opportunity to choose using progressively increasing schedule requirements during the choice terminal link for the three children who demonstrated a preference for choice. All three children continued to select the choice link even when the schedule requirements in the choice link were much higher than that in the no-choice link.

text: Choosing Choice: An Assessment of Children's Preference to Choose The current study examined the effects of choosing among alternatives for five children in a series of experiments. In the first, a concurrent-chains arrangement was used to assess all participant’s preferences for choice making. Initial link selections resulted in access to terminal links in which the completed task resulted (a) the choice of identical reinforcers (choice), (b) the delivery of an identical reinforcer (no-choice), or (c) no reinforcer delivered (control). One of the five participants showed an initial preference for choice, the others had either an inconsistent preference or were indifferent. Additional evaluations were conducted (Experiments 2 and 4) to demonstrate whether preference for choice could be established by either increasing variability of the stimuli, or by increasing the number of stimuli from which to choose. Choice-link selections increased for one participant when more items were available from which to choose and for another participant when the items from which to choose varied.  Experiment 3 and 5 quantified the value of the opportunity to choose using progressively increasing schedule requirements during the choice terminal link for the three children who demonstrated a preference for choice. All three children continued to select the choice link even when the schedule requirements in the choice link were much higher than that in the no-choice link.

year: 2016

title: Young Māori mothers and bed-sharing with their pēpi/baby: A case study focusing on the relevance and influence of three varying health promotion resources

authors: Haereroa, Nikki M.

subjects: Māori

abstract: Māori Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) rates are significantly higher than non-Māori. Bed-sharing is considered to be one of the major modifiable risk factors associated with SUDI rates (Mitchell et al., 1992), although there is strong opposition that suggests bed-sharing can act as a preventative measure against SUDI (McKenna & McDade, 2005). As a result of quantitative research and statistical data, many health promotion messages now focus on discouraging the practice of bed-sharing, whether it be through policy implementation throughout hospitals or through to health promotion guidelines. Although there is a high incidence of Māori SUDI rates, there has been little emphasis on Māori perspectives and insights into the practice. Of the few qualitative studies that focus on infant sleep practices, a significant finding is the high prevalence of Māori who bed-share regularly (Tipene-Leach et al., 2010). This paper will investigate the motivations and rationale of bed-sharing amongst young urban Māori mothers to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation into the lived realities of this group. The lack of consultation with a group that has been classed by New Zealand Government bodies, the Health Quality and Safety Commission and Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee Group, as ‘most at risk’ of experiencing a SUDI, maybe a contributing factor to the high Māori SUDI rates. This has brought about the question of whether current health resources are relevant and/or influence young Māori mothers. Using a Te Whare Tapa Wha framework within a Kaupapa Māori Research methodology, this paper provides a unique and much-needed perspective into the lives of young Māori mothers. The purpose of this research overall is: if health resources and messages are not relevant to a community and they have little or no influence over infant care practices, then do health professionals and researchers need to rethink current strategies and working models to ensure we focus on the real, lived needs of our community?

text: Young Māori mothers and bed-sharing with their pēpi/baby: A case study focusing on the relevance and influence of three varying health promotion resources Māori Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) rates are significantly higher than non-Māori. Bed-sharing is considered to be one of the major modifiable risk factors associated with SUDI rates (Mitchell et al., 1992), although there is strong opposition that suggests bed-sharing can act as a preventative measure against SUDI (McKenna & McDade, 2005). As a result of quantitative research and statistical data, many health promotion messages now focus on discouraging the practice of bed-sharing, whether it be through policy implementation throughout hospitals or through to health promotion guidelines. Although there is a high incidence of Māori SUDI rates, there has been little emphasis on Māori perspectives and insights into the practice. Of the few qualitative studies that focus on infant sleep practices, a significant finding is the high prevalence of Māori who bed-share regularly (Tipene-Leach et al., 2010). This paper will investigate the motivations and rationale of bed-sharing amongst young urban Māori mothers to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation into the lived realities of this group. The lack of consultation with a group that has been classed by New Zealand Government bodies, the Health Quality and Safety Commission and Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee Group, as ‘most at risk’ of experiencing a SUDI, maybe a contributing factor to the high Māori SUDI rates. This has brought about the question of whether current health resources are relevant and/or influence young Māori mothers. Using a Te Whare Tapa Wha framework within a Kaupapa Māori Research methodology, this paper provides a unique and much-needed perspective into the lives of young Māori mothers. The purpose of this research overall is: if health resources and messages are not relevant to a community and they have little or no influence over infant care practices, then do health professionals and researchers need to rethink current strategies and working models to ensure we focus on the real, lived needs of our community?

year: 2015