title: Principal Professional Learning in New Zealand:  How does it happen?  Understanding the value of profound professional learning for experienced principals

authors: Graham, Arnna Rosa

subjects: lead learner

abstract: Profound professional learning for principals makes a difference to student achievement.  While indirect, the impact of effective principal practice has a ripple effect throughout the community of learners of a school.  The principal is, and should be, the lead learner of the school.  Authenticity in this action brings credibility.  This credibility establishes the principal as a significant role model.

This qualitative research provides some insight to the understanding and practices of experienced effective principals and their professional learning in a New Zealand context.  The findings suggest that there are measures of effectiveness for New Zealand principals, however ascertaining what to measure is somewhat difficult.  Knowledge of tools to support the identification of learning needs is limited and therefore not significant in the practice of these principals.  

Drivers and barriers to professional learning are identifiable.  Work/life balance is highlighted as both a measure of effectiveness and a filter for professional learning.  This is one of many filters explored.

Recognition is given to the positioning of New Zealand principalship in a post-modern paradigm and the conflict that arises when measures of neo-liberal accountabilities are employed.  

The significance of school context and culture are highlighted as conditions for profound professional learning.   The culture of traditional learning through principal clusters is challenged. Recommendations and considerations are offered to both principal colleagues and the Ministry of Education as a result of these findings.  These include the need for principal mentoring and secondment to external, national bodies as part of professional learning for all principals.  The value of professional learning is highlighted.  

More significantly principals are challenged to embrace and develop an authentic culture of professional learning.

text: Principal Professional Learning in New Zealand:  How does it happen?  Understanding the value of profound professional learning for experienced principals Profound professional learning for principals makes a difference to student achievement.  While indirect, the impact of effective principal practice has a ripple effect throughout the community of learners of a school.  The principal is, and should be, the lead learner of the school.  Authenticity in this action brings credibility.  This credibility establishes the principal as a significant role model.

This qualitative research provides some insight to the understanding and practices of experienced effective principals and their professional learning in a New Zealand context.  The findings suggest that there are measures of effectiveness for New Zealand principals, however ascertaining what to measure is somewhat difficult.  Knowledge of tools to support the identification of learning needs is limited and therefore not significant in the practice of these principals.  

Drivers and barriers to professional learning are identifiable.  Work/life balance is highlighted as both a measure of effectiveness and a filter for professional learning.  This is one of many filters explored.

Recognition is given to the positioning of New Zealand principalship in a post-modern paradigm and the conflict that arises when measures of neo-liberal accountabilities are employed.  

The significance of school context and culture are highlighted as conditions for profound professional learning.   The culture of traditional learning through principal clusters is challenged. Recommendations and considerations are offered to both principal colleagues and the Ministry of Education as a result of these findings.  These include the need for principal mentoring and secondment to external, national bodies as part of professional learning for all principals.  The value of professional learning is highlighted.  

More significantly principals are challenged to embrace and develop an authentic culture of professional learning.

year: 2010

title: Exact solutions for steady-state, planar, magnetic reconnection in an incompressible viscous plasma

authors: Fabling, R.B.

subjects: mathematics

abstract: The exact planar reconnection analysis of Craig and Henton [Astrophys. J. 450, 280 (1995)] is extended to include the finite viscosity of the fluid and the presence of nonplanar components in the magnetic and velocity fields. It is shown that fast reconnection can be achieved for sufficiently small values of the kinematic viscosity. In particular, the dissipation rate is sustained by the strong amplification of planar magnetic field components advected toward the neutral point. By contrast, nonplanar field components are advected without amplification and so dissipate energy at the slow Sweet–Parker rate.

text: Exact solutions for steady-state, planar, magnetic reconnection in an incompressible viscous plasma The exact planar reconnection analysis of Craig and Henton [Astrophys. J. 450, 280 (1995)] is extended to include the finite viscosity of the fluid and the presence of nonplanar components in the magnetic and velocity fields. It is shown that fast reconnection can be achieved for sufficiently small values of the kinematic viscosity. In particular, the dissipation rate is sustained by the strong amplification of planar magnetic field components advected toward the neutral point. By contrast, nonplanar field components are advected without amplification and so dissipate energy at the slow Sweet–Parker rate.

year: 1996-06

title: Renewal and resistance: Moko in contemporary New Zealand

authors: Nikora, Linda Waimarie

subjects: maori

abstract: Moko is still here, contrary to the widely held belief that the art and custom of moko-Maori skin adornment-had vanished from New Zealand communities. Over the last two decades an increasingly visible number of Maori have revived and renewed the practice, taking colour into their skin. As an indigenous people, re-taking moko confronts and refutes the myth of a 'dying race'. It calls on Maori to recommit to strong Maori identities, customs and traditions and challenges the viewer to re-examine their social representations of moko and moko wearers. This paper reports the resistance strategies of a group of 83 moko wearers. Strategies include (1) educating, representing and reconstructing; (2) invalidating and minimizing representations; (3) building and enhancing social networks; and (4) securing cultural identity and pride. They reflect the celebration of cultural resilience.

text: Renewal and resistance: Moko in contemporary New Zealand Moko is still here, contrary to the widely held belief that the art and custom of moko-Maori skin adornment-had vanished from New Zealand communities. Over the last two decades an increasingly visible number of Maori have revived and renewed the practice, taking colour into their skin. As an indigenous people, re-taking moko confronts and refutes the myth of a 'dying race'. It calls on Maori to recommit to strong Maori identities, customs and traditions and challenges the viewer to re-examine their social representations of moko and moko wearers. This paper reports the resistance strategies of a group of 83 moko wearers. Strategies include (1) educating, representing and reconstructing; (2) invalidating and minimizing representations; (3) building and enhancing social networks; and (4) securing cultural identity and pride. They reflect the celebration of cultural resilience.

year: 2007