title: Improving engagement with biomechanics: Student perspectives and a professional development initiative

authors: Shultz, Sarah P.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Student engagement is an essential aspect of educational environments, and this is especially true for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, where student engagement declines in middle and high school years. Techniques for bolstering student engagement, such as hands-on learning, may be especially effective in the field of biomechanics since this discipline is rooted in STEM and has fundamental applications to everyday movement. To this end, this paper describes (1) the perceptions of student teachers in their first year of tertiary (undergraduate) education regarding the biomechanics content from their secondary (high school) education, and (2) a professional development initiative, in the form of a discipline-specific teacher training workshop, to enhance biomechanics resources for teachers via peer networking. The perception of student teachers in their first year of tertiary education in teaching indicated a positive relationship between perception of secondary school teaching quality and self-confidence with specific biomechanical concepts. Open responses focused on the need to cover concepts thoroughly, using practical activities where possible, and taking time to ensure understanding before progressing to more advanced concepts. The teacher training workshop provided secondary school Physical Education teachers with an opportunity to network nationally with other teachers across New Zealand, and internationally with university-based biomechanics researchers. Peer focus groups helped to design and refine sets of experiential learning activities that could be easily implemented in the classroom.

text: Improving engagement with biomechanics: Student perspectives and a professional development initiative Student engagement is an essential aspect of educational environments, and this is especially true for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, where student engagement declines in middle and high school years. Techniques for bolstering student engagement, such as hands-on learning, may be especially effective in the field of biomechanics since this discipline is rooted in STEM and has fundamental applications to everyday movement. To this end, this paper describes (1) the perceptions of student teachers in their first year of tertiary (undergraduate) education regarding the biomechanics content from their secondary (high school) education, and (2) a professional development initiative, in the form of a discipline-specific teacher training workshop, to enhance biomechanics resources for teachers via peer networking. The perception of student teachers in their first year of tertiary education in teaching indicated a positive relationship between perception of secondary school teaching quality and self-confidence with specific biomechanical concepts. Open responses focused on the need to cover concepts thoroughly, using practical activities where possible, and taking time to ensure understanding before progressing to more advanced concepts. The teacher training workshop provided secondary school Physical Education teachers with an opportunity to network nationally with other teachers across New Zealand, and internationally with university-based biomechanics researchers. Peer focus groups helped to design and refine sets of experiential learning activities that could be easily implemented in the classroom.

year: 2019

title: Responsible nature-based tourism: Rotorua Canopy Tours in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve in New Zealand; a critical review

authors: Senarathna, Dinesha Rasanjalie

subjects: Nature-based tourism

abstract: The overall objective is to examine whether the Rotorua Canopy Tours (RCTs) in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve (DRSR) follows the rules of sustainability. Tourism is primarily based on the natural environment because it plays a vital role for attracting tourists to various destinations. Consequently, massive tourist demand creates a huge stress on the natural environment. This has resulted in creating different concepts from time to time such as sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, ecotourism and ethical tourism in order to salvage the environment from tourism’s often predatory practices. New Zealand is popular as a clean and green country which has led to dramatic tourist flows to its unspoiled natural environments. This enormous demand emphasises the necessity for responsible nature-based tourism. My research seeks to discover whether any efforts are being made to render attractions more environmentally friendly. Such actions should ensure that commodification of the environment does not jeopardize its long-term sustainability.
This research uses a case study, RCTs, as an activity in the nature-based tourism sector to determine whether it offers a sustainable form of tourism. The research site in the DRSR was selected because it is known as the only native forest zipline canopy tour in New Zealand and brands itself as nature-friendly. This research focuses on how its owners conduct their activities and how they direct tourists to behave responsibly when on tour, in order to determine whether they fulfil the requirements of responsible nature-based tourism. The study scrutinizes how they discourse about the activities they have set up and their environmental consequences. It also examines how the conservation programme run by the Department of Conservation that they collaborate with addresses responsible tourism.
A qualitative research methodology was used for this research because my interest was in obtaining social perspectives and attitudes of the people involved in the commodification of nature. I was particularly interested about how they conceive responsible nature tourism and how they believe it can be implemented. Such issues are difficult to understand when using statistical or other quantitative methods and analysis. Critical discourse analysis was applied for data analysis. Both pros and cons have been identified in the various perceptions of key stakeholders on implementing sustainability principles to nature-based tourism. Even though the operators are making efforts to conserve the native birds, they need to have support of other stakeholders to make it effective and productive.

text: Responsible nature-based tourism: Rotorua Canopy Tours in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve in New Zealand; a critical review The overall objective is to examine whether the Rotorua Canopy Tours (RCTs) in the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve (DRSR) follows the rules of sustainability. Tourism is primarily based on the natural environment because it plays a vital role for attracting tourists to various destinations. Consequently, massive tourist demand creates a huge stress on the natural environment. This has resulted in creating different concepts from time to time such as sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, ecotourism and ethical tourism in order to salvage the environment from tourism’s often predatory practices. New Zealand is popular as a clean and green country which has led to dramatic tourist flows to its unspoiled natural environments. This enormous demand emphasises the necessity for responsible nature-based tourism. My research seeks to discover whether any efforts are being made to render attractions more environmentally friendly. Such actions should ensure that commodification of the environment does not jeopardize its long-term sustainability.
This research uses a case study, RCTs, as an activity in the nature-based tourism sector to determine whether it offers a sustainable form of tourism. The research site in the DRSR was selected because it is known as the only native forest zipline canopy tour in New Zealand and brands itself as nature-friendly. This research focuses on how its owners conduct their activities and how they direct tourists to behave responsibly when on tour, in order to determine whether they fulfil the requirements of responsible nature-based tourism. The study scrutinizes how they discourse about the activities they have set up and their environmental consequences. It also examines how the conservation programme run by the Department of Conservation that they collaborate with addresses responsible tourism.
A qualitative research methodology was used for this research because my interest was in obtaining social perspectives and attitudes of the people involved in the commodification of nature. I was particularly interested about how they conceive responsible nature tourism and how they believe it can be implemented. Such issues are difficult to understand when using statistical or other quantitative methods and analysis. Critical discourse analysis was applied for data analysis. Both pros and cons have been identified in the various perceptions of key stakeholders on implementing sustainability principles to nature-based tourism. Even though the operators are making efforts to conserve the native birds, they need to have support of other stakeholders to make it effective and productive.

year: 2017

title: Na Tarimo i whakaari... Ko Rangiwewehi te iwi

authors: Flavell, James William Ben

abstract: Ko ngā kōrero e whai ake nei, he mea kohikohi, he mea tuku mai ki ahau mō te iwi e kiia nei, ko Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Ko te rohe ki te taha raki o te Rotorua-nui-ā-kahumatamomoe to tūrangawaewae, otirā the rohe takahi o te iwi nei, i ngā rā o mua, nā, ahakoa he nui te whenua kua ngaro atu, kei konei tonu te papa kāinga mō tēnei karangatanga o Te Arawa waka, kei konei hoki tōna mauri, tōna mana, tōna wehi.
Ko Ngāti Rangiwehei i ēnei rā, e rite tonu ana ki te tōtara nui. I tipu ake tēnei tōtara i te kākano i ruia i Rangiātea arā, i Hawaiki, i mānu mai ki Aotearoa nei, i puāwai mai, ā, kei te tipu tonu, kei te tuipu tonu.
Nā, kei roto i tēnei rākau, ko ngā kōrero katoa mō te iwi nei, arā ko ngā whakapapa, ko ngā waiata ko ngā karakia, ko ngā pakiwaitara otirā ko ngā āhuatanga katoa e pā ana ki te iwi. Kei konei hoki ko te ira o te tangata e mau nei i ēnei āhuatanga nei.
Ka tae ki te ngahuru, ka heke iho ngā rau rākau ka pirau, ka ngaro. Pēnei i te rākau nei, te hinga te tangata, ka kapohia e te ringa o Aituā, ā, ka ngaro. Ēhara i te mea ko te mauri o te tangata anake te mea e ngaro nei, ēngari, ko ōna mātauranga katoa hoki.
Nā, matemate noa atu ngā koroua me ngākuia e mōhio tūturu ana ki ngā kōrero hōhonu tuku iho a Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Nō reira, ko tāku mahi, he kohi i ēnei kōrero, i mua i te ngaronga tonutanga o ngā kaumātua e ora ana, nei ngaro.
Kua kohia nei e au ngā kōrero katoa ahakoa Māori ahakoa Pākehā, kia kitea ai, kia mārama ake ai ngā momo āhuatanga o tōku iwi.
Ēhara tēnei i te me ngāwari, nō te mea, ko tēnei mea te mātaranga ahakoa he whakapapa rānei, he pakiwaitara rānei, he mea tino tapu ki te Māori, i te ao tawhito, ā, kei te pērā anō hoki i ēnei rā. Kua oti te tārai te tāhū o tēnei tuhituhinga e kore a taea te whakatārewa tēnei tāhū mehemea kāore, ōna pou kāore ōna here e tika ana. Otirā e kore e tū te whare kōreo, te tāhū whakaringa kōereo, mehemea kāore ōna kaupapa whenua, tangata, tae atu ki a Papatūānuku. Nō reira, koia tēnei ka tātaihia ake ngā kupu kōreroa muri ake nei, kia tutuki ai ngā tūmanako ngā wawata, a ngā whakatipuranga, mai, mai, mai i te pō ki ngā kaikōrero me te kaituhi.
E ai ki te iwi, ko Rangiwewehi te tipuna o tēnei iwi te tamaiti a Tawakeheimoa rāua ko Te Aongahoro.
Nā te mea, he karangatanga a Ngāti Rangiwewehi nō Te Arawa waka i hoki atu ai au ki ngā kōrero mō tēnei waka tapu. Tae rawa mai tēnei waka ki tēnei whenua, ka horapa hāere ngā tāngata i te mata o te whenua. I tōna wā, i tae atu ngā tīpuna ke Te Awahou awa, otirā ki te taha raki o Rotorua moana. Mai i taua wā, ka tīmata ngā āhuatanga katoa e pā ana ki tēnei iwi.
Nā, ēhara tēnei tuhinga i te pukapuka hei whakaatu i te tūturutanga o ngā kōrero katoa o Ngāti Rangiwewehi, mā Ngāti Rangiwewehi hei whai atu, ēngari he kōrero kua kohia nei e au i ngā rangatira, i ngā tohunga, i ngā tāngata mōhio, i ngā whāea, i ngā kaumātua me ngā pukapuka a ngā Māori me ngā Pākehā.
He pūtake kōrero noa iho tēnei mō Ngāti Rangiwewehi he tohu whakamaharatanga hoki ki ngā tīpuna, ki ngā mātua kua wehe atu nei ki te pō.

text: Na Tarimo i whakaari... Ko Rangiwewehi te iwi Ko ngā kōrero e whai ake nei, he mea kohikohi, he mea tuku mai ki ahau mō te iwi e kiia nei, ko Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Ko te rohe ki te taha raki o te Rotorua-nui-ā-kahumatamomoe to tūrangawaewae, otirā the rohe takahi o te iwi nei, i ngā rā o mua, nā, ahakoa he nui te whenua kua ngaro atu, kei konei tonu te papa kāinga mō tēnei karangatanga o Te Arawa waka, kei konei hoki tōna mauri, tōna mana, tōna wehi.
Ko Ngāti Rangiwehei i ēnei rā, e rite tonu ana ki te tōtara nui. I tipu ake tēnei tōtara i te kākano i ruia i Rangiātea arā, i Hawaiki, i mānu mai ki Aotearoa nei, i puāwai mai, ā, kei te tipu tonu, kei te tuipu tonu.
Nā, kei roto i tēnei rākau, ko ngā kōrero katoa mō te iwi nei, arā ko ngā whakapapa, ko ngā waiata ko ngā karakia, ko ngā pakiwaitara otirā ko ngā āhuatanga katoa e pā ana ki te iwi. Kei konei hoki ko te ira o te tangata e mau nei i ēnei āhuatanga nei.
Ka tae ki te ngahuru, ka heke iho ngā rau rākau ka pirau, ka ngaro. Pēnei i te rākau nei, te hinga te tangata, ka kapohia e te ringa o Aituā, ā, ka ngaro. Ēhara i te mea ko te mauri o te tangata anake te mea e ngaro nei, ēngari, ko ōna mātauranga katoa hoki.
Nā, matemate noa atu ngā koroua me ngākuia e mōhio tūturu ana ki ngā kōrero hōhonu tuku iho a Ngāti Rangiwewehi. Nō reira, ko tāku mahi, he kohi i ēnei kōrero, i mua i te ngaronga tonutanga o ngā kaumātua e ora ana, nei ngaro.
Kua kohia nei e au ngā kōrero katoa ahakoa Māori ahakoa Pākehā, kia kitea ai, kia mārama ake ai ngā momo āhuatanga o tōku iwi.
Ēhara tēnei i te me ngāwari, nō te mea, ko tēnei mea te mātaranga ahakoa he whakapapa rānei, he pakiwaitara rānei, he mea tino tapu ki te Māori, i te ao tawhito, ā, kei te pērā anō hoki i ēnei rā. Kua oti te tārai te tāhū o tēnei tuhituhinga e kore a taea te whakatārewa tēnei tāhū mehemea kāore, ōna pou kāore ōna here e tika ana. Otirā e kore e tū te whare kōreo, te tāhū whakaringa kōereo, mehemea kāore ōna kaupapa whenua, tangata, tae atu ki a Papatūānuku. Nō reira, koia tēnei ka tātaihia ake ngā kupu kōreroa muri ake nei, kia tutuki ai ngā tūmanako ngā wawata, a ngā whakatipuranga, mai, mai, mai i te pō ki ngā kaikōrero me te kaituhi.
E ai ki te iwi, ko Rangiwewehi te tipuna o tēnei iwi te tamaiti a Tawakeheimoa rāua ko Te Aongahoro.
Nā te mea, he karangatanga a Ngāti Rangiwewehi nō Te Arawa waka i hoki atu ai au ki ngā kōrero mō tēnei waka tapu. Tae rawa mai tēnei waka ki tēnei whenua, ka horapa hāere ngā tāngata i te mata o te whenua. I tōna wā, i tae atu ngā tīpuna ke Te Awahou awa, otirā ki te taha raki o Rotorua moana. Mai i taua wā, ka tīmata ngā āhuatanga katoa e pā ana ki tēnei iwi.
Nā, ēhara tēnei tuhinga i te pukapuka hei whakaatu i te tūturutanga o ngā kōrero katoa o Ngāti Rangiwewehi, mā Ngāti Rangiwewehi hei whai atu, ēngari he kōrero kua kohia nei e au i ngā rangatira, i ngā tohunga, i ngā tāngata mōhio, i ngā whāea, i ngā kaumātua me ngā pukapuka a ngā Māori me ngā Pākehā.
He pūtake kōrero noa iho tēnei mō Ngāti Rangiwewehi he tohu whakamaharatanga hoki ki ngā tīpuna, ki ngā mātua kua wehe atu nei ki te pō.

year: 1986