title: The influence of context on science curricula: Observations, conclusions and some recommendations for curriculum development and implementation

authors: Coll, Richard K.

subjects: science education

abstract: The genesis of this project and book was our experiences of teaching science and science education at various levels in developing countries; in the Pacific and the Caribbean. These experiences along with numerous conversations with other teachers and educators who had worked in Africa and elsewhere left us with something of a sense of despair. We constantly confronted Western or foreign science curricula which were plainly alien to science learners in non-Western contexts. We witnessed numerous curricula reforms and professional development initiatives, many of which seemed doomed to failure. In fact Helu-Thaman (1991) referred to the ‘wreckage’ of aid-funded curricula initiatives all around the Pacific. Probably the most alarming aspect in all of this was the role of the foreign expert. Someone, normally ‘aid-funded’, who turned up for a short period of time to tell the locals what they should be doing! The naiveté of some of these people was truly remarkable (or perhaps they just didn’t care?). Failure of the program or reforms was generally attributed to the locals not ‘seeing it through’ or not quite understanding the new curriculum initiatives. There was little effort made to take into account local conditions or the views of local experts, especially teachers.

text: The influence of context on science curricula: Observations, conclusions and some recommendations for curriculum development and implementation The genesis of this project and book was our experiences of teaching science and science education at various levels in developing countries; in the Pacific and the Caribbean. These experiences along with numerous conversations with other teachers and educators who had worked in Africa and elsewhere left us with something of a sense of despair. We constantly confronted Western or foreign science curricula which were plainly alien to science learners in non-Western contexts. We witnessed numerous curricula reforms and professional development initiatives, many of which seemed doomed to failure. In fact Helu-Thaman (1991) referred to the ‘wreckage’ of aid-funded curricula initiatives all around the Pacific. Probably the most alarming aspect in all of this was the role of the foreign expert. Someone, normally ‘aid-funded’, who turned up for a short period of time to tell the locals what they should be doing! The naiveté of some of these people was truly remarkable (or perhaps they just didn’t care?). Failure of the program or reforms was generally attributed to the locals not ‘seeing it through’ or not quite understanding the new curriculum initiatives. There was little effort made to take into account local conditions or the views of local experts, especially teachers.

year: 2008

title: Boat electrofishing survey of common smelt and common bullies in the Ohau Channel

authors: Brijs, Jeroen

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: We conducted a boat electrofishing survey of the Ohau Channel, which flows from Lake Rotorua to Lake Rotoiti, on 13 December 2007. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the longitudinal pattern in densities of common smelt (Retropinna retropinna) and common bullies (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) along the Ohau Channel. We caught 1,267 fish comprising three native fish species and two introduced fish species in 1.58 km of fished distance at a total of 10 sites. Native species caught were the common smelt, common bully and longfinned eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii) and introduced species were rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and goldfish (Carassius auratus). Assuming that the bow-mounted anodes effectively fished a 4 m swath then the total area fished was 6,328 m2 (0.632 ha). 
Common smelt densities varied among the 10 different sites in the Ohau Channel ranging from 0 to 10.6 fish 100 m-2. Smelt density was higher at the upstream end of the channel near the weir at the Lake Rotorua outlet, decreasing with increasing distance from the weir. Smelt were found in the littoral zones but were not caught in mid-channel habitats. In the upstream reaches of the Ohau Channel, directly below the weir, a high number of juveniles (4.4 fish 100 m-2) were captured compared to the amount of juveniles captured at the other sites (0 – 1.2 fish 100 m-2).
Common bully densities varied among the 10 different sites in the Ohau Channel ranging from 0.2 to 58.3 fish 100 m-2. No longitudinal pattern in the distribution of common bullies was evident along the channel. The highest densities were found halfway along the Ohau Channel where there was an abundance of dense macrophyte beds. Common bully densities were found to be much higher in the edge habitats with macrophyte beds compared to the mid-channel habitats and the willow edge habitat where there were relatively low densities. Size frequency data shows that there is generally a higher proportion of small bullies than larger ones suggesting that recruitment is occurring.
Both adult and juvenile rainbow trout were observed in the Ohau Channel. Most of these individuals were found in the upstream section of the channel below the weir and ranged from a 75 mm juvenile to a fully grown adult about 500 mm long. Large longfinned eels were also captured and were only found in the downstream section of the Ohau Channel in willow-dominated edges. In the bottom third section of the channel, near the possible artificial embayment, goldfish were present.

text: Boat electrofishing survey of common smelt and common bullies in the Ohau Channel We conducted a boat electrofishing survey of the Ohau Channel, which flows from Lake Rotorua to Lake Rotoiti, on 13 December 2007. The purpose of the survey was to investigate the longitudinal pattern in densities of common smelt (Retropinna retropinna) and common bullies (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) along the Ohau Channel. We caught 1,267 fish comprising three native fish species and two introduced fish species in 1.58 km of fished distance at a total of 10 sites. Native species caught were the common smelt, common bully and longfinned eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii) and introduced species were rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and goldfish (Carassius auratus). Assuming that the bow-mounted anodes effectively fished a 4 m swath then the total area fished was 6,328 m2 (0.632 ha). 
Common smelt densities varied among the 10 different sites in the Ohau Channel ranging from 0 to 10.6 fish 100 m-2. Smelt density was higher at the upstream end of the channel near the weir at the Lake Rotorua outlet, decreasing with increasing distance from the weir. Smelt were found in the littoral zones but were not caught in mid-channel habitats. In the upstream reaches of the Ohau Channel, directly below the weir, a high number of juveniles (4.4 fish 100 m-2) were captured compared to the amount of juveniles captured at the other sites (0 – 1.2 fish 100 m-2).
Common bully densities varied among the 10 different sites in the Ohau Channel ranging from 0.2 to 58.3 fish 100 m-2. No longitudinal pattern in the distribution of common bullies was evident along the channel. The highest densities were found halfway along the Ohau Channel where there was an abundance of dense macrophyte beds. Common bully densities were found to be much higher in the edge habitats with macrophyte beds compared to the mid-channel habitats and the willow edge habitat where there were relatively low densities. Size frequency data shows that there is generally a higher proportion of small bullies than larger ones suggesting that recruitment is occurring.
Both adult and juvenile rainbow trout were observed in the Ohau Channel. Most of these individuals were found in the upstream section of the channel below the weir and ranged from a 75 mm juvenile to a fully grown adult about 500 mm long. Large longfinned eels were also captured and were only found in the downstream section of the Ohau Channel in willow-dominated edges. In the bottom third section of the channel, near the possible artificial embayment, goldfish were present.

year: 2008

title: Mana whenua, mana tangata: Raukawa ake, Raukawa iho

authors: Peni, Tamati

subjects: Raukawa

abstract: Mā te whakapapa, ngā tohu whenua, ngā pae whenua, ngā mātākōrero, ngā kōrero tuku iho, ka whakatere te takenga mai o ngā ariā me ngā mātāpono o Raukawa.  Ina te matapakinga, ka tīkaro hoki i ngā āhuatanga o tuawhakarere me ngā āhuatanga o te ao hurihuri kia tūhono i ngā matapakinga he aha rānei te Raukawatanga me te pātai he aha hoki ōna pānga ki te ao whai muri ake i te taunaha i ngā take Tiriti.  Nā te whānui rawa me te kaha tīni haere o te taiwhanga nei, ka whakawhāiti te rangahau ki ngā whakamautanga o Raukawa ki ngā pae whenua tawhito, ā, ka whītikihia te aronga ki nāianei, ki te ao hurihuri.

I seek to explore the ideological grounding of Raukawa through whakapapa, land marks, boundaries, oral history, and tradition.  Through this, a simultaneous extraction of traditional and contemporary themes are used to bridge new and old ways of being and what impact this has on being Raukawa in a post-settlement setting.  Because of the vastness and changing nature of this environment, I narrow my focus to how Raukawa maintained traditional boundaries and draw on its relevance to modern Raukawa development today.

text: Mana whenua, mana tangata: Raukawa ake, Raukawa iho Mā te whakapapa, ngā tohu whenua, ngā pae whenua, ngā mātākōrero, ngā kōrero tuku iho, ka whakatere te takenga mai o ngā ariā me ngā mātāpono o Raukawa.  Ina te matapakinga, ka tīkaro hoki i ngā āhuatanga o tuawhakarere me ngā āhuatanga o te ao hurihuri kia tūhono i ngā matapakinga he aha rānei te Raukawatanga me te pātai he aha hoki ōna pānga ki te ao whai muri ake i te taunaha i ngā take Tiriti.  Nā te whānui rawa me te kaha tīni haere o te taiwhanga nei, ka whakawhāiti te rangahau ki ngā whakamautanga o Raukawa ki ngā pae whenua tawhito, ā, ka whītikihia te aronga ki nāianei, ki te ao hurihuri.

I seek to explore the ideological grounding of Raukawa through whakapapa, land marks, boundaries, oral history, and tradition.  Through this, a simultaneous extraction of traditional and contemporary themes are used to bridge new and old ways of being and what impact this has on being Raukawa in a post-settlement setting.  Because of the vastness and changing nature of this environment, I narrow my focus to how Raukawa maintained traditional boundaries and draw on its relevance to modern Raukawa development today.

year: 2013