UC Research Repository

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The UC Research Repository collects, stores and makes available original research from postgraduate students, researchers and academics based at the University of Canterbury.

 

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Recent Submissions

ItemOpen Access
Hydrogeology of the Eastern Southland Plains, New Zealand
(2001) Durie, Michelle Anne
The Eastern Southland Plains is situated between the Oreti and Mataura Rivers, and the area of approximately 45 km2 under investigation in this study includes the Morton Mains, Waimatua, and Kapuka coalfields. Farming is the principal land use in the region, particularly dairying, and groundwater resources are utilised widely. This thesis provides a detailed investigation of the Early Quaternary and Gore Lignite Measures aquifer systems by delineating the hydrogeological setting, groundwater trends and fluctuations, groundwater yields and water chemistry issues with specific reference to potability.
ItemOpen Access
Victorian Oamaru: the architecture of Forrester and Lemon
(1986) McCarthy, Cona
Thomas Forrester had trained in Scotland as a plasterer before emigrating to Dunedin in 1861, where he was a draughtsman for the firm of Mason and Clayton. In the early 1870s Forrester moved to Oamaru, which was destined to be one of the colony's leading provincial centres. Here he became Secretary and Inspector of Works for the Oamaru Harbour Board. In 1872 he established, with pioneer businessman John Lemon, a prodigious and highly successful architectural partnership that took advantage of the influential circle of business contacts both men enjoyed through their positions on the Board. Forrester, who was chiefly responsible for the firm's architectural achievements, was a capable architect, and designed a wide variety of building types in a surprising range of styles, and produced a handful of accomplished buildings. Forrester and Lemon were far from major architects, but they did make an outstanding contribution to the architecture of their region. Their greatest achievement was the virtual creation of the Oamaru townscape during the key period of the town's growth and prosperity. In the first chapter there is a biographical account of Thomas Forrester and John Lemon, outlining their careers and varied activities, alongside a description of the development of Oamaru itself. In the second chapter the practice's commercial work is examined, in particular its importance to the development of streetscape in the town. In the third chapter public buildings, churches and schools -Forrester and Lemon's monuments to civic pride,-are assessed. In the fourth and fifth chapters their industrial and domestic architecture is discussed, and placed in its context within the work of the practice. Throughout the study the focus is on Forrester's adaptation of Victorian architectural models to meet the needs of the colonial community. Maps and photographs provide evidence of Forrester and Lemon's impact on the town, a list of buildings tabulates their work, and a list of plans documents the material surviving from the firm.
ItemOpen Access
Developing a Kaupapa Māori science education programme focused on microplastics, plastic pollution and sustainability.
(2023) Feltham, Grace
This research explores the potential for creating a microplastics education programme which is centered in mātauranga Māori. The project utilizes Participatory Action Research and Kaupapa Māori Research Methods to create a culturally grounded science education initiative. Through a case study at Te Pā o Rākaihautū, this research found that actively connecting scientific topics to Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) promoted Māori student engagement and understanding of complex topics. This connection must be continually affirmed and made relevant to the local Indigenous context. Connection to Te Ao Māori through te reo Māori (the Māori language), and pūrākau (oral histories) not only creates a positive learning environment but also improves the robustness of environmental science research in Aotearoa. Research into microplastics and plastics pollution in Aotearoa would benefit greatly from an understanding of Te Ao Māori, and recognition of the responsibilities of Treaty Partners under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Similarly, policies and government actions on reducing plastics pollution must acknowledge the unique role of Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge in solving the plastics pollution crisis.
ItemOpen Access
Kōpaki Waiora Tamaiti o Aotearoa | New Zealand Child Wellbeing Project
(2023) Knight, Ashley Rose
The aim of this MProdDesign project was to design an intervention product and/or service that supports childrens’ emotional regulation (ER) learning within primary education in Aotearoa. Aotearoa has cultural and environmental influences that have greatly affected our tamariki (children’s) development. Aotearoa has a history of colonization and ongoing coloniality that has caused inequities in educational and health societies that has impacted behavioural and social norms (Hobbs et al., 2019). These influences have caused wellbeing and mental health deficiencies for tamariki that may inhibit their behavioural, social, and emotional skills as they grow. Emotional regulation (ER) is the extrinsic and innate processes responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and modifying emotional reactions (Thompson, 1991). Thus, ER is important in aiding a tamaiti (child’s) ability to identify, understand and integrate emotional information while managing behavioural responses (e.g., anger, sadness, distress) to different situations (Adrian, Zeman, & Veits, 2011). Progressive (and government supported) Modern Learning Environments (MLE) have shifted towards holistic pedagogies. Some holistic teaching approaches promote ER techniques to support the development of behavioural, emotional, and social capacities. One way that MLEs integrate teaching of ER skills is through the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness refers to a state of awareness that is focus on one’s present moment experiences, with an attitude of non-judgement. (Shapiro, Carlson, Astin, Freedman, 2006). Mindful awareness is cultivated through formal meditation practices (e.g., focusing on relaxation sounds like heartbeats, breathing patterns) and through formal practices that involve bringing mindful awareness to everyday activities (e.g., showering). Mindfulness has previously been linked to emotional regulation by promoting enhanced attention in the present moment. Mindfulness can improve an individual’s ability to attend to specific aspects of a situation, as well as aspects of their own experience (e.g., mental and/or physical awareness) (Roemer, 2015; Roemer, Williston, Rollins, 2015). Using a product design-focused codesign framework, this project facilitated research focus groups that directed design decisions and developments from learner and education facilitator insights. As a result, mindfulness-based wearable prototypes were produced and play-tested with young learners and education facilitators over a 5-week period. The qualitative testing data conveyed what functional, aesthetic, sensorial and ergonomic aspects were successful and what were shortcomings for both young learners to use and for education facilitators to deliver within a Modern Learning Environment. Thematic analyses of the testing data proved that the learner participants maintained consistent engagement with the prototypes over the testing period and found them an effective tool to aid in refocusing their attention to the present moment during their school day and mindfulness lessons. This project opens future opportunities to explore lesson plans and projects that are framed with both learners and their education facilitator teams to grow their familiarity and engagement with their mindfulness journeys together.
ItemOpen Access
Contemporary organisational culture and competitive advantage : the case of the Crusaders super rugby franchise.
(2023) Ratulomai, Sairusi
The way organisational culture is framed, organized and applied is seen by many researchers and practitioners as a key ingredient in organisational successes. This study critically excamines the dynamics and relationships between five significant pillars of organizational culture: organisational values, resilience, innovation, diversity and competitive advantage. The study will use the Crusaders rugby franchise as the major case study. While the Crusaders is often seen as one of the most sucessful rugby teams in the world, little is known about it’s organizational culture, innovation strategies and ethical practices. This study, which is an interdisciplinary approach—at the intersection of business management and sports—attempts to examine what people do not often see—the behind the scene organizational culture which has created conditions for an innovative and cutting edge corporate system which translates itself into high level organizational outputs in the form of sporting success. Sports in the contemporary era is increasingly being corporatized and how this is manifested through institutional relationships, innovative thinking and new products may differ in particular specificities from other organizations but some of the broad trends, principles and processes are similar. The study shows that organizational culture evolves over time, is contextual and often made to fit specific situations and interests. In the case of the Crusaders, there is a complex and dynamic synergy between player-coach relationships, role of fans, management of the organization, handling of diversity issues and engaging with equity principles. The study uses the qualitative, inductive and interpretivist methodology to engage with the organization and its people in a deeper and critical way. It uses Anthony Gidden’s structuration theory to frame the study. While to the rest of the world, the Crusaders manifests sporting success, the deeper epistemological question is, what are the organizational values, structures and innovative norms which contribute to this success?