Indigenous Digital Inclusion: Interconnections and Comparisons

This paper explores published research on Indigenous digital inclusion, starting from the premise that Indigenous peoples adopt and use digital technologies in ways that fit their specific social contexts. Analysis of search results from Scopus and Web of Science aimed to identify common themes and approaches, and to explore differences and interconnections between research from disparate academic disciplines. The findings indicate that research from Australasia features prominently and that the Social and Computer Sciences produce the bulk of the work in this area. Conclusions comment on the importance of a strengths-based, as opposed to a deficit, approach to research and instruction in Indigenous digital inclusion

21st Century Learners: Changing Conceptions of Knowledge, Learning and the Child

The term ‘21st century learner’ emerged at the turn of the millennium and evoked a certain type of certain type of digitally‐agile and self‐driven learner. These ideas about 21st century learners have been widely and uncritically adopted in New Zealand policies and practices in recent years. This paper examines the origins and substance of this term against the backdrop of globalisation and Knowledge Economy discourses and emerging ideas of ‘digital natives’. It considers the implications of these ideas on conceptualisations of the child, the development of deep learning, the impact on relationships between adults/teachers and students and on social equity. It concludes by suggesting that the term 21st century learner needs onâ€going critique if we want critical, informed citizens in our democracy.   &nbsp

Using Personal Mobile Devices to increase flexibility and equity in learning in resource constrained contexts.

This paper examines how in a resource constrained context, access to personal mobile devices for first year university students increases their flexibility of learning and creates a environment of greater inclusivity at University. In 2016, at the start of their first year 201 students in an extended degree program in the Humanities at the University of Cape Town were surveyed about their access to Personal Mobile Devices (PMDs). Based on need, 68 students were given an entry level tablet to use as their own for the duration of their studies.  As a consequence of establishing a learning context where students all had access to a PMD the lecturers could engage students in multimodal blended learning and teaching approach. This paper draws on data in the form of student surveys and focus groups and explores not only the challenges and opportunities for students in using PMDs for their learning both in and out of the classroom but the flexibility of learning enabled through PMDs. The study shows that creating an equitable context in terms of physical access to digital technology enables students’ learning but also presents some new challenges

Construyendo escuelas resilientes: La educación flexible, la integración y la COVID-19

The paper seeks to show the importance alternative pedagogical methods had when trying to reopen schools on-site and online. Resilient schools were not created in this pandemic. In previous natural disasters, educational institutions needed to used online resources to maintain schools open. A literature review is presented, aiming for answers on inclusion in flexible school settings, solutions for the digital divide and different responses to the crisis produced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, Australia and New Zealand cases are presented, as well as introducing the flexischooling phenomenon and the digital divide. Both Australia and New Zealand recognise the rights for families to homeschool or to take children to alternative educational institutions, therefore, is legal. In the pair, it is observed how this legal status of alternative educational options both online and flexible, has strengthened the governmental response on closing the digital gap. Therefore, their reaction when lockdowns were ruled was significantly fast, especially in New Zealand. In conclusion, the article offers an interesting debate on the need for on-site education or flexibility when creating inclusive schools and critical thinkers, presenting both sides of the conversation. Lastly, it is highlighted the need to upgrade the school system to enhance a resilient response in future crisis.El presente artículo busca mostrar el efecto que han tenido los métodos alternativos de enseñanza flexible en la búsqueda de reabrir escuelas presencialmente u online. Las escuelas resilientes no son una invención de esta pandemia. En previas catástrofes naturales, distintas instituciones educativas ya utilizaron los recursos online para seguir impartiendo su docencia. En búsqueda de respuestas sobre la inclusión en entornos de educación flexible, soluciones a la brecha digital y distintas respuestas a la crisis de la COVID-19, se presenta una revisión bibliográfica centrada en el caso de Australia y Nueva Zelanda, así como en el entendimiento del fenómeno de la educación flexible y la brecha digital. Tanto Australia como Nueva Zelanda reconocen el derecho de las familias para educar en casa y la opción del flexischooling es legal. Se observa como en ambos países, donde ya está normalizada la enseñanza online o la educación en el hogar, llevan muchos años en la lucha por cerrar la brecha digital y, por tanto, su respuesta ante los distintos confinamientos fue significativamente rápida, sobre todo en el caso del país kiwi. Como conclusión se reflexiona sobre la necesidad de presencialidad para lograr una educación inclusiva y direccionada al desarrollo del sentido crítico mostrando argumentos contrarios y relacionándolo con la información previa. Por último, se reflexiona sobre la necesidad de modernizar los sistemas educativos para una respuesta resiliente en futuras crisis

21st Century Learners: Changing Conceptions of Knowledge, Learning and the Child

The term ‘21st century learner’ emerged at the turn of the millennium and evoked a certain type of certain type of digitally‐agile and self‐driven learner. These ideas about 21st century learners have been widely and uncritically adopted in New Zealand policies and practices in recent years. This paper examines the origins and substance of this term against the backdrop of globalisation and Knowledge Economy discourses and emerging ideas of ‘digital natives’. It considers the implications of these ideas on conceptualisations of the child, the development of deep learning, the impact on relationships between adults/teachers and students and on social equity. It concludes by suggesting that the term 21st century learner needs onâ€going critique if we want critical, informed citizens in our democracy.   &nbsp

Experiences of living in a smart home

Tavoitteet. Yleistyvän älykotiteknologian käytön kokemuksista on niukasti suomalaista tutkimusta. Tutkielman tavoitteena on selvittää, miten teknologian varhaiset omaksujat hyödyntävät älykodeissa esiintyvää teknologiaa, sekä minkä tyyppisiä hyötyjä ja haasteita älykotiasumisessa on. Lisäksi tutkielmassa selvitetään miten kotitaloudet kokevat älykodissa asumisen perinteisen kodin sijaan. Tutkielmassa käyttöä ja kokemuksia tulkitaan suhteessa kotitaloustieteen tietoihin, taitoihin ja toiminnallisuuteen perustuvaan viitekehykseen. Menetelmät. Tutkielma on toteutettu laadullista tutkimusstrategiaa noudattaen. Tutkielman aineisto koostuu kuudesta puolistrukturoidusta puhelinhaastattelusta. Haastattelut on toteutettu tutkimuskysymyksistä johdettujen kuuden teeman muodostaman haastattelurungon perusteella. Haastateltavat ovat älykodeissa asuvia 25 – 45 vuotiaita miehiä eri puolilta Suomea. Aineiston analyysi on tehty temaattisen luokittelun ja koodauksen kautta soveltamalla sisällönanalyysiä kokemuksen etnografian työtapoihin. Tutkielman älykotien käyttöön liittyvät tulokset ovat kuvattuna suhteessa käytön eri vaiheisiin. Kokemukset älykodissa asumisesta ovat kuvattuna suhteessa perinteisiin koteihin laajemmassa kotikontekstissa. Tulokset ja johtopäätökset. Älykotien teknologisten ratkaisujen käyttöönotto on ensisijaisesti alasta kiinnostuneiden harrastus. Älykotiratkaisuja otetaan ensisijaisesti käyttöön, jotta voidaan vastata johonkin yksittäiseen eriteltyyn tarpeeseen. Ratkaisujen käyttöönotto edellyttää älykotituotteiden toimivuutta, käytön helppoutta ja hyväksyttävää hintatasoa. Tyypilliset älykodin ongelmat ovat toimivuuteen ja ylläpitoon liittyviä haasteita. Älykodin nähdään suurelta osin vastaavan perinteisen kodin toimintoja, mutta osassa toimintoja on nähtävissä myös palveluasumisen piirteitä. Älykotien koetaan vastaavan hyvin tarpeita ja niille asetettuja vaatimuksia.Goal. There is only little Finnish research about smart home technology studied from user’s experience. The aim of this thesis is to find how early adopters use technology in smart homes and what types of benefits and challenges living in a smart home create. Additionally, the thesis describes experiences of living in a smart home compared to living in a traditional home. The use and experiences of smart home technologies are interpreted in the light of home economics science's framework focusing on skills, knowledge and functionality. Methods. The study has been carried out by using a qualitative research strategy. The research material consists of six semi-structured phone interviews. The interview frame consists of six themes based on the research questions. Interviewees were men aged 25 to 45 representing different parts of Finland, and they all lived in smart homes. The qualitative analysis has been done via thematical classification and coding, and by applying ethnographical methods to content analysis. The findings about the use of smart homes are described in relation to the different phases of use. The experiences of living in a smart home are described in relation to living in a traditional home while placing the comparison to a larger context of home. Results and findings. According to the results, the implementation of smart home solutions is primarily a hobby for people interested about the subject. Smart home solutions are implemented primarily to address a singular and specific need. Adapting a solution to use calls for functionality, usability, and acceptable price level from the smart home products. Typical problems in a smart home are challenges related to functionality and maintenance. The functions of a smart home can be seen mainly corresponding to those of a traditional home, but some functions have traits present in service accommodations. In general, smart homes meet the requirements imposed on them and the needs of their inhabitants

Change and Resilience in New Zealand Aid under Minister McCully

This article studies the New Zealand government aid programme over the years of Murray McCully's tenure as New Zealand's foreign minister. The article uses quantitative and qualitative data to detail changes in New Zealand aid volume, sectoral and geographic foci, and quality. We argue that despite strong rhetoric from Minister McCully, change in some areas was surprisingly modest. Yet the minister had impacts in other areas, particularly on aid quality, foremost in the form of changes to the purpose of New Zealand aid

What happens when the birds are sexting and the bees watch pornography?: Digital sexualities, sexuality education and New Zealand adolescents

The relationships between young people, technology and sexuality are highly contentious. We live in a digital age and young people are fully immersed. Increasingly, their communities are negotiated and formed in cyberspace. This historical moment is viewed as unprecedented, yet many persistent and historical structural inequalities permeate the digital sphere, framed as contemporary problems. This can be seen in cases such as the 2013 ‘Roast Busters’ scandal which I will consider in this thesis. The notion of young people in cyberspace has been considered and reconsidered by academics, the media and popular culture alike. Simplistic interpretations of complex realities have robbed many debates of the richness that they otherwise could have had. This has frequently seen young people constructed as corruptible, at risk, and in need of protection. This thesis examines the diverse and divisive discourses that surround young people’s use of technology, particularly as it is utilised to negotiate their sexualities. Further, it interrogates governmental policy that is enacted to solve the social ‘problems’ associated with young peoples’ (digital) sexualities. I will reveal and dissect anxieties which regard young people and their bodies as problematic. Using a Foucauldian feminist framework, I ask who speaks and why, and locate biopower in the mechanisms and techniques used by the State to subjugate and control young ‘unruly’ bodies. I look specifically at sexuality education in New Zealand, and whether it has adapted to a transformative digital context. I will also contemplate interventions such as the Harmful Digital Communications Act and the relationship education programme Mates & Dates and ask if they simply add to the neoliberal ideologies that prop up decontextualized understandings of sexuality and health, or if they represent progress

Differences in the digital home lives of young people in New Zealand

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