Symbolic interactionism applied : definitions of a community college : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Education at Massey University

The value of Continuing Education is increasingly being realised throughout New Zealand. The educational institution termed the Community College is one facility being established in order to further the principles associated with lifelong learning. This thesis presents an exploratory study related to the first such college built in this country, the Hawke's Bay Community College. The central purpose guiding the study was an attempt to discover how members of the Hawke's Bay region conceive this new institution. Here, what was envisaged as important, was not only the kinds of understandings revealed about the college, but also the attitudes and evaluations expressed by Hawke's Bay citizens regarding it. To this end, the dissertation is divided into a number of parts. Firstly, there is consideration given to some of the philosophical issues underlying any research process pursued within the social domain. On the basis of this, a theoretically justifiable approach to the problem posed, is elaborated. The theoretical perspective of Symbolic Interactionism, and more particularly, the construct of the Definition of the Situation, are discussed. From such a base, reference is made to the linkages and translation process required when moving from theoretical to methodological issues. Included in this section of the thesis, is a description of the data collection techniques employed for the study. The results obtained as a consequence of the investigation are then given, along with some discussion relevant to the Community College's operations. Finally, the thesis presents a series of tentative hypotheses and questions emergent from the research carried out. It concludes with a reconsideration of the exploratory nature of the problem posed, and the theoretical perspective within which it was couched

Children’s views of their teacher’s role in helping them learn mathematics

This paper reports on data from 183 nine-to eleven-year old children attending six Waikato schools. An analysis is provided of children’s responses to a question about their teacher’s role in helping them learn mathematics. Four major roles were identified, including mentor, classroom manager, transmitter of information, and arbiter of decisions. The implications for students’ mathematics learning of viewing their teacher in each of these roles are then discussed. The importance for teachers of recognising the ways they are perceived by their students is also considered

The Gender Reservation Wage Gap: Evidence form British Panel Data

Our findings suggest the existence of a gender reservation wage gap. The presence of children, particularly pre-school age children, plays an important role in determining the proportion of this gap that can be explained by individual characteristics. For individuals without children, the unexplained component of the differential is 99% compared to only 22% for those with pre-school age children, which might indicate that perceived discrimination in the labour market influences the reservation wage setting of females.reservation wages, wage decomposition

The gender reservation wage gap: evidence from British panel data

Our findings suggest the existence of a gender reservation wage gap, with a differential of around 10%. The presence of children, particularly pre-school age children, plays an important role in explaining this differential. For individuals without children, the explained component of the differential is only 5%, which might indicate that perceived discrimination in the labour market influences the reservation wage setting of females.Reservation Wages, Wage Decomposition

Lagging behind: Fayetteville’s historic architecture

Architecture is a reflection of what is happening in the larger cultural, economic, and artistic scene. Therefore, understanding regional variations in trend adoption is significant to understanding the relationship of Fayetteville, Ark., to the larger national context. Local architecture is a reflection of the citizens of Fayetteville as consumers of popular culture. Simultaneous adoption theory was used as the framework of this study. The project objectives were to 1) document significant architectural styles within designated historical districts and nearby areas, and 2) compare local stylistic trends with national trends to determine fit. Findings indicate that Fayetteville lagged behind the national trend in architectural styles during its early years but that increased transportation connections and the establishment of the University of Arkansas may have helped to move the area into the mainstream

Students' perspectives on the nature of mathematics

This paper reports on one small component of a much larger study that explored the perspectives of students towards mathematics learning. Students were asked “What do you think maths is all about?” Some students responded in terms of mathematical content. Others commented on learning in general, or on problem-solving in particular. Some students talked about the usefulness of mathematics for everyday life. An overwhelming number of students answered the question by talking about the importance of mathematics for the future

Re-examination of the Effects of Food Abundance on Jaw Plasticity in Purple Sea Urchins

Morphological plasticity is a critical mechanism that animals use to cope with variations in resource availability. During periods of food scarcity, sea urchins demonstrate an increase in jaw length relative to test diameter. This trait is thought to be reversible and adaptive by yielding an increase in feeding efficiency. We directly test the hypotheses that (1) there are reversible shifts in jaw length to test diameter ratios with food abundance in individual urchins, and (2) these shifts alter feeding efficiency. Purple sea urchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, were collected and placed in either high or low food treatments for 3 months, after which treatments were switched for two additional months between February and September, 2015 in La Jolla, CA (32.8674°N, 117.2530°W). Measurements of jaw length to test diameter ratios were significantly higher in low compared to high food urchins, but this was due to test growth in the high food treatments. Ratios of low food urchins did not change following a switch to high food conditions, indicating that this trait is not reversible within the time frame of this study. Relatively longer jaws were also not correlated with increased feeding efficiency. We argue that jaw length plasticity is not adaptive and is simply a consequence of exposure to high food availability, as both jaw and test growth halt when food is scarce