Breaking through the dumb barrier : an in-depth study of the signals the education system sends to adults in adult education : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education (Adult Education), Massey University

This thesis explores some of the aspects faced by students who return to learning after a number of years out of the education system in New Zealand. It highlights issues which affect confidence, acceptance, access to information, ability to be heard, finances, workloads, family/friend relationships and the many realities of being an adult student. At the same time it rejoices in the strength, courage and determination shown by those who have dared to return to formal education. A number of case studies and focus groups have been used to develop the critical analysis. Past and present literature has assisted in creating the anchor to the ideas that have emerged. A combination qualitative and interpretive methodology was followed in the production of this thesis. The reality that unfolded was a recognition of also needing to develop a workable framework, as personal assumptions were left behind, new information was discovered and became an integral part of the environment and subsequent information sharing of the researcher and the study participants. The experience of each and every one of this group provided both questions and answers to the usefulness of past and current systems in terms of positive facilitation into education. The failure of the system with its dependency on academic correctness and academic systems will require a more open and transparent re-culturing to enable equitable opportunity, encouragement and practice, or the changes will remain cosmetic and result in sameness. Systems, while necessary, are not in themselves enabling. They can be useful tools to ensure enabling, but if they serve only to disable the very people who are left with no choices but to try to navigate them, then the quest for education can be lost. Education is for people, it is about people, and only if it retains this focus will it continue to educate. Each of the stories in this thesis has at the root of each individual's success, a thread of how "an enabling person" (or persons) made the difference to a system that was fraught with difficulties, that was often cold, inhuman and unbending. These were the lucky ones as, like me, they too came to realise that the system sends very mixed messages to some people. This is not the way it should be

Exploring Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR) as a Counselling Intervention

Utilising mindfulness-based approaches and techniques within counselling has become increasingly popular with mental health professionals. Research has shown that practicing mindfulness can have positive implications for both clients and therapists. Relatively new to the field of counselling is a meditational, mindfulness based approach known as Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR). This qualitative study explored therapists’ experience of using IBSR both personally and in their clinical practice. Employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), six participants who were mental health professionals and had attained certification in IBSR were selected for this study. Seven main themes emerged from the findings including: IBSR’s influence on the therapist; self-care and burn-out; broader perspectives; IBSR’s strengths and therapeutic benefits; challenges and limitations; client populations and characteristics; and the therapeutic alliance. A range of benefits were identified as a result of utilising IBSR including the potential for immediate and life-changing effects for those experiencing IBSR, as well as supporting therapist wellbeing and protecting against burnout. Participants viewed IBSR as an effective self-care tool which promoted self-awareness, self-compassion, acceptance towards clients, greater cognitive flexibility and metacognitive awareness. The approach was also regarded as having positive implications for the therapeutic alliance. Some challenges and limitations were noted such as the short-term engagement with clients having detrimental financial impacts on therapists; and the ‘turnarounds’ (a way to explore different interpretations of an identified stressful belief) as a possible contraindication. Clients’ openness to IBSR was viewed as a key factor to the effectiveness of the approach

Perceptions and misperceptions about burnout: Implications for burnout prevention in mental

Burnout has long been a problem in mental health workplaces and remains so despite much research and considerable knowledge of it amongst professional employees. This paper will address this paradox by outlining the findings of a study on mental health workers’ perceptions and beliefs about burnout

Promoting exercise adherence among adults with knee osteoarthritis: a new look

BACKGROUND: Exercise is an established treatment to alleviate pain and improve function among adults with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, long-term adherence to exercise is poor and effective approaches to support adherence are limited. The objective of this dissertation was to 'gain a new look' into long-term exercise adherence. With study #1, the experiences of participants in the Boston Overcoming Osteoarthritis through Strength Training (BOOST) study, were explored to identify participants' experiences, feelings and perspectives with exercise over 2-years and factors that influenced adherence to a prescribed exercise program after 2 years. With study #2, we examined if kinesiophobia: i) was associated with physical performance measures, ii) improved after a 6-week exercise program and iii) change was associated with change in pain and function among adults with KOA. METHODS: Participants of both studies completed a 6-week exercise program. For study #1 all participants received an automated telephone reminder to continue with their exercises and complete their logs, in addition, those randomized into the intervention group received a motivational computer adaptive telephone program. Participants were purposively sampled and in-depth interviews were conducted at the 2-year assessment. For study #2, data analysis was conducted prior to randomization with a sample of participants who completed the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) questionnaire. Additional data included stair negotiation, 5 and 10 time sit-to-stand, and timed-up-and go tests. RESULTS: Study #1: Three themes were identified describing beliefs about exercise: i) monitoring, ii) knowledge of how to manage exercise behaviors, and iii) benefits of exercise. Those who reported high-adherence exhibited self-determination and self-efficacy, those who reported low-adherence expressed ambivalence about the benefits of exercise and a desire for more social support. Participants valued monitoring by peers and instructors during the exercise class and telephone technology. Study #2: Higher TSK was associated with slower stair and 5 time sit-to-stand times. TSK decreased after the exercise class but did not attain statistical significance. Change in TSK was associated with change in self-report physical function. CONCLUSIONS: Future research on the use of telephone technology and importance of self-determination and kinesiophobia on exercise adherence among adults with KOA is warranted

3D anthropometry: quantifying the shape and size variability within the UK male offshore oil and gas workforce.

Background: UK male offshore workers typically increased in weight by 19% since 1985, and are also heavier than the background UK male population. Aim: To conduct an anthropometric survey on UK offshore workers, employing the latest portable 3D scanning technology, to quantify size and shape change associated with weight increase and identify differing physique groups among the sample. Method: 588 male offshore workers within seven pre-determined weight categories were scanned, using the Artec L portable 3D scanner, in three different postures; whilst wearing form-fitting clothing and while wearing a survival suit. 404 of the 588 participants also undertook a helicopter window escape task. Results: The sample population had average weight of 90.5 kg, and matched the weight distribution of the workforce population as a whole (chi squared=11.7; 11df, P>0.05). Five extracted girths (neck, chest, waist, hip and wrist) were found be 13.5% greater than in 1985, with the highest average measurement 17.3% greater at the waist. The 99th percentile of extracted measures had increased more than twice that of the 1st percentile (18.3% v 8.9% increase respectively). The reliability of extracted measures was high with average TEM of 1.15%. 11 distinct physique clusters were identified, across four morphological somatotypes, displaying a tendency towards endomorphic and mesomorphic phenotypes and a predisposition towards obesity (average BMI=28.3 kg/m2). 51% of the sample successfully passed through the smallest industry standard escape exit, with the best morphological prediction of window egress giving a predictive accuracy of 73.5%. Conclusion: The dramatic increase in size and shape within the offshore workforce over the last 30 years represents an expanding universe of physique and weight variability. The challenge this presents to designers is considerable in ensuring the on-going ergonomic fit of the industrys working environment for the offshore population

Hypoxia, Hyperbaric Oxygen and Hypothermia: Some Experimental and Clinical Studies

This thesis contains details of a series of studies in which the interrelationship of hyperbaric oxygen, hypothermia and tissue hypoxia has been examined. The data derive from both experimental and clinical observations. The early experimental studies were designed to examine the pathophysiological changes occurring in animals subjected to various generalised hypoxic insults with a view to subsequent investigation of the effects of hyperbaric oxygen and hypothermia. The limitations of both techniques were revealed in later experimental and clinical studies. These investigations, however, were by no means entirely negative and yielded much information which proved to be of value in the management of a number of clinical conditions with an hypoxic basis, e.g., cardiac arrest, shock, severe anaemia, fat embolism and accidental hypothermia. The introductory chapter includes a summary of the mechanisms of oxygen transport from the lungs to the tissues followed by a brief description of the principal physiological and biochemical disturbances associated with hypoxia. A review of the subjects of hyperbaric oxygen and hypothermia serves as an introduction to more detailed discussion in later chapters. The ability of hyperbaric oxygen to increase oxygen storage capacity in the body was demonstrated by means of respiratory arrest in the anaesthetised dog. In the presence of a normally functioning circulation asphyxia was tolerated for periods of over 20 minutes after breathing oxygen at two atmospheres absolute (2 ATA). In the presence of an arrested circulation the equivalent period was eight minutes - representing only a modest increase on the duration of safe circulatory arrest attainable at normal atmospheric pressure. The combination of hyperbaric oxygen (2 ATA) and moderate hypothermia (2

A solid state spin-wave quantum memory for time-bin qubits

We demonstrate the first solid-state spin-wave optical quantum memory with on-demand read-out. Using the full atomic frequency comb scheme in a \PrYSO crystal, we store weak coherent pulses at the single-photon level with a signal to noise ratio $> 10$. Narrow-band spectral filtering based on spectral hole burning in a second \PrYSO crystal is used to filter out the excess noise created by control pulses to reach an unconditional noise level of $(2.0 \pm 0.3) \times10^{-3}$ photons per pulse. We also report spin-wave storage of photonic time-bin qubits with conditional fidelities higher than a measure and prepare strategy, demonstrating that the spin-wave memory operates in the quantum regime. This makes our device the first demonstration of a quantum memory for time-bin qubits, with on demand read-out of the stored quantum information. These results represent an important step for the use of solid-state quantum memories in scalable quantum networks.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

Laser-driven particle and photon beams and some applications

Outstanding progress has been made in high-power laser technology in the last 10 years with laser powers reaching petawatt (PW) values. At present, there are 15 PW lasers built or being built around the world and plans are afoot for new, even higher power, lasers reaching values of exawatt (EW) or even zetawatt (ZW) powers. Petawatt lasers generate electric fields of 10(12) Vm(-1) with a large fraction of the total pulse energy being converted to relativistic electrons with energies reaching in excess of 1 GeV. In turn these electrons result in the generation of beams of protons, heavy ions, neutrons and high-energy photons. These laser-driven particle beams have encouraged many to think of carrying out experiments normally associated with conventional nuclear accelerators and reactors. To this end a number of introductory articles have been written under a trial name `Laser Nuclear Physics' (Ledingham and Norreys 1999 Contemp. Phys. 40 367, Ledingham et al 2002 Europhys. News. 33 120, Ledingham et al 2003 Science 300 1107, Takabe et al 2001 J. Plasma Fusion Res. 77 1094). However, even greater strides have been made in the last 3 or 4 years in laser technology and it is timely to reassess the potential of laser-driven particle and photon beams. It must be acknowledged right from the outset that to date laser-driven particle beams have yet to compete favourably with conventional nuclear accelerator-generated beams in any way and so this is not a paper comparing laser and conventional accelerators. However, occasionally throughout the paper as a reality check, it will be mentioned what conventional nuclear accelerators can do