Masters Theses

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https://hdl.handle.net/10292/5

The Masters Theses collection contains digital copies of AUT University masters theses deposited with the Library since 2002 and made available open access. From 2007 onwards, all theses for masters degrees awarded are required to be deposited in Tuwhera Open Theses & Dissertations unless subject to an embargo.

For theses submitted prior to 2007, open access was not mandatory, so only those theses for which the author has given consent are available in Tuwhera Open Theses & Dissertations. Where consent for open access has not been provided, the thesis is usually recorded in the AUT Library catalogue where the full text, if available, may be accessed with an AUT password. Other people should request an Interlibrary Loan through their library.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 3211

Experiencing the relationship: the client and the community occupational therapist. A phenomenological study
(Auckland University of Technology, 2000) Paddy, Ann; Wright-St. Clair, Valerie; Smythe, Elizabeth
While the therapeutic relationship between clients and therapists has been explored from the therapist perspective, few studies show the client view. This qualitative study reveals the experience of ‘being in the relationship’ from the viewpoint of both people with physical disabilities and community occupational therapists. The philosophy underpinning the research and analysis is that of Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology. This approach is used in order to reveal the significance of taken-for-granted aspects of the relationship that lie hidden, covered over by everyday assumptions. Study participants include five clients, and six therapists, who have a depth of experience of the relationship being examined. In-depth narrative audio-taped interviews are used. The stories tell of participants’ experience of interacting with each other in relationships that work well for them and in ones that do not. The findings of this thesis show that clients recognize previously hidden aspects of the relationship, frequently unacknowledged by therapists, such as the importance of the therapist’s persona and the significance of therapists’ actions to clients’ perception of their own value. What happens when the therapist is not with the client matters within their relationship. The differing modes of care therapists use influence clients’ well being. Therapists need to acknowledge the effect of their prejudices and ‘personal selves’ in their interaction with clients, and the breadth and depth of their ‘professional role’ within therapeutic relationships. They need to be open to recognizing when the relationship is unsatisfactory for the client. For it is therapists who hold the key to accessing future possibilities including resources. When the relationship fails, it will be the client who loses out.
Virtual and the actual: Representation and the object
(Auckland University of Technology, 2000) Budd, Helen Rosalind; Gilderdale, Peter; Joseph, Frances
It is declared that we live in an ‘information age’, one where much of our daily experience comes in mediated form, in print or on screen. Information about our world is brought to us through words and images selected and interpreted by others. We can communicate by fax and e-mail, don alternative persona on the Internet, experience alternate realities in computer games, and create convincing digital images from mathematical co-ordinates. Yet we still rely, for sustenance, clothing and housing at the very least, on real things. What then is the significance of real objects: the actual, and what are the limits of the virtual experience in replacing them? The focus of this thesis is on objects – ordinary, everyday objects or things – and the significance they have in human lives. Frequently overlooked, or disregarded as unimportant, objects nevertheless fulfil functions of use, of consumption and transaction, signification of status, and demarcation of social roles. “Soon we will all be doing our shopping on the Internet”, and “we won’t need museums at all soon, it will all be done by virtual reality”. These two examples of frequently heard rhetoric provide a base for the research, selected as areas where unfamiliar objects may be encountered for the first time and which can be expected to reveal the limitations of representation through a virtual experience. In order to assess how effectively the properties of objects can be represented, it is necessary first to understand the range of properties that objects have, and the role of the images which will carry the representation. This has been sought from those who work with or study objects and their place in society. From the fields of education and child development, craft and art theory, philosophy, photography and anthropology; from sociology, museology and material culture studies have come insights into the significance of objects and their qualities. The wider contextual settings of museums and shopping have been explored, and in depth studies conducted. Museums were visited, both in New Zealand and in London, with staff interviews augmented by visitor experience. A survey of Internet shoppers and non shoppers has revealed attitudes and behaviours which will undoubtedly influence the course of the virtual experience. After examination of the practicalities and implications of technological development, the thesis concludes by collecting together a wide range of the identified properties which objects can have, and examining the limitations of conveying them through image and text. Drawing these findings together with the contextual background, allows informed appraisal of the phrases “soon we will all be doing our shopping on the Internet”, and “we won’t need museums at all soon, it will all be done by virtual reality”, and of the implications which would follow.
Communicating agriculture: the media & interest group politics (1997 - 1998)
(Auckland University of Technology, 2000) Oosterman, Allison; Cocker, Alan; Miller, Ray
This thesis applies a pluralist theoretical approach to an analysis of the relationship between the media and a selected economic interest group. The study endeavours to discover the extent to which the pluralist model applies to the relationship between the media, interest groups and the state during a time of uncertainty about the future structure of the dairy industry. In the course of the thesis the most relevant features of pluralism are examined and then applied to the topic. It may be that as a result of the analysis, an alternate reading to pluralism is required. The notion that the media's activities are essential for the operation of a pluralist democracy is discussed focussing on the media’s key role in the operation of interest group activity, in the relationships between other interest groups and between government and the public at large. Looking at the New Zealand situation, factors that may have affected the ability of the media to carry out their role are examined. For the purposes of this study the pluralist model is applied to the relationship between the interest groups, the state and the media during the debate in 1998 over the future structure of the dairy industry. The role of the mass media of television, newspapers and radio as well as the specialist farming press is examined. An assessment is made as to the extent to which these media organisations impacted on the policymaking process. Research should indicate whether the posited Governor Model of Pluralism actually worked in this instance. From information gleaned from this case study some general conclusions about the role of the media and interest groups in policy making in New Zealand are offered.
Hellbank.com
(Auckland University of Technology, 2001) Sie, May-Ling; Meyer, Jeff
www.hellbank.com offers the thesis that: - the properties of net art are related to ideas that 19th century subjectivist Austrian School economic theoreticians had about the nature of process and the exchange of information - in its conviction that the pre-determinant of all economic activity is the exchange of information, Austrian School’s subjectivist economic theory effects an aestheticisation of economic exchange through the denomination of media of exchange. - these ideas influenced the development of information technology, and that they have culminated in a theory of globalisation which is supported by its own, ubiquitous technology of globalisation. - these technologies act to reduce transaction costs, and that this has been successfully achieved by the implementation of information technologies, particularly the net. - cultural constructs, "the way we do things at our place”, often involve a strategic construction, management, and appointment, or shifting of the burden of transaction costs. - there is conflict between the cultural construction of transaction costs, and the commercial need to reduce transaction costs. This exegesis of hellbank.com explores this thesis by - Describing my own personal predicament of identity, and placing it within a theoretical context - Describing the endogenously derived realism of Austrian School economic theory, within the context of a critique of liberalism, written in the 1930s from a position of exogenously derived realism, by the Nazi, Carl Schmitt, one of the few twentieth century theoreticians of national sovereignty. - Describing the theoretical context in which the polymath John von Neumann designed the von Neumann architecture - Giving an example of the cultural construction of transaction costs, and their implications in gift giving.
Me, myself and I: An artist exploration of notions of identity
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002) Heiford, Dana
This project will explore through practical art means the way notions of identity are constructed by the individual. Using myself as subject matter I will explore the multiple aspects and fluid relations which constitute a sense of me, myself and I with a particular focus on sexuality. The intention is to raise issues and questions and to manifest new relations using the medium of art as a flexible vehicle for juxtaposing and testing complex interrelationships of ideas. Psychological and sociological contexts will be addressed and the relationship between these and my own sensibilities will be explored. The research approach will be to investigate notions of identity and explore the possibility of multiple personal narratives. It will explore the unique identity of the artist, that is, of the individual perspective of an artist instead of a theorist. To emphasise the central themes of my research I will take a multi-angled approach to methodology, working simultaneously on several responses to the research question. The practical project will be explored through various different visual media with the range of styles and approaches further developing the idea of a decentred self. This accompanying exegesis will discuss the methodological approach taken, as well as issues and contexts surrounding the project.
Health News and Media Manipulation: An Examination of Health Reporting, and What This Means for Journalism Today
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002) Kibby, Joanna Yevily
This thesis will investigate, firstly, the presentation and handling of health news and ‘miracle cures’ by the media today and, secondly, what this in turn means for journalism, particularly New Zealand journalism. The series of stories written and produced about Lyprinol, a mussel extract reported by the New Zealand media to be a miracle cancer cure, will be used to help illustrate some of the points raised about the media’s coverage of health and related issues. I employed the Political Economy context throughout this thesis, looking in particular at how news organisations are constrained and shaped by the political and economic environment in which they operate, and how this in turn shapes the news that they produce. I looked specifically at the increasingly intimate relationships between the media and health organisations and drug companies, the commercialisation and subsequent sensationalism of the news, the traditional and ideal roles that the media should play in modern society, and finally, what can or should be done, if anything, in order to make the media more accountable and responsible for their actions. This thesis will show that commercialisation is a determining factor and, subsequently, sensation is a pervasive feature, of much of what the media produces about health and related issues. This thesis will also contend that the media’s presentation of health and ‘miracle cures’ is both harmful and misleading – enough to justify introducing new or more effective ways of making the media more responsible and accountable to the public, whom it is undoubtedly their duty to serve.
Designing information websites
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002) Lu, Wenxin; Joseph, Frances; Ings, Welby
This thesis is composed of a practical component involving the design of two websites and a written exegesis. The first site is the redesigned New Zealand Design Archive/Graphic project, which archives and profiles historical data and research about the history of graphic design in New Zealand. The second site is the Monkey Peach Collection. This dynamic data-driven online gallery allows designers and artists build and discuss an accumulation of information about New Zealand-Chinese artists and designers. The exegesis concentrates on the implementation of information sites and considers definitions and approaches to information architecture, information design and dynamic websites with a literature review analysing some academic online resources and commercial online galleries.
Dress as ornament
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002) Lau, Kim; Joseph, Frances; Crowe, Deborah
The approach to 'Dress as Ornament' is a specific focus on a subject that is broad and diverse. It is about design in dress as a messenger for the idea of excess through the details of ornamentation and focuses on the exploration of materials and techniques as a way of understanding and articulating a conceptual basis for ornamentation of dress. The approach taken has utilised the elements of ornamentation as integral to the structure and very fabric of dress, rather than a more traditional application added to an existing surface. It also examines the nature of ornament - what ornament is and defines what constitutes the ornate. The format of the thesis is an exhibition of a collection of garments and a written exegesis.
A kinematic analysis of acute and longitudinal adaptations to resisted sprinting
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002) Hansen, Keir; Cronin, John; McNair, Peter
The phase of greatest acceleration (0-30 metres) during sprinting is thought to be critical for success in many sporting situations. Methods for improving acceleration phase performance are therefore an important area of study for conditioners and sports scientists. Typically a variety of resistance training techniques are used to improve strength and power of the lower limb musculature that is important to sprinting performance. One such technique is resisted sprinting which involves the use of apparatus such as weighted vests and sleds to provide movement specific overload to athletes. The purpose of this thesis was primarily, to compare sprint times, step variables and joint kinematics when sprinting with a vest loaded at 15% and 20% of the athlete’s body mass and towing a sled with 15% and 20% of body mass. A secondary aim was to examine the effect of a six-week training program utilising resisted sprinting on acceleration phase performance in three athletes. In the first study, 20 semi-elite subjects performed five 30-metre sprints: one unloaded sprint, two sled sprints loaded at 15% of their body mass and 20% of their body mass, and two vest sprints with the same loads relative to body mass. Each sprint was videoed in the sagittal plane at five, 15 and 25 metres from the start of the 30-metre sprint and times were recorded at 10 and 30-metres using timing lights. Video data were digitised and the following step variables were calculated: step length, step frequency, stance phase duration and swing phase duration. Stance phase angles of the trunk, thigh, knee and ankle were also calculated. Step length, step frequency and swing phase duration during vest and sled sprinting were found to decrease significantly (P<0.05) when compared to unloaded sprinting values. Stance phase duration during vest and sled sprinting increased compared to unloaded sprinting values (P<0.05). Additionally, sled towing displayed significantly greater (P<0.05) trunk flexion at foot strike and toe-off, and significantly greater (P<0.05) knee flexion at foot strike than both the unloaded and vest sprinting conditions. Sled towing also induced significantly greater thigh extension at toe-off compared to the vest conditions (P<0.05). Thus the addition of load to the athlete via vest sprinting and sled towing may influence performance in different ways, and hence the objective of the athlete should be considered when choosing which of these techniques to use. In the second study, a single subject research design was utilised to assess whether sled towing and vest sprinting resulted in changes in performance over a six-week period of training. In this study, three subjects trained twice a week for six weeks using resisted sprinting. Subjects were randomly assigned to sled training, vest training or combinationtraining (one training session a week with each apparatus). Subjects were tested at baseline, after three weeks of training and after six weeks of training for 10 and 30-metre sprint times and selected step variables (step length, step frequency and stance phaseduration). Data analysis involved both visual analysis of graphed data and statistical analysis using the two standard deviation band method. The combination training subject improved performance over both 10 and 30 metres. Step variable data were inconclusive regarding the mechanisms behind these improvements. Neither sled towing nor vest sprinting resulted in significant improvements in performance. The results indicated that the use of both training apparatus in unison may be required in order to improve performance during the acceleration phase of sprinting.
Organisational learning: managing environmental complexity and change
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002-01-01) White, Natalie C; Matheny, Jonathan; McConchie, Andrew
This thesis presents an investigative analysis of organisational learning and addresses two key gaps evident within the literature: 1. Diversity of thought over what constitutes organisational learning 2. Lack of empirical study that authenticates the 'practice' of organisational learning In examining these two gaps this thesis provides a synthesis of the fragmented literature, resulting in the development of five core tenets that together constitute organisational learning. Until now, this type of synthesis has never been undertaken. The core tenets are then tested to address the question of whether organisational learning is practiced. This involved a Content Analysis of reports made by Senior Management in leading New Zealand organisations. A pragmatic approach was used in analysing this data, allowing for both quantitative and qualitative methods. The chief finding of this study is that four of the five tenets of organisational learning are prevalent, to varying degrees, among the New Zealand organisations studied.
Facing up to cancer: the lived experience of being diagnosed with a life threatening form of cancer
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002-01-01) Lothian, Neil; Maculloch, Tony; Smythe, Liz
This Heideggerian phenomenological hermeneutic study explores the lived experience of those coming to terms with the diagnosis of a life-threatening form of cancer. It offers an interpretation of the narratives of eight adult New Zealanders, three men and five women, aged between 25 and 60 years of age who had been recently diagnosed. The study, based upon van Manen's (1990) six-step method, uncovers the experience of the person facing up to being told they have a life-threatening form of cancer within New Zealand society. It is informed by the writing of Heidegger. The study explores the meaning of cancer to the person involved and how this meaning affects them and their world. The study explores the changes within the person and how this change in the person subsequently changes the understanding they have of themselves and the world. The narratives of participants reveal a journey that is undertaken, a journey they thought they would never undertake and were not prepared to take. The cancer journey begins suddenly, is frightening in its intensity, towards a perceived destination of probable death. The real journey for many takes an unforeseen detour along the way, a detour of hope and eventual enlightenment. The final journey for all human beings will always end in death. The realisation that all human journeys must and do end in death and learning to live with the reality of this one fact in life is the major lesson learnt by those who experience the cancer journey. The journey is made more difficult and lonely by a society that wishes to fool itself that this journey does not happen or wishes to believe that one day this journey may be totally avoided. Society, and the people that make up society, need to face the reality of the cancer journey for many of its members in order to better prepare the person for the journey and to support the person while on this journey.
The effect of acupuncture on alpha-motoneuron excitability
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002-01-01) Chan, Alexander Kam Shing; Roberts, Lynley; Vujnovich, Andrea
The analgesic effect of acupuncture is well known. Areas in the brain and higher centres that are activated by acupuncture have been mapped out. Some of these areas are also implicated in the modulation of motor function. In addition to pain relief, acupuncture has been found to increase range of movement in patients with increased muscle tone. There is, however, scant knowledge of the mechanisms underlying this therapeutic effect.
An investigation into the effect of stretching frequency on range of motion at the ankle joint
(Auckland University of Technology, 2002-01-01) Trent, Vanessa; McNair, Peter
Stretching is a widely prescribed technique that has been demonstrated to increase range of motion. Consequently it may enhance performance and aid in the prevention and treatment of injury. Few studies have investigated the frequency of stretching on a daily basis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of stretching frequency on range of motion at the ankle joint. The detraining effect was also investigated after a period without stretching. Thirty-one female subjects participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to a control group who did not stretch a group who stretched two times per week (Stretch-2) or a group who stretched four times per week (Stretch-4). The stretching intervention was undertaken over four weeks and targeted the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Each stretch was held for duration of 30 seconds and repeated five times. Prior to the intervention (PRE), dorsiflexion was measured using a weights and pulley system that passively moved the ankle joint from a neutral position into dorsiflexion. After the four week stretching period (POST), dorsiflexion was measured once again to determine the change following the stretching programme. Following a further four week period where no stretching took place (FINAL), dorsiflexion was measured to determine the detraining effect. Electromyography was used to monitor the activity of the plantarflexors and dorsiflexors during the measuring procedure. The results of the study showed a significant increase in ankle joint range of motion for the Stretch-4 group (p<0.05) when comparing PRE and POST measurements. The Stretch-2 and control groups did not show significant differences (p>0.05) between PRE and POST measurements. When comparing the PRE and FINAL measurements of the Stretch-4 group, no significant differences were recorded (p>0.05). The POST and FINAL measurements were significantly different (p<0.05). After the detraining period the Stretch-4 group lost 99.8% of their range of motion gains. The present data provide some evidence that the viscoelastic properties of the muscle stretched were unchanged by the four week static stretching programme. The mechanism involved in the observed increase in range of motion for the Stretch-4 group is possibly that of enhanced stretch tolerance of the subject. Further research is required to support this conjecture.
Doing and being: How psychotherapists balance the impact of trauma: A grounded theory study
(Auckland University of Technology, 2003) Wacker, Anita; Giddings, Lynne; Dignam, Denise; Bowers, Barbara
The psychological trauma from a traumatic event is known to be ‘contagious’ for a witness. Psychotherapists who work with traumatised clients can potentially experience terror, anger and despair; causing secondary traumatic stress that can lead to compassion fatigue and burnout. So, how do psychotherapists, who often carry their own trauma histories, bear such fear and pain when being with and listening empathically to traumatised clients without feeling overwhelmed or losing a sense of hope? The purpose of this grounded theory study was to identify the main concerns of psychotherapists when working with traumatised clients and to describe and generate a conceptual model that explains the processes therapists use to continually manage these concerns. Over a period of ten months, eleven psychotherapists with a minimum of five years work experience were recruited from the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists (NZAP). Constant comparative analysis of eleven interviews generated through open-ended questions was carried out. A total of twenty-one drawings obtained at different stages of the participant interviews, were used to fully capture the inner world of the traumatic impact. The emerging theory, whose development is grounded in the data, shows that psychotherapists grow through three main psychosocial developmental stages of balancing the impact of trauma: DOING to protect from pain and fear, BALANCING doing with being, and BEING with trust, pain and joy. The participants, however, were likely to involuntarily recycle the three stages when experiencing personal traumatic stress or organisational stressors, in addition to holding clients’ trauma. The intention of this research was to raise awareness of work-related traumatic stress, and to provide an educational conceptual model to assist psychotherapists’ understanding of how to positively manage secondary traumatic stress and its impact on the physical, emotional and spiritual, before it manifests in burnout, disillusionment or illness.
[Untitled]
(Auckland University of Technology, 2003) Matheson, Jennifer; Joseph, Frances; Redmond, Monique; Braddock, Christopher
No abstract.
Black: The interplay between repetition, regularity and rhythm in the chinese strokes
(Auckland University of Technology, 2003) Ye, Ching; Ings, Welby; de Freitas, Nancy
This research project involves the generation and testing of a body of work that considers three design elements: (i) the colour [black], (ii) calligraphic type [regular script] and (iii) the grid [square]. The physical manifestation of this research was a series of visual documents. These visual documents generated from reflections on computerised Chinese calligraphic forms, consider the Oriental notion of a sense of stable harmony. This harmony results from a consideration of the creative interplay between repetition, regularity and rhythm in the Chinese stroke, the grid and the utilization of the colour black. The work deals with this idea as an essentially Chinese consideration rather than as a discursive analysis between Chinese and Western cultures. The practical research is accompanied by a written exegesis of approximately 11,000 words.
Managing Disequilibrium: A Grounded Theory Study of Therapists Working in Groups With People With Eating Disorders
(Auckland University of Technology, 2003) Brinkman, Robyn; Solomon, Margot
This study has used a qualitative grounded theory research methodology to systematically identify what happens for therapists who facilitate groups for people with eating disorders. Eight therapists who had worked in groups with people with eating disorders were interviewed about their group experiences. A conceptual model of ‘managing disequilibrium’ emerged as the core concern of participants in this study, and this involved three stages. In the first stage therapists experienced shifting self-equilibrium during the group session that included a diverse range and intensity of experiences. In the second stage therapists subsequently engaged in a process of counterbalancing to manage disequilibrium while still in a group session. In the third stage therapists sought to re-establish equilibrium after a group session had ended. Therapists’ self-relationship, personal issues, clinical experience, and cognitive processes have been demonstrated to play a significant role in therapists’ management of disequilibrium; and strategies for in-group and post-group management have been described. Disequilibrium and countertransference have been compared and understood to bring different perspectives to therapists experiences in groups. Where countertransference emphasises theory and clinical practice, disequilibrium emphasises therapists’ subjective experiences and their instinctive need to compensate for difficult experiential phenomena during their clinical practice.
Developing service satisfaction strategies using catastrophe model: A replication study in New Zealand
(Auckland University of Technology, 2003) Singh, Sylvester Sanjeev; Collins, Brett
Achieving customer loyalty is one of the greatest challenges facing organisations today. It has become necessary for managers to find the most effective ways by which to attain the loyalty of their customers. The benefits of a loyal customer base are substantial, and as such, an understanding of how to influence customers’ loyalty through satisfaction and by controlling transaction costs would be of significant value. Although there is an abundance of literature on the satisfaction and loyalty association, this association has not been studied in the presence of transaction costs as done in this study and the Oliva, Oliver, and MacMillan (1992) study. This study was a replication of the study by Oliva, Oliver, and MacMillan (1992). Accordingly, their study findings were tested within the New Zealand mobile phone industry to check if their findings could be generalised to a New Zealand service industry. Appropriate hypotheses were developed through a review of relevant literature. A sample of 250 mobile phone users was selected for this study, of which 149 completed the questionnaire that provided information as to the nature of the satisfaction-loyalty association in the presence of transaction costs. The gathered data were analysed statistically and support was found for three of the six hypotheses. Results of the hypotheses tests indicated that the satisfaction-loyalty link is linear in nature. Satisfaction influences loyalty positively and in a linear way so that loyalty moves in the same direction as satisfaction. Transaction costs were found to influence loyalty indirectly via satisfaction. Transaction costs and loyalty were also found to have an inverse association. The results of this study also showed that the cusp catastrophe model could not provide a better model fit than linear regression model. The overall results of this study did not support the findings of the original study by Oliva, Oliver, and MacMillan (1992). The results of this study showed that their findings are not generaliseable to the mobile phone industry in New Zealand.
Media consumption patterns of Taiwanese women living in New Zealand and their implications for adjustment to New Zealand society
(Auckland University of Technology, 2003) Cheung, Eric Sui Ting; Bedggood, Janet
Mass media is often seen as the major socialisation agent in this era. It regulates and reinforces the behaviour of people. It moulds people to operate within the prevailing social environment. If these powers claimed for the mass media are universal, they can be very useful in the settlement processes of new comers to our country. This thesis research the alleged powers of mass media among a distinct social group, new female residents of Taiwanese origin who do not have English as their first language. With the assistance of the Taiwanese Women’s Association, the researcher collected thirty questionnaires and conducted four in-depth interviews from their members and friends. The findings of research suggest that female television consumption patterns identified by Morley and Hobson are not fully applicable to this group of women. The improvements of technology and accessibility provided new conditions for the power relations and consumption patterns of these women. Although the women in this research did use mass media to enhance their settlement processes in New Zealand, mass media did not seem to have a dominant influence on their settlement process immediately after their arrival. Other Taiwanese who have been living in New Zealand were the main source of information and social activities. The importance of mass media grew as these women spent more time in New Zealand. They reported using media products to acquire information about New Zealand and to improve their English. However different media categories seemed to influence the social life of these women differently. High users of local free to air television programs responded to the social questions more negatively than high users of other media categories. At the same time, those who used predominantly Chinese Satellite television responded the most positively. It leads to the speculation that exposure to local television content may hinder their settlement processes. The lack of English language skills was a factor that constantly surfaced in this research. While these women did use English language media, their level of understanding is problematic. Subsequently, some women used Chinese language media to supplement the information gap. However the importance and use of ethnic media for diasporic communities is problematised because of accessibility and quality issues. Migrant settlement is conceptualised in different ways. It changes with the social ideology of the country and the time. The findings of this research suggest that universal settlement indicators may not be applicable to these women. More significantly, the women seem to see that successful settlement is not a pre-requisite of happiness. While these women may not have a high level of integration into the wider communities, the Taiwanese communities are sufficiently large enough to deliver a range of services to satisfy their social needs. In the course of this research, the researcher realised that a range of personal and social reasons influenced the settlement process and the media consumption patterns of these women. The findings did help to promote understanding these women; they also left more questions to be explored.
Shapester's magic alphabet
(Auckland University of Technology, 2003) Logan, Austin; Ings, Welby; Rood, Steve
Shapester’s Magic Alphabet is an interdisciplinary, practice based research project that designs and creates a new virtual world based on four key principals: iconic form; narration through pantomime and gesture; visual and audio performance for young children; new and emerging digital technologies. This research seeks to explore theoretical issues of how children connect to, and identify with, simple visuals and sounds. It examines principals of visual narration and performance through the close analysis of existing digital media and live performance for children, iconic connections to form, expressions of movement, timing, character development and the illusionistic, transfomitory nature of interactive virtual space. Shapester’s Magic Alphabet attempts to construct a new world where the narration of events is created in the imaginative interpretation of the child’s mind. The approach of this exegesis engages with the practical research project via two modes of explanation. One is the narrative through which the researcher synthesises his experience in the field of performance. The second mode is a sequential analysis of the technological aspects of the practical project.

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