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Kaupapa Maori early years provision (KM-EYP) is recognised as a cornerstone of community efforts to revitalise Maori language and culture. Surprisingly, little is known about how KM-EYP influences the lives of whanau who have engaged. Parents/grandparents (N=91) of tamariki who had attended a Taranaki-based centre (between 1994 and 2017) completed a survey designed to measure 20 aspects of whanau lives, which collectively align with an ao Maori view of wellbeing. Most participants agreed that their children's learning, Maori identity and cultural capacity had been strengthened, as had their own capabilities. Comparisons between the year after exiting the Centre and the time of the survey (2019/2020) demonstrated sustained or increasing benefits, with the exception of relationships with other Centre whanau and the reo Maori capacity of tamariki. Our findings contribute to what is known about how whanau can benefit from engagement in KM-EYP. Keywords: Indigenous psychology, Kaupapa Maori early years provision, Wellbeing, Survey, Education, Whanau, INTRODUCTION E tatari atu ana kia aroaro mahana, ka taka mai te ahuru, koia. The warmth of spring is eagerly awaited, a joyful time of new growth and industry. This [...]

This is the first of two papers describing the creation of measurement tools for four Maori constructs of positive child behaviour - tuakiri (secure local Maori identity); whanauranga (acting as a member of a whanau); manawaroa (persisting despite difficulty); and piripono (having integrity, commitment and responsibility). This paper describes the psychometric properties of these new measures. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires on 28 children aged 0-5 years five times over 10 months in a Maori-medium early years setting, and video observations were made. Ratings of the videos showed good inter-rater reliability. All questionnaire measures had good internal consistency. Associations of questionnaires with rated observations varied at some timepoints suggesting a need to include both in ongoing research. This study provides initial evidence about reliability of our novel Maori measurement tools for assessment of preschool Maori children. Keywords: Maori Indigenous psychology, Maori constructs, Maori child behaviour measures, Maori child development, reliability, validity, Introduction In Aotearoa, a number of measurement tools are used to assess and evaluate young children's development and behaviour. These assessments are commonly carried out by psychologists in research or [...]

Supporting positive early childhood development is important for both short and long-term outcomes. This paper is the second of two papers examining the measurement of four Maori constructs underpinning positive child behaviours--tuakiri (secure local Maori identity); whanauranga (acting as a member of a whanau); manawaroa (persisting despite difficulty); and piripono (having integrity, commitment and responsibility). Here, we describe changes in measures of these constructs over a 10 month period. Whanau (families) and kaitiaki (teachers) completed questionnaires and video observations were made of 28 Maori children aged 0-5 years. Growth curve analysis revealed significant positive change in each construct across five timepoints, even controlling for age differences. These findings provide proof-of-concept that our novel measures of the four constructs are sensitive to change in positive child behaviours among preschool Maori children. Keywords: Maori child behaviour, Maori child development, kaupapa Maori, early childhood assessment, indigenous measurement tools, growth curve models, Introduction Evidence generated over recent decades demonstrates positive effects of well-designed preschool education programmes on children's developmental and behavioural outcomes in the short-term, and on their potential life trajectories over [...]

Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are crucial for responses to infections and tissue damage; however, their role in autoimmunity is less clear. Herein we demonstrate that 2 C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) Mcl and Mincle play an important role in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Congenic rats expressing lower levels of Mcl and Mincle on myeloid cells exhibited a drastic reduction in EAE incidence. In vivo silencing of Mcl and Mincle or blockade of their endogenous ligand SAP130 revealed that these receptors' expression in the central nervous system is crucial for T cell recruitment and reactivation into a pathogenic Th17/GM-CSF phenotype. Consistent with this, we uncovered MCL- and MINCLE-expressing cells in brain lesions of MS patients and we further found an upregulation of the MCL/MINCLE signaling pathway and an increased response following MCL/MINCLE stimulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from MS patients. Together, these data support a role for CLRs in autoimmunity and implicate the MCL/MINCLE pathway as a potential therapeutic target in MS., Introduction Multiple sclerosis (MS), a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by autoimmune destruction of myelin [...]

Building on critical sociological models and action research traditions, our work theorizes a structurated model of action research to address the subjugation of knowledge within educational settings. We focus on the interplay between structure and agency and how these dimensions can co-evolve in teacher research. In this article, we examine how teachers and researchers engaged in collaborative inquiry communities inhabit a complicated role within educational structures. The authors outline and detail rich cases that illustrate the dense particulars of knowledge subjugation within educational structures--these range from the denigration of immigrant students' credentials to the suppression of indigenous languages. The testimonies of practitioners and students are presented to underscore the inchoate and contradictory conditions that inform educational systems and the meaningful alternative practices that might contravene inequitable structures. The possibilities for recognizing the corrosive mechanisms of knowledge subjugation potentiate resistant parallel structures that invite meaningful inquiry-based methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Māori hold unique views on the lifecourse but there has been limited Māori-led longitudinal research to date. There is a particular need for kaupapa Māori and interface longitudinal research that generates mātauranga Māori and enables Māori-initiated transformative action. In this paper, we identify key features of a Māori lifecourse framework and its application to longitudinal research at the interface of mātauranga Māori and Western science. We describe how these features are applied in the Taranaki Māori-led longitudinal research programme Te Kura Mai i Tawhiti. Māori will benefit from a regionally-focussed Māori approach to lifecourse research at the interface. This approach can be applied directly in future localised research led by Māori and other Indigenous peoples. Māori-led longitudinal research will inform effective interventions to lift Māori wellbeing and prospects throughout all stages of life and strengthen Māori contributions to wider society. Māori approaches to longitudinal research will help shape new futures for Māori and a brighter future for all peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand. Glossary of Māori words: ao Māori: Māori world; Aotearoa: Māori name for New Zealand; hāngī: an earth oven or food cooked in such an oven; hapū: subtribe (also meaning to be pregnant); iwi: tribe, people; kaitiaki: guardian (also meaning teacher); kaupapa Māori: Māori paradigm; based within a Māori worldview; Māori: indigenous peoples of Aotearoa New Zealand; mātauranga Māori: Māori knowledge; mokopuna: grandchildren; ōhākī: parting wishes before death; Pākehā: primarily referring to New Zealand Europeans; reo Māori: Māori language; tamariki: children; Tangi te Kawekaweā: study title (the call of the kawekaweā, long-tailed cuckoo, heralds spring and the opportunity for growth); Taranaki: a tribal nation and region of Aotearoa New Zealand; Te Kura mai I Tawhiti: research programme title (sacred legacy of an ancient era); tauiwi: outsider, commonly referring to non-Māori; tuakiri: identity; wānanga: forum for sharing knowledge/learning; whakapapa: genealogy; whanau: extended family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ponapea palauensis Kaneh., a palm endemic to the Palau archipelago in the western Caroline Islands, has previously been reported to be threatened and in decline due to predation by [...]

To purchase or authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2007.01241.x Byline: CAROLINE CHONG (*[dagger]s.), WILL EDWARDS ([double dagger]), MICHELLE WAYCOTT ([dagger]) Keywords: allocation; plant reserves; resprouting; riparian; seed size; seedling growth; tolerance Abstract: Summary Resprouting is a key plant attribute facilitating persistence in disturbance-prone environments. Resprouting ability in seedlings may depend on both developmental ontogeny and seed size. However, the relationships between these factors are not well explored, especially for woody species with comparatively small seeds and epigeal germination. We investigated resprouting capacity in seedlings from four subtropical, riparian, Myrtaceous tree species, Melaleuca leucadendra, Asteromyrtus symphyocarpa, Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. obtusa and Tristaniopsis laurina, displaying these characteristics. We recorded resprouting in response to simulated disturbance as a function of seed mass and developmental age (5-150 days post-emergence) and examined the acquisition of resprouting ability in relation to growth and biomass allocation patterns. Patterns of resprouting were distinct among species, but the acquisition of resprouting ability was not determined by seed mass. The 'small' seeded M. leucadendra and the 'intermediate' seeded E. camaldulensis showed unexpectedly high shoot resprouting vigour from cotyledon stage (70% resprouting at 5 days post-emergence), as well as greatest ongoing allocation to root mass and lateral root development. In contrast, in A. symphyocarpa (another species with 'intermediate' seed mass) and T. laurina (a 'large' seeded species) resprouting rates during early development were much lower (150 days). Resprouting capacity was also independent of seedling size and relative growth rate. Our results indicate that the size-dependency of resprouting capacity varies considerably among these species. This suggests physiological and morphological species traits other than those directly related to reserve size or relative growth rate may convey survivorship in river environments. Our findings show that resprouting capacity was not related to seed size and seedling growth patterns in these four species. This is different to evidence from comparative studies undertaken in fire-prone and other temperate environments. A broader survey of seedling resprouting ability including more species is required to determine the generality of our findings in riparian species. Author Affiliation: ([dagger])School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia, ([double dagger])School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Cairns QLD 4878, Australia and (s.)Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia Article History: Received 21 November 2006; revision accepted 28 February 2007 Editor: Peter Bellingham Article note: (*) Present address and correspondence: Caroline Chong, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia (tel. +61 74781 5215; fax +61 74781 5589; e-mail yfcaroline@gmail.com).