CPIT research month week 3 day 1 - Tuesday 20/8

A selection of topics today around the theme of 'aftershocks' with presentations from CPIT projects completed since the 2011 earthquakes.

Gleaning ideas and perspectives to enhance journal articles being prepared from Ako Aotearoa funded project completed on 'institutional programme-design strategies supporting forced change'.

First up Ada Campbell, Jane Maidment, Raewyn Tudor and Karen Whittaker from nursing  and human services, on 'role of craft post-earthquake. Post earthquake saw a flowering of art, creativity and community. Craft played a role in contributing to positive mental health of individuals and their families and social cohesion. The project studied crafters and spectators of craft. Interviewed 20 crafters and 4 focus groups of 6 people in each of spectators.

Then, an Ako Aotearoa funded project with Drs. Judy Yarwood and Phillipa Seaton. The departments experience of managing, sustaining, and future proofing educational provision following large scale disaster and disruption. Others involved include Irene Absalom, Dr. Lesley Seaton and Melanie Ryan. Data gathering across 2 years to assess implications of various decisions made at time of the event. Interviews and survey of academic, teaching, management and corporate staff. Model of interconnecting themes distilled from data. Individuals had to deal with competing tensions. Department leadership a key with communication across all staff important. Recommendations on immediate reactions, coping with ongoing disruption and moving on.

Libby Gawith from Humanities presented on 'Christchurch two years after'. Summarised where we have got to. In for long haul and a marathon, not a race. We are only at the beginning the 20 years physical model of reconstruction and 5 years psychological model of recovery from disaster (Gluckman). Surveys summarised include CERA 'healthy Christchurch welbeing survey (2013). In 2014, a campaign to assist, 'are you alright' will begin.

Cpit research month - week 1 day 2

Managed to get to a couple of presentations this afternoon.

Hana O'Regan on 'mai i ka kokoka o te ao' - from the corners of the heart to the world. 'Language endangerment in the 21^st century globalisation'. Traversing the domains between the public / private relationship. A study of public representation / recording and diary excerpts. Diary excepts from Matiaha Tiramorehua from the late 1800s. Access to 'original' private texts reveals much about language as used before it begins to decline. Need to capture ways language is structured and words no longer in common use, all to inform current resurrection and renewal in the present. Conversational language, idioms, colloqaulisms, dialogue, arguments, debates etc. Recordings from radio in the 1930s and 1950s.

Then presentations from Te Puna Wanaka with Hemi Hoskins and Hohepa Waitoha on an ongoing enquiry 'taking the language from the class'.Presented on learnings from a educational exchange between Hawaii and NZ. Presentation focused on ideas to engage with students and the community to achieve authentic language use in the classroom. Using natural habitats to increase language application, increase vocabulary and cultural practice. Learning language is a social process and environmental context supports the process. Provided examples of how nuances of language better learnt through experiencing the language 'in action' i.e. while working in taro patches, at the seashore and in the natural environment.