Understanding the quit smoking journeys of Ngāti Raukawa women : barriers and supports : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

The purpose of this thesis was to record the journeys of 6 Ngāti Raukawa women who had tried to quit smoking and to identify the barriers and supports which the women experienced during quitting. A key focus of this thesis was to examine the barriers and supports for quitting which occurred within the marae, hapū and iwi environments of these women. A qualitative research approach using kaupapa Māori and Māori-centred research methods were used. The objective was achieved by undertaking in-depth qualitative interviews which identified issues around smoking and quitting within the participants daily lives, namely at work, home and in other social situations and compared these with other studies. This study extends the knowledge base about Māori women and smoking by contributing and extending the information available to influence policies and strategies at all levels, but more specifically at hapū, marae, iwi and Māori. The prominence of addressing hapū, marae and iwi issues is a unique aspect of this thesis. The participants experiences were reflective of the literature, however factors which impacted on smoking and quitting within Ngāti Raukawa hapū, marae and iwi settings were exacerbated given that in these instances cultural influences combined with other environmental factors to bring about high smoking rates. At the same time this study also showed that there is the potential to reduce smoking rates within these same settings although this will require a concerted effort from hapū, marae and iwi. What is required is a change in policy and behaviour across the whole community

Evolving Teacher Pedagogy Through Implementation of Mathematical Modeling and Participation in Responsively Designed Professional Development

Modeling with mathematics (MP4) is a mathematical practice standard that can be used to engage students in mathematical content standards as well as additional mathematical practice standards. Research has shown the benefits of mathematical modeling (e.g., Aguirre et al., 2019; Cirillo et al., 2016a), but also the challenges teachers can face implementing modeling (e.g., Asempapa & Sturgill, 2019; Manouchehri, 2017). This dissertation aimed to explore how mathematical modeling professional development was responsively designed and facilitated to support teachers’ pedagogical goals (RQ1). This dissertation also aimed to explore how my role as the designer and facilitator of professional development evolved (RQ2) and how teachers’ pedagogy related to facilitating students’ modeling presentations evolved (RQ3) over the course of the 2022-2023 school year. This dissertation took an action research approach in addressing the three research questions. I served as an insider teacher-researcher who met with participating teachers regularly and designed and facilitated the professional development sessions. I collected data through the professional development sessions, surveys, interviews, classroom recordings, my research journal, and a teacher reflection journal. Then I used the constant comparative method to analyze each data source and address each research question. The professional development sessions were responsively designed and facilitated (RQ1) through co-constructed professional development sessions and community building. My role as the designer and facilitator of the professional development sessions (RQ2) evolved from sharing research-based practices and focusing on teachers’ goal of facilitating students’ modeling presentations to leveraging teachers’ experiences and creating space for their additional pedagogical goals. Teachers’ pedagogy related to facilitating students’ modeling presentations (RQ3) evolved in several ways, including teacher questioning and commenting. In the beginning of the school year, teachers were more focused on making sense of students’ modeling solutions by asking questions that gathered information and probed for student thinking, while toward the end of the year, teachers focused more on increasing the validity of students’ modeling solutions through establishing context and orienting and refocusing questioning strategies. Findings related to RQ3 help support a proposed preliminary framework for analyzing teacher questioning/commenting during students’ presentation of modeling solutions

Game of Thrones and the Background Behind Westeros

The history of how Westeros came to be and how it affected audiences everywhere

Saving the Farm or Giving Away the Farm: A Critical Analysis of the Capital Gains Tax Preferences

Over the years the topic of capital gain preferences has been thoroughly debated. Discussions range between whether the tax rates on capital gains should be raised, reduced, or repealed. Other discussions have centered on whether capital gains has an effect on the economy, and if so, how the research supports those assertions. It would be difficult to cover all aspects of the issues associated with capital gains taxes in one article; therefore this discussion will focus on capital gains as applied to individual income taxes. The capital gains tax has been criticized for the questionable effect it has on the economy but one of the reasons the capital gains tax has not generated more revenue is because of tax policy. Congress has created, and continues to create, policies that encourage holding capital property for long periods of time. As such, when taxpayers hold capital property longer, revenue is delayed or denied to the federal government. This is just one of the ways the capital gains tax has been a mechanism to shift wealth to the wealthiest taxpayers. Another example of the gross inequities is revealed in the income tax implications of the capital gains tax when property passes through an estate. When capital gains property is transferred through an estate, the inherent gain is completely eradicated. This paper offers proposals to reform tax policy and address some of the inequities to move towards a more balance approached in tax policy. The proposals in this article are specifically designed to reallocate capital gains preferences to shift certain benefits towards the middle and lower class, phase out certain preferences and eliminate preferences that only benefit the wealthiest taxpayers

The Future of Fashion: Corporate Social Responsibility and Essential Marketing Strategies

This paper analyzes how fast fashion has impacted future trends of the fashion industry. Due to globalization, the fast fashion industry has been able to create new norms of over-consumerism and international labor. Because of this, the fast fashion industry is able to mass produce in a way consumers have never seen before, in addition to making it all at extremely low prices. However, fast fashion brands are only able to mass produce cheap goods through unethical methodologies; these methodologies include unsustainable materials and practices, inhuman labor conditions and wages, and by making sizes that exclude bigger bodies. Consumers are now realizing how detrimental these practices are, and in result, they want to see more brands that focus on corporate social responsibility. Consumers are demanding that fashion brands do better. Although there is a rise of brands wanting to prioritize ethics because of the consumer demand and personal values, the brands face challenges, like time, money and resources. This paper then shares specific essential marketing strategies that brands need to use in order to market their ethics for profit. These strategies include utilizing social media, trend forecasting, specific leadership approaches, and pricing that reflects the consumer. Brands that are using these strategies are able to be ethical and profitable in the fashion industry. It is clear that the future of fashion is valuing ethics

Taxes, the Problem and Solution: A Model for Vanishing Deductions and Exclusions for Residence-Based Tax Preferences

Taxation is an essential component to raising revenue for the government. Despite public resistance to raising taxes during an economic crisis, taxation has historically been successful in addressing revenue shortfalls. While it may be a political risk to increase taxes on ordinary income for the average American, there may not be the same societal resistance to modifying or eliminating tax preferences that primarily benefit the wealthiest taxpayers. By modifying or eliminating certain tax preferences, the government can address some of the revenue shortfalls without raising taxes. This article contributes to the scholarly discussion on the modification and elimination of tax preferences by demonstrating the connection between the tax preferences associated with, and the overinvestment in, homeownership. In addition, this article demonstrates why limitations should be imposed on: (1) the type of taxpayers that qualify for and receive the benefit of these preferences; and (2) how much taxpayers receive. This article proposes limitations based on both household income with phase-outs and on the number of tax benefits a taxpayer may receive based on homeownership. These housing-based tax preferences cost the government billions of dollars in lost revenue, yet benefit only a small percentage of the population without a clear impact on the homeownership rates