University Of Auckland Research Articles

Empathic communication training in healthcare using Virtual Patients

This project aims to build effective empathic communication training for healthcare students using conversational AI and Virtual Patients. An umbrella review of empathy training in healthcare will be used to create a framework for designing effective empathy training. We will investigate two different implementations of Virtual Patients through a pilot study with speech-language therapy students from the University of Auckland. We will engage students, educators and patients in theexperimental studies, following co-design and design-based research methodology.

Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting low birth weight among pregnant women who had antenatal care visits at Debre Markos Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia

BackgroundBirth weight is a crucial factor linked to a newborn’s survival and can also affect their future health, growth, and development. Earlier, researchers focused on exploring maternal and fetal factors contributing to low birth weight. However, in recent years, there has been a shift toward effectively predicting low birth weight by utilizing a combination of variables. This study aims to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting low birth weight in Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective follow-up study was conducted, and a total of 1,120 pregnant women were included. Client charts were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were extracted using a structured checklist prepared on the KoboToolbox (Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States) and exported to STATA version 14 (Computing Resource Center in California) and R version 4.2.2 (University of Auckland, New Zealand) for data management and analysis. A nomogram was developed based on a binary logistic model, and its performance was assessed by discrimination power and calibration. Internal validation was performed using bootstrapping. To evaluate the clinical impact, decision curve analysis was applied.ResultsThe nomogram included gestational age, hemoglobin, primigravida, unplanned pregnancy, and preeclampsia. The AUROC of the predicted nomogram was 84.3%, and internal validation was 80.1%. The calibration plot indicated that the nomogram was well calibrated. The model was found to have clinical benefit.ConclusionThe nomogram demonstrates strong discrimination performance and can predict low birth weight clinically. As a result, it can be used in clinical practice, which will help clinicians in making quick and personalized predictions simply and rapidly, enabling the early identification and medical intervention. For broader applicability, the nomogram must be externally validated.

Introducing Indigenous Perspectives on Data Sovereignty in Engineering Education

We live in a data-driven world, and decisions of technology developers impact how the world uses technology. But the education system does not address data sovereignty. This is more relevant in New Zealand, with M?ori data sovereignty being a concern. In engineering education, ethical aspects of technology are taught from a western perspective. This paper describes a different approach used recently in an undergraduate engineering course, where an indigenous perspective was integrated with the predominant western view. Electrical and Digital Systems is a course taken by all engineering students at the University of Auckland. This course teaches the engineering perspective on how data is collected and processed, and hence is the perfect point to introduce the indigenous data sovereignty perspectives. Student feedback received so far supports the success of this introduction. This also prepares our future workforce to be competent to incorporate indigenous world views in engineering decisions.

Conversations about complex issues

How do we support learning and teaching about complex issues? Researchers from the University of Auckland worked with 54 students and teachers from three Auckland secondary schools to evaluate health-science learning designed to investigate this question. The instructional strategies based on context familiarity, systems thinking, and narrative pedagogies can be adapted to support learning about other contexts involving complex issues.

Preface

The 2023 International Conference on Mechatronics and Smart Systems (CONF-MSS 2023) is an annual conference focusing on research areas including mechatronics and smart systems. It aims to establish a broad and interdisciplinary platform for experts, researchers, and students worldwide to present, exchange, and discuss the latest advance and development in mechatronics and smart systems. This volume contains the papers of the 2023 International Conference on Mechatronics and Smart Systems (CONF-MSS 2023). Each of these papers has gained a comprehensive review by the editorial team and professional reviewers. Each paper has been examined and evaluated for its theme, structure, method, content, language, and format.Cooperating with prestigious universities, CONF-MSS 2023 organized five workshops in London, Chicago, Auckland, Sydney and Glasgow. Dr. Seyed Ghaffar chaired the workshop “Digital Fabrication of Low-carbon Concrete for Modern Methods of Construction”, which was held at Brunel University London. Dr. Marwan Omar chaired the workshop “Reverse Engineering Malware” at Illinois Institute of Technology. Dr. Alan Wang chaired the workshop “Artificial Intelligence for Biomedical Data Analysis 2023 (WAIBDA 2023)” at University of Auckland. Dr. Sajjad Seifi Mofarah chaired the workshop “Material Design for Room Temperature Chemoresistive Gas Sensor” at The University of New South Wales (UNSW). Prof. Anil Fernando chaired the workshop “Enhancing Video Understanding with Advanced NLP Algorithms for Advertising” at Prof. Anil Fernando.Besides these workshops, CONF-MSS 2023 also held an online session. Eminent professors from top universities worldwide were invited to deliver keynote speeches in this online session, including Dr. Achintya Haldar from University of Arizona, Dr. Michael Harre from The University of Sydney, Dr. Alan Wang from University of Auckland, etc. They have given keynote speeches on related topics of mechatronics and smart systems.On behalf of the committee, we would like to give sincere gratitude to all authors and speakers who have made their contributions to CONF-MSS 2023, editors and reviewers who have guaranteed the quality of papers with their expertise, and the committee members who have devoted themselves to the success of CONF-MSS 2023.Dr. Alan WangGeneral Chair of Conference CommitteeList of Committee Members are available in this Pdf.

Book Review [Secret History: State Survelliance in New Zealand, 1900 – 1956 by Richard S. Hill and Steven Loveridge, published by Auckland University Press (Auckland, New Zealand, 2023)

This is a book review of the book by by Richard S. Hill and Steven Loveridge, published by Auckland University Press. Published - 13 July 2023 Published by - Auckland University Press (Auckland, New Zealand 2023) Format - Hard back ISBN - 9781869409852 448 pages Reviewed by Associate Professor Damien Rogers

Auckland University of Technology, Child and Youth Health Research Centre Research Roadshow Presentation (2023)

Introduction: Every year Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences host a research roadshow to provide staff and postgraduate research students an opportunity to showcase their work, network, exchange/share ideas and collaborate to generate new opportunities for research.
 Methods: Members of the AUT Child and Youth Health Research Centre presented a combined power-point presentation where each project was allocated one slide.
 Findings: Ten research projects were presented that spanned across 4 schools. The types of research included 7 empirical designs 1. Using participatory video to explore the perceptions and understandings of health and wellbeing among refugee background youth in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2. Creating a community engaged research agenda for Tamariki with Asthma, 3. The role of serious games and youth as co-designers in future healthy and sustainable city world-building, 4. Decolonising and democratising Malawian public health: A photovoice collaboration with families exploring daily meals associated with a rise in diabetes, 5. Strengthening Pacific voices through Talanoa participatory action research, 6. The creating space project, 7. Children and young people’s participation in activities that inform the planning, implementation, and evaluation of service delivery in Children’s Hospitals in New Zealand; two integrative reviews 8. Children and young people’s self-reported experiences of asthma self-management nursing strategies across various settings; 9. Factors that Influenced the experiences of paediatric nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic and one meta-analysis 10. Risk and protective factors of adolescent suicidality.
 Conclusion: All together there were 30 exhibition presentations including 26 individual sessions over the day (VIMEO recording).

An acoustic design project for final year engineering students using resonant arrays

This paper reviews the creation of a design course for mechanical engineering students at the University of Auckland. The primary objective of the course is to introduce students to the field of acoustics, teaching basic theoretical and experimental acoustics principles, together with product design and fabrication methods, in an engaging and educational manner. During the course, students were assigned the task of developing a noise reduction duct jacket that reduced sound propagation whilst allowing free airflow, all within specified dimensions. Students were required to create designs that attenuated a predefined sound spectrum, with both narrow-band and wide-band components. Over six weeks students developed their designs using mathematical modelling and fabricated their prototypes. The performance of their suppressors was assessed through sound pressure level and impedance tube transmission loss measurements. Students then modified their designs to maximise performance before final submission. Four-person teams produced a diverse range of implementations. The most successful designs achieved impressive performance with peak transmission loss up to 70dB, 2kHz bandwidths of 10 + dB transmission loss and a delta dBA reduction of 21.5 dB. Student feedback indicates a high level of satisfaction with the course, highlighting its effectiveness in imparting key knowledge and skills in acoustics engineering.

Rural secondary school leaver attainment inequities for students entering medical programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT The education literature suggests that there are rural–urban differences in educational achievement. Lower educational achievement in rural schools may impact entry into highly competitive medical programmes and disadvantage rural students. Within this study, the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and University Entrance (UE) attainment rates are compared across Aotearoa New Zealand secondary schools for 2012–2021. High schools were classified as urban or rural according to the two rural admission schemes used in the medical programmes at the University of Otago and the University of Auckland. Descriptive statistics were calculated and regression models created to adjust for a range of variables. The data demonstrates that rural high schools have lower NCEA and UE attainment. Lower Māori student NCEA and UE attainment, greater socioeconomic disadvantage and differing characteristics account for the majority of differences between rural and urban schools. The lower UE attainment rate for rural schools will likely mean that rural students will have greater difficulty in entering medical programmes and that this inequity is worse for rural Māori students. Medical programme admission pathways need to undergo a fundamental shift–from workforce pathways to workforce and equity pathways in order to address rural workforce issues.

The University of Auckland BMedSc(Hons) abstracts

A collection of BMedSc(Hons) abstracts from University of Auckland.

ECR Spotlight – Carolin Nieder

ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology during our centenary year, but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Carolin Nieder is an author on ‘ Comparison of auditory evoked potential thresholds in three shark species’ and ‘Comparison of acoustic particle acceleration detection capabilities in three shark species’, published in JEB. Carolin conducted the research described in these articles while a PhD student in Craig Radford and Andrew Jeff's lab at Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland. She investigates the sensory and behavioural ecology of marine animals, with a particular passion for the perception of underwater sound.

SYMPOSIUM REPORT MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS (MAAL) SYMPOSIUM ON “PROMOTING INNOVATIVE LEARNING-ORIENTED FEEDBACK PRACTICE”

The authors had the privilege of co-chairing the symposium titled “Promoting Innovative Learning-Oriented Feedback Practice”, which took place online, hosted by the Malaysian Association of Applied Linguistics (MAAL) on 19th August 2023. The event featured distinguished speakers including Lawrence Jun Zhang, a Professor from the University of Auckland; Junjie Gavin Wu, a Lecturer from Macao Polytechnic University; Kayatri Vasu, an Assistant Professor from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman; Orlando Xiao Xie, a PhD Candidate from Universiti Putra Malaysia; Wei Wei, an Associate Professor from Macao Polytechnic University; and Greg Parry, the Co-Founder and CEO of Global Services in Education. With a virtual audience of over 100 participants, the symposium delved into various captivating topics. Lawrence Jun Zhang shared insights on written corrective feedback (WCF) and metacognition, while Junjie Gavin Wu explored the intersection of feedback and technology. Kayatri Vasu’s presentation revolved around self-regulated learning (SRL), whereas Orlando Xiao Xie shed light on evaluative judgement. Wei Wei delved into the realm of mobile applications in vocabulary learning, and Greg Parry discussed authentic quality standards. The symposium provided a platform for dynamic discussions and valuable knowledge exchange, advancing the discourse on effective feedback practices and their impact on learning.

Additive manufacturing materials for structural optimisation and cooling enhancement of superconducting motors in cryo-electric aircraft

Superconducting electric motors offer the potential for low weight and high power in applications such as electric aircraft and high speed marine transport. Combined with renewably-sourced cryogenic fuels and advanced fuel cells they offer a path to zero-carbon mass transport. The proposed architectures of these extreme machines, operating at temperatures around 20 K–50 K and employing very high alternating magnetic fields, require materials for the stator that are not electrically conducting and at the same time have good cryogenic structural performance. Additively manufactured (AM) materials can play a key role in these designs, and a collaboration between the Robinson Research Institute and Auckland University of Technology is studying the performance of a range of composite polymers in superconducting machine applications. There are significant challenges to be met, including understanding the effect of the build process on material properties at low temperatures, and also the effect of formulation changes on thermal properties. AM metals can be employed in the rotor components, where the magnetic field fluctuations are very small for our synchronous designs. In this usage case, we can achieve dramatic reductions in the weight of the rotor assembly by minimising the number of joints and facilitating the design of multi-functional components in our helium cooled, vacuum cryostat architecture. Novel design solutions have been developed for several key components in our prototype machines and these are discussed, along with cryogenic testing results for selected AM polymers and composites.

Kia Tīmata Pai (Best Start): a study protocol for a cluster randomised trial with early childhood teachers to support children’s oral language and self-regulation development

IntroductionOral language skills are associated with children’s later self-regulation and academic skills; in turn, self-regulation in early childhood predicts successful functioning later in life. The primary objective of this study...

FRONTLINE: ‘Voice of the voiceless’: The Pacific Media Centre as a case study of academic and research advocacy and activism

For more than a decade, the pioneering Pacific Media Centre at Aotearoa’s Auckland University of Technology led the way in journalism research and publication, publishing the globally ranked peer-reviewed journal Pacific Journalism Review, monographs, and a series of media and social justice books and documentaries. Perhaps even more important was the centre’s role in nurturing young and challenging Asia-Pacific student journalists and communicators seeking social change and providing them with the opportunity, support, and encouragement to enable them to become confident changemakers and community advocates. This article is a case study of a style of academic advocacy and activism that was characterised by its own multiethnic stakeholders’ advisory board as ‘the voice of the voiceless’. A feature was the ‘talanoa journalism’ model (Robie, 2014), focused more on grassroots people and community resilience, especially faced with the global COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis. The inspired initiative ended with a change of management to a more neoliberal approach to education at the university with scant appreciation for the vision.
 Original DOI as published in the Okinawan Journal of Island Studies (Japan):https://doi.org/10.24564/0002019736

OBITUARY: Tui Rererangi Walsh O’Sullivan: The ‘flying bird in the sky’

In 1977, Tui O’Sullivan became the first woman and the first Māori appointed to a permanent position at what was then the Auckland Technical Institute (it became Auckland University of Technology in 2000). At AUT, she developed the first Women on Campus group. She helped establish the newspaper Password, a publication introducing new English speakers to New Zealand society and culture. She taught courses on the Treaty of Waitangi when the treaty was a subversive idea. She contributed to the change in social and political thought that has brought the treaty—that her tupuna signed—to greater public influence. The justice it promises was a major theme in Tui’s working life. She was also a founding member of the Pacific Media Centre advisory board and advocate for Pacific Journalism Review from 2007 until she retired in 2018.

Sample representativeness and influence of attrition on longitudinal data collected as part of a national medical career tracking project

BackgroundThe Medical Schools Outcomes Database and Longitudinal Tracking Project (MSOD) in New Zealand is one example of a national survey-based resource of medical student experiences and career outcomes. Longitudinal studies of medical students are valuable for evaluating the outcomes of medical programs against workforce objectives. As a prospective longitudinal multiple-cohort study, survey response rates at each collection point of MSOD vary. This paper assesses the effects of participant non-response rates on MSOD data.MethodsDemographic variables of MSOD respondents between 2012 and 2018 were compared to the distribution of the demographic variables in the population of all NZ medical graduates to ascertain whether respondent samples at multiple survey collection points were representative of the population. Analysis using logistic regression assessed the impact of participant non-response on variables at collection points throughout MSOD.Results2874 out of a total population of 2939 domestic medical students graduating between 2012 and 2018 responded to MSOD surveys. Entry and exit surveys achieved response rates around 80% and were broadly representative of the total population on demographic variables. Post-graduation survey response rates were around 50% of the total population of graduates and underrepresented graduates from the University of Auckland. Between the entry and exit and the exit and postgraduation year three samples, there was a significant impact of non-response on ascribed variables, including age at graduation, university, gender and ethnic identity. Between the exit and postgraduation year one sample, non-response significantly impacted ascribed and non-ascribed variables, including future practice intentions.ConclusionSamples collected from MSOD at entry and exit are representative, and findings from cross-sectional studies using these datasets are likely generalisable to the wider population of NZ medical graduates. Samples collected one and three years post-graduation are less representative. Researchers should be aware of this bias when utilizing these data. When using MSOD data in a longitudinal manner, e.g. comparing the change in career intentions from one collection point to the next, researchers should appropriately control for bias due to non-response between collection points. This study highlights the value of longitudinal career-tracking studies for answering questions relevant to medical education and workforce development.

Mary E. Sommar. The Slaves of the Churches: A History.

Journal Article Mary E. Sommar. The Slaves of the Churches: A History. Get access Mary E. Sommar. The Slaves of the Churches: A History. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020. Pp. xi, 268. Cloth $38.95. Lisa Kaaren Bailey Lisa Kaaren Bailey University of Auckland, New Zealand Email: lk.bailey@auckland.ac.nz https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9027-3314 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The American Historical Review, Volume 128, Issue 2, June 2023, Pages 973–974, https://doi.org/10.1093/ahr/rhad208 Published: 22 June 2023

An Interview with John Grundy - 2023 SIGSOFT Awardee

John Grundy received the 2023 SIGSOFT Distinguished Service Award for continued outstanding service to the software engineering community, including the repeated successful organization of flagship conferences, and leadership in the Australasian research and education community. He received a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Auckland (New Zealand), and he is currently Australian Laureate Fellow and Professor of Software Engineering at Monash University. Beyond this, John Grundy is also Fellow of Automated Software Engineering, Fellow of Engineers Australia, Certified Professional Engineer, Engineering Executive, Senior Member of the ACM and Senior Member of the IEEE.

The Archaeology of Tanamu 1: A Pre‐Lapita to Post‐Lapita Site from Caution Bay, South Coast of Mainland Papua New Guinea By BrunoDavid, KatherineSzabó, MatthewLeavesley, Ian J.McNiven, JeremyAsh, and ThomasRichards. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd, Oxford, 2022, pp. 351 ISBN 9781803270883. £58.00 Print/Open Access download.

Archaeology in OceaniaEarly View Book Review The Archaeology of Tanamu 1: A Pre-Lapita to Post-Lapita Site from Caution Bay, South Coast of Mainland Papua New Guinea By Bruno David, Katherine Szabó, Matthew Leavesley, Ian J. McNiven, Jeremy Ash, and Thomas Richards. Archaeopress Publishing Ltd, Oxford, 2022, pp. 351 ISBN 9781803270883. £58.00 Print/Open Access download. Peter Sheppard, Corresponding Author Peter Sheppard [email protected] PS: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Correspondence: Peter Sheppard, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Peter Sheppard, Corresponding Author Peter Sheppard [email protected] PS: University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Correspondence: Peter Sheppard, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 16 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/arco.5296Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. REFERENCES Mialanes, J., David, B., Ford, A., Richards, T., McNiven, I. J., Summerhayes, G. R., & Leavesley, M. (2016). Imported obsidian at Caution Bay, south coast of Papua New Guinea: Cessation of long distance procurement c. 1,900 cal BP. Australian Archaeology, 82(3), 248– 262. Petchey, F., Ulm, S., David, B., McNiven, I. J., Asmussen, B., Tomkins, H., Dolby, N., Aplin, K., Richards, T., Rowe, C., Leavesley, M., & Mandui, H. (2013). High-resolution radiocarbon dating of marine materials in archaeological contexts: Radiocarbon marine reservoir variability between Anadara, Gafrarium, Batissa, Polymesoda spp. and Echinoidea at Caution Bay, Southern Coastal Papua New Guinea. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 5, 69– 80. Richards, T., David, B., Aplin, K., & McNiven, I. J. (2016). Archaeological research at Caution Bay, Papua New Guinea: Cultural, Linguistic, and environmental setting. Archaeopress Publishing LTD. Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation