Masters Practice Projects

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https://hdl.handle.net/10292/10895
The Masters Practice Projects collection contains digital copies of AUT masters practice projects deposited with the Library since 2017 and made available open access.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 40
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    Manta Watch: Discovering Aotearoa's Gentle Giants
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2024) Pratt, Rebecca
    Documentary filmmakers have frequently been captivated by the beauty and allure of marine life, yet the Oceanic Manta Ray (Mobula birostris) is seldom depicted in such productions. Despite being the largest ray globally, reaching widths of up to 7 metres and weighing over two tonnes, Oceanic Manta Rays are very elusive creatures. Moreover, as of 2024, these rays rank as critically endangered status on the global scale, as designated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). In the context of New Zealand, Oceanic Manta Rays are protected species; however, a historical lack of scientific data poses a challenge in understanding and protecting this population. The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) acknowledges this deficiency, classifying the conservation status of Oceanic Manta Rays as 'data deficient,' indicating insufficient information to assess their risk of extinction. This research endeavour encompasses the creation of a nature documentary titled Manta Watch - Discovering Aotearoa’s Gentle Giants, and aims to explore the nuanced techniques and strategies necessary to portray New Zealand's Oceanic Manta Rays authentically. The accompanying exegesis documents its processes and discoveries by focusing on filmmaking environments in the documentary's production. Combining observational and poetic documentary styles, I merge personal encounters with Oceanic Manta Rays with reflexive interviews featuring prominent scientists engaged in Manta Ray research in New Zealand. The documentary's production involved diverse filmmaking environments, including solo expeditions in the Hauraki Gulf and collaborations with the citizen science project, Manta Watch New Zealand. Employing filmmaking as a research tool, I developed and employed various techniques such as aerial and underwater cinematography, interviews, hydrophone deployment, animation, editing, archival work, and sound design. Furthermore, this exegesis delves into the ethical dimensions of nature documentary filmmaking, highlighting the significance of responsible storytelling and conservation advocacy. Through this study, I contribute to the evolving discourse on nature documentary filmmaking, particularly within the context of New Zealand. Ultimately, this research aims to underscore the transformative potential of visual storytelling in raising awareness about Oceanic Manta Rays in New Zealand waters and advocating for their continued conservation efforts.
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    COVID-19 Testing and Diagnosis in Children Under Six Years of Age: A Systematic Review
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2024) Ure, Kirsty
    Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome was first detected in 2003 and escalated in 2019 with COVID-19 causing a worldwide pandemic. This new virus presented challenges in diagnosis, especially in those under 6 years of age. While often classified as a mild disease in children, COVID-19 still presents significant health risks in the young, especially for children under 1 year of age and those with pre-existing comorbidities. Because of this, clinical guidelines and protocols addressing COVID-19 testing in preschool- aged children became necessary to direct evidence-based practice. Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to explore COVID-19 testing and diagnosis in children under 6 years of age from international peer-reviewed published manuscripts to facilitate a wider and more thorough understanding of this practice from a diverse sample of parents, children, and health care providers to inform and direct practice within Aotearoa/New Zealand. Methods: A systematic review was undertaken based on guidelines by Siddaway et al. (2019). Extant empirical research published in peer-reviewed journals from 2020–2024 on COVID-19 testing in children under 6 years of age was identified from Scopus, CINAHL, MEDLINE via PubMed, and PsycInfo via Ovid databases. Data were analysed using deductive thematic analysis. Findings: Fourteen studies involving over 5,000 participants were included. Deductive content analysis identified seven key areas: 1. Symptomology, 2. Diagnostic tests, 4. Efficacy and acceptability of testing, 4. Viral loads, 5. Vulnerability/Risk factors, 6. Health outcomes, and 7. Recommendations. Conclusion: While common symptoms such as fever and cough are prevalent in children under 6 years of age infected with COVID-19, symptomology alone is not a foolproof diagnostic tool. Additional diagnostic testing, such as nasopharyngeal swabs and polymerase chain reaction testing, is complementary to diagnosis. However, an understanding of the risk factors for contracting COVID-19, as well as the vulnerability and health outcomes of children with COVID-19, is important to consider. Implications for practice: Common symptomology for children under 6 years of age includes fever and cough; however, these symptoms are also common for other viruses. A history of exposure to COVID-19 is the most frequent positive predictive factor for infection. An assessment of the child before any decisions on diagnostic testing is useful.
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    Ludicrous Legacies and Legacy Ludology: Studying Legacy Board Games and Their Impact on 21st Century Board Games
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Henderson, Courtney
    This research delves into the study of board games with a particular focus on legacy board games, culminating in the development of a functional legacy board game. The employed methodology encompasses a reflective analysis approach alongside auto-ethnomethodology, involving the iterative process of conceiving a suitable concept for the creative artefact and documenting its development journey. By following this approach, the study gains valuable insights into the fundamental attributes that constitute a legacy board game and their perceived significance in the gaming domain. Furthermore, the research examines into the transformative impact of crafting a legacy board game on the broader comprehension of contemporary board gaming in the context of the 21st century. The findings and culmination of this research are presented in the form of an analytical review, weaving insights from the creative process and the cumulative outcomes, thereby providing invaluable perspectives on the legacy board game genre and its implications for the wider gaming landscape.
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    Fa'alavelave: Samoan Gift Exchange
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) Filisi, Fritz Toeata Fa'apaoi
    Fa’alavelave: Samoan Gift Exchange is a short documentary exploring the context of how the cultural practice of ceremonial gift-giving, specifically around funerals, has changed from a village setting in Samoa to an urban setting of Samoan migrants and descendants in South Auckland. To respond to this inquiry, the filmed talanoa captures the perspectives of two elderly siblings, a brother and a sister, who are the migrant generation of an aiga spanning five generations in South Auckland, New Zealand. The artefact of a short documentary of sixteen minutes and the exegesis form a practice-oriented thesis. Produced in the Samoan language with English subtitles, the ideas framing the documentary link to Barry Barclay’s theory of Fourth Cinema, meaning cinema made by Indigenous filmmakers located outside the orthodox stories told about the modern nation-state. The exegesis therefore explores ways to situate Samoan language documentaries produced by Samoan filmmakers in Aotearoa, who are not Indigenous to the land where they reside, within the context of Fourth Cinema. By using filmed talanoa and an approach of ‘talking in’ borrowed from Barry Barclay, or talking in our Indigenous language among ourselves, the documentary content that the researcher has created in Aotearoa gives emphasis to memories and reflections of Samoa, the islands and villages of ancestral origin.
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    Early Discharge for Preterm Infants Partially Tube Feeding
    (Auckland University of Technology, 2023) King, Andrea
    Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) and Special Care Baby Units (SCBU) around the world have adopted the practice of discharging late preterm infants home partially tube feeding, enabling infants to complete the transition to full oral feeds at home. The detrimental effects separation has on mental health and the parent-infant attachment when infants remain in neonatal units is well researched, thus getting infants home to their natural environment as soon as possible is crucial to reduce long term implications of prolonged NICU stays. The aim of this project was to develop a pathway for earlier discharge for pre-term infants partially tube feeding. Early discharge support packages implemented within New Zealand and internationally were reviewed and used as a guide to tailor a package for a Special Care Baby Unit in Hawkes Bay hospital. The potential financial gains of discharging infants’ home two weeks earlier was illustrated by comparing home visits to hospital stays. The support networks within Hawke Bay Special Care Baby unit were discussed, outlining what each service can provide with the aim of creating a collaborative and supportive pathway for infants and their families in the community. To guide this project, Rosswurm and Larrabee’s (1999) model for change to evidence-based practice was utilised. Moving through the steps of this model, an early discharge pilot proposal was developed along with key stakeholders to explore what input and timeframes each service can provide necessary to assess the feasibility of implementing this proposed practice change in our unit.
Practice projects are protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). The research projects may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use:
  • Any use you make of these documents or images must be for research or private study purposes only, and you may not make them available to any other person.
  • Authors control the copyright of their research projects. You will recognise the author’s right to be identified as the author of the research project, and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate.
  • You will obtain the author’s permission before publishing any material from the research project.