Welcome to Research Commons

Research Commons is the University of Waikato's open access research repository, housing research publications and theses produced by the University's staff and students.

Communities in Research Commons

Select a community to browse its collections.

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2

Recent Submissions

Pedagogical strategies for teaching computational thinking in authentic contexts
(Springer, 2026) Fox-Turnbull, Wendy; Wu, Shaoqun
Computational thinking is important not only in mathematics and computer science but in the other disciplines of STEM and integrated STEM education. This article presents the findings from a study undertaken in a small-town primary school in New Zealand with a high population of Māori students. The study drew on four aspects from Kotsopoulos et al.’s framework of pedagogical experiences: unplugged, tinkering, making, remixing to investigate pedagogical strategies that facilitate the successful embedding of computational thinking within authentic technological practice. Computational thinking is an aspect of digital technologies in the New Zealand Curriculum that teaches children to approach problems systematically, using logical and analytical reasoning. It aims to prepare learners to be designers and developers of digital outcomes. The research identifies learning pedagogies that assist young learners to develop their understanding of computational thinking for the purpose of understanding, designing and developing digital technologies. The qualitative methodologies were informed by the three pedagogical principles from Bishop and Berryman to guide the research design and frame learning support for students. Key themes to emerge from the data include the value of local context, student and classroom organisation, use of physical and digital manipulatives and gamification. Finally, the paper presents a model for the pedagogical delivery of computational thinking when embedded in technological practice in primary schools, drawing from and adding to Kotsopoulos et.al’s pedagogical framework.
Māori algorithmic sovereignty: idea, principles, and use
(Ubiquity Press, 2024-04-02) Brown, Paul T.; Wilson, Daniel; West, Kiri; Escott, Kirita-Rose; Basabas, Kiya; Ritchie, Ben; Lucas, Danielle; Taia, Ivy; Kusabs, Natalie; Keegan, Te Taka Adrian Gregory
With the emergence of data technologies and algorithms in Aotearoa New Zealand that are used for decision-making and support, there is a need for frameworks to guide how we maximise the opportunities these technologies create and minimise the risks they may impose. For algorithms that use Māori data, these require extra considerations due to the heightened risks Māori endure due to systemic biases inherent within data and the processes that underlie algorithm development. Algorithms can be framed as a particular use of data, therefore data frameworks that currently exist can be extended to include algorithms. Māori data sovereignty principles are well-known and are used by researchers and government agencies to guide the culturally appropriate use of Māori data. Extending these principles to fit the context of algorithms, and re-working the underlying sub-principles to address issues related to responsible algorithms from a Māori perspective leads to the Māori algorithmic sovereignty principles. We define this idea, present the updated principles and sub-principles, and highlight a strategy for the detection and minimisation of bias within the algorithm development process.
A heuristics matrix for evaluating the learnability of safety critical medical systems
(Elsevier, 2025) Turner, Jessica; Bowen, Judy; Moxham-Bettridge, Veela
The increasing use of medical devices in non-clinical settings has elevated the importance of learnability, a key aspect of usability, that is defined as how easily users can learn to operate a system. While learnability is recognised in international usability standards, its varied definitions and inconsistent application emphasise the need for more targeted evaluation methods. This paper addresses this gap by proposing a framework for assessing learnability based on user experience levels and context of use. We define a set of user categories and introduce a learnability matrix to evaluate how different types of users, such as patients, caregivers, and medical professionals, interact with medical technologies. To illustrate the methodology, we perform a case study using the Medtronic MiniMed 770G insulin pump system. Our analysis shows that while primary and secondary users are often well-supported, passive, infrequent or adhoc users may face challenges in learning to use the device effectively in emergency settings. These findings underscore the need for more inclusive design and evaluation approaches that account for multiple user roles, to improve the safety and usability of home-based medical technologies.
Robot student ambassadors: Using service robots for community engaged events
(ACM, 2026) Turner, Jessica
Universities are increasingly exploring how service robots can be used as tools for public engagement and outreach with communities. This work investigates the use of service robots deployed at outreach events such as open days and community events like STEM Festivals to promote the university and engage positively with the public. Two service robots, Cruz and Marshmallow, have been deployed across multiple community-based events. Observations focus on visitor interactions and explore the different uses for these robots in community settings. Early results demonstrate strong user engagement and facilitated discussion about university research. The presence of these robots lowered barriers for community members, particularly children, who engaged naturally through touch, speech and playfulness. Findings suggest that robot ambassadors can enhance community outreach and enrich campus experiences. They appear to be valuable for engaging with young audiences and supporting informal learning, generating awareness of cultural and community perspectives.
Structural performance of cold-formed steel wall systems incorporating sustainable composite sheathing
(The University of Waikato, 2026) Huang, Kang; Hudd, Ray; Roy, Krishanu
Cold-formed steel (CFS) wall systems are widely adopted in low- and mid-rise buildings due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and construction efficiency. The structural behaviour of these systems is governed by the interaction between thin-walled steel framing, sheathing materials and mechanical fasteners. In recent years, sustainable composite boards manufactured from recycled packaging and plastics—commercially available in New Zealand under the name SaveBOARD—have been proposed as alternative sheathing materials; however, their structural performance in load-bearing CFS walls has not been systematically investigated in peer-reviewed research. This thesis presents a multi-scale experimental investigation into the structural performance of CFS wall systems incorporating sustainable composite sheathing (SaveBOARD). The research integrates material characterisation, connection-level testing, full-height single-stud wall subassembly tests under axial compression, and full-scale wall tests under quasi-static cyclic lateral loading. Key parameters include sheathing type, stud thickness, screw spacing configuration and axial load interaction. The results demonstrate that sustainable composite boards can provide effective restraint against local and distortional buckling within the tested configurations. In the axial subassembly tests, the gypsum-sheathed specimen increased ultimate axial resistance by 36.8% relative to the bare frame, while the PIL- and EPL-sheathed specimens achieved increases of 36.5% and 27.0%, respectively. Under cyclic loading, the tested composite-sheathed walls exhibited reduced pinching and more stable hysteretic behaviour than the gypsum reference specimens, primarily because the response was governed by progressive bearing deformation at screw connections rather than abrupt brittle panel fracture. Screw spacing is identified as a primary structural parameter, with diminishing returns observed under excessive densification. A stability–connection coupling interpretation is developed to explain the interaction between connection degradation and global wall response. Overall, the findings support the structural feasibility of using sustainable composite sheathing in CFS wall systems within the tested configurations and provide a mechanistic basis for performance-informed design considerations and future analytical modelling.