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The UC Research Repository collects, stores and makes available original research from postgraduate students, researchers and academics based at the University of Canterbury.
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Visitor experience and special events : a comparative analysis of special event tourism in the South Island
(1998) Nicholson, Rachael
This thesis documents research undertaken to explore the nature of the visitor experience at a variety of special events. The research utilised a comparative framework to analyse similarities and differences across four events: The Marlborough Wine and Food Festival, the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival, Warbirds Over Wanaka (an airshow) and the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards (a country music festival). The aims of the research were fivefold: to investigate the profile characteristics of the New Zealand special event visitor population by examining samples drawn from four different special events; to examine whether the profile characteristics are similar to, or different from those in the general literature concerning special event visitors; to increase our understanding of special event visitors' information gathering and decision processes; to examine special event motivation; and finally, to examine special event visitor satisfaction.
Data for the most part were collected by way of a questionnaire survey. A combined total of 1,296 questionnaires were completed. Personal observation techniques were also utilised. The questionnaires were analysed using various statistical techniques. Nominal data were analysed using Chi-square tests and simple descriptive statistics, while Principal Components Analysis was used to delineate the underlying dimensions of event motivation behaviour. The relationship between motivation and satisfaction was explored through multiple regression analyses.
Significant differences occurred in the profile characteristics of visitors. This finding was consistent with existing literature. Special events were found to be a powerful influence on the decision to travel. It was also found, that while people were definitely motivated to attend different events for different reasons, some motivations persisted regardless of event type. In all cases, the seeking motivation appeared to dominate. For the most part, visitors were extremely satisfied with their special event experience, rating their overall enjoyment of it as either excellent, or almost excellent. A weak relationship at all times was found between motivation and satisfaction. Roughly uniform scores for satisfaction were thought to account for this. Ideas for future research as well as the practical implications of the results are presented throughout the thesis.
Individual and Family Sustainability: The Measure-Model-Entertain-Transform Approach
(2019) Chung C; Sundaram D
Attitudes towards the Treaty of Waitangi: the effects of education, age and political party affiliation
(1996) Ashton, Elizabeth
The intention of this thesis is to determine the effects of education, age and political party affiliation on attitudes towards the Treaty of Waitangi and Maori 'special rights', and possible reasons for these effects. Following an analysis of past studies it was hypothesised that those with a higher level of education were more likely to support the Treaty of Waitangi and Maori special rights, that younger people were likely to be more supportive of the issues than older people and that National Party supporters would be less supportive than those who affiliate themselves with the Labour Party or the Alliance Party.
A survey was undertaken to this end. This took the form of a questionnaire which was posted to Christchurch residents whose names had been taken randomly from the local electoral roll. A statistical analysis of the returned questionnaires revealed that attitudes towards the Treaty and Maori special rights do tend to be affected by p_eople's level of education, with stronger support found amongst those with a higher level of education. An analysis of the data according to age also revealed some statistically significant results, with younger people being more inclined to support both the Treaty and Maori special rights. The political party affiliation of respondents also appeared to affect the way these respondents felt about the issues, with National Party supporters showing less support for the Treaty and Maori special rights than Labour Party and Alliance Party supporters.
Theories of representative democracy and both the ideal and the actual influence of the public on government policies are discussed. Past analyses of New Zealanders' attitudes towards the Treaty are also examined, and are compared with an earlier chapter which briefly outlines the ways in which the government and various Maori groups have reacted to the Treaty of Waitangi since it was signed. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of the results, and suggests that the government would do well to develop an educative role to increase public awareness and support for its race policies.
American democracy: the poster child of what exactly?
(Stuff.co.nz, 2022) Mills K; Tan, Alex
Identifying the components of foundational Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy - Early results from a Delphi study
(Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, 2023) MacCallum, Kathryn; Parsons D; Mohaghegh M
This article provides some initial results from the first phase of a Delphi study to identify the critical components of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy curriculum. This article explores the study results that address a four-level capability model, but only the lowest level of this model. The Delphi panel comprised 17 experts in AI, and the first round of the study used a survey to gather the experts' responses in three areas that were based on previous literature - knowledge (and concepts) of AI, skills related to AI, and understanding AI in context. A structured thematic analysis revealed several themes under these categories. For foundational knowledge and concepts, it was determined that three areas were needed, namely 1) what is AI? 2) applications of AI, and 3) AI technologies. Skills were divided into cognitive and technical skills, with cognitive skills further divided into 21st-century and applied skills. Understandings comprised social issues, risks, and debates. The repeated ideas that formed these themes gave rich insights into how an AI literacy curriculum might be structured and provided a firm foundation for subsequent rounds of the study, which will involve further iteration and consolidation of these ideas.