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    The impact of cyber learning on moral development : an exploration of tertiary education in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Adult Education at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2002) De Silva, Sureetha
    Cyber learning is learning that takes place making use of cyberspace technology or computer technology. This encompasses any type of learning that occurs while connected to cyberspace, including the Internet, e-mail, virtual reality, computer assisted learning, or computer-mediated learning, electronic learning or telelearning. This research study is an exploration of views and ideas of tertiary level educators on the impact of cyber learning on moral development. Lawrence Kohlberg's (1981) moral development theory has been used as a framework to establish whether there are any factors that make cyber learning a challenge to moral development in tertiary level students. Kohlberg's moral development theory explains the cognitive development process of moral reasoning and decision making in an individual. The research method used to gather data was in-depth face-to-face interviews. The participants were tertiary level educators from Palmerston North in New Zealand. The themes that emanated from the data analysis were categorized as negative and positive impact of cyber learning. Related to these categories the following propositions emerged from the research study. They were: cyber learning has resulted in the birth of 'Cyber Identity'; 'Cyber Choice' in cyber learning overrules moral reasoning; cyber learning encourages alienation from human interaction into 'Cyber Isolation'; cyber learning has resulted in 'Cyber Freedom'; cyber learning introduces students into 'Cyber Illusion' in virtual reality; cyber learning is a gateway to new dimensions of learning; a paradigm shift in learning could permeate tertiary education as a result of cyber learning; and, in order to enable tertiary students to face the challenges of cyber learning successfully it is important to equip them with tools of moral reasoning and decision-making skills. Participants polled in this study believed that New Zealand tertiary education system is impoverished in moral development and as a result New Zealand students are more vulnerable to the impact of cyber learning. The findings highlighted the importance of a moral reasoning framework in tertiary education in order to prepare tertiary students to meet the challenges of cyber learning.
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    Do unfair experiences contribute to anger and hostility in young children? : young children's perception of unfairness and its associated feelings : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology
    (Massey University, 2005) Yamaguchi, Tomoko
    Being able to cope in emotionally demanding situations is a necessary skill for both children and adults. Parents use many disciplinary techniques to help children manage their misbehaviour and overtly expressed negative emotions. Although numerous parenting strategies have been described by researchers and professionals, there are limited numbers of studies looking at aspects of disciplinary practices from young children's perspectives. By understanding children's affective responses to discipline practices, it is possible that parents can provide more effective help for their children, and reduce negative moods such as hostility. Based on Evans' model of the development of hostility, the present study investigated how young children's experiences of unfair treatment might influence their predominant affective expression or attitudes toward a parent who is being unfair. Thirty-two children, aged between five and nine years, were recruited from local primary schools and a summer holiday programme. Using a story about unfairness, the children were able to make judgements about the story and report feelings associated with such experiences. Three original tasks were introduced as an indirect measure of level of hostility in response to the experiences of unfair treatment. Although statistical analysis supported the hypotheses that hostility in children increases as a result of unfair experiences, judging from their verbal responses, there is a complex interactive effect of the mother-child relationship on children's feeling.
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    Prosocial behaviour in adolescents : classroom and sport specific environments : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2013) Baudinet, Olivia
    Research has found that participation in sports is positively associated with physical health, academic achievement, and social wellbeing. New Zealand lacks studies in this area, particularly in an intermediate school-aged population. For this reason, the purpose of the current study was to examine prosocial behaviour between two major educational contexts to determine if the change in environment had an effect on the self-reported social behaviour perceived of students. A group of 175 males and females aged 10 -12 years participated in the research. The sample attended a public intermediate school on Auckland’s North Shore. Data collection was undertaken on the school premises, through administration of anonymous self-report questionnaires engaging perceived social behaviours including self-efficacy, altruism, empathy, aggression, and prosocial behaviour. The results were interpreted in the context of Bandura’s (1991a) social cognitive theory of moral behaviour. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to initially assess the fit of the data. Psychometric evaluations found that measures exhibited adequate internal consistency, and adequate fit of the data to the models. Following preliminary analyses, the two contexts in which prosocial behaviour was measured were retained as the focus in multiple regression analyses, utilising given predictor variables. Regression analysis tested found Altruism and Social-Efficacy to be important predictors of prosocial behaviour, whereas Cooperation, Social-Efficacy, and Helping found to contribute to aggression. Hypothesis testing suggested that physical context did not account for significant differences in prosocial behaviour. However, aggression was affected by a change in physical context. Gender was seen to produce effects, with significant differences noted between the classroom and physical education settings when comparing male, though no differences were found when comparing females between contexts. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.