This study used qualitative (interviews) and quantitative methods (questionnaires) to investigate and describe (a) Papua New Guinea (PNG) village elders' traditional ideas and beliefs on natural phenomena, (b) PNG secondary school student's traditional science beliefs, (c) the sources of PNG secondary school students' explanations of natural phenomena, (d) the types of explanations PNG secondary school students provide to describe natural phenomena, and the views of science teachers and curriculum officers on the inclusion of traditional knowledge in the science curriculum.. Analysis of data included interviews with eight village elders and completed questionnaires from approximately 200 secondary school students in one rural provincial high school in the Gulf Province. Village elders' beliefs were analysed and categorised into (a) spirits, magic spells and sorcery, (b) Christianity, (c) personal experience, and (d) modern science. Secondary school students' sources of explanations were based on what they have heard at (a) home, (b) in the family and village, (c) in church and (d) from school. Approximately half of the secondary school students strongly hold on to traditional beliefs while learning formal school science and these were related to spirits, magic spells and sorcery that were similar to those of the village elders. Students also used scientific explanations of natural phenomena based on their learning in school and from their own personal experiences and interactions with the physical world. / Interviews with science teachers and curriculum officers supported the need to include traditional knowledge in the science curricula. The study identified students holding both traditional and scientific explanations of natural phenomena. There is both a need and value for traditional knowledge being incorporated in science education programs that harmonise with school science. The thesis concludes with six recommendations to bring these ideas to fruition.

In the last five years there has been a dramatic increase in perceived levels of antisocial behaviour amongst students in Secondary and National High schools in Papua New Guinea. Certain events have caught the public's attention, such as the burning down of school buildings and reports of Satanic worship. Despite widespread concern, there seems to be little understanding of why such problems are occurring and no systematic studies to estimate the exact extent of such behaviours or their underlying cause. The main objective of this study was to collect information about the students' perspectives on the nature and extent of these perceived problems. For ethical reasons, and with regard to ease of access to participants within the time frame of the study, data were collected from the first year student teachers at Madang Teachers' College, Papua New Guinea, who had been Secondary/National High school students only a few months previously. As this was an exploratory investigation, and it was not known whether participants would feel more at ease talking one-on-one with the researcher or in groups, two methodologies were used: focus group discussions and individual interviews. The research was conducted over a period of three weeks in June 2007, and involved a total of 21 participants (three focus groups of five, five and six people respectively, and six individual interviewees, one of whom also joined a group). The main findings to emerge from these discussions were as follows. First, the participants explained their own and other students' behaviour in terms of exploring old and new traditions of school life. Second, although several participants reported knowledge of supernatural practices, many of the group activities described in the discussions were normal activities among peer cliques that provided a sense of belonging and positive support for school achievement. There were no major differences in the stories told by male and female participants, and no obvious differences in the type of information provided under different research conditions. There was some disagreement among participants as to whether or not school authorities should take strong action to eliminate the possibility of cult practices. The findings are interpreted with reference to both Western psychological ideas about the nature of adolescence, and to local traditions, practices, and understandings of lifespan development. In particular, the notion of 'searching for identity' stands out in these accounts of student behaviour. This was an exploratory study and not designed to yield results that provide an overall picture of the situation in the Secondary/National High schools of Papua New Guinea. Nevertheless, participants' reports did relate to events experienced in the majority of PNG Secondary and National High schools, and some recommendations are tentatively offered.

Inclusive education is a recent phenomenon in the education system in Papua New Guinea. It is about giving equal educational opportunities to all children, whether with disabilities or not in the regular school or classroom. Schools are considered as social institutions that should endeavour to enhance all children's lives through appropriate teaching and learning practices. However, the school culture, which is generally defined as 'how things are done here' is vital for the promotion of inclusive practices. The main aim of this study was to identify the school cultural features and practices that influenced or did not influence inclusive education, and the impact on inclusion. Teachers and school administrators appeared to play a vital role in enhancing inclusive practices through their practices. The study was based on an interpretive/naturalistic research paradigm, the qualitative research approach and the case study methodology. Four schools were studied and categorised as rural and urban settings. The main purpose of categorisation was to identify some similarities and differences in terms of how inclusion was promoted in these schools. Teachers and school administrators were chosen as the main participants. The primary source of data collection was semi-structured interviews. Interview questions were developed for both teachers and school administrators respectively. A non-participant observation method was used as a support instrument to collect more data from selected research participants based on the preliminary interview data. The results suggested the existence of four broad school cultural features and practices. These included staff understanding of special and inclusive education concepts, leadership and organisation, school cultural features/practices and implications for staff, and policies. Teachers and school administrators appeared to have limited knowledge and understanding about what constitutes special and inclusive education practices. However, the school leadership, collaboration and inspection practices minimally influenced inclusive practices. At the same time other school cultural features such as the outcomes-based education curriculum and ecological assessment seemed to have the potential to influence the outcomes of the process of inclusion. The results suggest the value of Callan Services as a school support service agency to influence inclusive education in the Southern Highlands Province. It was noted that children with disabilities were already part of the education system. Though the teachers and school administrators claimed this to be inclusive education, according to the literature this was a manifestation of functional mainstreaming practices. The teachers and school administrators and the Department of Education at the provincial and national levels appeared to take less responsibility in disseminating information pertaining to inclusive practices. The teachers and school administrators received limited support and information from the national and provincial Departments of Education. Therefore, the special education policies developed at the national level had not trickled down to the school level. This situation created a gap between inclusive education policy and practice. One of the major channels of communication and connection was through the inspectors and their inspection practices, but this appeared to have been under-utilised.

[Truncated abstract] Globally, tropical rainforests are noted for their high biodiversity and key roles in carbon storage and influence on climate. Nevertheless, tropical deforestation in many parts of the world continues at an alarming rate. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), tropical rainforest is relatively well maintained, with about 70 % of the land area still covered by primary forest. However, PNG's native forests are coming under increasing pressure, particularly from selective logging for high quality timber. While the forests of PNG, and more broadly the entire New Guinea Island, are recognised as of high conservation and ecological significance, they remain grossly understudied with little knowledge of key ecosystem processes within lowland forests in particular. Such knowledge is urgently required if the impacts of logging and other land-use change are to be assessed and in order to develop sustainable management systems. This thesis investigated the impacts of logging on diversity and nutrient cycling in a lowland tropical rainforest growing on limestone soils in the area of the Mongi-Busiga Forest Management Agreement (FMA, which is a logging concession area), in northeastern PNG. These forests are on relatively young soils and provide a useful contrast to the majority of tropical forests. The research includes a four-year study of the recovery of diversity and structure after logging, and quantified forest structure, tree species diversity, forest biomass and productivity, and nutrient distribution and cycling. This thesis also examines the ecological sustainability of Eucalyptus deglupta plantations in Wasab, PNG as an alternative resource for timber and biomass energy. The thesis concludes with a discussion of long-term forest recovery and sustainable forest management in north-eastern PNG. Two adjacent one-hectare plots were established in lowland tropical rainforest at Mongi-Busiga FMA. One of these plots was subsequently selectively logged, one year after establishment. Before logging, the two one-hectare plots contained a total of 37 families, 70 genera and 110 tree species that were >5 cm in diameter at breast height. Mean basal area was 42.4 m2 ha-1. Two tree species, Madhuca leucodermis (Sapotaceae) and Pometia pinnata (Sapindaceae) accounted for ~60% of the total basal area. Gymnacranthera paniculata (Myristicaceae) was the most common species and accounted for 13% of individuals. ... This study concludes that the Mongi-Busiga forest has many unusual characteristics for a tropical forest, including relatively low diversity of tree species, high accumulation of P in the biomass, and N limitations, compared to other tropical rainforests. However, those extraordinary characteristics may be explained well by the underlying geology of young, marine-derived limestone. Sustainable management of the lowland tropical forests of PNG should consider the consequences of logging on nutrient cycling processes, with the possible significant removal of P from site with repeated logging, as well as the interactions between N and P in these systems. Establishment of Eucalyptus plantations on previously cleared land also has the potential to meet some of the timber and biomass energy requirements of northern PNG in ecologically sustainable manner.

This study is premised on the assumption that because of increased globalisation the trend towards strategic alliances is going to increase in the 21st century. This is evident in the phenomenal growth towards the establishment of alliances the world over despite high failure rates. The study also makes an important assumption that a major cause of alliance failure is managerial in nature and therefore relates to the task performed by alliance managers.Whilst research in the West has attempted to focus on such failings, few researchers have attempted to understand the state of alliances in developing country contexts as well as the reasons for the lack of their successes or otherwise. This study therefore seeks to fill this gap by exploring the managerial issues surrounding alliance management in a developing country, Papua New Guinea. It was found that alliance managers in countries such as Papua New Guinea faced managerial challenges similar to those in their counterparts in developing countries. However, the similary ends there.The research demonstrated that governmental and socio-cultural factors predominate in the national and local environments.It also found that resource deficiencies made alliances highly susceptible to misalignment in strategic intent and structure.Several other findings are discussed in detail. The research resulted in the development of a holistic approach to the study and management of strategic alliances. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The importance of marine versus terrestrial foods in prehistoric Pacific and New Zealand diets, and the adaptation of the Polynesian diet to new enviroments, is examined through the analysis of the ratios in human bone of the stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur. In particular, this study seeks to obtain quantitative information which could provide answers to five main questions, relating to the subsistence focus of the early Lapita colonists in the Pacific, the significance of suger cane in the diets of early Pacific populations, the proportions of reef versus open ocean and terrestrial versus marine foods in these diets, and the identification of populations with pronounced marine or pronounced terrestrial diets. One hundred and nineteen samples of human bone from 13 sites throughtout the Pacific and New Zealand were processed. Nitrogen values were obtained directly from bone powder, while carbon values were determined from collagen produced by digesting bone powder in phosphoric acid. Sulphur evaluations were determined from a BaSo⁴ precipitate, produced after combustion of the collagen samples in a Parr bomb. Interpretation of results is approached from a comparative point of view, which enables the proportions of marine and terrestrial foods in the diets of each study group to be assessed in relation to the diets of all the other groups. Additional information on the composition of the diets is gained by comparing the stable isotope values obtained in this study with published values of other human populations, and of marine and terrrestrial plants and animals. The potential of stable isotope analysis to identify the composition of prehistoric New Zealand and Pacific diets is confirmed. A unique marine adaptation is revealed from the analysis of the Chatham Islands Moriori who appear to have focused almost exclusively on marine resources. In contrast, a highly terrestrial diet is suggested for groups from Nebira in Papua New Guinea and Lake Rotoiti in New Zealand.

This survey study on students attitudes towards science was conducted in Papua New Guinea. It involved 200 randomly selected grade six students in eight selected community (primary) schools (4 urban and 4 rural) of four provinces. There were six research questions to focus the study. The instruments consisted of 9 Students Background Questions, 9 interview questions, 43 Students Science Attitude Questionnaire Items, and a 20-item cognitive test. The former three sets of instruments were trialled in two schools. The test questions were not trialled as they were trialled previously in several schools within PNG. The 43 Likert-type items were divided into five categories - curiosity, enjoyment, science learning, perceived achievement, and relevance. Each category was assigned 10 items, with the exception of perceived achievement which had three items. About half of the the statements in a category were negatively worded. A student had to put a tick in a box next to a statement according to his or her feelings. The choices were given by the five-point scale - Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Hot Sure (NS), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD) along with three laces (smiling, uncertain and frowning) which were added as interest, From the twenty five students in a study school, a group of 6 students (3 males and 3 females) was randomly selected for face to face interview. The responses in the items associated with the five categories (dependent variables) were used to assess various student characteristics (independent variables) of parent and home background (i.e. parent educational levels and language use at home), gender (male and female), biogeographical location (urban and rural), and level of performance in standardized cognitive test (above average, average and below average). Statistical techniques of correlation coefficient, analysis of variance and factor analysis were used in analysing the responses but the results were not clear due insufficient trialling and test of reliability with the limited period in which the data had to be collected. As consequence, chi-square test (contingency tables) was used as alternative statistical test to determine significant differences in responses to the items at 0.05 level. With the exception of perceived achievement, student responses to the items on the categories were generally and satisfactorily positive. The mean levels of attitudes in the categories were not as high as one may expect (Table 5.1). Relatively, few of the items associated with student independent variables showed significant differences. There was generally no significant differences in parent and home backgrounds (i.e. language use and parent educational background). Urban students tended to be more positive than the rural students, but. this not could be generalised due to a small number of items with significant differences. Male students showed more positive attitudes to science than female students, but this was limited to a small number of items. The students with above average scores in the cognitive test showed more positive attitudes to science than those of average and below verage scores. However, the number of items were quite small, and therefore could not be generalised. Points of improvement in the practice of teaching and future research in attitudes to science are recommended. For instance, the present officially prescribed time of 40 minutes per week for science should be changed to 1.5 to 2 hours after further investigation. The reason for this is that it requires some preparation before actual lessons begin (e.g. collecting materials by groups) and the students are generally slow.

The Review of the Five Year Education Plan (1976-1980) carried out by the Institute of Applied Social and Economic Research (IASER,1979) presented thoroughly researched, factual information regarding the standard of education in Papua New Guinea. The Review stated that there had been a decline in standards of education. It claimed that "there [was] the greatest need for a more highly skilled and dedicated professional group of teachers" (IASER,1979:61) and that considerable dissatisfaction had been noted at community level because of the "reported evidence that many Grade 6 leavers [were] illiterate" (IASER,1979:24). Since English is the nationally prescribed language of instruction at all levels of education, the standard achieved in English is particularly important. It has been shown that the skills students have in the use of English "stand out as contributing most in overall academic prediction" (Ord,1971:8). It is also claimed that a psycholinguistic analysis of oral reading miscues following the taxonomy of Goodman (1968,1971,1977) enables the researcher to examine the subject's total language competence and that such an analysis can reveal the degree of bilingualism achieved by second language learners (Allen,1976). The purpose of this study was therefore, to examine the oral reading of a large sample of first-year students at Teachers' College in Papua New Guinea. It was hypothesised that a pattern of strengths and weaknesses would emerge from the study of oral reading miscues (Goodman and Burke,1971). It was further hypothesised that an examination of the actual problems that were revealed by an analysis of the miscues would provide evidence to be used as the basis for recommendations to be formulated regarding the teaching of Reading in the Community Schools of Papua New Guinea and also regarding remedial and developmental emphases that might prove beneficial to students in the Teachers' Colleges. On the basis of this research it would appear that students at College level do have "serious reading problems" (Price,1973: 15) and that they are unable to read text judged to be College level with understanding. Students seemed to have achieved a certain degree of oral fluency in reading which could be the result of their skill in using the grapho-phonic and syntactic cueing systems. However, this fluency was found to cloak a lack of understanding of content. There was evidence that students achieved a relatively low level of comprehension when the readings contained concepts that were familiar; however, when the concepts contained in the passage were unfamiliar, the scores for Comprehension were significantly lower. During the retelling of passages read orally, students gave evidence of a relatively low level of facility in English expression. It was judged to be doubtful that in the period of their training those students could acquire the command of oral English considered indispensible for their profession in an education system where the English language is the medium of instruction. The students tested were the products of the present national policy of education through English from Grade One. While changes regarding the optimum academic level of students to be accepted into Teachers' Colleges, necessary inservicing of College Staff, appropriate Courses in Educational Psychology and English Language Method have been recommended, these can only be seen as remedial. In order to effect the desired change at the Teachers' College Level it would seem necessary to introduce change at the level of the Community Schools in the language of initial literacy.

The writer set out to evaluate the extent to which the Boards of Governors of six provincial high schools in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea were conforming with the provisions of the 1970 Education Act and subsequent Departmental directives. Interviews were conducted with senior officers of the Department of Education, members of the Boards of the six schools and Mission Agency personnel. Board meetings were observed by the writer and records of past meetings and Departmental files were examined. The writer has traced the development of community participation and the sharing of decision making in Papua New Guinea education up to 1970 when school Boards were established by the Education Act, as well as subsequent developments in the relationship between the Department of Education and Boards of Governors. Histories of the six schools used as case studies are given, including accounts of the establishment and development of their Boards of Governors. In only one function, student discipline, did the Boards appear to have a largely executive role. This function was regarded by most Board members as being the area in which their Boards did their most important work. In some of the other functions listed in the Act and in subsequent directives, the Boards' role was found to be only a partially executive one or an advisory or critical one. With some of the functions assigned to them, there was little or no involvement by the Boards. Although the Boards have continued to be viable and to contribute to the effective running of their schools, they were not being used to their full potential and there was a need for their relationship with emerging Provincial Governments to be defined. The writer collected suggestions for improvements in the operations of the Boards from the people interviewed and made further suggestions based on his own observations.

Since Papua became part of Indonesia in 1963, hundreds of thousands of people have migrated there from other parts of the nation. By 2000, over a third of the province??s residents were non-indigenous people, with the great majority of these immigrants living in the more developed urban areas along the coast. This mass movement has transformed the territory??s society, altering the social, cultural and economic position and opportunities of the indigenous inhabitants. This thesis uses statistical data from Indonesian government publications to describe the development of these changes to the province??s population from 1963 to the early part of the 21st century. While it is acknowledged that the military presence and actions in the territory have played a crucial role in creating distrust of the Indonesian government among the indigenous people, this material supports the thesis that the mass movement of people to the region has developed an identification among the indigenous peoples of the territory of being part of a single Papuan community, a Papuan nationalism. This migration has also limited the educational and employment opportunities of indigenous people, creating hostility towards the newcomers among indigenous people and resulting in an alienation from the Indonesian nation. It will be argued that the patterns of settlement, employment and perceptions of ethnic difference between indigenous and migrant groups reflect a form of internal colonialism that has resulted from this immigration. While independence is a popular aspiration among indigenous Papuans, an evaluation of the national political situation suggests that this event is unlikely in the foreseeable future. If Papuans are to be incorporated fully into the nation of Indonesia, an understanding of the impact of migration on the province??s people is vital. This material also suggests that while there have been negative consequences of the Indonesian rule of the territory, claims that the indigenous population has suffered from genocide perpetrated by Indonesian forces are not supported by the statistical data.