The small land area of the islands of the Maldives, combined with high population density, makes the communities of these islands vulnerable to natural disaster events such as flooding and tsunami. The Indian Ocean Tsunami on 26 December 2004 impacted 69 islands of the Maldives, killing 82 people, leaving 26 people missing and 15, 000 people internally displaced, making it the worst disaster in recorded history. Following the event, the Government of the Maldives announced a Safer Island Development Programme which seeks to provide the infrastructure necessary to adapt to natural disasters. The key focus of disaster management is to reduce the vulnerability of the communities exposed to hazards and risks, and to help them to enhance their resilience. Efforts have been made to develop safer and sustainable communities in all corners of the developed and developing worlds. New Zealand Government announced its effort to build safe and secure communities in 2007 while at a local level the Christchurch City Council published the Safer Christchurch Strategy in 2005. Overseas, the Community Strategy 2000, outlines the vision of "A safe and strong Island" at Isle of Wight United Kingdom. The islands of the Maldives have natural characteristics which make them vulnerable to disasters such as tsunami. This research has been able to identify the relationship between these characteristics and the natural vulnerability of the islands using the data that was collected following the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Out of 11 island, that have been identified for the Safer Islands Development Programme, one island is found to have very high natural vulnerability and 5 islands a high natural vulnerability, from the island vulnerability index model developed through this study. The Island Vulnerability Index model could be used to enhance the present Safer Island Development Programme island selection criteria, to reduce the possibility of 'building risk' into the infrastructure development on the islands. The index could also be used in the Environmental Impact Assessment studies to address the issue of disasters, effective resources allocation in the Public Sector Infrastructure Programme for 'building back better', and resource identification in land use planning.

Coral reefs are a vital resource in the low-island Republic of Maldives, where the sustainable use of these resources is central to the continued economic success of the country's two largest sectors: tourism and fisheries. This recognition has led to numerous reef conservation and protection activities, including the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). As in many MPAs of the world, those in the Maldives exist only as paper parks: areas protected on paper but not in practice. Despite general recognition of the importance of reef resources, insufficient funds are allocated by government to implement these parks. This situation is compounded by the absence of specific information and detailed understanding by policy makers of the true value and economic benefits of reef resources. This thesis examines the an economic valuation of improved management of MPAs in the Maldives using Dhigali Haa, an MPA in Baa Atoll, Maldives, as a case study. A contingent valuation survey to elicit the willingness to pay of tourists visiting Baa Atoll to see improved management at the MPA was used in estimating the potential benefits. In addition, local community consultations were conducted to understand local perceptions of MPAs and their effectiveness, and to develop a feasible improved management scenario. The local consultations confirmed that Dhigali Haa was not effectively managed, leading to continued illegal use and degradation of the reef. The results of the CV survey revealed support from tourists visiting Baa Atoll to pay for improved management of Dhigali Haa. A one-off conservation fee per visit for all tourists visiting Baa Atoll was preferred over a user fee solely for divers visiting Dhigali Haa. The estimate for the mean WTP for the conservation fee was US$35±5 compared to a mean WTP of US$15±5 for the user fee. Comparisons between the cost of implementing improved management and the benefits gained from tourist fees showed that a conservation fee would be more beneficial than a user fee. The estimated net present value for funding the improved management via a conservation fee was US$8.65 million.

The first detailed investigation of Maldivian rim island development and reef-to-island connectivity is presented. Study sites were selected on windward and leeward rim aspects of Huvadhu Atoll, and analyses were undertaken at a millennial, contemporary and near-future temporal scales. At millennial temporal scales, contrasting models of island development were presented for the windward and leeward sites. Marked between-site differences were found in the timings of island initiation (2,800-2,000 cal. yr. B.P. and 4,200-3,600 cal. yr. B.P. at the windward and leeward sites respectively). Hence, sea-level does not represent the sole control upon island formation. The period of island initiation and heightened mobility occurred during the mid-Holocene sea-level highstand. Future sea-level rise may thus reactivate the process regime responsible for reef island initiation, potentially inducing further island building and/or heightened island mobilisation. Contemporary analyses highlighted the homogeneity of the sediment reservoir across marine, beach and island sediments. Specifically, sand-grade coral was dominant across all samples within both sites (>50%). The most likely source of sand-grade coral is excavator parrotfish, which was consistent with ecological survey-based estimates of sediment production (excavator parrotfish accounted for 72.8% and 68.2% of sediment production at the windward and leeward sites). The highest sediment production rates were found within the lagoonward environments (59.4% and 75.4% at the windward and leeward sites), which is consistent with the more recent lateral lagoonward mode of island building. With regard to near-future analyses, the apparent recent areal expansion of seagrass beds demonstrated the capacity of ecological changes to cause shifts in sediment production budgets (contributing an additional ~243 tonnes yr-1 of sediment on the leeward rim platform). In addition, significant increases in benthic sediment mobility were found at both study sites under sea-level rise scenarios. Increases in mobility were markedly larger in magnitude at the leeward site than at the windward site. A challenge for the adaptive capacity of atoll nations is thus to acknowledge this atoll-scale diversity in future management strategies.

Assessment practice in Maldivian schools is undergoing change. The newly developed draft of Maldivian National Curriculum with associated documents aligns assessment, instruction, and curriculum to provide optimum learning conditions for students. The Maldivian Ministry of Education (MOE), in collaboration with UNICEF, has introduced quality indicators for the Child Friendly Baraabaru School (CFBS) based on the Maldivian National Curriculum. These indicators stress the importance of maintaining a balance between assessment for learning (formative assessment) and assessment of learning (summative assessment). The dissemination and implementation of best practices in formative assessment are currently underway in Maldivian schools. This study portrays a “snapshot in time” of assessment practices of three teachers and utilizes the findings to provide an insight into the MOE’s initiative of assessment innovations in Maldivian classrooms and schools. The study found that the three teachers have to practice formative assessment within high quality interactions based on thoughtful questions, attend to responses, and with observation and documentation to reflect a valid picture of the whole child. Nevertheless, the study also showed how the three teachers separated assessment from teaching and learning as well as how the teachers documented and reported this assessment data. There is a strong element of competition for academic achievement, as reported in grades and numerical scores. The competition is amongst students, teachers and parents. This competition appears to get in the way of assessment being used to support teaching and learning. Nonetheless, when the research data was explored through a formative assessment lens, there was also evidence of formative assessment being used in the normal day-to-day happenings in the three classrooms. The teachers in this study were not always confident in their use of formative assessment, and did not necessarily recognize when they were using formative assessment strategies. They all wanted all of their students to be successful learners, and they wanted to be good teachers. The study shows some of the complexities that teachers face when implementing new approaches to assessment.

This thesis examines the diversity of print news media frames during different stages of a crisis to enhance a model of media crisis communication, based on a framing analysis of the British print news media’s coverage of the Maldives after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster of 2004. The tourism sector is vulnerable to disasters and crises with a series of recent events ranging from natural disasters and epidemics to terrorists attacks, many of which have had devastating impacts on the economy of destinations. In 2004, one such event of significance for the tourism industry was the 9.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the coast of northwest Sumatra, unleashing a tsunami that destroyed coastal areas in the Indian Ocean region including the Maldives. This disaster led to extensive media coverage, and has highlighted the importance of immediate and strategic communications after a crisis such as this tsunami. This research adopts the theory of framing and applies it during a tourism crisis situation. There is a lack of knowledge about the process of framing in crisis communications in the tourism literature, especially as it relates to the implications for planning and managing a tourism destination during and after a crisis situation. Previous literature on the framing by the media of tourism events and issues has focused on travel articles, advertising and promotion messages. This thesis finds that framing theory is also useful to identify how the news media responds during a crisis and how that knowledge could help improve tourism crisis management. This study analyzes the print news media regarding Maldives tourism in the aftermath of the tsunami crisis, and evaluates the diversity of frames used by the British news media in different stages of a crisis to enable the enhancement of a media crisis communications model in a tourism related context. This research is underpinned by constructivism with an interpretive orientation with the strategy of inquiry based on a qualitative case study method, and aims to understand aspects of the social and cultural contexts interrelating media and tourism. The framing analysis uses newspaper articles from the British press between December 26, 2004 and December 31, 2005 inclusive. The research uses content analysis of the news stories within a framing analysis paradigm, identifying both the diversity of frames used at different times after a disaster or crisis and the media phases that correspond to the last four stages of Faulkner’s (2001) tourism disaster management framework. The framing analysis reveals how the frames change during the different stages of the crisis and contributes to theory development in the areas of media effects, news discourse and crisis management as well as offering practical advice on tourism destination marketing during a crisis situation. The findings from this research contribute to the theory of framing by finding that during the coverage of crises where events are changing rapidly the media frames also change and different frames become predominant during the stages of a crisis. The findings also contribute to the literature on news discourse by providing evidence on the evolution of news discourse concerning a crisis situation over an extended period. By examining the news media crisis communication language as used at various stages of a crisis, the findings reveal that the media’s response and the frames they use differ over time as a crisis evolves, and that this enables the identification of different media roles during a crisis and crisis communication action stages. The result is a model that contributes to theoretical knowledge in media effects research, news discourse and crisis communications.

This thesis examines the diversity of print news media frames during different stages of a crisis to enhance a model of media crisis communication, based on a framing analysis of the British print news media’s coverage of the Maldives after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster of 2004. The tourism sector is vulnerable to disasters and crises with a series of recent events ranging from natural disasters and epidemics to terrorists attacks, many of which have had devastating impacts on the economy of destinations. In 2004, one such event of significance for the tourism industry was the 9.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the coast of northwest Sumatra, unleashing a tsunami that destroyed coastal areas in the Indian Ocean region including the Maldives. This disaster led to extensive media coverage, and has highlighted the importance of immediate and strategic communications after a crisis such as this tsunami. This research adopts the theory of framing and applies it during a tourism crisis situation. There is a lack of knowledge about the process of framing in crisis communications in the tourism literature, especially as it relates to the implications for planning and managing a tourism destination during and after a crisis situation. Previous literature on the framing by the media of tourism events and issues has focused on travel articles, advertising and promotion messages. This thesis finds that framing theory is also useful to identify how the news media responds during a crisis and how that knowledge could help improve tourism crisis management. This study analyzes the print news media regarding Maldives tourism in the aftermath of the tsunami crisis, and evaluates the diversity of frames used by the British news media in different stages of a crisis to enable the enhancement of a media crisis communications model in a tourism related context. This research is underpinned by constructivism with an interpretive orientation with the strategy of inquiry based on a qualitative case study method, and aims to understand aspects of the social and cultural contexts interrelating media and tourism. The framing analysis uses newspaper articles from the British press between December 26, 2004 and December 31, 2005 inclusive. The research uses content analysis of the news stories within a framing analysis paradigm, identifying both the diversity of frames used at different times after a disaster or crisis and the media phases that correspond to the last four stages of Faulkner’s (2001) tourism disaster management framework. The framing analysis reveals how the frames change during the different stages of the crisis and contributes to theory development in the areas of media effects, news discourse and crisis management as well as offering practical advice on tourism destination marketing during a crisis situation. The findings from this research contribute to the theory of framing by finding that during the coverage of crises where events are changing rapidly the media frames also change and different frames become predominant during the stages of a crisis. The findings also contribute to the literature on news discourse by providing evidence on the evolution of news discourse concerning a crisis situation over an extended period. By examining the news media crisis communication language as used at various stages of a crisis, the findings reveal that the media’s response and the frames they use differ over time as a crisis evolves, and that this enables the identification of different media roles during a crisis and crisis communication action stages. The result is a model that contributes to theoretical knowledge in media effects research, news discourse and crisis communications.

The small land area of the islands of the Maldives, combined with high population density, makes the communities of these islands vulnerable to natural disaster events such as flooding and tsunami. The Indian Ocean Tsunami on 26 December 2004 impacted 69 islands of the Maldives, killing 82 people, leaving 26 people missing and 15, 000 people internally displaced, making it the worst disaster in recorded history. Following the event, the Government of the Maldives announced a Safer Island Development Programme which seeks to provide the infrastructure necessary to adapt to natural disasters. The key focus of disaster management is to reduce the vulnerability of the communities exposed to hazards and risks, and to help them to enhance their resilience. Efforts have been made to develop safer and sustainable communities in all corners of the developed and developing worlds. New Zealand Government announced its effort to build safe and secure communities in 2007 while at a local level the Christchurch City Council published the Safer Christchurch Strategy in 2005. Overseas, the Community Strategy 2000, outlines the vision of "A safe and strong Island" at Isle of Wight United Kingdom. The islands of the Maldives have natural characteristics which make them vulnerable to disasters such as tsunami. This research has been able to identify the relationship between these characteristics and the natural vulnerability of the islands using the data that was collected following the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Out of 11 island, that have been identified for the Safer Islands Development Programme, one island is found to have very high natural vulnerability and 5 islands a high natural vulnerability, from the island vulnerability index model developed through this study. The Island Vulnerability Index model could be used to enhance the present Safer Island Development Programme island selection criteria, to reduce the possibility of 'building risk' into the infrastructure development on the islands. The index could also be used in the Environmental Impact Assessment studies to address the issue of disasters, effective resources allocation in the Public Sector Infrastructure Programme for 'building back better', and resource identification in land use planning.

Coral reefs are a vital resource in the low-island Republic of Maldives, where the sustainable use of these resources is central to the continued economic success of the country's two largest sectors: tourism and fisheries. This recognition has led to numerous reef conservation and protection activities, including the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). As in many MPAs of the world, those in the Maldives exist only as paper parks: areas protected on paper but not in practice. Despite general recognition of the importance of reef resources, insufficient funds are allocated by government to implement these parks. This situation is compounded by the absence of specific information and detailed understanding by policy makers of the true value and economic benefits of reef resources. This thesis examines the an economic valuation of improved management of MPAs in the Maldives using Dhigali Haa, an MPA in Baa Atoll, Maldives, as a case study. A contingent valuation survey to elicit the willingness to pay of tourists visiting Baa Atoll to see improved management at the MPA was used in estimating the potential benefits. In addition, local community consultations were conducted to understand local perceptions of MPAs and their effectiveness, and to develop a feasible improved management scenario. The local consultations confirmed that Dhigali Haa was not effectively managed, leading to continued illegal use and degradation of the reef. The results of the CV survey revealed support from tourists visiting Baa Atoll to pay for improved management of Dhigali Haa. A one-off conservation fee per visit for all tourists visiting Baa Atoll was preferred over a user fee solely for divers visiting Dhigali Haa. The estimate for the mean WTP for the conservation fee was US$35±5 compared to a mean WTP of US$15±5 for the user fee. Comparisons between the cost of implementing improved management and the benefits gained from tourist fees showed that a conservation fee would be more beneficial than a user fee. The estimated net present value for funding the improved management via a conservation fee was US$8.65 million.

The low HIV prevalence in Maldives coupled with low HIV comprehensive knowledge presents a challenge to the consistency of the hypothesized HIV knowledge-prevention paradigm. Researchers had not explained why HIV prevalence in Maldives is low despite the low levels of HIV knowledge. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate factors beyond HIV knowledge that contribute to the low HIV prevalence among Maldivian male youth. The research questions focused on the risk-reduction factors in the nonmarital sexual behavior of young Maldivian males that contribute to protecting them from contracting HIV and the predictors of safe and unsafe nonmarital sexual behaviors among this target group. The reasoned action approach (RAA) and the theories embedded in the RRA (i.e., the integrated behavioral model, the theory of reasoned action, and the theory of planned behavior) provided the theoretical foundation for this research. A purposeful sample of 18 male university students participated in open-ended interviews. Data were coded and analyzed to identify themes and subthemes. The results indicated that the low HIV prevalence in Maldives can be attributed to long-standing social values and norms that discourage nonmarital sexual engagement; however, these social values and norms are currently fading away, putting the low HIV prevalence status of Maldives at risk. The implications for social change include providing practitioners with specific risk factors they should address to prevent the spread of HIV that would result in the loss of lives and deterioration in the quality of life among young Maldivian men.

The dominant approach to the study of economics at secondary school level in the Maldives is teacher-centred methods based on behaviourist views of teaching and learning. Despite considerable research on the benefits of cooperative learning in economic education at the post-secondary level, very limited research has been conducted in secondary school classrooms in order to find ways of improving teaching and learning of economics. The purpose of this study was to enhance the teaching and learning of economics at secondary schools in the Maldives by trialing a cooperative learning model to enhance economics teachers' awareness of the impact that cooperative learning might have on student learning. This study explored a cooperative learning approach to teaching and learning economics in secondary schools and investigated teachers' and students' perceptions of cooperative learning. Some elements of both ethnographic and grounded theory methodologies were employed and specific data collection methods included workshops, classroom observations, interviews, video tapes and student questionnaires. Nine teachers and 232 students were involved in this study. The research was conducted in three stages (pre-intervention, workshops to train the participants, and post-intervention) over a period of three months in three selected schools in Male', the Maldives. Four research themes were derived from the analysis of both pre and post intervention data. These themes were teaching issues, learning issues, cooperative learning implementing issues, and students' and teachers' reactions to cooperative learning. In the pre-intervention phase, the teachers taught in a traditional manner, but after the intervention they incorporated elements of cooperative learning method to teach economics in their selected classes. The overall findings showed a considerable change in teachers' and students' attitudes and perceptions about traditional teacher-centred methods towards more student-centred methods of cooperative learning. It was evident that both teachers and students perceived cooperative learning to be an effective method of teaching. For example, the findings revealed that both teachers and students understood and could see the benefits that cooperative learning offered to the teaching and learning of economics. The students indicated that they liked working in groups and appreciated getting help from other students. In addition, the results revealed that students' interactions and involvement in classroom activities, as well as interest and motivation to learn economics, increased during the implementation of the cooperative learning model. Furthermore, this study found a mismatch between home and the traditional teacher-centred school culture in the Maldives. In contrast, the findings suggest that the principles of cooperative learning match well with the cultural values of Maldivian society. Consequently, a revised model of cooperative learning is presented that includes the aspects of culture. Jordan (1985) argued that educational practices must match with the children's culture (p. 110) and thus culturally responsive teaching can help to minimise confusion and promote an academic community of learners that enables students to be more successful learners (Gay, 2000). This study suggests that training teachers and students for cooperative learning is salient for effective implementation of cooperative learning for a positive influence on students' learning and teachers' pedagogy. However, further research should be conducted to examine other aspects of teaching and learning which may also enhance this relationship.