Academic literature on the topic 'Maldivian'

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.

This thesis explores how mentoring was perceived and experienced as a professional development strategy for two teachers in a Maldivian primary school. It reports on how the mentoring relationship between the two teachers and the researcher evolved over the period of the data collection process. The research also explores the two teachers perceptions of the existing professional development activities. Further, report on the existing barriers which restricted establishing continuous professional developmental opportunities in the primary schools of Maldives. Data collection was through action research using concept maps for formative assessment purposes. The concept map was planned as an intervention at mentoring sessions to incorporate new pedagogy to create student-centred learning opportunities. The intervention was evaluated intensively through observation and feedback in the mentoring process. The researcher had dual roles in this action research. One role was that of researcher: collecting data on the progression of the mentoring relationship and the pedagogical changes by the participants. The second was that of mentor: coaching and assisting the two teachers to reflect on the planning and executing of the intervention in their respective classrooms. Through the action research process, data was collected on changes that the two teachers brought to their teaching. Data was also gathered on the mentoring relationship that evolved in the data collection process. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate the two teachers‟ willingness to engage in their own learning. The semi-structured interviews also explored the two teachers‟ perception on mentoring to establish a culture of learning in the school. The study indicated that one-off professional development sessions and a system of in-school clinical supervision to be the main professional development activities for the schools. Further the findings indicated that these activities did not meet the teachers‟ learning needs. ii Findings also indicated that the participants favoured the learning opportunities mentoring process created. The study further established both participants as keen learners, and willing participants in planning and re-planning the intervention in the mentoring process for the action research. The findings also report that the collaborative work atmosphere in the mentoring relationship assisted the two teachers to eliminate the fears associated with introducing new pedagogy. In conclusion, the study reports on barriers that may restrict creating effective mentoring relationships in primary schools of Maldives. The barriers identified were associated time for mentoring, mismatch of mentoring partners, poor collaborative relationships and mentor knowledge and experience. In addition recommends exploring how the supervisors‟ current role of evaluator can be changed to mentor role and the possibilities of group mentoring. Further study is recommended to explore how long term mentoring relationships can be developed considering the time constraints in Maldivian two session primary schools.

<p> 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.</p><p>

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.

The islands of the Seychelles, lying in the Indian Ocean 1 800 km south of Sri Lanka and ca. 1500 km east of Africa, are of exceptional biological interest. ~o of the granitic islands, namely Praslin and Curieuse, are home to the plant producing the biggest seed in the plant kingdom, the Lodoicea maldivica (Gmelin) Persoon (Arecaceae). Not only is the seed harvested for sale to tourists, but the sites where it grows are important visitor destinations. The long life cycle and lack of demographic data are major impediments in the present management of the species. Historical information is scattered and to establish baseline information is one key challenge. The few scientific studies undertaken in the past were limited to one population which was automatically identified to be representative without testing this hypothesis. The collation of historical information demanded an in depth research in two archives in Seychelles. All available Annual Reports of the Department of Agriculture from 1884 to 1971 were reviewed and analysed for information related to Lodoicea. In addition reports of visiting scientists and foresters were also reviewed, as much as all locally available historical unpublished reports. Besides the analysis of historical documents, several interviews with retired forestry personnel were carried out. It can be stated that historical information on the size, structure, productivity and health of Lodoicea populations is scattered and incomplete. The historical information collated can not be used to answer the two main questions: have the size and structure of populations been stable or increasing and did the rate of harvesting allow adequate recruitment or not? Also the success of past efforts in restoring and rehabilitating populations can not be evaluated for the same reasons. As a result clear baseline information could not be established. To evaluate the demography and health of the three main populations (vallee de Mai and Fond Ferdinand on Praslin and one population on Curieuse) two survey methods were applied permanent sample plots and trail transects. The combination of the two methods proved to be an effective sampling compromise. The data collected indicate that there is a considerable difference in the growth and appearance of Lodoicea growing on Praslin and Curieuse. The significance of the difference observed in this study needs further research. In addition the data suggest that the population structure of the Lodoicea population on Curieuse is much more natural than in the other two sites. Since the Lodoicea forests on Curieuse differs in structure and appearance ~om the more intensively studied site, the Vallee de Mai, it is concluded that low stature forests represent a part of the natural variation of Lodoicea forest that has been neglected. It is recommended to extend the existing monitoring scheme and include the Curieuse and Fond Ferdinand forests. Besides the survey work eight data collection protocols were developed. There are several agencies involved in the management of the three main populations. The capacity of the management teams in conservation management differs greatly. These protocols are intended to ensure that the data collected by different surveyors as well as collected in the three different populations are comparable in future. The first legal protection considering the Lodoicea was announced by the government in 1979. The Coco de Mer (Management) Decree, was developed as management tool and the nut was declared as a licensable product. A review of the decree was initiated and the findings and recommendation are presented. In the past all main populations were under the direct management of the state. This has changed and the three organisations involved differ in missions and objectives. Consequently the different management practices are analysed and gaps identified.

Les objectifs de ma thèse étaient de déterminer, d'une part, les causes naturelles et humaines responsables de la vulnérabilité des territoires atolliens et, d'autre part, d'estimer leur devenir dans la perspective d'une élévation du niveau de la mer et de changements climatiques. L'estimation de l'évolution future de ces territoires constituait un enjeu économique fondamental en raison de la concentration des activités et des populations sur ces espaces exigus.

A monção indiana está diretamente relacionada a inversão sazonal dos ventos controlada pela migração latitudinal da Zona de Convergência Intertropical (ITCZ). Em longo período os sistemas de monções são fortalecidos em resposta a períodos interglaciais (quentes e húmidos) e enfraquecidos em resposta a períodos glaciais (frios e secos). Durante os últimos 500 mil anos o clima global tem oscilado com uma periodicidade de &#8764;100 mil anos sendo controlado principalmente pela forçante orbital. Dados de testemunhos do Mar da Arábia, mostram que o aporte de sedimentos fluviais ocorre principalmente na parte noroeste com valores reduzidos à sudeste onde está localizada a República das Maldivas, que compreendem uma região distante o bastante das fontes fluviais de sedimento, sendo um local ideal para a obtenção de registros de sedimentos eólicos. Dados de satélite da pluma de poeira nas quatro diferentes estações do ano mostram que as Maldivas estão fortemente sob a influência da pluma de poeira relacionada a monção de inverno com ventos vindos de nordeste, tornando esta, uma região ideal parra o estudo das condições de aridez na área fonte na massa de terra indiano-asiática. Aqui nós apresentamos dados não destrutivos em alta resolução da Fluorescência do Raio X (XRF) e de magnetismos ambiental e de rocha dos vinte metros superiores do testemunho U1471, IODP EXP. 359, compreendendo um registro continuo de 500 mil anos. As boas correlações entre os diferentes elementos associados aos sedimentos terrígenos indicam que as variações nos dados de Fe, K, Al e Ti são robustas, sendo destes, o Fe, o elemento que menos apresentou ruído. Com a premissa de que, o aumento na extensão de regiões áridas na área fonte durante períodos frios está relacionada com o aumento na quantidade de elementos terrígenos que fluíram para as Maldivas, construímos um modelo de idade correlacionando os dados de Fe com os dados de &#948;18O, a alta resolução dos nossos dados e a boa correlação com os dados de &#948;18O permitiram identificar os Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 1 ao 14. Dados de próxies paleoclimáticos como as razões, Al/Si, Fe/K e Sr/Ca indicam eventos abruptos extremamente húmidos em especial durante a transição MIS 5-6 sucedendo em poucas centenas de anos o evento Heinrich 11 (H11). Os dados de magnetismos ambiental e de rocha apontam para forte diagênese redutora de magnetita, formando minerais compostos de sulfeto de ferro, associada com a transição sulfato metano (SMT) na coluna sedimentar, abaixo desta transição a resposta magnética fica extremamente reduzida, mas ainda conserva as variações do sinal anterior a diagênese. Dados de First Order Reverse Curve (FORC) e de X Ray Absorption Near the Edge Structure (XANES) apontam a presença de magnetita bacteriana no topo do registro, mas devido ao caráter redutor do sedimento coluna abaixo e ao tamanho extremamente reduzido, Single Domain (SD), da magnetita bacteriana, este sinal está restrito ao topo do registro.<br>The Indian monsoon is directly related to the seasonal inversion of the winds driven by the latitudinal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Over a long term, monsoon systems are strengthened in response to interglacial periods (hot and humid) and weakened in response to glacial periods (cold and dry). Over the last 500 thousand years the global climate has oscillated with a periodicity of &#8764;100 thousand years being controlled mainly by the orbital forcing. Data from the Arabian Sea cores show that the contribution of fluvial sediments occurs mainly in the northwestern part with reduced values to the southeast where the Republic of the Maldives is located, which comprise a region far enough from the fluvial sediment sources, being an excellent place for the obtaining records of dust. Satellite data of the dust in the four different seasons of the year show that the Maldives are strongly influenced by the winter monsoon with north-easterly winds, making this an ideal region for the study of arid conditions in the source area in the Indian-Asian landmass. Here we present non-destructive high-resolution X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and, environmental and rock magnetisms data from the upper twenty meters of the U1471, IODP EXP. 359, comprising a continuous record of 500 thousand years. The good correlations between the different elements associated to the terrigenous sediments indicate that the variations in the Fe, K, Al and Ti data are robust, of which Fe is the least noise element. With the premise that the increase in the extent of arid regions in the source area during cold periods is related to the increase in the amount of terrigenous elements that flowed into the Maldives, we constructed an age model by correlating the Fe data with the data of &#948;18O, the high resolution of our data and the good correlation with the data of &#948;18O allowed to identify the Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 1 to 14. Paleoclimatic proxy data as the reasons, Al / Si, Fe / K and Sr / Ca indicate extremely humid abrupt events, especially during the MIS 5-6 transition succeeding in a few hundred years the event Heinrich 11 (H11). Environmental and rock magnetism data point to strong magnetite reduction diagenesis, forming minerals composed of iron sulphide, associated with the methane sulphate transition (SMT) in the sedimentary column, below this transition the magnetic response is extremely reduced, but still conserved the variations of the pre-diagenesis signal. First Order Reverse Curve (FORC) and X Ray Absorption Near the Edge (XANES) data indicate the presence of bacterial magnetite at the top of the core, but due to the reduced character of the sediment column below and the extremely small size, Single Domain (SD), of bacterial magnetite, this signal is restricted to the top.