Students’ conceptual knowledge about workplace pedagogies and applications to learning in the workplace

The development of effective workplace pedagogies is integral to work-integrated and work-based learning. The workplace pedagogies that facilitate and support learning include: activities in which individuals engage such as daily work practices, questioning; observing, and listening; interactions with more experienced workers through coaching and modelling; and referencing documented procedures. Each of these dimensions is significant in enhancing processes of workplace learning. Learning can be optimised when these pedagogies are appropriately embedded in the context of and process of participating in normal work activities. Yet learners need to understand the nature of these pedagogies, and how and for what purposes to use these to achieve a range of learning outcomes. This is because it is the worker-learners who play the key roles in the process and outcomes of learning through work. A pilot study was conducted on students’ conceptions of how each of these dimensions of workplace pedagogy help their learning, by providing examples of learning from these sources; and stating their preferences for learning in the workplace. A sample of seventeen students, enrolled in the second year of a Diploma in Nursing course at a Technical and Further Education institution, participated in a survey intended to capture these conceptions and the importance attached to each of them. The findings indicate that these students have basic understanding of how each of seven workplace pedagogic practices can contribute to their learning. They reported relying mostly on daily practices, observing and listening to others, modelling, coaching, and other workers. Their selection of these contributions emphasise significant opportunities for guided learning by others, yet suggest fewer student-initiated interactions, less intensity in interactions, and likelihood that learning is more passive. The data also suggests that these students rely mostly on using academic learning skill, and limited workplace learning skills. It is proposed, therefore, that the knowledge and understandings about workplace learning and pedagogies might be best embedded in the full curriculum and not become add-on shortly before students go on work placement. This approach will allow students to appreciate the significance and use of workplace pedagogies for learning.

Videogames, learning, and the social context : approaches to an ethnographic case study

Focusing on the role-playing simulation game SCAPE (Sustainability, Community and Planning Education), this paper proposes that potential disparities between game design practice and the meaning-making process of the players need to be addressed in a wider ecology of learning. The cultural setting of the gameplay experience, and also the different levels of engagement of the players, can be seen to pose vital questions, which are in and of themselves objects of inquiry. This paper argues that ethnographic participant-observation, which is a recognized approach in game studies, allows taking the wider ecology of learning into account to explore the various relations that shape the gameplay.

A tale of two cities: Education responds to globalisation in Hong Kong and Singapore in the aftermath of the Asian Economic Crisis

It has been suggested that although the most theorisation about globalisation has emerged from “western” contexts, the material implications of globalisation have been felt most strongly in non-western regions. With this in mind, we are undertaking a situated analysis of how two states, Singapore and Hong Kong, are interacting with the broader processes of globalisation through their educational policies. We apply Foucault's conceptual tool of governmentality to understand (i) the conduct of governing in the contemporary nation-state, and (ii) how the “right” rationalities are being inculcated by government to create “desiring subjects” who will play their part in ensuring national prosperity. We use the Asian Economic Crisis as a point of departure to show how global-local tensions are being managed by Singapore and Hong Kong. We conclude that both these global cities have adroitly managed the Asian economic crisis to steer their citizens away from pursuits of greater political freedom and towards concerns of material well being. They have done so through a selective interpretation of globalisation, by simultaneously resisting and embracing the contradictory strands of globalisation. Education has emerged as a critical space for this selective absorption of globalising trends.

Representation and learning of visual information for pose recognition

Recovering position from sensor information is an important problem in mobile robotics, known as localisation. Localisation requires a map or some other description of the environment to provide the robot with a context to interpret sensor data. The mobile robot system under discussion is using an artificial neural representation of position. Building a geometrical map of the environment with a single camera and artificial neural networks is difficult. Instead it would be simpler to learn position as a function of the visual input. Usually when learning images, an intermediate representation is employed. An appropriate starting point for biologically plausible image representation is the complex cells of the visual cortex, which have invariance properties that appear useful for localisation. The effectiveness for localisation of two different complex cell models are evaluated. Finally the ability of a simple neural network with single shot learning to recognise these representations and localise a robot is examined.

A Review of the "Digital Turn" in the New Literacy Studies

Digital communication has transformed literacy practices and assumed great importance in the functioning of workplace, recreational, and community contexts. This article reviews a decade of empirical work of the New Literacy Studies, identifying the shift toward research of digital literacy applications. The article engages with the central theoretical, methodological, and pragmatic challenges in the tradition of New Literacy Studies, while highlighting the distinctive trends in the digital strand. It identifies common patterns across new literacy practices through cross-comparisons of ethnographic research in digital media environments. It examines ways in which this research is taking into account power and pedagogy in normative contexts of literacy learning using the new media. Recommendations are given to strengthen the links between New Literacy Studies research and literacy curriculum, assessment, and accountability in the 21st century.

The Validity of the Brief Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (bMAST) as a Problem Drinking Severity Measure

Objective: The Brief Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (bMAST) is a 10-item test derived from the 25-item Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST). It is widely used in the assessment of alcohol dependence. In the absence of previous validation studies, the principal aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the bMAST as a measure of the severity of problem drinking. Method: There were 6,594 patients (4,854 men, 1,740 women) who had been referred for alcohol-use disorders to a hospital alcohol and drug service who voluntarily participated in this study. Results: An exploratory factor analysis defined a two-factor solution, consisting of Perception of Current Drinking and Drinking Consequences factors. Structural equation modeling confirmed that the fit of a nine-item, two-factor model was superior to the original one-factor model. Concurrent validity was assessed through simultaneous administration of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and associations with alcohol consumption and clinically assessed features of alcohol dependence. The two-factor bMAST model showed moderate correlations with the AUDIT. The two-factor bMAST and AUDIT were similarly associated with quantity of alcohol consumption and clinically assessed dependence severity features. No differences were observed between the existing weighted scoring system and the proposed simple scoring system. Conclusions: In this study, both the existing bMAST total score and the two-factor model identified were as effective as the AUDIT in assessing problem drinking severity. There are additional advantages of employing the two-factor bMAST in the assessment and treatment planning of patients seeking treatment for alcohol-use disorders. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 68: 771-779,2007)

Use of advanced computer graphics and data visualisation technologies in teaching and learning of steel structural design

A teaching and learning development project is currently under way at Queens-land University of Technology to develop advanced technology videotapes for use with the delivery of structural engineering courses. These tapes consist of integrated computer and laboratory simulations of important concepts, and behaviour of structures and their components for a number of structural engineering subjects. They will be used as part of the regular lectures and thus will not only improve the quality of lectures and learning environment, but also will be able to replace the ever-dwindling laboratory teaching in these subjects. The use of these videotapes, developed using advanced computer graphics, data visualization and video technologies, will enrich the learning process of the current diverse engineering student body. This paper presents the details of this new method, the methodology used, the results and evaluation in relation to one of the structural engineering subjects, steel structures.

Developing new alliances in higher education leadership and governance : autopoietic application of the “arts” creative capacities

This paper, underpinned by a framework of autopoietic principles of creativity/innovation and leadership/governance, argues that open forms of creativity in ‘arts’ provide opportunity for impact upon concepts of development, leadership and governance. The alliance of creativity and governance suggests that by examining various understandings of artistic experiences, readers may perceive new understandings of alliance, application and assessment of such experiences. This critical understanding would include assessing whether such experience supports people changing their aspirations as they become what they want to be. Such understanding may also suggest that different applications of the creative capacity of the ‘arts’ offers relevance in alleged ‘non-creative’ areas of academe, particularly in areas of management, leadership and governance. This alliance also offers the possibility of new staff development programs that facilitate learning and building of individual capacity, as well as facilitate congruent development process and policy, particularly within academic organisational structures.

Developing a theatre of the integrated actor : the application of the Suzuki actor training method within three theatrical contexts

This research project examines the application of the Suzuki Actor Training Method (the Suzuki Method) within the work ofTadashi Suzuki's company in Japan, the Shizuoka Performing Arts Complex (SPAC), within the work of Brisbane theatre company Frank:Austral Asian Performance Ensemble (Frank:AAPE), and as related to the development of the theatre performance Surfacing. These three theatrical contexts have been studied from the viewpoint of a "participant- observer". The researcher has trained in the Suzuki Method with Frank:AAPE and SP AC, performed with Frank:AAPE, and was the solo performer and collaborative developer in the performance Surfacing (directed by Leah Mercer). Observations of these three groups are based on a phenomenological definition of the "integrated actor", an actor who is able to achieve a totality or unity between the body and the mind, and between the body and the voice, through a powerful sense of intention. The term "integrated actor" has been informed by the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty and his concept of the "lived body". Three main hypotheses are presented in this study: that the Suzuki Method focuses on actors learning through their body; that the Suzuki Method presents an holistic approach to the body and the voice; and that the Suzuki Method develops actors with a strong sense of intention. These three aspects of the Suzuki Method are explored in relation to the stylistic features of the work of SPAC, Frank:AAPE and the performance Surfacing.

Shall we dance? The story of The Radiance Dance Project

Community workers are often described as unsung heroes who work for, with, and alongside others in order to make qualitative differences to the communities they serve. This paper reports on the story of a community based arts educator, Morgan Jai-Morincome, winner of the ACT Adult Learners Week Award for an outstanding program in 2007. This program, referred to as The Radiance Dance Project, is an inclusive performance project open to women with and without disabilities that culminates in a yearly performance. Via an interview with Morgan, observations of a workshop she provided for the women in her 2009 program, and a viewing of a DVD of the 2008 dance performance, this case study provides an illustration of the power of arts based educative processes for breaking down barriers between people with and without disabilities. It draws upon constructs from ethical leadership theory and empowerment theory to interpret her ideas and practices.

Education and learning for the elderly : why, how, what

This paper is concerned with the general issues of ageing, learning, and education for the elderly. It also examines the more specific issues of why, how and what elders want to learn. The world's population is ageing rapidly. For example, it is estimated that by 2020 20% of the population in the USA will be 65 years old and over. It is predicted that 24% of the Hong Kong population will be over 65 years old by 2025 (Bartlett & Phillips, 1995). The phenomenon has been described in colorful terms as the "silver tsunami" (Pew Report, 2001 cited in Summer, 2007). Ageing has an impact on all aspects of human life including the social, economic, cultural and political domains. Understanding and providing for ageing is, therefoer, an important issue for the twenty-first century. The World Health Organisation ([WHO], 2002) has proposed a model of active ageing based on optimizing opportunities for health, particulation, and security in order to enhance quality of life for people as they age. The focus in this paper is on the education and learning aspect of participation as people age.

Innovation in clinical learning for the acute hospital environment : nursing grand rounds

The literature reports that workload factors affect nurses' ability to fully engage in continuing professional development. Hence the work environment in acute care calls for innovative approaches to achieve continuous development of nursing practice and work satisfaction. This study employs a one group pre-test post-test design to test the effectiveness of nursing grand rounds on nursing worklife satisfaction and work environment in an acute surgical ward. The effect of nursing grand rounds was measured using the Nursing Worklife Satisfaction Scale and the Practice Environment Scale. There was no change between pre- and post-test on these measures but trends were evident in some component scores. Statistical results were inconclusive but observational data indicated that nursing grand rounds was found to be feasible, well attended with tested processes for implementation in an acute care environment.

Examination of the latent structure of the psychological sense of school membership scale

Despite its widespread use, there has been limited examination of the underlying factor structure of the Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale. The current study examined the psychometric properties of the PSSM to refine its utility for researchers and practitioners using a sample of 504 Australian high school students. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the PSSM is a multidimensional instrument. Factor analysis procedures identified three factors representing related aspects of students’ perceptions of their school membership: caring relationships, acceptance, and rejection