The enactment of formative assessment in English language classrooms in two Chinese universities : teacher and student responses

The College English Curriculum Requirements (CECR), announced by the Chinese Ministry of Education in 2007, recommended the inclusion of formative assessment into the existing summative assessment framework of College English. This policy had the potential to fundamentally change the nature of assessment and its role in the teaching and learning of English in Chinese universities. In order to document and analyse these changes, case studies involving English language teachers and learners were undertaken in two Chinese Universities: one a Key university in the national capital; the other a non-Key university in a western province. The case study design incorporated classroom observations and interviews with English language teachers and their students. The type and focus of feedback and the engagement of students in assessment were analysed in the two contexts. Fundamental to the analysis was the concept of enactment, with the focus of this study on the ways that policy ideas and principles were enacted in the practices of the Chinese university classroom. Understandings of formative assessment as applied in contexts other than the predominantly Western, Anglophone contexts from where many of its principles derive, are offered.

Permeability estimation conditioned to geophysical downhole log data in sandstones of the northern Galilee Basin, Queensland : methods and application

This study uses borehole geophysical log data of sonic velocity and electrical resistivity to estimate permeability in sandstones in the northern Galilee Basin, Queensland. The prior estimates of permeability are calculated according to the deterministic log–log linear empirical correlations between electrical resistivity and measured permeability. Both negative and positive relationships are influenced by the clay content. The prior estimates of permeability are updated in a Bayesian framework for three boreholes using both the cokriging (CK) method and a normal linear regression (NLR) approach to infer the likelihood function. The results show that the mean permeability estimated from the CK-based Bayesian method is in better agreement with the measured permeability when a fairly apparent linear relationship exists between the logarithm of permeability and sonic velocity. In contrast, the NLR-based Bayesian approach gives better estimates of permeability for boreholes where no linear relationship exists between logarithm permeability and sonic velocity.

Adaption of horses to a novel dynamic feeding system : movement and behavioural responses

Reasons for performing study: Many domestic horses and ponies are sedentary and obese due to confinement to small paddocks and stables and a diet of infrequent, high-energy rations. Severe health consequences can be associated with this altered lifestyle. Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the ability of horses to learn to use a dynamic feeder system and determine the movement and behavioural responses of horses to the novel system. Methods: A dynamic feed station was developed to encourage horses to exercise in order to access ad libitum hay. Five pairs of horses (n = 10) were studied using a randomised crossover design with each pair studied in a control paddock containing a standard hay feeder and an experimental paddock containing the novel hay feeder. Horse movement was monitored by a global positioning system (GPS) and horses observed and their ability to learn to use the system and the behavioural responses to its use assessed. Results: With initial human intervention all horses used the novel feeder within 1 h. Some aggressive behaviour was observed between horses not well matched in dominance behaviour. The median distance walked by the horses was less (P = 0.002) during a 4 h period (117 [57–185] m) in the control paddock than in the experimental paddock (630 [509–719] m). Conclusions: The use of an automated feeding system promotes increased activity levels in horses housed in small paddocks, compared with a stationary feeder.

Exploring emotional climate in preservice science teacher education

Classroom emotional climates are interrelated with students’ engagement with university courses. Despite growing interest in emotions and emotional climate research, little is known about the ways in which social interactions and different subject matter mediate emotional climates in preservice science teacher education classes. In this study we investigated the emotional climate and associated classroom interactions in a preservice science teacher education class. We were interested in the ways in which salient classroom interactions were related to the emotional climate during lessons centered on debates about science-based issues (e.g., nuclear energy alternatives). Participants used audience response technology to indicate their perceptions of the emotional climate. Analysis of conversation for salient video clips and analysis of non-verbal conduct (acoustic parameters, body movements, and facial expressions) supplemented emotional climate data. One key contribution that this study makes to preservice science teacher education is to identify the micro-processes of successful and unsuccessful class interactions that were associated with positive and neutral emotional climate. The structure of these interactions can inform the practice of other science educators who wish to produce positive emotional climates in their classes. The study also extends and explicates the construct of intensity of emotional climate.

Endocrine and immune responses to resistance training in prostate cancer patients

This study examined the effect of 20 weeks resistance training on a range of serum hormones and inflammatory markers at rest, and following acute bouts of exercise in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation. Ten patients exercised twice weekly at high intensity for several upper and lower-body muscle groups. Neither testosterone nor prostate-specific antigen changed at rest or following an acute bout of exercise. However, serum growth hormone (GH), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and differential blood leukocyte counts increased (P < 0.05) following acute exercise. Resistance exercise does not appear to compromise testosterone suppression, and acute elevations in serum GH and DHEA may partly underlie improvements observed in physical function.

Characterization of inflammatory responses to eccentric exercise in humans

Eccentric exercise commonly results in muscle damage. The primary sequence of events leading to exercise-induced muscle damage is believed to involve initial mechanical disruption of sarcomeres, followed by impaired excitation-contraction coupling and calcium signaling, and finally, activation of calcium-sensitive degradation pathways. Muscle damage is characterized by ultrastructural changes to muscle architecture, increased muscle proteins and enzymes in the bloodstream, loss of muscular strength and range of motion and muscle soreness. The inflammatory response to exercise-induced muscle damage is characterized by leukocyte infiltration and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines within damaged muscle tissue, systemic release of leukocytes and cytokines, in addition to alterations in leukocyte receptor expression and functional activity. Current evidence suggests that inflammatory responses to muscle damage are dependent on the type of eccentric exercise, previous eccentric loading (repeated bouts), age and gender. Circulating neutrophil counts and systemic cytokine responses are greater after eccentric exercise using a large muscle mass (e.g. downhill running, eccentric cycling) than after other types of eccentric exercise involving a smaller muscle mass. After an initial bout of eccentric exercise, circulating leukocyte counts and cell surface receptor expression are attenuated. Leukocyte and cytokine responses to eccentric exercise are impaired in elderly individuals, while cellular infiltration into skeletal muscle is greater in human females than males after eccentric exercise. Whether alterations in intracellular calcium homeostasis influence inflammatory responses to muscle damage is uncertain. Furthermore, the effects of antioxidant supplements are variable, and the limited data available indicates that anti-inflammatory drugs largely have no influence on inflammatory responses to eccentric exercise. In this review, we compare local versus systemic inflammatory responses, and discuss some of the possible mechanisms regulating the inflammatory responses to exercise-induced muscle damage in humans.

Meal induced thermogenesis and appetite : methodological issues and responses to energy restriction

Diet Induced Thermogenesis (DIT) is the energy expended consequent to meal consumption, and reflects the energy required for the processing and digestion of food consumed throughout each day. Although DIT is the total energy expended across a day in digestive processes to a number of meals, most studies measure thermogenesis in response to a single meal (Meal Induced Thermogenesis: MIT) as a representation of an individual’s thermogenic response to acute food ingestion. As a component of energy expenditure, DIT may have a contributing role in weight gain and weight loss. While the evidence is inconsistent, research has tended to reveal a suppressed MIT response in obese compared to lean individuals, which identifies individuals with an efficient storage of food energy, hence a greater tendency for weight gain. Appetite is another factor regulating body weight through its influence on energy intake. Preliminary research has shown a potential link between MIT and postprandial appetite as both are responses to food ingestion and have a similar response dependent upon the macronutrient content of food. There is a growing interest in understanding how both MIT and appetite are modified with changes in diet, activity levels and body size. However, the findings from MIT research have been highly inconsistent, potentially due to the vastly divergent protocols used for its measurement. Therefore, the main theme of this thesis was firstly, to address some of the methodological issues associated with measuring MIT. Additionally this thesis aimed to measure postprandial appetite simultaneously to MIT to test for any relationships between these meal-induced variables and to assess changes that occur in MIT and postprandial appetite during periods of energy restriction (ER) and following weight loss. Two separate studies were conducted to achieve these aims. Based on the increasing prevalence of obesity, it is important to develop accurate methodologies for measuring the components potentially contributing to its development and to understand the variability within these variables. Therefore, the aim of Study One was to establish a protocol for measuring the thermogenic response to a single test meal (MIT), as a representation of DIT across a day. This was done by determining the reproducibility of MIT with a continuous measurement protocol and determining the effect of measurement duration. The benefit of a fixed resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is a single measure of RMR used to calculate each subsequent measure of MIT, compared to separate baseline RMRs, which are separate measures of RMR measured immediately prior to each MIT test meal to calculate each measure of MIT, was also assessed to determine the method with greater reproducibility. Subsidiary aims were to measure postprandial appetite simultaneously to MIT, to determine its reproducibility between days and to assess potential relationships between these two variables. Ten healthy individuals (5 males, 5 females, age = 30.2 ± 7.6 years, BMI = 22.3 ± 1.9 kg/m2, %Fat Mass = 27.6 ± 5.9%) undertook three testing sessions within a 1-4 week time period. During the first visit, participants had their body composition measured using DXA for descriptive purposes, then had an initial 30-minute measure of RMR to familiarise them with the testing and to be used as a fixed baseline for calculating MIT. During the second and third testing sessions, MIT was measured. Measures of RMR and MIT were undertaken using a metabolic cart with a ventilated hood to measure energy expenditure via indirect calorimetry with participants in a semi-reclined position. The procedure on each MIT test day was: 1) a baseline RMR measured for 30 minutes, 2) a 15-minute break in the measure to consume a standard 576 kcal breakfast (54.3% CHO, 14.3% PRO, 31.4% FAT), comprising muesli, milk toast, butter, jam and juice, and 3) six hours of measuring MIT with two, ten-minute breaks at 3 and 4.5 hours for participants to visit the bathroom. On the MIT test days, pre and post breakfast then at 45-minute intervals, participants rated their subjective appetite, alertness and comfort on visual analogue scales (VAS). Prior to each test, participants were required to be fasted for 12 hours, and have undertaken no high intensity physical activity for the previous 48 hours. Despite no significant group changes in the MIT response between days, individual variability was high with an average between-day CV of 33%, which was not significantly improved by the use of a fixed RMR to 31%. The 95% limits of agreements which ranged from 9.9% of energy intake (%EI) to -10.7%EI with the baseline RMRs and between 9.6%EI to -12.4%EI with the fixed RMR, indicated very large changes relative to the size of the average MIT response (MIT 1: 8.4%EI, 13.3%EI; MIT 2: 8.8%EI, 14.7%EI; baseline and fixed RMRs respectively). After just three hours, the between-day CV with the baseline RMR was 26%, which may indicate an enhanced MIT reproducibility with shorter measurement durations. On average, 76, 89, and 96% of the six-hour MIT response was completed within three, four and five hours, respectively. Strong correlations were found between MIT at each of these time points and the total six-hour MIT (range for correlations r = 0.990 to 0.998; P < 0.01). The reproducibility of the proportion of the six-hour MIT completed at 3, 4 and 5 hours was reproducible (between-day CVs ≤ 8.5%). This indicated the suitability to use shorter durations on repeated occasions and a similar percent of the total response to be completed. There was a lack of strong evidence of any relationship between the magnitude of the MIT response and subjective postprandial appetite. Given a six-hour protocol places a considerable burden on participants, these results suggests that a post-meal measurement period of only three hours is sufficient to produce valid information on the metabolic response to a meal. However while there was no mean change in MIT between test days, individual variability was large. Further research is required to better understand which factors best explain the between-day variability in this physiological measure. With such a high prevalence of obesity, dieting has become a necessity to reduce body weight. However, during periods of ER, metabolic and appetite adaptations can occur which may impede weight loss. Understanding how metabolic and appetite factors change during ER and weight loss is important for designing optimal weight loss protocols. The purpose of Study Two was to measure the changes in the MIT response and subjective postprandial appetite during either continuous (CONT) or intermittent (INT) ER and following post diet energy balance (post-diet EB). Thirty-six obese male participants were randomly assigned to either the CONT (Age = 38.6 ± 7.0 years, weight = 109.8 ± 9.2 kg, % fat mass = 38.2 ± 5.2%) or INT diet groups (Age = 39.1 ± 9.1 years, weight = 107.1 ± 12.5 kg, % fat mass = 39.6 ± 6.8%). The study was divided into three phases: a four-week baseline (BL) phase where participants were provided with a diet to maintain body weight, an ER phase lasting either 16 (CONT) or 30 (INT) weeks, where participants were provided with a diet which supplied 67% of their energy balance requirements to induce weight loss and an eight-week post-diet EB phase, providing a diet to maintain body weight post weight loss. The INT ER phase was delivered as eight, two-week blocks of ER interspersed with two-week blocks designed to achieve weight maintenance. Energy requirements for each phase were predicted based on measured RMR, and adjusted throughout the study to account for changes in RMR. All participants completed MIT and appetite tests during BL and the ER phase. Nine CONT and 15 INT participants completed the post-diet EB MIT and 14 INT and 15 CONT participants completed the post-diet EB appetite tests. The MIT test day protocol was as follows: 1) a baseline RMR measured for 30 minutes, 2) a 15-minute break in the measure to consume a standard breakfast meal (874 kcal, 53.3% CHO, 14.5% PRO, 32.2% FAT), and 3) three hours of measuring MIT. MIT was calculated as the energy expenditure above the pre-meal RMR. Appetite test days were undertaken on a separate day using the same 576 kcal breakfast used in Study One. VAS were used to assess appetite pre and post breakfast, at one hour post breakfast then a further three times at 45-minute intervals. Appetite ratings were calculated for hunger and fullness as both the intra-meal change in appetite and the AUC. The three-hour MIT response at BL, ER and post-diet EB respectively were 5.4 ± 1.4%EI, 5.1 ± 1.3%EI and 5.0 ± 0.8%EI for the CONT group and 4.4 ± 1.0%EI, 4.7 ± 1.0%EI and 4.8 ± 0.8%EI for the INT group. Compared to BL, neither group had significant changes in their MIT response during ER or post-diet EB. There were no significant time by group interactions (p = 0.17) indicating a similar response to ER and post-diet EB in both groups. Contrary to what was hypothesised, there was a significant increase in postprandial AUC fullness in response to ER in both groups (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant changes in any of the other postprandial hunger or fullness variables. Despite no changes in MIT in both the CONT or INT group in response to ER or post-diet EB and only a minor increase in postprandial AUC fullness, the individual changes in MIT and postprandial appetite in response to ER were large. However those with the greatest MIT changes did not have the greatest changes in postprandial appetite. This study shows that postprandial appetite and MIT are unlikely to be altered during ER and are unlikely to hinder weight loss. Additionally, there were no changes in MIT in response to weight loss, indicating that body weight did not influence the magnitude of the MIT response. There were large individual changes in both variables, however further research is required to determine whether these changes were real compensatory changes to ER or simply between-day variation. Overall, the results of this thesis add to the current literature by showing the large variability of continuous MIT measurements, which make it difficult to compare MIT between groups and in response to diet interventions. This thesis was able to provide evidence to suggest that shorter measures may provide equally valid information about the total MIT response and can therefore be utilised in future research in order to reduce the burden of long measurements durations. This thesis indicates that MIT and postprandial subjective appetite are most likely independent of each other. This thesis also shows that, on average, energy restriction was not associated with compensatory changes in MIT and postprandial appetite that would have impeded weight loss. However, the large inter-individual variability supports the need to examine individual responses in more detail.

Primary classroom teachers' use of social and emotional wellbeing programs and the factors influencing program use

There has been a rapid escalation in the development and evaluation of social and emotional well-being (SEW) programs in primary schools over the last few decades. Despite the plethora of programs available, primary teachers’ use of SEW programs is not well documented in Australian schools, with even less consideration of the factors influencing program use. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with primary classroom teachers across twelve schools in the Brisbane and Sunshine Coast Education Districts in Queensland, Australia, during 2005. A checklist of SEW programs and an audit of SEW practices in schools were employed to investigate the number, range and types of SEW programs used by primary classroom teachers and the contextual factors influencing program use. Whilst the majority of implementation studies have been conducted under intervention conditions, this study was designed to capture primary classroom teachers’ day-to-day use of SEW programs and the factors influencing program use under real-world conditions. The findings of this research indicate that almost three quarters of the primary classroom teachers involved in the study reported using at least one SEW program during 2005. Wide variation in the number and range of programs used was evident, suggesting that teachers are autonomous in their use of SEW programs. Evidence-based SEW programs were used by a similar proportion of teachers to non-evidence-based programs. However, irrespective of the type of program used, primary teachers overwhelmingly reported using part of a SEW program rather than the whole program. This raises some issues about the quality of teachers’ program implementation in real-world practice, especially with respect to programs that are evidence-based. A content analysis revealed that a wide range of factors have been examined as potential influences on teachers’ implementation of health promotion programs in schools, including SEW programs, despite the limited number of studies undertaken to date. However, variation in the factors examined and study designs employed both within and across health promotion fields limited the extent to which studies could be compared. A methodological and statistical review also revealed substantial variation in the quality of reporting of studies. A variety of factors were examined as potential influences on primary classroom teachers’ use of SEW programs across multiple social-ecological levels of influence (ranging from community to school and individual levels). In this study, parent or caregiver involvement in class activities and the availability of wellbeing-related policies in primary schools were found to be influential in primary classroom teachers’ use of SEW programs. Teachers who often or always involve parents or caregivers in class activities were at a higher odds of program use relative to teachers who never or rarely involved parents or caregivers in class activities. However, teachers employed in schools with the highest number of wellbeing-related policies available were at a lower odds of program use relative to teachers employed in schools with fewer wellbeing-related policies available. Future research should investigate primary classroom teachers’ autonomy and motivations for using SEW programs and the reasons behind the selection and use of particular types of programs. A larger emphasis should also be placed upon teachers not using SEW programs to identify valid reasons for non-use. This would provide another step towards bridging the gap between the expectations of program developers and the needs of teachers who implement programs in practice. Additionally, the availability of wellbeing-related school policies and the types of activities that parents and caregivers are involved with in the classroom warrant more in-depth investigation. This will help to ascertain how and why these factors influence primary classroom teachers’ use of SEW programs on a day-to-day basis in schools.

Accounting regulation for charities : international responses to IFRS adoption

This paper examines charity regulatory systems, including accounting standard setting, across five jurisdictions in varying stages of adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards, and identifies the challenges of this process. Design/methodology/approach Using a regulatory space approach, we rely on publicly available archival evidence from charity regulators and accounting standard setters in five common-law jurisdictions in advanced capitalist economies, all with vibrant charity sectors: United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Findings The study reveals the importance of co-operative interdependence and dialogue between charity regulators and accounting standard setters, indicating that jurisdictions with such inter-relationships will better manage the transition to IFRS. It also highlights the need for those jurisdictions with not-for-profit or charity-specific accounting standards to reconfigure those provisions as IFRSs are adopted. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to five jurisdictions, concentrating specifically on key charity regulators and accounting standard setters. Future research could widen the scope to other jurisdictions, or track changes in the jurisdictions longitudinally. Practical implications We provide a timely international perspective of charity regulation and accounting developments for regulators, accounting standard setters and charities, specifically of regulatory responses to IFRS adoption. Originality/value: The paper contributes fresh insights into the dynamics of charity accounting regulation in an international context by using regulatory space as an organising framework. While accounting regulation literature provides a rich interpretation of regulatory issues within the accounting arena, little attention has been paid to charity accounting regulation.

In vitro models for investigating keratinocyte responses to ultraviolet B radiation

This thesis describes the use of 2- and 3-dimensional cell-based models for studying how skin cells respond to ultraviolet radiation. These methods were used to investigate skin damage and repair after exposure to radiation in the context of skin cancer development. Interactions between different skin cell types were demonstrated as being significant in protecting against ultraviolet radiation-induced skin damage. This has important implications in understanding how skin cancers occur, as well as in the development of new strategies to prevent and treat them.

The relationship between children's emotional and cognitive self-regulation at 2 to 3 years and prosocial behavior in the early years of school

This study used data from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) to investigate how parent report of children’s emotional and cognitive regulation at age 2-3 years was associated with teacher ratings of children’s prosocial behaviors in the early years of school. A sample of 2,392 children was drawn from the LSAC Birth Cohort for the analyses. The analyses used structural equation modeling to estimate parameters of the relationships between key variables. Within the model, estimates of mother-reported emotional and cognitive regulation at age 2 to 3 years were significantly associated with teacher-reported prosocial behavior at 6 to 7 years. Emotional regulation was a slightly stronger indicator of prosocial behavior than cognitive regulation. Being female and from a family with a higher socioeconomic position were also associated with higher levels of prosocial behavior. Results are discussed in relation to the role of early childhood teachers in fostering children’s self-regulatory behaviors and in providing environments in which empathic and prosocial behaviors are modeled, guided, and scaffolded so that foundations are laid for caring behaviors to be understood and internalized by children.

Lessons from media reporting of natural disasters : a case study of the 2011 flash floods in Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley

Practice-led journalism research techniques were used in this study to produce a ‘first draft of history’ recording the human experience of survivors and rescuers during the January 2011 flash flood disaster in Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley in Queensland, Australia. The study aimed to discover what can be learnt from engaging in journalistic reporting of natural disasters. This exegesis demonstrates that journalism can be both a creative practice and a research methodology. About 120 survivors, rescuers and family members of victims participated in extended interviews about what happened to them and how they survived. Their stories are the basis for two creative outputs of the study: a radio documentary and a non-fiction book, that document how and why people died, or survived, or were rescued. Listeners and readers are taken "into the flood" where they feel anxious for those in peril, relief when people are saved, and devastated when babies, children and adults are swept away to their deaths. In undertaking reporting about the human experience of the floods, several significant elements about journalistic reportage of disasters were exposed. The first related to the vital role that the online social media played during the disaster for individuals, citizen reporters, journalists and emergency services organisations. Online social media offer reporters powerful new reporting tools for both gathering and disseminating news. The second related to the performance of journalists in covering events involving traumatic experiences. Journalists are often required to cover trauma and are often amongst the first-responders to disasters. This study found that almost all of the disaster survivors who were approached were willing to talk in detail about their traumatic experiences. A finding of this project is that journalists who interview trauma survivors can develop techniques for improving their ability to interview people who have experienced traumatic events. These include being flexible with interview timing and selecting a location; empowering interviewees to understand they don’t have to answer every question they are asked; providing emotional security for interviewees; and by being committed to accuracy. Survivors may exhibit posttraumatic stress symptoms but some exhibit and report posttraumatic growth. The willingness of a high proportion of the flood survivors to participate in the flood research made it possible to document a relatively unstudied question within the literature about journalism and trauma – when and why disaster survivors will want to speak to reporters. The study sheds light on the reasons why a group of traumatised people chose to speak about their experiences. Their reasons fell into six categories: lessons need to be learned from the disaster; a desire for the public to know what had happened; a sense of duty to make sure warning systems and disaster responses to be improved in future; personal recovery; the financial disinterest of reporters in listening to survivors; and the timing of the request for an interview. Feedback to the creative-practice component of this thesis - the book and radio documentary - shows that these issues are not purely matters of ethics. By following appropriate protocols, it is possible to produce stories that engender strong audience responses such as that the program was "amazing and deeply emotional" and "community storytelling at its most important". Participants reported that the experience of the interview process was "healing" and that the creative outcome resulted in "a very precious record of an afternoon of tragedy and triumph and the bitter-sweetness of survival".

Family coping: issues and challenges for cancer nursing

A large body of research now exists suggesting that families are dramatically affected by a diagnosis of cancer, and that they have a wide range of support needs. In particular, evidence suggests that the emotional strains of living with a family member who has cancer are an especially difficult coping challenge, and that such strains have a significant impact on the day-to-day lives of family members. Despite this evidence, there has been little analysis to date on the nature of the families' experience with cancer and what implications the unique features of family relationships and interactions in the context of cancer have for nursing practice. Some of these specific features of the families' experience with cancer are examined in this article. It is suggested that enormous scope exists for improving nurses' contribution to care for families of people with cancer. Specific recommendations for achieving such improvements include a critical review of the constraints that exist on efforts to care for families, and the development of approaches to care that appreciate the interconnectedness of family responses and the considerable needs of family members for emotional and practical support.

Consumers' behavioural responses toward technology-based social products

This thesis examined the determinants of consumers’ use of emerging mental health services delivered via mobile phone technology, which promise to provide cost-effective psychotherapeutic support where and when needed. It builds on the Model of Goal-Directed Behaviour by recognising the role that competition between behavioural alternatives plays in influencing consumers’ decision to use these services. The research employed a three-study, mixed-methodological approach.