The minority report : disproportionate representation in Australia’s largest education system

The overrepresentation of students from minority ethnic groups in separate special education settings has been extensively documented in North America, yet little research exists for Australian school systems. To address this gap, we systematically analyzed 13 years of enrolment data from the state of New South Wales. Stark differences are seen in patterns of enrolment between Indigenous students, students from a Language Background Other than English (LBOTE), and non-Indigenous English speaking students. Moreover, these differences are increasing. While enrollments of Indigenous students in separate settings increased faster across time than did enrollments of Indigenous students in mainstream, enrollments of LBOTE students in mainstream increased faster than did enrollments of LBOTE students in separate settings.

Labour, social and health outcomes of immigrants in Australia : effects of language proficiency using the IV approach

Language has been of interest to numerous economists since the late 20th century, with the majority of the studies focusing on its effects on immigrants’ labour market outcomes; earnings in particular. However, language is an endogenous variable, which along with its susceptibility to measurement error causes biases in ordinary-least-squares estimates. The instrumental variables method overcomes the shortcomings of ordinary least squares in modelling endogenous explanatory variables. In this dissertation, age at arrival combined with country of origin form an instrument creating a difference-in-difference scenario, to address the issue of endogeneity and attenuation error in language proficiency. The first half of the study aims to investigate the extent to which English speaking ability of immigrants improves their labour market outcomes and social assimilation in Australia, with the use of the 2006 Census. The findings have provided evidence that support the earlier studies. As expected, immigrants in Australia with better language proficiency are able to earn higher income, attain higher level of education, have higher probability of completing tertiary studies, and have more hours of work per week. Language proficiency also improves social integration, leading to higher probability of marriage to a native and higher probability of obtaining citizenship. The second half of the study further investigates whether language proficiency has similar effects on a migrant’s physical and mental wellbeing, health care access and lifestyle choices, with the use of three National Health Surveys. However, only limited evidence has been found with respect to the hypothesised causal relationship between language and health for Australian immigrants.

A model for research supervision of international students in engineering and information technology disciplines

A large proportion (over 12 per cent) of international and non-English speaking background (NESB) postgraduate research students enrol in engineering and information technology (IT) programs in Australian universities. They find themselves in an advanced research culture, and are technically and scientifically challenged early in their programs. This is in addition to cultural, social and religious isolation and linguistic barriers they have to contend with. The project team surveyed this cohort at QUT and UWA, on the hypothesis that they face challenges that are more discipline-specific. The results of the survey indicate that existing supervisory frameworks which are limited to linguistic contexts are not fully assisting these students and supervisors to achieve high quality research. The goal of this project is to extend these supervisory frameworks to a holistic model that will address the unique needs and supervisory issues these students face in engineering and IT disciplines. The model will be useable by all other Australian universities.

Born in another country : women's experience of labour and birth in Queensland, Australia

Background Women born outside Australia make up more than a fifth of the Queensland birthing population and like migrants in other parts of the world face the challenges of cultural dislocation and possible language barriers. Recognising that labour and birth are major life events the aim was to investigate the experiences of these women in comparison to native-born English speaking women. Methods Secondary analysis of data from a population based survey of women who had recently birthed in Queensland. Self-reported clinical outcomes and quality of interpersonal care of 481 women born outside Australia who spoke a language other than English at home were compared with those of 5569 Australian born women speaking only English. Results After adjustment for demographic factors and type of birthing facility, women born in another country were less likely to be induced, but more likely to have constant electronic fetal monitoring (EFM), to give birth lying on their back or side, and to have an episiotomy. Most women felt that they were treated as an individual and with kindness and respect. However, women born outside Australia were less likely to report being looked after ‘very well’ during labour and birth and to be more critical of some aspects of care. Conclusion In comparing the labour and birth experiences of women born outside the country who spoke another language with native-born English speaking women, the present study presents a largely positive picture. However, there were some marked differences in both clinical and interpersonal aspects of care.

Who struggles most in making a career choice and why?Findings from a cross-sectional survey of highschool students

This paper reports findings from an empirical study examining the influence of student background and educational experiences on the development of career choice capability. Secondary school students attending years 9-12 (N = 706) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, were invited to participate in an online survey that sought to examine factors influencing their career choices. The survey included questions relating to student demographics, parental occupation, attitudes to school and to learning, student aspirations, and students’ knowledge of the further education or skills required to achieve their desired goal. We found no significant differences in the proportions of students who were “uncertain” of their future career aspirations with respect to their socio-educational background. There were, however, significantly more students struggling with career decision making from an English-speaking background in comparison to households where children spoke a language other than English. Those students were proportionally present in government and non-government schools and had some behavioural and attitudinal characteristics in common.

Chroma Key Theatre : an examination of similarities and divergences in the use of Green Screen in two experimental theatre works

This paper examines the frame as it contributes to the debate on contemporary intermedial theatre and performance practices in light of increasing astriction between filmic and theatrical discourses. Informed by Auslander (1999), Lehmann (2006), and Giesekam (2007), and through an extrapolation of the tenets Eckersall, Gretchen and Scheer identify in the theory of New Media Dramaturgy, it will analyse two recent works of experimental theatre-making. RUFF (2013), a New York produced solo performance by one of the world’s leading female performers, explores her experiences of having a stroke. Total Dik! (2013), produced in Brisbane, Australia, is an interdisciplinary collaborative performance that examines aspects of dictatorship. They are clearly very different works yet there are a number of significant theatrical similarities in their use of Chroma Key technology and live compositing as material scenic devices. These works overtly and evocatively draw on the cinematic technique and technology of Chroma Key to augment and reveal the tensions and overlaps in their production processes.

Organizations as distinction generating and processing systems : Niklas Luhmann's contribution to organization studies

Niklas Luhmann's theory of social systems has been widely influential in the German-speaking countries in the past few decades. However, despite its significance, particularly for organization studies, it is only very recently that Luhmann's work has attracted attention on the international stage as well. This Special Issue is in response to that. In this introductory paper, we provide a systematic overview of Luhmann's theory. Reading his work as a theory about distinction generating and processing systems, we especially highlight the following aspects: (i) Organizations are processes that come into being by permanently constructing and reconstructing themselves by means of using distinctions, which mark what is part of their realm and what not. (ii) Such an organizational process belongs to a social sphere sui generis possessing its own logic, which cannot be traced back to human actors or subjects. (iii) Organizations are a specific kind of social process characterized by a specific kind of distinction: decision, which makes up what is specifically organizational about organizations as social phenomena. We conclude by introducing the papers in this Special Issue. Copyright © 2006 SAGE.

Development of an electronic role-play assessment initiative in bioscience for nursing students

Devising authentic assessments for subjects with large enrolments is a challenge. This study describes an electronic role-play assessment for approximately 600 first-year nursing students to learn and apply pathophysiology (bioscience) concepts to nursing practice. Students used Microsoft Office PowerPoint® to prepare electronic role-plays both between a nurse and patient, and between two nurses, thus simulating workplace scenarios. Student feedback demonstrated that respondents found this assessment useful for learning pathophysiology, and for applying pathophysiology to a nursing clinical setting. This electronic presentation circumvented issues associated with a traditional oral presentation such as embarrassment and logistics of scheduling groups, and rated well with students of non-English speaking background. The electronic role-play assessment initiative encouraged students to apply their bioscience knowledge to a clinical setting, and allowed students to conceptualise the importance of bioscience within both the nursing degree and the profession.

The applicability of the Precaution Adoption Process Model for understanding self-regulatory driving behaviour among older drivers

1. Introduction The success of self-regulation, in terms of enhancing older drivers’ safety and maintaining their mobility, depends largely upon older drivers’ awareness of the declines in their driving abilities. Therefore, interventions targeted at increasing older drivers’ safety should aim to enhance their awareness of their physical, sensory and cognitive limitations. Moreover, previous research suggests that driving behaviour change may occur through stages and that interventions and feedback may be perceived differently at each stage. 2. Study aims To further understand the process of driving self-regulation among older adults by exploring their perceptions and experiences of self-regulation, using the PAPM as a framework. To investigate the possible impact of feedback on their driving on their decision making process. 3. Methodology Research tool: Qualitative focus groups (n=5 sessions) Recruitment: Posters, media, newspaper advertisement and emails Inclusion criteria: Aged 70 or more, English-speaking, current drivers Participants: Convenience sample of 27 men and women aged 74 to 90 in the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane city, Queensland, Australia. 4. Analysis Thematic analysis was conducted following the process outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006) to identify, analyse and report themes within the data. Four main themes were identified.

Subjective reasons why immigrant patients attend the emergency department

Background Some patients visit a hospital’s emergency department (ED) for reasons other than an urgent medical condition. There is evidence that this practice may differ among patients from different backgrounds. The objective of this study was to examine the reasons why patients from a non-English speaking background (NESB) and patients with an English speaking background but not born in Australia (ESB-NBA) visit the ED, as compared to patients from English-speaking backgrounds but born in Australia (ESB-BA). Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the ED of a tertiary hospital in metropolitan Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Over a four-month period patients who were assigned an Australasian Triage Scale score of 3, 4 or 5 were surveyed. Pearson chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the differences between the ESB and NESB patients’ reported reasons for attending the ED. Results A total of 828 patients participated in this study. Compared to ESB-BA patients NESB patients were less likely to consider contacting a general practitioner (GP) before attending the ED (Odds Ratios (OR) 0.6 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.4–0.8, p < .05) While ESB-NBA were more likely to consider contacting a GP 1.7 (1.1–2.5, p < .05). Both the NESB patients and the ESB-NBA patients were far more likely than ESB-BA patients to report that they had visited the ED either because they do not have a GP (OR 7.9, 95% CI 4.7–13.4, p < .001) and 2.2 (95% CI 1.1–4.4, p < .05) respectively and less likely to think that the ED could deal with their problem better than a GP(OR 0.5 (95% CI 0.3–0.8, p < .05) and 0.7 (0.3–0.9, p < .05) respectively. The NESB patients also thought it would take too long to make an appointment to consult a GP (OR 6.2, 95% CI 3.7–10.4, p < 0.001). Conclusions NESB patients were the least likely to consider contacting a GP before attending hospital EDs. Educational interventions may help direct NESB people to the appropriate health services and therefore reduce the burden on tertiary hospitals ED.

Becoming bilingual: Children’s insights about making friends in bilingual settings

The majority of the world speaks more than one language yet the impact of learning a second language has rarely been studied from a child’s perspective. This paper describes monolingual children’s insights into becoming bilingual at four time points: two months before moving to another country (while living in Australia), as well as one, six, and twelve months after moving to Germany. The participants were two monolingual English-speaking siblings (a male aged 7- to 8-years and a female aged 9- to 10-years) who subsequently learned to speak German. At each of the four time points, interviews were undertaken with each child using child-friendly drawing and questionnaire techniques. Three themes were identified: (1) the children’s awareness of language competence; (2) inclusion factors, and; (3) exclusion factors that influenced friendship formation. The impact of language ability on making friends was a dominant theme that arose across the four time points and was triangulated across data collection methods. The children made friends with others who had similar language competence in German, even though they were younger, and did not share the same first language. Age-matched peers who were more competent in German were less likely to be described as friends. Across all three themes, the playground was highlighted by both children as the key site where becoming bilingual most strongly impacted initiation and negotiation of friendships. Becoming bilingual impacted the children’s friendship formation and socialization opportunities with more competent language users.

Rethinking Early Childhood Education and Care: Implications for Research and Evaluation

Research in disadvantaged populations demonstrates that the effect of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programs can reach into adulthood and influence a wide range of achievement and social well-being outcomes. In English-speaking developed economies, these findings have sparked new perceptions of the role ECEC programs play in both the public and private sphere. Programs that achieve improved learning and social well-being for children are seen as an investment for both individuals and society. Yet, the empirical understanding of what programs best deliver positive outcomes across the diversity of social contexts is limited. A key research task is to identify the forms of ECEC that are most effective in delivering enduring and broad positive outcomes for all children. This article explores changing policy conceptualizations of ECEC, the outcome goals of ECEC, and directions for research in identifying quality in ECEC programs.

The Fashion Studies Book

The Fashion Book is an exciting, readable and comprehensive, all-in-one resource for students of fashion across the English-speaking world. It is designed as an introduction to fashion studies that can be used in a range of fashion courses from fashion studies degrees to fashion modules, and majors in disciplines including cultural studies, cultural sociology, cultural geography, communications and media, anthropology and cultural history. The book will present current writings and research on major topics debates in fashion studies drawing on the literature on fashion theory and incorporating many global case studies (as easy-to-read boxed material). Graphs, tables and diagrams will add texture to the written material. Approximately 200 colour images are planned to generously illustrate the historical and the contemporary tapestry of fashion. A dedicated interactive website will complement the text and ensure that students are in touch with the latest news, issues and trends.

Enhancing ethical data translation in educational qualitative research

Many educational researchers conducting studies in non-English speaking settings attempt to report on their project in English to boost their scholarly impact. It requires preparing and presenting translations of data collected from interviews and observations. This paper discusses the process and ethical considerations involved in this invisible methodological phase. The process includes activities prior to data analysis and to its presentation to be undertaken by the bilingual researcher as translator in order to convey participants’ original meanings as well as to establish and fulfil translation ethics. This paper offers strategies to address such issues; the most appropriate translation method for qualitative study; and approaches to address political issues when presenting such data.

A cultural assessment of family dispute resolution: Findings about access, retention and outcomes from the evaluation of a Family Relationship Centre

The cultural appropriateness of human service processes is a major factor in determining the effectiveness of their delivery. Sensitivity to issues of culture is particularly critical in dealing with family disputes, which are generally highly emotive and require difficult decisions to be made regarding children, material assets and ongoing relationships. In this article we draw on findings from an evaluation of the Family Relationship Centre at Broadmeadows (FRCB) to offer some insights into and suggestions about managing cultural matters in the current practice of family dispute resolution (FDR) in Australia. The brief for the original research was to evaluate the cultural appropriateness of FDR services offered to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities living within the FRCB’s catchment area, specifically members of the Lebanese, Turkish and Iraqi communities. The conclusions of the evaluations were substantially positive. The work of the Centre was found to illustrate many aspects of best practice but also raised questions worthy of future exploration. The current article reports on issues of access, retention and outcomes obtained by CALD clients at various stages of the FRCB service.