Geography and international assessment: Opportunity or distraction

Assessments of students in primary and secondary education are debated among practitioners, policy-makers, and parents. In some countries, assessment scores serve a criterion for passage between levels of education, for example, from secondary school to post-secondary education. Those practices are often traditions and while they come under criticism, they are a long-accepted part of the educational practices within a country. In those countries, the students’ assessment and examination scores are posted in public places or published in local news media. In other countries, assessments are used for the periodic checks on individual student progress. The results of assessments may be used for rating schools, and in some cases, they are used for evaluating the performance of teachers. Assessments are used less often to analyze student performance and make judgments regarding the performance of the curriculum. Even less often, assessments serve to critically establish strategies for the improvement of student learning and educational practices. The ends on the continuum of the assessment debate often focus on the opportunities that assessments present to improve education on one end. The other end is that assessments serve as a major distraction from the important work of teachers by removing classroom room time from instruction. The debate on those issues continues.

International trends in the implementation of assessment for learning: Implications for policy and practice

This paper discusses the emergence of assessment for learning (AfL) across the globe with particular attention given to Western educational jurisdictions. Authors from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, and the USA explain the genesis of AfL, its evolution and impact on school systems, and discuss current trends in policy directions for AfL within their respective countries. The authors also discuss the implications of these various shifts and the ongoing tensions that exist between AfL and summative forms of assessment within national policy initiatives.

Field and Service Robotics: Results of the 9th International Conference

The Field and Service Robotics (FSR) conference is a single track conference with a specific focus on field and service applications of robotics technology. The goal of FSR is to report and encourage the development of field and service robotics. These are non-factory robots, typically mobile, that must operate in complex and dynamic environments. Typical field robotics applications include mining, agriculture, building and construction, forestry, cargo handling and so on. Field robots may operate on the ground (of Earth or planets), under the ground, underwater, in the air or in space. Service robots are those that work closely with humans, importantly the elderly and sick, to help them with their lives. The first FSR conference was held in Canberra, Australia, in 1997. Since then the meeting has been held every 2 years in Asia, America, Europe and Australia. It has been held in Canberra, Australia (1997), Pittsburgh, USA (1999), Helsinki, Finland (2001), Mount Fuji, Japan (2003), Port Douglas, Australia (2005), Chamonix, France (2007), Cambridge, USA (2009), Sendai, Japan (2012) and most recently in Brisbane, Australia (2013). This year we had 54 submissions of which 36 were selected for oral presentation. The organisers would like to thank the international committee for their invaluable contribution in the review process ensuring the overall quality of contributions. The organising committee would also like to thank Ben Upcroft, Felipe Gonzalez and Aaron McFadyen for helping with the organisation and proceedings. and proceedings. The conference was sponsored by the Australian Robotics and Automation Association (ARAA), CSIRO, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Defence Science and Technology Organisation Australia (DSTO) and the Rio Tinto Centre for Mine Automation, University of Sydney.

How does Australian diabetic foot screening rate on an international Stage?

Background From the conservative estimates of registrants with the National Diabetes Supply Scheme, we will be soon passing 1.1 Million Australians affected by all types of diabetes. The diabetes complications of foot ulceration and amputation are costly to all. These costs can be reduced with appropriate prevention strategies, starting with identifying people at risk through primary care diabetic foot screening. However, levels of diabetic foot screening in Australia are difficult to quantify. Methods This presentation reports on foot screening rates as recorded in the academic literature, national health surveys and national database reports. The focus is on type 1 and type 2 diabetes in adults, and not gestational diabetes or children. Literature searches included diabetic foot screening that occurred in the primary care setting for populations over 2000 people from 2002 to 2014. Searches were performed using Medline and CINAHL as well as internet searches of OECD health databases. The primary outcome measure was foot -screening rates as a percentage of adult diabetic population. Results The lack of a national diabetes database and register hampers efforts to analyse diabetic foot screening levels. The most recent and accurate level for Australian population review was in the AUSDIAB (Australian Diabetes and lifestyle survey) from 2004. This survey reported screening in primary care to be as low as 50%. Countries such as the United Kingdom and United States of America report much higher rates of foot screening (67-88%) using national databases and web based initiatives that involve patients and clinicians. Conclusions Australian rates of diabetic foot screening in primary care centres is ambiguous. Uptake of national registers, incentives and web based systems improve levels of diabetic foot assessment which are the first steps to a healthier diabetic population.

The ethics of corporate governance: A (South)African perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the developments in South African corporate governance since the end of apartheid, with a view to identifying themes and points of convergence and/or divergence with other models. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a critical review of South African corporate governance in the context of political and economic developments. Where relevant, aspects of corporate governance theory (in particular the stakeholder and shareholder debate) are considered in the South African context. Findings – South African corporate governance can be seen to broadly follow Anglo‐American examples with the notable exception of the stakeholder approach of the two King reports. This approach emphasises the responsibilities of companies to various stakeholders and encourages stakeholder engagement as an integral element of company strategy. There has not, however, been any substantial incorporation of stakeholder interests into formal corporate governance structures such as board structure and financial reporting. Practical implications – The ongoing consideration of corporate governance developments in South Africa is important for its continued development in the country and the region. Originality/value – A review of South African corporate governance is timely given the probable release of the third King report in 2009, together with new company legislation.

Bone-anchored prosthesis: Update in international developments

This symposium will provide hand-on update on the current development of the load sensors measuring the inner prosthetic loading that can strongly contribute the ever increasing demand for evidence-based clinical practice. Surgical implantations of osseointegrated fixations for bone-anchored prosthesis are developing at an unprecedented pace worldwide (e.g., Australia, UK, Sweden, US). This option is becoming accessible to a wide range of individuals with limb loss. With these new developments come new potential challenges and opportunities for all the stakeholders involved in the prosthetic care of these patients. Clearly, there is a need for those stakeholders, particularly those attending the ISPO, to be informed of the current and upcoming international developments in bone-anchored prostheses. The objectives of this symposium will be: • To present an overview of the current growth of the procedures worldwide (e.g., identification of key players, centers of activities, growth trend) with a strong focus on the introduction of the framework to evaluate the availability of the procedure at national level (e.g., number of patients treated, range of the levels of implantation, number of commercial fixations accessible), • To provide first-hand updates on the latest cutting-edge scientific and clinical developments of fixations and rehabilitations programs (e.g., Innovative design of implant, cost-effectiveness, long-terms rehabilitation outcomes for screw-type fixation, current developments in US, comparative analysis for press-fit type of implant, potential moves toward single-stage surgeries).

Examining the role of wine brand love on brand loyalty: A multi-country comparison

This study develops and tests a model through a multi-country study that considers consumer wine knowledge and wine experience, wine brand trust and wine brand satisfaction as antecedents of wine brand love, and wine brand loyalty as a consequence of wine brand love. Data were collected in five wine-producing countries (Australia, Chile, France, Mexico and Portugal) with a final sample of 3462 completed surveys. Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling and the findings confirm the importance of brand love as both a mediator and direct influence on brand loyalty for wine consumers. Furthermore, brand satisfaction was positively and significantly related to brand love. In addition, wine experience, rather than wine knowledge, positively influenced brand trust and satisfaction. Finally, results also identify differences between countries thereby providing insights into how companies should focus their marketing strategies internationally.

International students' perceptions of their experience of higher education in Australia: A focus on Saudi Arabian students in their first year of a business course in a major Australian university

This study examined perceptions of international students from Saudi Arabia living and studying in Australia. As a qualitative study that featured case study methodology, the thesis discusses the experiences of Saudi Arabian students in the light of two important factors: students' expectations prior to coming to Australia and the impact of intercultural competency on students' experiences. The study found that while study participants reported mostly positive experiences, there were challenges faced such as coping with English language and culture shock. The thesis culminates in a comprehensive list of implications for educators in the light of the study's findings.

An international comparison of the continuing professional development process (CPD) in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom

Background: The Pharmacy Board of Australia stipulated that for renewal of registration, pharmacists must have accrued a minimum of 20 CPD credits over the 2010-11 registration years (1). Mandatory CPD is not new in Pharmacy. The UK and New Zealand have both established systems of CPD in recent years. The purpose of this study is to investigate established CPD processes in the UK and New Zealand with the view to making recommendations for the implementation of the CPD process in Australia. Objectives: To compare the acquisition and guidance on documentation of CPD credit points in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Methodology: A comparative online search of the websites of each of the registering authorities was undertaken. Any practice standards or guidelines which relate to registration or continuing professional development were analysed and compared. Results: In New Zealand the Pharmacy Council require Pharmacists to have a minimum of 12 outcome credits over a 3-year period for recertification (2, 3). The outcome credit related to each CPD action and is based on relevance to the pharmacist and their practice. It is graded between one, for CPD which has occasional relevance to practice and three which have considerable relevance to practice. There are examples of completed CPD recording sheets on their website (8). In the UK, The General Pharmaceutical Council require Pharmacists to make a minimum of nine CPD entries per year (4) and detailed guidance on how to record CPD activities is provided (5,7). The Pharmacy Board of Australia divides CPD activities into three groups (6). Of the 20 credits required annually only 10 can be gained from group one activities, which is information accessed without assessment. There is only brief guidance on the recording of CPD. Discussion: The GPhC in the UK provided the most comprehensive guidance on acquisition of CPD credit points and documentation (5,7) The Pharmacy Council of New Zealand made CPD points relevant to practice.(2,8) The Pharmacy Board of Australia provided limited information for pharmacists on CPD activities, which may impede pharmacist participation. Information may assist in increasing pharmacists’ engagement in CPD activities. In conclusion, there is variation between the three countries in the amount and type of information provided about CPD requirements.

Typologies and touchpoints: Designing multi-channel digital strategies

Purpose This study aims to gain a clearer understanding of digital channel design. The emergence of new technologies has revolutionised the way companies interact and engage with customers. The driver for this research was the suggestion that practitioners feel they do not possess the skills to understand and exploit new digital channel opportunities. To gain a clearer understanding of digital channel design, this paper addresses the research question: What digital channels do companies from a wide range of industries and sectors use? Design/methodology/approach A content analysis of 100 international companies was conducted with multiple data sources to form a typology of digital “touchpoints”. The appropriateness of a digital channel typology for this study was for developing rigorous and useful concepts for clarifying and refining the meaning of digital channels. Findings This study identifies what digital channels companies globally currently employ and explores the related needs across industries. A total of 34 digital touchpoints and 4 typologies of digital channels were identified across 16 industries. This research helps to identify the relationship between digital channels and enabling the connections with industry. Research limitations/implications The findings contribute to the growing research area of digital channels. The typology of digital channels is a useful starting point for developing a systematic, theory-based study for enabling the development of broader, comprehensive theories of digital channels. Practical implications Typologies and touchpoints are outlined in relation to industry, company objectives and customer needs to allow businesses to seize opportunities and optimise performance through individual touchpoints. A digital channel model as a key outcome of this research guides practitioners on what touchpoint to implement through an interrelated understanding of industry, company and customer needs. Originality/value This is the first paper to explore a range of industries in relation to their use of digital channels using a unique content analysis. Contributions include clarifying and refining digital channel meaning; identifying and refining the hierarchical relations among digital channels(typologies); and establishing typology and industry relationship model.

Design intersection: The growth of community-led technology enabled companies

The sharing economy or collaborative consumption based firms have the potential to disrupt long-standing traditional industries. However, little is known on the topic, specifically the role of design in these successful community-led, technology enable firms. It is the proposition of this research that the intrinsic innovation of collaborative consumption firms is not merely a technological one. With successful firms being identified by being able to marry both technological advancement and human insight on product meaning. Therefore, the authors suggest the use of design as an effective way to capitalise and build on product meaning, not only technological advancements in order to foster the growth of a community. To explore this further, the research team decided to investigate two fast growing examples of industry disrupting, sharing economy businesses; Airbnb and Uber. Of the two cases, the use of design was found to be more evident within, Airbnb, due to wide profession of using design techniques. Each case study has been mapped on Guenther’s (2012) framework of techno-economic innovation to help illustrate this marriage of innovation agendas. This paper explored the role of design in community-led companies by presenting an argument for why they have succeeded due to an understanding of human need and key market trends, instead of only technological innovation alone. Findings and implication of these case studies suggest the future role of design as a method to achieve this success. Built on the core tenants of design thinking, these techniques rationalise technology, human needs and business viability to product innovative solutions. Upon these findings, the research team has created a new framework for understanding community-led technology enabled companies, one that builds upon the work of Guenther’s (2012) model of enterprise design innovation. This paper is the first step in a new research agenda.

Customer-driven innovation: Digital channels and community

This study investigates the role of digital channels in community-led businesses by exploring two case study companies, Uber and Airbnb. At present, these community-led businesses are disrupting traditional industries by connecting with customers via digital channels and facilitating transactions between two parties. A deductive structured qualitative content analysis approach utilising a predetermined categorization matrix was implemented to decipher the digital channels used by both companies. The results discovered that both company’s digital channels push the customer to their core channel, allowing, customers to create their own physical, largely self-governed communities. However, little research exists which explores and analyses the role of digital channels in forming community-led businesses. Therefore, this paper aims to instigate future research and discussion in this emerging area by concluding with future research agendas.

2nd International Workshop on Secure and Privacy-Aware Information Management in eHealth

Information security and privacy in the healthcare domain is a complex and challenging problem for computer scientists, social scientists, law experts and policy makers. Appropriate healthcare provision requires specialized knowledge, is information intensive and much patient information is of a particularly sensitive nature. Electronic health record systems provide opportunities for information sharing which may enhance healthcare services, for both individuals and populations. However, appropriate information management measures are essential for privacy preservation...

International regulatory framework for food production and diversity

Stakeholders commonly agree that food systems need to be urgently reformed. Yet, how food systems should be reformed is extremely contested. Public international law and regulations are uniquely placed to influence and guide law, policy, programmes and action at regional, national and local levels. Although plenty of international legal instruments intersect with food-related issues, the international regulation of food systems is fragmented, understudied and contested. In order to address these issues, this paper maps and analyses the public international regulatory aspects of food production with a view to providing recommendations for reform. Accordingly, this paper brings together a variety of binding and non-binding international regulatory instruments that to varying degrees and from a range of angles deals with the first activity in the food system: food production. The following paper traces the regulatory tools from natural resources, to the farmers and farm workers that apply skill and experience, and finally to the different dimension of world trade in food. The various regulatory instruments identified, and their collective whole, will be analysed against a rights-based approach to food security.

Establishing international networks: The internationalisation of Calleija Jewellers and their partnership with the exclusive Aston Martin

Calleija, a small to medium sized (SME) Australian and internationally recognised fine jeweller has secured a significant strategic global partnership with one of the world’s best-known luxury automobile brands, Aston Martin. Forging this international relationship to produce an elegant fine jewellery collection has given rise to a new network between the Australian jewellery industry and the European automobile industry. Calleija’s exclusive association with Aston Martin consolidates a shared passion for the finest quality and craftsmanship which was inspired by Aston Martin’s Supercar, the One-77. This inspiration lead to John Calleija being chosen by Aston Martin to design this latest high-luxury offering in which each design is limited to only 77 pieces utilising 30 unique designs (Calleija, 2012). The story behind Calleija’s internationalisation to the United Kingdom (UK) and their subsequent business-to-business strategic partnership with Aston Martin is no doubt a good sign for the Australian jewellery industry.