Digital design communication : measuring learner technological prowess and self-efficacy in problem resolution

Currently the Bachelor of Design is the generic degree offered to the four disciplines of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Industrial Design, and Interior Design within the School of Design at the Queensland University of Technology. Regardless of discipline, Digital Communication is a core unit taken by the 600 first year students entering the Bachelor of Design degree. Within the design disciplines the communication of the designer's intentions is achieved primarily through the use of graphic images, with written information being considered as supportive or secondary. As such, Digital Communication attempts to educate learners in the fundamentals of this graphic design communication, using a generic digital or software tool. Past iterations of the unit have not acknowledged the subtle difference in design communication of the different design disciplines involved, and has used a single generic software tool. Following a review of the unit in 2008, it was decided that a single generic software tool was no longer entirely sufficient. This decision was based on the recognition that there was an increasing emergence of discipline specific digital tools, and an expressed student desire and apparent aptitude to learn these discipline specific tools. As a result the unit was reconstructed in 2009 to offer both discipline specific and generic software instruction, if elected by the student. This paper, apart from offering the general context and pedagogy of the existing and restructured units, will more importantly offer research data that validates the changes made to the unit. Most significant of this new data is the results of surveys that authenticate actual student aptitude versus desire in learning discipline specific tools. This is done through an exposure of student self efficacy in problem resolution and technological prowess - generally and specifically within the unit. More traditional means of validation is also presented that includes the results of the generic university-wide Learning Experience Survey of the unit, as well as a comparison between the assessment results of the restructured unit versus the previous year.

The effectiveness of marketing communication within the immersive environment

Immersive environments are part of a recent media innovation that allow users to become so involved within a computer-based simulated environment that they feel part of that virtual world (Grigorovici, 2003). A specific example is Second Life, which is an internet-based, three-dimensional immersive virtual world in which users create an online representation of themselves (an avatar) to play games and interact socially with thousands of people simultaneously. This study focuses on Second Life as an example of an immersive environment, as it is the largest adult freeform virtual world, home to 12 million avatars (IOWA State University, 2008). Already in Second Life there are more than 100 real-life brands from a range of industries, including automotive, professional services, and consumer goods and travel, among others (KZero, 2007; New Business Horizons, 2009). Compared to traditional advertising media, this interactive media can immerse users in the environment. As a result of this interactivity, users can become more involved with a virtual environment, resulting in prolonged usage over weeks, months and even years. Also, it can facilitate presence. Despite these developments, little is known about the effectiveness of marketing messages in a virtual world context. Marketers are incorporating products into Second Life using a strategy of online product placement. This study, therefore, explores the perceived effectiveness of online product placement in Second Life in terms of effects on product/brand recall, purchase intentions and trial. This research examines the association between individuals’ involvement with Second Life and online product placement effectiveness, as well as the relationship between individuals’ Second Life involvement and the effectiveness of online product placement. In addition, it investigates the association of immersion and product placement involvement. It also examines the impact of product placement involvement on online product placement effectiveness and the role of presence in affecting this relationship. An exploratory study was conducted for this research using semi-structured in-depth interviews face-to-face, email-based and in-world. The sample comprised 24 active Second Life users. Results indicate that product placement effectiveness is not directly associated with Second Life involvement, but rather effectiveness is impacted through the effect of Second Life involvement on product placement involvement. A positive relationship was found between individuals’ product placement involvement and online product placement effectiveness. Findings also indicate that online product placement effectiveness is not directly associated with immersion. Rather, it appears that effectiveness is impacted through the effect of immersion on product placement involvement. Moreover, higher levels of presence appear to have a positive impact on the relationship between product placement involvement and product placement effectiveness. Finally, a model was developed from this qualitative study for future testing. In terms of theoretical contributions, this study provides a new model for testing the effectiveness of product placement within immersive environments. From a methodological perspective, in-world interviews as a new research method were undertaken. In terms of a practical contribution, findings identified useful information for marketers and advertising agencies that aim to promote their products in immersive virtual environments like Second Life.

Development of a Systematic Approach to Assessing Quality within Australian Residential Aged Care Facilities: The Clinical Care Indicators Tool

Recent years have seen the introduction of formalised accreditation processes in both community and residential aged care, but these only partially address quality assessment within this sector. Residential aged care in Australia does not yet have a standardised system of resident assessment related to clinical, rather than administrative, outcomes. This paper describes the development of a quality assessment tool aimed at addressing this gap. Utilising previous research and the results of nominal groups with experts in the field, the 21-item Clinical Care Indicators (CCI) Tool for residential aged care was developed and trialled nationally. The CCI Tool was found to be simple to use and an effective means of collecting data on the state of resident health and care, with potential benefits for resident care planning and continuous quality improvement within facilities and organisations. The CCI Tool was further refined through a small intervention study to assess its utility as a quality improvement instrument and to investigate its relationship with resident quality of life. The current version covers 23 clinical indicators, takes about 30 minutes to complete and is viewed favourably by nursing staff who use it. Current work focuses on psychometric analysis and benchmarking, which should enable the CCI Tool to make a positive contribution to the measurement of quality in aged care in Australia.

Audit of the Care of the Dying in a Network of Hospitals and Institutions in Queensland

Background: Most Australians die in institutions and there is evidence to suggest that the care of these patients is not always optimal. Care pathways for the dying have been designed to transfer benchmarked hospice care to other settings (e.g. acute hospitals and residential age-care facilities) by defining goals of best care, providing guidelines to provide that care and documenting outcome. Method: A retrospective audit was undertaken across a network of health-care institutions in Queensland. The 18 goals considered essential for the care of the dying within the Liverpool Care Pathway were taken as a benchmark. Documentation of achievement of each of these goals was sought. Results: The notes of 160 patients who had died in eight institutions (four hospitals, three hospices, one nursing home) were reviewed. Several areas for improvement were identified, particularly in those goals relating to communication, resuscitation orders and care after death. Few units documented the provision of written information to families. Most patients were prescribed medications in anticipation of pain and agitation but less were prescribed drugs for other common symptoms in the dying. Most of the goals were achieved in a higher percentage of cases in hospice units. Marked differences in practice were noted between different institutions. Conclusion: The audit identified several aspects in the care of the terminally ill that could be improved. End-stage pathways may provide a model for improving the care of patients dying in hospitals and institutions in Australia.

IT-enhanced communication protocols for building project management

Purpose – Building project management requires real time flow of information between all the project team members or the supply chain members. In the present scenario, when project participants are geographically separated, adoption of Information Communication Technology (ICT) enables such effective communication. But strategic adoption of ICT requires that all the supply chain members follow the accepted methods of communication or the communication protocols. The majority of the construction organizations are small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This research, therefore, proposes to focus on developing IT-enhanced communication protocols for building project management by SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – The research adopts a sequential mixed methods approach, where data collection and analysis are conducted in both the quantitative and qualitative phases of research. Findings – The protocols are proposed as a “Strategic Model for Enhancing ICT Diffusion in Building Projects”. The framework for the model is discussed at three levels of study, i.e industry, organization, and people. Practical implications – While the research was conducted in an Indian context, the research outcome is envisaged to be widely applicable in other countries with due considerations. Originality/value – The developed framework has implications for national level bodies and academic institutions, organizations, people or project managers and is applicable at the international level after due considerations.

A naturalistic inquiry of registered nurses' perspectives and expectations of psychodynamic therapeutic care in acute psychiatric inpatient facilities

Within contemporary inpatient mental health nursing practice, the psychodynamic model of care considered previously to be central to the nurse-patient relationship now seems a radical concept. It appears to exist only within primary care facilities and public health care practice settings. This naturalistic inquiry aimed to explicate mental health nurses' perspectives and expectations of providing psychodynamic therapeutic care in acute inpatient psychiatric facilities. Ten registered nurses working in acute inpatient mental health facilities were interviewed. Five themes emerged: a career for life, relating in a psychodynamic manner, swimming against the current, adopting a position of difference, and hopeful expectancy.

Modelling the process of dialogic communication in public relations: a role-based approach

This paper takes Kent and Taylor’s (2002) call to develop a dialogic theory of public relations and suggests that a necessary first step is the modelling of the process of dialogic communication in public relations. In order to achieve this, extant literature from a range of fields is reviewed, seeking to develop a definition of dialogic communication that is meaningful to the practice of contemporary public relations. A simple transmission model of communication is used as a starting point. This is synthesised with concepts relating specifically to dialogue, taken here in its broadest sense rather than defined as any one particular outcome. The definition that emerges from this review leads to the conclusion that dialogic communication in public relations involves the interaction of three roles – those of sender, receiver, and responder. These three roles are shown to be adopted at different times by both participants involved in dialogic communication. It is further suggested that variations occur in how these roles are conducted: the sender and receiver roles can be approached in a passive or an active way, while the responder role can be classified as being either resistant or responsive to the information received in dialogic communication. The final modelling of the definition derived provides a framework which can be tested in the field to determine whether variations in the conduct of the roles in dialogic communication actually exist, and if so, whether they can be linked to the different types of outcome from dialogic communication identified previously in the literature.

Improved power sharing among distributed generators using web based communication

This paper investigates the possibility of power sharing improvements amongst distributed generators with low cost, low bandwidth communications. Decentralized power sharing or power management can be improved significantly with low bandwidth communication. Utility intranet or a dedicated web based communication can serve the purpose. The effect of network parameter such line impedance, R/X ratio on decentralized power sharing can be compensated with correction in the decentralized control reference quantities through the low bandwidth communication. In this paper, the possible improvement is demonstrated in weak system condition, where the micro sources and the loads are not symmetrical along the rural microgrid with high R/X ratio line, creates challenge for decentralized control. In those cases the web based low bandwidth communication is economic and justified than costly advance high bandwidth communication.

New Media and Public Communication: Mapping Australian User-Created Content in Online Social Networks

Presentation describling a project in data intensive research in the humanities. Measuring activity of publically available data in social networks such as Blogosphere, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube