Teachers' attitudes towards the gifted : the importance of professional development and school culture

Given that teachers have one of the most significant influences on the educational development of gifted students, reports of negative attitudes and beliefs in popular myths about giftedness are cause for concern. It is important to understand teachers’ attitudes and beliefs to implement effective training and educational practices to improve education for gifted students. This study explored the attitudes of Australian primary school teachers (N = 126) towards intellectually gifted children and their education at eight schools. These schools could be categorised into four different classifications in regards to their involvement in gifted education. Key findings include significant associations between teachers’ attitudes and their school classifications (p < .001), and their participation in gifted and talented education inservice training (p < .001). Findings from this study suggest that further teacher training and school-wide involvement in gifted education may assist in improving attitudes towards intellectually gifted children and their education.

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs towards injury prevention : a population based telephone survey

Public knowledge and beliefs about injury prevention are currently poorly understood. A total of 1030 residents in the State of Queensland, Australia responded to questions about injury prevention in or around the home, on the roads, in or on the water, at work, deliberate injury, and responsibility for preventing deliberate injury allowing comparison with published injury prevalence data. Overall the youngest members of society were identified as being the most vulnerable to deliberate injury with young adults accounting for 59% of responses aligning with published data. However, younger adults failed to indicate an awareness of their own vulnerability to deliberate injury in alcohol environments even though 61% of older respondents were aware of this trend. Older respondents were the least inclined to agree that they could make a difference to their own safety in or around the home but were more inclined to agree that they could make a difference to their own safety at work. The results are discussed with a view to using improved awareness of public beliefs about injury to identify barriers to the uptake of injury prevention strategies (e.g. low perceived injury risk) as well as areas where injury prevention strategies may receive public support.

Teachers reporting child sexual abuse : towards evidence-based reform of law, policy and practice

This report presents the results of the largest study ever conducted into the law, policy and practice of primary school teachers’ reporting of child sexual abuse in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. The study included the largest Australian survey of teachers about reporting sexual abuse, in both government and non-government schools (n=470). Our research has produced evidence-based findings to enhance law, policy and practice about teachers’ reporting of child sexual abuse. The major benefits of our findings and recommendations are to: • Show how the legislation in each State can be improved; • Show how the policies in government and non-government school sectors can be improved; and • Show how teacher training can be improved. These improvements can enhance the already valuable contribution that teachers are making to identify cases of child sexual abuse. Based on the findings of our research, this report proposes solutions to issues in seven key areas of law, policy and practice. These solutions are relevant for State Parliaments, government and non-government educational authorities, and child protection departments. The solutions in each State are practicable, low-cost, and align with current government policy approaches. Implementing these solutions will: • protect more children from sexual abuse; • save cost to governments and society; • develop a professional teacher workforce better equipped for their child protection role; and • protect government and school authorities from legal liability.

Parental beliefs about supervising children when crossing roads and cycling

Pedestrian and cyclist injuries are significant public health issues together accounting for 11-30% of road deaths in highly motorised countries. Children are particularly at risk. In Australia in 2009 children 0-16 years comprised 11.4% of pedestrian deaths and 6.4% of cyclist deaths. Parental attitudes and level of supervision are important to children’s road safety. Results from a telephone survey with parents of children 5-9 years (N=147) are reported. Questions addressed beliefs about preventability of injury, appropriate ages for children to cross the road or cycle independently, and the frequency of holding 5-9 year old children’s hands while crossing the road. Results suggest that parents believe most injuries are preventable and that they personally can act to improve their own safety in the home, on the road, at work, as well as in or on the water. Most parents (68%) indicated children should be 10 years or older before crossing the road or cycling independently. Parents were more likely to report holding younger children’s hands (5-6 years) when crossing the road and less likely to do so for 7-9 year olds. There was a small effect of child gender, with parents more likely to hold boy’s hand than a girl’s.

Combining the parts to make the whole : integrated child and family services in Queensland

Over the past decade, the promotion of 'integrated child and family services' has emerged as a strong and consistent theme within Australian early childhood policy. Fuelling this trend is the belief that integrated service provision is more responsive to holistic family needs, offering better support to parents and thereby promoting better outcomes for young children. Adding further strength is the prevention and early intervention literature, and suggested social and economic benefits of 'effective' early years services and supports. States and territories are introducing new integrated child and family service models and Reflections is continuing to profile these. In this edition, we look at directions and new service models in Queensland, in particular, the new Early Years Centre service model.

Promoting child protection : early childhood education and care services playing their part

Over recent years, there has been a shift in government social policy in Australia toward interest and investment in family support, prevention and early intervention. Central to this new approach to supporting families and promoting better outcomes for children is the development of a continuum of services able to respond to different and changing family needs. This continuum or integrated service system seeks to better connect key human services, such as health, child care, education and family support. This paper explores the role of early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in promoting child protection and strengthening the safety and wellbeing of children.

The problem child in Australian patent law : "fair" basing

The concept of "fair basing" is widely acknowledged as a difficult area of patent law. This article maps the development of fair basing law to demonstrate how some of the difficulties have arisen. Part I of the article traces the development of the branches of patent law that were swept under the nomenclature of "fair basing" by British legislation in 1949. It looks at the early courts' approach to patent construction, examines the early origin of fair basing and what it was intended to achiever. Part II of the article considers the modern interpretation of fair basing, which provides a striking contrast to its historical context. Without any consistent judicial approach to construction the doctrine has developed inappropriately, giving rise to both over-strict and over-generous approaches.

Does the fair basing "problem child" escape Lockwood?

In an earlier article the concept of fair basing in Australian patent law was described as a "problem child", often unruly and unpredictable in practice, but nevertheless understandable and useful in policy terms. The article traced the development of several different branches of patent law that were swept under the nomenclature of "fair basing" in Britain in 1949. It then went on to examine the adoption of fair basis into Australian law, the modern interpretation of the requirement, and its problems. This article provides an update. After briefly recapping on the relevant historical issues, it examines the recent Lockwood "internal" fair basing case in the Federal and High Courts.

Attitudes towards inclusion : gaps between belief and practice

General education teachers in the Republic of Korea were investigated regarding their participation in programs to include students with disabilities in general education settings. Previous studies have shown that even general education teachers with positive attitudes towards inclusion are reluctant in practice to have students with disabilities in their classrooms. This study examines 33 Korean general education teachers from three primary schools in Seoul regarding their attitudes towards, and willingness to accommodate, the needs of a student with a disability. The results show that 41.37% of general education teachers had positive attitudes towards inclusion programs, while 55.16% were unwilling to actually participate. Quantitative data obtained through a questionnaire was supplemented by qualitative data obtained through interviews. The interviews focused on the positive and negative effects of inclusion, as well as problems in implementing inclusive education programs. The findings will be discussed in the light of previous international research and will highlight links between the age and teaching experience of general education teachers and their negative attitudes towards inclusion.

Interaction between disinhibition and restraint: Implications for body weight and eating disturbance

An increase in obesity is usually accompanied by an increase in eating disturbances. Susceptibility to these states may arise from different combinations of underlying traits: Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) Restraint and Disinhibition. Two studies were conducted to examine the interaction between these traits; one on-line study (n=351) and one laboratory-based study (n=120). Participants completed a battery of questionnaires and provided self-report measures of body weight and physical activity. A combination of high Disinhibition and high Restraint was associated with a problematic eating behaviour profile (EAT-26), and a higher rate of smoking and alcohol consumption. A combination of high Disinhibition and low Restraint was associated with a higher susceptibility to weight gain and a higher sedentary behaviour. These data show that different combinations of Disinhibition and Restraint are associated with distinct weight and behaviour outcomes.