A threshold concepts focus to curriculum design: supporting student learning through application of variation theory

This project develops and evaluates a model of curriculum design that aims to assist student learning of foundational disciplinary ‘Threshold Concepts’. The project uses phenomenographic action research, cross-institutional peer collaboration and the Variation Theory of Learning to develop and trial the model. Two contrasting disciplines (Physics and Law) and four institutions (two research-intensive and two universities of technology) were involved in the project, to ensure broad applicability of the model across different disciplines and contexts. The Threshold Concepts that were selected for curriculum design attention were measurement uncertainty in Physics and legal reasoning in Law. Threshold Concepts are key disciplinary concepts that are inherently troublesome, transformative and integrative in nature. Once understood, such concepts transform students’ views of the discipline because they enable students to coherently integrate what were previously seen as unrelated aspects of the subject, providing new ways of thinking about it (Meyer & Land 2003, 2005, 2006; Land et al. 2008). However, the integrative and transformative nature of such threshold concepts make them inherently difficult for students to learn, with resulting misunderstandings of concepts being prevalent...

Estimating present day extreme water level exceedance probabilities around the coastline of Australia : tides, extra-tropical storm surges and mean sea level

The occurrence of extreme water levels along low-lying, highly populated and/or developed coastlines can lead to considerable loss of life and billions of dollars of damage to coastal infrastructure. Therefore it is vitally important that the exceedance probabilities of extreme water levels are accurately evaluated to inform risk-based flood management, engineering and future land-use planning. This ensures the risk of catastrophic structural failures due to under-design or expensive wastes due to over-design are minimised. This paper estimates for the first time present day extreme water level exceedence probabilities around the whole coastline of Australia. A high-resolution depth averaged hydrodynamic model has been configured for the Australian continental shelf region and has been forced with tidal levels from a global tidal model and meteorological fields from a global reanalysis to generate a 61-year hindcast of water levels. Output from this model has been successfully validated against measurements from 30 tide gauge sites. At each numeric coastal grid point, extreme value distributions have been fitted to the derived time series of annual maxima and the several largest water levels each year to estimate exceedence probabilities. This provides a reliable estimate of water level probabilities around southern Australia; a region mainly impacted by extra-tropical cyclones. However, as the meteorological forcing used only weakly includes the effects of tropical cyclones, extreme water level probabilities are underestimated around the western, northern and north-eastern Australian coastline. In a companion paper we build on the work presented here and more accurately include tropical cyclone-induced surges in the estimation of extreme water level. The multi-decadal hindcast generated here has been used primarily to estimate extreme water level exceedance probabilities but could be used more widely in the future for a variety of other research and practical applications.

Theory based production and project management

This paper gives an overview of an ongoing project endeavouring to advance theory-based production and project management, and the rationale for this approach is briefly justified. The status of the theoretical foundation of production management, project management and allied disciplines is discussed, with emphasis on metaphysical grounding of theories, as well as the nature of the heuristic solution method commonly used in these disciplines. Then, on-going work related to different aspects of production and project management is reviewed from both theoretical and practical orientation. Next, information systems agile project management is explored with a view to its re-use in generic project management. In production management, the consequences and implementation of a new, wider theoretical basis are analyzed. The theoretical implications and negative symptoms of the peculiarities of the construction industry for supply chains and supply chain management in construction are observed. Theoretical paths for improvements of inter-organisational relationships in construction which are fundamental for improvement of construction supply chains are described. To conclude, the observations made in this paper vis-à-vis production, project and supply chain management are related again to the theoretical basis of this paper, and finally directions for theory development and future research are given and discussed.

Damping structure selection in nonlinear ship manoeuvring models

This paper presents the application of a statistical method for model structure selection of lift-drag and viscous damping components in ship manoeuvring models. The damping model is posed as a family of linear stochastic models, which is postulated based on previous work in the literature. Then a nested test of hypothesis problem is considered. The testing reduces to a recursive comparison of two competing models, for which optimal tests in the Neyman sense exist. The method yields a preferred model structure and its initial parameter estimates. Alternatively, the method can give a reduced set of likely models. Using simulated data we study how the selection method performs when there is both uncorrelated and correlated noise in the measurements. The first case is related to instrumentation noise, whereas the second case is related to spurious wave-induced motion often present during sea trials. We then consider the model structure selection of a modern high-speed trimaran ferry from full scale trial data.

Myogel, a novel, basement membrane-rich, extracellular matrix derived from skeletal muscle, is highly adipogenic in vivo and in vitro

Background/Aims Biological and synthetic scaffolds play important roles in tissue engineering and are being developed towards human clinical applications. Based on previous work from our laboratory, we propose that extracellular matrices from skeletal muscle could be developed for adipose tissue engineering. Methods Extracellular matrices (Myogels) extracted from skeletal muscle of various species were assessed using biochemical assays including ELISA and Western blotting. Biofunctionality was assessed using an in vitro differentiation assay and a tissue engineering construct model in the rat. Results Myogels were successfully extracted from mice, rats, pigs and humans. Myogels contained significant levels of laminin α4- and α2-subunits and collagen I compared to Matrigel™, which contains laminin 1 (α1β1γ1) and collagen IV. Levels of growth factors such as fibroblast growth factor 2 were significantly higher than Matrigel, vascular endothelial growth factor-A levels were significantly lower and all other growth factors were comparable. Myogels reproducibly stimulated adipogenic differentiation of preadipocytes in vitro and the growth of adipose tissue in the rat. Conclusions We found Myogel induces adipocyte differentiation in vitroand shows strong adipogenic potential in vivo, inducing the growth of well-vascularised adipose tissue. Myogel offers an alternative for current support scaffolds in adipose tissue engineering, allowing the scaling up of animal models towards clinical adipose tissue engineering applications.

Directing experience : an exploration of active analysis and visual cognition theory in the training of contemporary directors

The focus of this research is the creation of a stage-directing training manual on the researcher's site at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. The directing procedures build on the work of Stanislavski's Active Analysis and findings from present-day visual cognition studies. Action research methodology and evidence-based data collection are employed to improve the efficacy of both the directing procedures and the pedagogical manual. The manual serves as a supplement to director training and a toolkit for the more experienced practitioner. The manual and research findings provide a unique and innovative contribution to the field of theatre directing.

How do preservice teacher education students move from novice to expert assessors?

Despite the acknowledged importance of assessment in education, there has been minimal research into the preparation of preservice teachers for the important role of involving preservice teachers in marking, grading, moderating and providing feedback on student work. This article reports on a pilot project in which preservice teachers participated in an ongoing peer assessment and social moderation process in a dedicated course on assessment. The purpose of the project was to investigate specific ways in which key assessment processes can be effectively taught to preservice teachers. The research involved 96 preservice teachers who completed a Likert scale survey and free text responses to set questions. The results indicated that while preservice teachers valued the process, continual opportunities to learn the nature and purpose of essential assessment practices related to marking, grading, moderating and providing feedback are necessary to graduate competent and work-ready assessors.

An integrated modeling and risk analysis tool for mine water interactions

Poor mine water management can lead to corporate, environmental and social risks. These risks become more pronounced as mining operations move into areas of water scarcity and/or increase climatic variability while also managing increased demand, lower ore grades and increased strip ratios. Therefore, it is vital that mine sites better understand these risks in order to implement management practices to address them. Systems models provide an effective approach to understand complex networks, particularly across multiple scales. Previous work has represented mine water interactions using systems model on a mine site scale. Here, we expand on that work by present an integrated tool that uses a systems modeling approach to represent mine water interactions on a site and regional scale and then analyses the risks associated with events stemming from those interactions. A case study is presented to represent three indicative corporate, environmental and social risks associated with a mine site that exists in a water scarce region. The tool is generic and flexible, and can be used in many scenarios to provide significant potential utility to the mining industry.

Creating quality cross-media experiences

There are many ways to create a cross-media project, but there are approaches which facilitate a quality implementation. The crucial starting point with any creative project is a great story or game. However, because the cross-media artform is still emerging and many practitioners are new to the area, just how to produce a quality cross-media project is not well known. Based on my work on both small- and large-scale projects, I outline ten approaches that will aid in facilitating a quality cross-media project.

Informal Sectors and New Industries: The Complexities of Regulating Occupational Health and Safety in Developing Countries

Focusing on paid work that blurs traditional legal boundaries and the challenge this poses to traditional forms of labour regulation, this collection of original case studies illustrates the wide range of different forms of regulation designed to provide decent work. The original case studies cover a diversity of workers from across developed and developing countries, the formal and informal economies and public and private work spaces. Each deals with the failings of traditional labour law, and several explore the capacity of different forms of regulatory techniques, such as commercial law, corporate codes of conduct, or supply chain regulation, to protect workers.

Renewing the Sustainable Energy Curriculum : Curriculum Frameworks and Guidance for Course Delivery

This guide is to support institutions in developing and teaching tertiary level programmes for sustainable energy professionals. Ongoing curriculum renewal is more difficult but vital for multidisciplinary courses preparing graduates to work in a specialised rapidly changing field. After more than 15 years of offering tertiary level “sustainable energy” qualifications in Australian Universities there was a clear need to assess how these courses are taught and develop curriculum frameworks to guide Universities designing/redesigning programs and courses to provide graduates with the relevant skills, knowledge and attributes (capabilities) seen by graduates and employers as required to work in this rapidly changing field. This guide presents the sustainable energy curriculum frameworks developed by the “Renewing the sustainable energy curriculum – providing internationally relevant skills for a carbon constrained economy” project, which was conducted over a two-and-a-quarter year period.

Do good things and talk about them : a theory of academics usage of enterprise social networks for impression management tactics

Enterprise social networks provide benefits especially for knowledge-intensive work as they enable communication, collaboration and knowledge exchange. These platforms should therefore lead to increased adoption and use by knowledge-intensive workers such as consultants or indeed researchers. Our interest is in ascertaining whether scientific researchers use enterprise social networks as part of their work practices. This focus is motivated by an apparent schism between a need for researchers to exchange knowledge and profile themselves, and the aversion to sharing breakthrough ideas and joining in an ever-increasing publishing and marketing game. We draw on research on academic work practices and impression management to develop a model of academics’ ESN usage for impression management tactics. We describe important constructs of our model, offer strategies for their operationalization and give an outlook to our ongoing empirical study of the use of an ESN platform by 20 schools across six faculties at an Australian university.

The political in the age of the digital: propositions for empirical investigation

This article establishes whether there is a case for revising traditional accounts of politics and the public sphere given the ways in which digital technology is now being used in Western and non-Western settings to engage people politically. The article presents a case for framing this inquiry in terms of imaginaries. It then argues for a new political imaginary which helps to specify what is required for deliberative democratic practice in a way that shifts us away from the dominant liberal-utilitarian political imaginary that currently informs the political value systems of most Western nations. Drawing on the work of key political theorists such as Habermas and Dahlgren, five propositions or conditions for deliberative practice are identified that can be used in empirical investigation to help determine the democratic capacity and potential of new political communication and civic spaces being opened by means of digital media.

Predicting Australian builders’ intentions to use prefabrication

This study presents the results of the first large scale survey of Australian builders’ beliefs about prefabrication, drawing on 454 surveys completed by representatives of building companies in Queensland and Western Australia. Previous literature has identified a number of broad themes affecting the uptake of prefabrication. The current study builds on this work by using a structured theoretical model based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), to further explore the specific factors influencing builders’ intentions to increase their use of prefabrication. Information was gathered concerning the characteristics of respondents in addition to three aims. The aims were: (1) To identify the relative importance of a number of key factors which may affect builders’ use of prefabrication, (2) To compare the characteristics of builders using various levels of prefabrication (including none), and; (3) To determine if a model based on the TPB, TAM, and other control variables can explain builders’ intentions to adopt prefabrication on their housing projects.

Imaginging the good Indigenous citizen : race war and the pathology of partiarchal white sovereignty

In June 2007, the Australian federal government sent military and policy into Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory on the premise that sexual abuse of children was rampant and a national crisis. This article draws on Foucault’s work on sovereignty and rights to argue that patriarchal white sovereignty as a regime of power deploys a discourse of pathology in the exercising of sovereign right to subjugate and discipline Indigenous people as good citizens.