Maximising students' use of purpose-built shade in secondary schools: Quantitative and qualitative results of a built-environment intervention

A trial installing shade sails at secondary schools found increased students' use of newly shaded areas, but relatively low use overall. We examined site features and weather related to use of these shaded areas. Tables with seats and temperatures ≥27 °C increased student use of shaded areas, presence of grass decreased use. Focus groups at eight schools suggest students were unaware of changes to their habitual use of favoured locations. Results infer careful selection of locations for built-shade and provision of tables with seats will assist in maximising student use and investments in shade sails.

Action research into social media within secondary school classes

Gail used social and participatory media in the secondary school classroom, not just to engage students but also to enhance their learning. Her action research successfully used concepts of formal and informal learning as well as peer review and peer/self-assessment. For the teacher, unlearning many previous practices became essential.

Fostering intercultural understanding through secondary school experiences of cultural immersion

In parallel with many nations’ education policies, national education policies in Australia seek to foster students’ intercultural understanding. Due to Australia’s location in the Asia-Pacific region, the Australian government has focused on students becoming “Asia literate” to support Australia’s economic and cultural engagement with Asian countries. Drawing on Allport’s optimal contact principles and key factors supporting intercultural understanding, this study examines two “sister school” cultural immersion trips in Indonesia and East Timor to explore ways in which their different approaches supported positive intergroup contact and helped foster intercultural understanding among students. Focus groups and interviews with school project teams and analysis of both researcher and teacher project field notes and documents suggested that these schools’ programmes could be mapped onto Allport’s contact principles in different ways. The paper concludes with promising approaches that can help to inform sister school programmes.

Australian pre-service secondary teacher education courses : challenges and Dilemmas

Association of early childhood abdominal circumference and weight gain with blood pressure at 36 months of age: secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study

To assess whether changes in measures of fat distribution and body size during early life are associated with blood pressure at 36 months of age.

Pop, heavy metal and the blues: secondary analysis of persistent organic pollutants (POP), heavy metals and depressive symptoms in the NHANES National Epidemiological Survey

Persistent environmental pollutants, including heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), have a ubiquitous presence. Many of these pollutants affect neurobiological processes, either accidentally or by design. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between assayed measures of POPs and heavy metals and depressive symptoms. We hypothesised that higher levels of pollutants and metals would be associated with depressive symptoms.

What factors are associated with frequent unhealthy snack-food consumption among Australian secondary-school students?

To examine demographic and behavioural correlates of unhealthy snack-food consumption among Australian secondary-school students and the association between their perceptions of availability, convenience and intake with consumption.