Respectful relationships education in schools: the beginnings of change

Children and young people have become one of the most important populations for the prevention of gender-based violence. The unacceptably high rates of gender-based violence, in particular, violence against women and their children, are well established and there is a clear opportunity to change the story for future generations via the education system. There is no single cause of gender-based violence, however, the latest international evidence shows that it is primarily driven by a range of social norms, institutional structures, and organizational or community practices relating to gender inequality. Gender inequality manifests in every aspect of life, from our relationships through to our institutions, including schools. Shifting the pattern of violence will require cultural transformation- and new research shows that this change is possible. Governments have seized this opportunity, and through the Australian Curriculum, schools have been directed to consider their role in the prevention of gender-based violence through the incorporation of Respectful Relationships Education. Schools play a central role in the intellectual, social and emotional development of children and young people. The education system sets the foundation for creating future generations of successful learners, confident and creative individuals, and active and informed citizens. Recent international evidence shows that the impact of school based Respectful Relationships Education – if implemented according to good practice standards – can be profound. Schools are ‘mini communities’ where respect and equality can be modelled to help shape positive attitudes and behaviours at an early stage of life. As workplaces and community hubs, schools have spheres of influence which extend to a workforce of over 40,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in Victorian schools, and into every Victorian community. As such, their reach and potential to drive cultural change to prevent gender-based violenceis significant. This report presents the findings of the Respectful Relationships Education in Schools (RREiS) pilot as one of the first evaluations in Australia to examine the impact of Respectful Relationships Education across the whole school – from the classroom, through to the staff room and broader school culture and ethos.

Refreshed…reinforced…reflective: a qualitative exploration of interprofessional education facilitators' own interprofessional learning and collaborative practice

While there is extensive research examining the outcomes of interprofessional education (IPE) for students, minimal research has investigated how facilitating student learning influences the facilitators themselves. This exploratory case study aimed to explore whether and how facilitating IPE influences facilitators' own collaborative practice attitudes, knowledge, and workplace behaviours. Sixteen facilitators of an online pre-licensure IPE unit for an Australian university participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Inductive thematic analysis revealed three emergent themes and associated subthemes characterising participants' reflexivity as IPE facilitators: interprofessional learning; professional behaviour change; and collaborative practice expertise. Participants experienced interprofessional learning in their role as facilitators, improving their understanding of other professionals' roles, theoretical and empirical knowledge underlying collaborative practice, and the use and value of online communication. Participants also reported having changed several professional behaviours, including improved interprofessional collaboration with colleagues, a change in care plan focus, a less didactic approach to supervising students and staff, and greater enthusiasm impressing the value of collaborative practice on placement students. Participants reported having acquired their prior interprofessional collaboration expertise via professional experience rather than formal learning opportunities and believed access to formal IPE as learners would aid their continuing professional development. Overall, the outcomes of the IPE experience extended past the intended audience of the student learners and positively impacted on the facilitators as well.

Deconstructing pedagogies of professional practice and learning for police officers.

This research applied qualitative and narrative methodology to investigate police officers' professional practice and learning. Analysis of the data revealed three thematic frameworks of power-knowledge relations, practice and knowledge, and gender and (dis)embodied practice that harboured doubtful matters (aporias) and blind spots (lacunae). The potential for change and the possibility of different perspectives and new learning was evident. Paradigmatic shifts in thinking, learning and practice are needed for police officers to develop reflexive practice that is social, relational, agential, and embodied, however, limitations and constraints exist based on the strength and resilience of dominant pedagogies influenced by social, cultural, institutional and occupational practices and discourses.

Organisational change : development & transformation

Change Management is a crucial process for gaining the competitive advantage that is the goal of many organisations. Leaders and change agents are often faced with conflicting challenges of motivating and understanding increasingly diverse workforces, accounting to stakeholders and planning for the future in a chaotic environment. Comprising 12 chapters in 6 parts, the text opens with an explanation of the environment of change faced by organisations today. It then deals with managing organisational development, which is a planned process of change which is often subject to the incursions of organisational transformation, a more dramatic and unpredictable type of change. With the field of organisational change continuing to evolve, especially in an international context, future directions of change management are also discussed. Finally, to emphasise the relationship between theory to practice, Organisational Change: Development and Transformation 6e provides 10 local and international case studies and a suite of online cases supported by a case matrix. Case studies, exercises and support material present the challenges of change management in a real-life manner – examining issues from a variety of viewpoints.