Castlemaine State Festival 2013: Periscope Exhibition: Artwork No 2: "Rain Table"

Rian Table and Water Table: Delicate splashes and droplets of water act like primitive lenses bringing transparency to the diffused images of celestial bodies. These two installation pieces are inspired by the beauty of the night sky and invite the viewer to consider the cosmos in relation to ones self and to contemplate the discoveries which have changed our understanding of the universe. Water Table and Rain Table are the two works being presented as part of Periscope. Through the form of the science bench or museum cabinet, luminous and projected images play against glass and water invoking the sublime sense of wonder that we have when we look to the starry night sky. Water Table In 1912 the astronomer, Vesto Slipher made the discovery that “Nebula” were moving at incredible velocities due to the expansion of space itself. This discovery revealed these “Nebula” to be vastly remote and independent galaxies. Water Table speculates on the understanding that when we look into deep space, we also look into deep time. Rain-Table is a new work produced for the festival and makes reference to the first telescopic observations of the Moon made by the mathematician, philosopher and astronomer, Galileo Galilei in 1610. The implication of Galileo’s observations gave rise to a radical new understanding of the heavens and our place in it and the final acceptance that the Earth was not the center of the Universe.

A dinner party: setting the table

A Dinner Party: setting the table, is a collaborative project curated by Caroline Phillips and Victoria Duckett. It is a cross- media workshop and forum that brings a range of feminist artists, scholars, and social commentators together to explore feminist art today. The project is the first step towards the realization of a larger feminist exhibition (The F Word) which will tour regional Victoria in 2014, later coming to rest in Melbourne.

Using Judy Chicago’s iconic feminist work The Dinner Party (1974 – 1979) as a starting point for research and dialogue, the workshop will explore the local questions and challenges which drive feminist art today. It is also space in which we will together develop feminist artwork.

Insights from Arakawa and Gins' Table

Within the four-day festival organised by Keane, j., Prohm, A. and Manning, E. called "The Proceeding Procedure: Festival of In/Confluence"there was an evening of performances, reading, improvisation and films curated by Alan Prohm and Mike Hornblow, I was invited to read from my current writing within this evening's program.

Working with technology/making technology work: a round table discussion

What follows is an edited transcript of a conversation that took place on the topic of performance and technology at the Mechanics Institute, Brunswick, on Saturday 3 November 2013. The participants - Suzanne Kersten, David Pledger, Julian Rickert, Tamara Saulwick and Hellen Sky - are all practising artists who have engaged with various forms of everyday and extra-daily technologies in their creative work. Gorkem Acaroglu and Glenn D'Cruz facilitated and moderated the discussion.

Supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students during clinical placement: strategies from both sides of the table

Background: Increasing proportions of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students within health professional courses at universities creates challenges in delivering inclusive training and education. Clinical placements are a core component of most health care degrees as they allow for applied learning opportunities. A research gap has been identified in regard to understanding challenges and strategies for CALD students in health professional placements.

Methods: A key stakeholder approach was used to examine barriers and enablers experienced by CALD students in clinical placement. Semi-structured focus groups with healthcare students (n = 13) and clinical placement supervisors (n = 12) were employed. The focus groups were analysed using open coding and thematic analysis.

Results: Three main barrier areas were identified: placement planning and preparation; teaching, assessment and feedback; and cultural and language issues. Potential solutions included addressing placement planning and preparation barriers, appropriate student placement preparation, pre-placement identification of higher risk CALD students, and diversity training for supervisors. For the barrier of teaching, assessment & feedback, addressing strategies were to: adapt student caseloads, encourage regular casual supervisor-student conversations, develop supportive placement delivery modes and structures, set expectations early, model the constructive feedback process, use visual aids, and tailor the learning environment to individual student needs. The enablers for cultural & language issues were to: build language and practical approaches for communication, raise awareness of the healthcare system (how it interacts with healthcare professions and how patients access it), and initiate mentoring programs.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that teaching and learning strategies should be student-centred, aiming to promote awareness of difference and its impacts then develop appropriate responses by both student and teacher. Universities and partnering agencies, such as clinical training providers, need to provide an inclusive learning environment for students from multiple cultural backgrounds.