Applying social critical literacy theory to deaf education

This article explores social critical literacy theory and its application to deaf education. It argues that critical literacy offers an approach that can lead to engagement with and empowerment over written text, repositioning students as researchers of language. Texts that represent deaf people - if only through their absence - offer an opportunity for deaf students to engage in literate practices in meaningful contexts. An example of critical text analysis is provided using articles on a contested issue: cochlear implantation.

Supermarkets as a setting to promote health eating : some lessons learnt in Victoria

Issue addressed: Supermarkets are a potential setting in which to deliver nutrition promotion to the community. A pilot project was able to examine the requirements for health authorities to form partnerships with other sectors and opportunities and limitations of using industry- based communication strategies to promote healthy eating messages. Methods: Pre-intervention interviews helped determine communication strategies. Post-intervention interviews were used to assess content and appropriateness of nutrition resources, collaboration between key participants, satisfaction with training and barriers/promoters to implementation. An intercept survey with consumers measured the impact of the intervention. Results: The survey of more than 1,120 women indicated only limited success. 12% of respondents from the intervention supermarkets had watched demonstrations and 20% had noticed the recipe leaflets, with only 5% able to name the promotion. Supermarket owners, representatives from participating food companies and demonstrators were supportive of the concept and content used in the promotion and qualitative analysis provides indicators for similar promotions. Conclusions: Health authorities considering 'partnerships' with the food/supermarket industry should recognise the diversity of roles and responsibilities of the organisations involved in the supply of food through the retail market and allow for long term planning when working with them. Head office of the supermarket group has a key coordinating role, however, individual supermarkets will be driven by financial returns. So what?: The recognition and trust in the name of health authorities by consumers means that organisations value an association with them.

Informing decision-making in libraries: informetric research as input to LIS education and practice.(Library and Information Science).

Findings from informetric research represent an important background resource to add to the mix of information useful for resolving difficult and ongoing problems in specific library environments or information service settings. This paper provides examples of informetric research that can be useful input to decision-making in the field of library management and information service provision. This overview takes four of the challenges that Michael Buckland outlined for library research as a way of guiding the discussion of ways that informetric work can be used to inform library decision-making. (1) References are made to relevant informetric work undertaken or conducted in Australia, by Australian researchers, or with Australian data.

Informetrics includes both quantitative and qualitative methods, which when used in combination can provide a rounded set of findings that has great validity for management, policy and service applications. Quantitative methodologies are generally based on bibliometric techniques, such as mining and analysis of data from various bibliographic and textual databases. Qualitative methods include survey, case study and historical approaches. Used in combination, each set of findings adds richness and other perspectives to an analysis.

The development of CBT programmes for anger : the role of interventions to promote perspective-taking skills

Although the emotion of anger has, in recent years, been the subject of increasing theoretical analysis, there are relatively few accounts of how interventions designed to reduce problematic anger might be related to cognitively oriented theories of emotion. In this review of the literature we describe how a cognitive-behavioural approach to the treatment of those with anger-related problems might be understood in relation to conceptualizations of anger from a cognitive perspective. Three additional interventions (visual feedback, chair-work, forgiveness therapy) are identified that aim to improve the perspective-taking skills of angry clients. It is concluded that such interventions might be considered for use within the context of cognitive-behavioural treatment.

Effects of strategies to promote children's physical activity on potential mediators

The aim of this paper is to review evidence of the effectiveness of interventions that present physical activity outcomes and potential mediators of behavioural change among 4–12-year-old children. A systematic search of electronic databases for original research articles published in peer-review journals between January 1985 and the end of June 2006 was carried out. A total of 19 studies that reported intervention effects on physical activity and mediators of behavioural change were identified. The most common mediators reported included physical activity knowledge or beliefs (11 studies); self-efficacy (8 studies); and enjoyment or preference for physical activity (6 studies). Less frequently reported mediators included attitudes, behavioural capability, intentions, outcome expectancies, social norms, social support and self-concept. Seven of the 11 interventions that reported intervention effects on knowledge/beliefs stated positive changes in this mediator. Four of the eight studies that reported intervention effects on self-efficacy had significant improvements; however, only two out of six interventions reported significant improvements in physical activity enjoyment or preference. None of the studies reviewed reported whether changes in these constructs mediated changes in children's physical activity behaviours. Although more than half of the studies reviewed reported a positive intervention effect on children's physical activity, no study carried out a mediating analysis to attempt to identify the mechanisms of change. Future research should more clearly identify the mediators of behavioural change that are being targeted and whether this explains intervention effects.

Barriers to indigenous education and educational research reform in Australia

Across all Indigenous education sectors in Australia there continues to be extensive debate about the appropriateness of proposed assessment criteria, curriculum content, language of instruction, pedagogical approaches, research practices and institutional structures. Until relatively recently, policy initiatives targeting these issues have been developed and implemented separately and without reference to the interrelated nature of the barriers that confront Indigenous peoples in their attempts to challenge mainstream educational and research practices that potentially marginalise their individual and collective interests. Increasingly, these issues are being linked under the banner of 'Indigenous education reform', and the potential for collective Indigenous community action is being realised. The current Indigenous education reform process in Australia is concerned with reversing the trend associated with patterns of academic underachievement by Indigenous students in the nation's school systems. Concurrently, reforms in the area of Indigenous education research are concerned with achieving fundamental changes to the way Indigenous education research is initiated, constructed and practised. Mainstream institutions. Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples have different interests in the outcome of the resolution processes associated with proposals to reform Indigenous education and research practices. It is through investigation of stakeholder positioning in relation to key issues, and through reference to stakeholder interests in the outcome of negotiated resolutions, that a critical approach to analysing Indigenous education and research reform initiatives can be achieved. The three case studies contained within this portfolio represent an attempt to investigate the patterns of contestation associated with the delivery of primary school education for Aboriginal students in the Northern Territory and the problems associated with implementing reformed Indigenous education research guidelines. This research has revealed pervasive mainstream community and institutional support for assimilatory policies and a related lack of support for policies of Indigenous community 'self-determination1. This implies insufficient support within the Nation-State for Indigenous proposals for education and research reforms that legitimise the incorporation of Indigenous languages and cultural knowledge and that aim to re-position Indigenous peoples as central to the construction and delivery of education and educational research within their own communities. Common barriers to the implementation of reformed institutional structures and educational and research practices have been identified across each of the three case studies. The analysis of these common barriers points to a generalised statement about the nature of the resistance by mainstream Australians and their institutions to Indigenous community proposals for educational and research reforms. This research identifies key barriers to Indigenous Australian education and research reforms as being: Resurgent mainstream community and institutional support for assimilatory policies implies a lack of support for increasing the level of Indigenous community involvement in the construction and delivery of education and educational research; Mainstream institutional commitment to the principles of economic rationalism and the incorporation of corporate managerialist approaches reduces the potential for Indigenous community involvement in the setting of educational and research objectives; The education and social policy agendas of recent Australian governments are geared toward the achievement of national economic growth and the strengthening of Australia's position in the global economy. As a direct result, the unique cultural identities and linguistic heritages of Indigenous peoples in Australia are marginalised; Identified 'disempowenng' attitudes and practices of educators, researchers and institutional representatives continue to impact negatively upon the educational outcomes of Indigenous students; Insufficient institutional support for the development of mechanisms to ensure Indigenous community control over all aspects of the research project continues to impede the successful negotiation of research in Indigenous community contexts; The promotion of 'deficit' educational approaches for Indigenous students reinforces the marginalisation of their existing linguistic and cultural knowledge bases; The relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Australia continues to be constrained by the philanthropically based 'donor-recipient' model of service delivery. The framing of Indigenous peoples as recipients of mainstream community benevolence has ongoing disempowering and negative consequences; Currently proposed national Indigenous education policies and programmes for the implementation of these polices do not adequately take into account the diversity in linguistic, political, cultural and social interests of Indigenous peoples in Australia; Widespread 'institutional racism' within mainstream educational institutions perpetuates the disadvantage experienced by Indigenous students and Indigenous community members who aim to derive benefit from education and educational research.

Using online environments to promote assessment as a learning enhancement process

The 21st century presents new challenges relating to the need for assessment to be more innovative, more responsive to students' needs, and more relevant and authentic. The characteristics of good assessment are well known and resources abound to assist academic staff to change their practices. Yet, at a time when the imperative for reconsidering practices has never been greater, it appears to be very difficult to bring about and maintain substantive change in assessment. This paper presents case studies that illustrate the way some academic staff have responded to the challenges. In particular, how the online environment can enhance learning through formative assessment is illustrated with four case studies. The paper outlines specific challenges faced in each case and  discusses issues that arose during development and delivery. It concludes by identifying some of the factors that helped to facilitate changes in assessment practices in these specific cases.

Examining how teachers use web 2.0 technologies in Science lessons to promote higher order thinking in teaching science

During 2007 several independent Victorian secondary schools participated in a study exploring the ways in which the use of learning technologies can support the development of higher order thinking skills for students. This paper focuses on the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) including Web 2.0 technologies for promoting effective teaching and learning in science. A case study methodology was used to describe how individual teachers used ICT and Web 2.0 in their settings. Data included interviews (focus group and individual), questionnaires, monitoring of teacher and student use of smart tools, analysis of curriculum documents and delivery methods and of student work samples. The evaluation used an interpretive methodology to investigate five research areas'. Higher-order thinking, Metacognitive awareness, Team work/collaboration, Affect towards school/learning and Ownership of learning. Three cases are reported on in this paper. Each describes how student engagement and learning increased and how teachers' attitudes and skills developed. Examples of student and teacher blogs are provided to illustrate how such technologies encourage  students and teachers to look beyond text science.