CHC students online : responses to course organisation

Previous research by the authors has shown that Confucian Heritage Students participating in online problem solving discussions show a high degree of message postings that are related to the organization of the course of study, rather than to its contents and intellectual challenges. The authors argue that this is consistent with the more broadly based research outcomes relating to the achieving strategy that is quite typically exhibited among CHC students. This interview based study explores the perceptions of CHC students as they engage with collaborative learning online, and shows that the concerns relate to matters to do with assessment, with the reliability and timeliness of group member inputs, and the possibilities of plagiarism.

Reciprocal mentoring across generations: sustaining professional development for english teachers

This article draws on a collaborative research project entitled Teachers Investigate Unequal Literacy Outcomes: Cross-generational Perspectives, funded by the Australian Research Council 2002-2004 and awarded to Barbara Comber, University of South Australia and Barbara Kamler, Deakin University. The university researchers invited early career teachers in their first five years of teaching, and late career teachers with at least twenty-five years experience, to collaboratively explore the problem of unequal outcomes in literacy. Over a period of three years, the teacher researchers conducted audits of their classroom literacy programs and the effects on different children; case studies of students they were most concerned about; and redesigns of their literacy curriculum and pedagogy.  Bev Maney and Ivan Boyer collaborated as research partners in the context of their work together as English teachers at Portland Secondary College, Victoria. This paper is based on transcripts of their many conversations with one other and the research team and is represented as an interrupted conversation with the university researchers. Here they critique current models of professional development and the effects of standardised testing and argue for the importance of serious teacher conversations and ongoing school-based research.

A comparison of methods to obtain active parental consent for an international student survey

Many school-based research efforts require active parental consent for student participation. Maximizing rates of consent form return and agreement is an important issue, because sample representativeness may be compromised when these rates are low. This article compares two methods for obtaining active parental consent: return of consent forms in the mail versus return by students to their classrooms. The methods were tested in a pilot study of 46 schools (1,058 students), with half of the schools randomly allocated to each of the alternative methods. A hierarchical nonlinear model of consent form return and agreement rates suggests that the student delivered method is more successful at producing higher rates of consent form return and agreement to participate in the study, after controlling for school-level characteristics. The authors discuss the findings and their implications for other researchers engaged in school-based research with adolescents.

The reality of quality systems software : working for the machine, or smart people around the machine?

This case study-based research examines the outcomes of using quality system software (QSS) in terms of the support it provides to, and the constraints it imposes on, its users. The results indicate that QSS can help facilitate knowledge access and sharing, and to a lesser extent, facilitate communication. It can be an effective mechanism for initiating and managing changes to work processes. Although some writers have opined that information technology (IT) is another way of controlling workers, this was not evidenced in this study. Technical shortcomings did hamper performance of some tasks, and for some managers, extra work was involved.

Obesity prevention and public health

More than 22 million children under five are now obese or overweight. Globally, an estimated 10% of school-aged children, between five and 17 years old, are overweight or obese, and the situation is getting worse. Although recognised clinically for some time as an important condition that increases risk of ill-health in affected individuals, it is only recently, that obesity has been recognised as a population-wide problem that requires preventive action. Obesity is a major contributor to diseases and disability, the associated health costs are enormous, obesity has already reached epidemic proportions in many countries, and incidence is continuing to increase in children and adults. Disturbingly the epidemic is not confined to developed countries, with many developing countries and those in transition affected. While recognised as a major population health problem, our understanding of the causes of the epidemic is poor, there has been relatively little population-based research that has focused on the prevention of unhealthy weight gain, and as a consequence knowledge regarding how and where best to intervene is limited. This book draws together the existing literature and expertise and with a view to helping set the agenda for public health action. The book is divided into three sections. Part 1 provides an overview of the context of the problem. It examines the epidemiology of obesity, the role of behavioural factors, socio-cultural factors and environmental factors in the obesity epidemic. Part 2 reviews interventions across a range of key settings and in different population groups - drawing on existing research that has aimed to increase physical activity, promote healthy eating and prevent obesity at a population level. Given how little research there is that has specifically examined the effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing obesity per se, Part 3 explores potential opportunities to prevent obesity

Defining plant resistance against Phytophthora Cinnamomi and application of resistance to revegetation

Phytophthora cinnamomi is a soil borne plant pathogen that causes devastating disease in many Australian ecosystems and threatens the survival of native flora. Compared with the number of plant species that are susceptible to P. cinnamomi, only a few species are known to be resistant and control of this pathogen by chemicals is difficult and undesirable in natural systems. The major aim of our research is therefore to characterise natural resistance and determine which signalling pathways and defence responses are involved. Our examination of resistance is being approached at several levels, one of which is through the use of the model plant, Arabidopsis. Previously, Arabidopsis had been shown to display ecotypic variation in responses to P. cinnamomi and we are exploring this further in conjunction with the analysis of a bank of Arabidopsis defence pathway mutants for their responses to the pathogen. These experiments will provide a fundamental basis for further analysis of the defence responses of native plants. Native species (susceptible and resistant) are being assessed for their responses to P. cinnamomi at morphological, biochemical and molecular levels. This research also involves field-based studies of plants under challenge at various sites throughout Victoria, Australia. The focus of this field-based research is to assess the responses of individual species to P. cinnamomi in the natural environment with the goal of identifying individuals within susceptible species that display 'resistance'. Understanding how plants are able to resist this pathogen will enable strategies to be developed to enhance species survival and to restore structure and biodiversity to the ecosystems under threat.

A systematic grounded approach to the development of complex interventions : The Australian WorkHealth Program – Arthritis as a case study

Despite demands for evidence-based research and practice, little attention has been given to systematic approaches to the development of complex interventions to tackle workplace health problems. This paper outlines an approach to the initial stages of a workplace program development which integrates health promotion and disease management. The approach commences with systematic and genuine processes of obtaining information from key stakeholders with broad experience of these interventions. This information is constructed into a program framework in which practice-based and research-informed elements are both valued. We used this approach to develop a workplace education program to reduce the onset and impact of a common chronic disease – osteoarthritis.

To gain information systematically at a national level, a structured concept mapping workshop with 47 participants from across Australia was undertaken. Participants were selected to maximise the whole-of-workplace perspective and included health education providers, academics, clinicians and policymakers. Participants generated statements in response to a seeding statement: Thinking as broadly as possible, what changes in education and support should occur in the workplace to help in the prevention and management of arthritis? Participants grouped the resulting statements into conceptually coherent groups and a computer program was used to generate a ‘cluster map’ along with a list of statements sorted according to cluster membership.

In combination with research-based evidence, the concept map informed the development of a program logic model incorporating the program's guiding principles, possible service providers, services, training modes, program elements and the causal processes by which participants might benefit. The program logic model components were further validated through research findings from diverse fields, including health education, coaching, organisational learning, workplace interventions, workforce development and osteoarthritis disability prevention.

In summary, wide and genuine consultation, concept mapping, and evidence-based program logic development were integrated to develop a whole-of-system complex intervention in which potential effectiveness and assimilation into the workplace for which optimised.

Attributes for Australian mechanical engineers through proximal and distance education

The 1996 Johnson stakeholder review of Australian engineering education recommended the development of a number of broadly defined attributes in all engineering graduates. The Institution of Engineers, Australia (now Engineers Australia) responded swiftly by switching the focus of its engineering course accreditation requirements from course content to graduate attribute outcomes. To maximise the effectiveness of this approach to the mechanical engineering discipline a clear understanding of the relative significance of a more detailed range of attributes to Australian industry is essential, yet the scope of the mechanical engineering profession is broad and views of individual practitioners contributing to debate on attribute requirements are largely influenced by their own often unique professional formation. The research presented in this thesis is unique in using a role based analysis of the relative significance of an extensive range of attributes considered relevant to Australian mechanical engineers. The study covers the six industries found to employ the greatest number of Australian mechanical engineers. The significance of these attributes in the core mechanical engineering roles of each industry are weighted according to the numbers of mechanical engineers employed in those roles. These attribute significance profiles are considered in the context of a study of the formative development of the profession under the extensive influence of 19th and 20th century UK and US practices and recent momentous changes in engineering employment and formation. A wide range of appropriate teaching strategies to develop the most significant attributes through proximal and distance learning are explored and a brief account of the candidate’s work in developing and assessing the use of technology to enhance flexible learning in the field of engineering education is also included in this thesis. Whilst major areas of the mechanical engineers knowledge base are considered as part of the main study, further case study based research is presented to assess in more detail the knowledge base requirements for Australia’s best performing manufacturing industry by ‘industry value added’ - Food, Beverage and Pharmaceuticals and as such provides an indication of the relevance of the content base of Australian mechanical (as well as chemical and electrical) engineering degree programs to an Australian industry sector.

Casting yield improvement in graphite iron castings

A well designed runner and feeding system should produce castings with minimal defects and low pour weight. This thesis investigates how the filling regime and solidification of the mould influences defects in the castings produced from that mould. Design guidelines to reduce such defects are proposed and tested. An existing shrinkage fault in a Grey Iron disc brake casting is simulated using a commercial finite-difference computer program. Three criteria are used to predict the defect and the effect of changes to the feeder geometry. Critical Fraction Solidification analysis is used to determine whether the feeder remains in liquid contact with the casting during solidification and this approach is shown to correctly predict the presence or absence of porosity* The feeder block is extended below the ingate of the casting to improve liquid contact between the casting and feeder without significantly increasing the feeder mass. Plant trials confirm the change to the feeder eliminates the porosity defect. The runner system and mould venting for a thin walled Ductile Iron casting are investigated. Trials show that by setting the total mould vent area to be greater than the net ingate area of the castings, the cold-shut frequency is halved. A method for runner system design based on peak linear flow velocity in the runner during mould filling is proposed. A new pressurised runner system produces castings with significantly fewer defects and reduced pour weight when runner areas are designed to maintain peak velocity below 1 m/s. Peak velocity and magnesium levels are demonstrated to be critical factors in the elimination of cold-shut defects. A pressurised runner system is also shown to isolate inclusion defects from castings more effectively than an unpressurised system. From this work, a technique is proposed which allows the yield of an existing runner and feeder system for iron castings to be improved with confidence in the results.

Empowerment in early childhood intervention : perspectives of parents of children with disabilities

There have been various changes to the manner in which early intervention services for children with disabilities have been provided in recent decades. One of the most significant paradigm shifts that has accoured pertains to a change in the level of family involvement in early intervention, so that families are now required to be equal partners with professionals in the service provision process. It is now policy in Victoria that early intervention services follow a family-centred model of practice. Services adopting this model aim to empower parents, so that they may have impact on their lives, and the lives of their family members, both during and beyond the years of direct service participation. Much of what is known about empowerment to date is based on theory, author opinion, and research that is largely survey-based. There has been little interview-based research, particulary involving parents of children with disabilities, as well as little Australian research conducted regarding empowerment. To the researcher's knowledge, there has been no interview-based research that specifically asked parents of children with disabilities about their perspectives on empowerment and disempowerment. Parents of children with disabilities are not invited to contribute their opinions in services and research. Empowerment is an individual concept and this research provided parents with an opportunity to express their views on this topic. Parent's perspectives on empowerment are vital for service providers who aim to follow the intervention model required by policy. This research, which was guided by the principles of ecological theory and critical theory, involved to individual semi-structured interviews with 37 Victorian families of children with disabilities. Twenty-one of these families had children currently participating in early intervention services, and 16 families had children of mid-primary school age, who had previously participated in early intervention experiences; the factors that they believe influence empowerment and disempowerment; and helpful and unhelpful experiences with early intervention staff and other people in their lives. Data were analysed primarily inductively, in the context of grounded theory. Responses from the two groups of parents were then compared, as were different emergent themes according to helpfulness and empowerment. The nature of enduring empowerment, one of the key objectives of early childhood intervention, was also considered. From the analysis of data, several themes emerged as influential in the empowerment process for both groups of parents including: information, education and knowledge; meeting and talking with other families of children with disabilities; decision-making and choice; having confidence; participation, involvement and input; meeting or addressing families' practical needs; and having a child with a disability. The results of this research provide valuable information for parents, professionals, agencies, organisations, and the wider community, regarding how families can be supported more effectively and how power can be more equitably balanced.

The methodology of students-as-researchers : valuing and using experience and expertise to develop methods

Students in England are increasingly involved in consultation and governance of schools. Some are also involved in researching their own learning, how they are taught, the kinds of curriculum on offer, and school policies and practices. In this article, we suggest that this could be seen as a form of “standpoint research”. We suggest that one way standpoint can be exercised is via the construction of experience-based research tools. We exemplify this through a student research project in which photo-elicitation and verbal scenarios based in students' understandings of their school did not produce an “authentic” and homogenised voice, but rather multiple perspectives of the classroom and wider school.

Uplink power control via adaptive hmm estimation

Transmit power control is an important consideration in the cellular system design since it increases system capacity, improves QoS and reduces multi-user interference. In this paper, an adaptive power control design based on the identification of the underlying pathloss of the fading channel is presented. Making power control decisions based on the measured received power allows to model the fading channel pathloss dynamics with a Hidden Markov Model. Applying the online HMM identification algorithm enables accurate estimation of the real pathloss which ensures efficient performance of the suggested power control scheme.

Framing everyday experience

This practice-based research involved two blogs created within different contexts: one in the small Western Australian town of Kellerberrin, the other in the Sydney suburb of Petersham. Blogging was developed as an artform: to deepen social connection within small geographical areas; to reveal new knowledge about these specific localities; and to extend and critique traditions of socially-engaged and "relational" art practice.

Obesity epidemiology

Although recognised clinically for some time as an important condition that increases risk of ill-health in affected individuals, it is only recently that obesity had been recognised as a population-wide problem that requires preventive action. Obesity is a major contributor to diseases and disability, the associated health costs are enormous and obesity has already reached epidemic proportions in many countries, and incidence is continuing to increase in children and adults. Disturbingly the epidemic is not confined to developed countries, with many developing countries and those in transition affected. While recognised as a major population health problem, our understanding of the causes of the epidemic is poor, there has been relatively little population-based research that has focused on the prevention of unhealthy weight gain, and as a consequence knowledge regarding how and where best to intervene is limited.Revised and updated and now part of the From Aetiology to Public Health series, Obesity Epidemiology provides a scholarly text that assists those concerned with understanding prevalence and trends in obesity; its health, social and economic consequences, the underlying causes of the obesity epidemic, the existing evidence regarding strategies to prevent obesity, and the potential of public health initiatives to impact on the population prevalence of obesity. This edition not only provides a thorough update of the material presented in the previous edition (entitled Obesity Prevention and Public Health), but also includes twelve new chapters that cover the epidemiology of obesity in children and adults, and the potential of public health approaches to its prevention. This book will be of interest to all those working in public health and epidemiology; health policy makers, and clinicians and health practitioners working in the related fields of nutrition, exercise and diabetes.About the seriesBy looking at public health issues from a unique condition-based approach, the innovative From Aetiology to Public Health series examines top public health issues from aetiology through to public health and prevention

Changing technologies / renewing pedagogies : implications for university teaching and learning

This chapter describes a project that researched the use of Web Enhanced Learning (WEL) with postgraduate students from rural and remote communities who were studying through two Australian universities. We examine, in detail, the experiences of a university teacher using WEL in an off-campus course for the first time. As with many academic teachers, she was willing to use new technologies and integrate these into her teaching but required time, technical support and professional development to achieve this. Using a design-based rnethodological approach, the experiences and frustrations in introducing WEL are described from the teacher's perspective trough her progressive reflections at stages throughout the course. The findings and their implications for university policy and leadership are detailed with conclusions about how teachers and students are best supported in their engagernent with WEL.