The problem of underachievement in numeracy : using bourdieu and critical theory to interpret academic achievement

The paper considers the achievement gap experienced by Victorian public school students. The paper uses a methodological approach informed by critical theory to interpret achievement levels between students from high and low socio-economic status. It analyses and discusses documented data and in doing this, reflects upon the work of Bourdieu emphasizing the reproductive nature of contemporary schooling. 

Classroom teacher effectiveness research and inquiry, and its relevance to the development of public education policy: an Australian context

This paper has as its focus an analysis of the question and problem of classroom teacher effectiveness research and inquiry. It presents an examination of what counts as valid and worthwhile research in classroom teacher effectiveness studies for the development of education policy within an Australian context, the State of Victoria. The Government’s Blueprint, the major education policy document of the Victorian State Labour Government, outlines its educational approach. Important and core features of government direction for education policy include a focus on social and economic disadvantage. A priority for the Victorian State Labour Government is tangible and measurable improvement in the performance of the public education system. A particular concern is the problem of academic underperformance within public schools, particularly those designated as low-performing and situated in socially and economically disadvantaged communities. Building the capacity of the State’s teacher workforce forms a key component of the Blueprint, and State Government direction in public education. The paper utilises a qualitative theoretical framework. Eight education policy actor/participants were interviewed and their responses analysed using a critical discourse approach. The main findings indicate that education policy actors advocate a strong belief in particular forms of evidence-based research for the development of education policy in the area of classroom teacher effectiveness.

How cigarette smoking may increase the risk of anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders : a critical review of biological pathways

Multiple studies have demonstrated an association between cigarette smoking and increased anxiety symptoms or disorders, with early life exposures potentially predisposing to enhanced anxiety responses in later life. Explanatory models support a potential role for neurotransmitter systems, inflammation, oxidative and nitrosative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotrophins and neurogenesis, and epigenetic effects, in anxiety pathogenesis. All of these pathways are affected by exposure to cigarette smoke components, including nicotine and free radicals. This review critically examines and summarizes the literature exploring the role of these systems in increased anxiety and how exposure to cigarette smoke may contribute to this pathology at a biological level. Further, this review explores the effects of cigarette smoke on normal neurodevelopment and anxiety control, suggesting how exposure in early life (prenatal, infancy, and adolescence) may predispose to higher anxiety in later life. A large heterogenous literature was reviewed that detailed the association between cigarette smoking and anxiety symptoms and disorders with structural brain changes, inflammation, and cell-mediated immune markers, markers of oxidative and nitrosative stress, mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter systems, neurotrophins and neurogenesis. Some preliminary data were found for potential epigenetic effects. The literature provides some support for a potential interaction between cigarette smoking, anxiety symptoms and disorders, and the above pathways; however, limitations exist particularly in delineating causative effects. The literature also provides insight into potential effects of cigarette smoke, in particular nicotine, on neurodevelopment. The potential treatment implications of these findings are discussed in regards to future therapeutic targets for anxiety. The aforementioned pathways may help mediate increased anxiety seen in people who smoke. Further research into the specific actions of nicotine and other cigarette components on these pathways, and how these pathways interact, may provide insights that lead to new treatment for anxiety and a greater understanding of anxiety pathogenesis.

Understanding the role of affect in producing a critical pedagogy for history museums

While the existence of uncritical exhibition practices that support nostalgic narratives about the past cannot be denied, this paper is focused on demonstrating both the existence of critical exhibitions and on explaining how they work. In particularly, this paper looks at the ways in which the production of affective, nonrational forms of experience aimed at inducing a heightened level of engagement on the part of visitors is being used to facilitate a more critical reflection on the relationship between past and present. My examples, drawn from curatorial practices in Australia dealing either with contact histories or histories of migration, will be used to explore how explicit forms of engagement with the senses in contemporary exhibition practices gesture toward not only a new understanding of the pedagogical role of museums but also to new forms of pedagogical practice.

Consideration of multiple template switches is critical to the determination of the recombination rate on the HIV genome

Retroviral recombination drives viral diversity and facilitates the emergence of immune escape and drug resistant mutants that contribute to disease progression. Current estimates of retroviral recombination rates are based on indirect measurements that do not take into account the effects of multiple recombination events. In the presence of multiple template switches, any even number of template switches result in no observed recombination and any odd number is detected as a single recombination event. We demonstrate that ignoring multiple recombination events consistently underestimates the true recombination rate, especially over large genetic distances and high rates of recombination. Here, we present a novel approach to measure rates of recombination across different gene segments regardless of the effects of genetic distance and the overall rate of recombination. We apply these tools to a novel HIV-1 marker system, which mimics the recombination process between closely related genomes, analogous to those found within the quasispecies of an infected individual. We directly measure the recombination rate in gag, correcting for the effects of multiple template switches and background recombination. Furthermore, our analysis indicates that recombination rates are likely to vary across the viral genome. This system is applicable to other studies to accurately measure the recombination rate that is critical for the diversification of retroviruses.

Cultural studies and matters of faith: the case of dhammawheel.com

 This article begins with the premise that cultural studies has neglected questions about religion and faith. Through an analysis of a discussion in an online Buddhist forum whereby the participants debate the issue of faith vis-a-vis knowledge, the paper explicates how Buddhism negotiates dominant cultural formations and evolves against various contexts of social struggles. The analysis also reveals how the participants articulate a vernacular theory of faith to rethink the relationships between reason, religion, faith, knowledge, and ethics. The article demonstrates how an engagement with a religious discourse elucidates themes that are of interest to cultural studies’ critical project, and argues that cultural studies has an ethical responsibility to engage with religion and address matters of faith.

The role of verbal-textual hostility in hate crime regulation : final report

Verbal-textual hostility (VTH) plays a significant role in victims’ subjective perceptions of hatred and police officers’ assessment of a prejudice-related violence. Yet, to date, the role of VTH in ‘hate’ crime has been under-researched. The aim of this research has been to assess and evaluate the forensic possibilities contained in a closer reading of the words used in these crimes. Through a content analysis of incident characteristics and officers’ narratives of incidents, this report maps out how key speech-text indicators may assist to better evaluate the force and effects of prejudice-related violence. It is expected that this type of contextual analysis will lead to the development of more sophisticated risk assessment tools for use in frontline policing, and more targeted service enhancements for victims.

Critical factors to the success of alliances in Australia

Governments in Australia face the challenge of meeting the growing demand for new infrastructure, which can be delivered more quickly in an increasingly complex environment. Alliance Contracting has been introduced to overcome some of the challenges by, aligning the incentives of the partners, clearly defining their rights and responsibilities, and providing the means for resolving disputes when they arise. The purpose of this research was to explore the critical success factors of Alliance Contracting in order to understand the roles of the various terms and conditions and how they fit together to create a relationship-based contract. A qualitative technique of semi-structured in-depth interviews was used to gather primary data in response to the research questions. The research aimed to develop an in-depth understanding of Alliance Contracting. The results show that the key contributor to the success or failure of Alliances is whether all the partners benefit equitably from the venture. Analysis of the data indicates that, in general, trusting attitudes/behaviour is perceived to be the most important critical success factor for Alliance Contracting in the broader construction industry. The second most popular critical success factor was shared and aligned goals. The third issue was the evidence of open behaviour, and the final issue was the presence of shared knowledge. The implication of this research is that there are several key factors that were necessary preconditions for successful Alliances.

An eye opening experience: a critical turning point in the life of a young woman with a severe visual impairment

Research on social inclusion often focuses on social exclusion. However, in order to gain greater insights into ways to facilitate social change, it is equally important to research the social inclusion of those normally excluded. Indeed, while one important purpose of studying disabilism is to catalogue and critique all its forms, another critical purpose is to better understand how disabilism can be resisted and/or ameliorated at individual and/or societal levels. Thus, it is equally important to understand when, why and how disabilism does not negatively impact the lives of people with impairments as well as when it does. This paper presents a single case study of Lynette, a young woman with a severe visual impairment who has a life-changing experience in an inclusive environment. In particular, it explores the impact of exclusive and inclusive contexts on Lynette's identity development as she transitions to adulthood. By juxtaposing Lynette's experiences of exclusion with those of inclusion, it highlights contexts in which there is a critical mass of people with impairments living alongside able-bodied people as a possible antecedent/impetus for greater social inclusion of people with impairments in society more generally.

Moral rights and Australian contemporary architecture : recent professional dilemmas and the thoughts of Peter Muller in this discourse

The moral rights of contemporary design projects has arisen as a difficult ethical dilemma in Australian architectural discourses, and is more complex when matters of heritage are implicated. This paper considers the position of moral rights under the AustralianCopyright Act 19682 having regard to the Australian exemplars of Peter Muller. Muller is one of the most highly regarded Australian architects of the twentieth century possessing a passion for organic architecture realised in several significant Australian and Indonesian design exemplars. The paper considers recent Australian debates about moral rights and projects that implicate several architectural and landscape architecture projects, the current legal interpretations, and explains the ideas, values, and opinions and practice of Muller in this context. A clear conclusion is that while the Act confers rights, there is no mechanism to ensure adherence to these rights, and particularly in the situation of a living designer where one of their designs is being accorded heritage status.

Spoken mathematics as an instructional strategy: the public discourse of mathematics classrooms in different countries

This chapter examines the use of spoken mathematics in the public discourse of eighth-grade mathematics classrooms internationally. By “spoken mathematics” we mean the recognizably mathematical terms used in spoken interaction in the classroom. Our principal focus was the relatively sophisticated terms by which each lesson’s central concepts or procedures were named. In our analysis we addressed the question(s): “What is the occurrence of publicly spoken mathematics in the different classrooms studied and what efforts do the teachers appear to make to promote students’ use of technical mathematical terms in their public classroom talk?” A companion chapter examines the question of students’ private spoken mathematics in the classroom and the possible learning that might result.

Zeros of Dirichlet L-functions on the critical line with the accuracy of 40000 decimal places

The zeros of Dirichlet L-functions for various moduli and characters are being computed with very high accuracy on a cluster of workstations at Deakin University. This collection is growing to include more zeros (other moduli and characters).