It makes you realize, really, just how deep your subtext is : Literature, subjectivity and curriculum change

This paper draws on the notion of discourse to explore complex relationships between teachers and curriculum change. It uses poststructuralist views of discourse to explore ways in which school subjects, such as Literature, are discursively constructed across time, while teachers too are positioned within discourses that shape the ways they understand the subject and themselves as teachers of it. This paper reports on the experience of a small group of teachers of a new literature course in the Australian state of Victoria. Nine teachers were interviewed over 3 years, and the interview transcripts read for traces of discourses formative in shaping their response to the new course. I identified three discourses: Leavisite and New Critical formations of the subject Literature; charismatic pedagogy; and critical theory, which was embodied in the new subject's study design. These 3 discourses, together with the traditions and culture of the school, form the framework for analysis of the interviews. The paper explores ways in which the teachers' positioning within this mix of discourses and settings variously supported or undermined their preparedness to accept new configurations of the subject Literature as well as the implications of curriculum change not just for constructions of the subject but also for teacher subjectivity.

Exploring the foundations of practicing online collaboration

In collaborative learning, instruction is learner-centered rather than teacher-centered and knowledge is viewed as a social construct, facilitated by peer interaction, evaluation and mutual support [1]. Such computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) enables and encourages learners to confer, reflect and help to develop meaningful learning in an environment where significant learning can be achieved through interactions supported by electronic communication and discourse [2]. This paper proposes a theory that supports educational collaboration in a peer-to-peer computing environment, thus blending the two disciplines.

Grounded theory as foundations for methods in applied ontology

Research into domain specific ontologies is difficult to treat empirically. This is because it is difficult to ground domain ontology while simultaneously being true to its guiding philosophy or theory. Further, ontology generation is often introspective and reflective or relies on experts for ontology generation. Even those relying on expert generation lack rigour and tend to be more ad-hoc. We ask how Grounded Theory can be used to generate domain specific ontologies where appropriate high level theory and suitable textual data sources are available. We are undertaking generation of a domain ontology for the discipline of information systems by applying the Grounded Theory method. Specifically we are using Roman Ingarden’s theory of scientific works to seed a coding family and adapting the method to ask relevant questions when analysing rich textual data. We have found that a guiding ontological theory, such as Ingarden’s, can be used to seed a coding family giving rise to a viable method for generating ontologies for research. This is significant because Grounded Theory may be one of the key methods for generating ontologies where substantial uniform quality text is available to the ontologist. We also present our partial analysis of information systems research.

Fostering deep and elaborative learning and generic(soft) skill development: the strategic use of case studies in accounting education

It is vital that accounting educators take responsibility for the development of students' generic (soft) skills in conjunction with, discipline-specific skills. Research indicates that the typical learning styles of accounting students are not suited to the acquisition of generic skills. In this paper learning theory is used to provide a framework to support the use of case studies as a tool to promote appropriate learning styles and thereby enhance generic skill development. The paper details a number of strategies that may be implemented with case studies to achieve these goals. The implications for accounting educators, which are significant, are discussed.

An ecologically mixed brachiopod fauna from Changhsingian deep-water basin of South China: consequence of end-Permian global warming

The Late Permian Shaiwa Group of the Ziyun area of Guizhou, South China is a deep-water facies succession characterized by deep-water assemblages of pelagic radiolarians, foraminifers, bivalves, ammonoids and brachiopods. Here we report 20 brachiopod species in 18 genera from the uppermost Shaiwa Group. This brachiopod fauna is latest Changhsingian in age and dominated by productides. The palaeoecologic and taphonomic analysis reveals that the brachiopod fauna is preserved in situ. The attachment modes and substratum preference demonstrate that the Shaiwa brachiopod fauna comprises admixed elements of deep-water and shallow-water assemblages. The presence of the shallow-water brachiopods in the Shaiwa faunas indicates the involuntary settlement of shallow-water brachiopods. The stressed ecologic pressure, triggered by warming surface waters, restricted ecospace and short food sources, may have forced some shallow-water elements to move to hospitable deep-water settings and others to modify their habiting behaviours and exploit new ecospace in deep-water environments. We infer that the end-Permian global warming and subsequent transgression event may have accounted for the stressed environmental pressure in the shallow-water communities prior to the end-Permian mass extinction.

Fat content of chips, quality of frying fat and deep-frying practices in New Zealand fast food outlets

Objectives: To collect baseline data on the fat content of hot chips, quality (degradation) of cooking fat, deep-frying practices and related attitudes in fast food outlets in New Zealand. To identify the key determinants of the fat content of chips and quality of cooking fat. Methods: A nationally representative sample of fast food outlets (n=150, response rate 80%) was surveyed between September 1998 and March 1999. Data collected included a questionnaire, observation of cooking practices and analysis of cooked chips and frying fat. Results: Only 8% of independent operators had formal training in deep frying practices compared with 93% of chain operators. There was a wide range of fat content of chips (5%-20%, mean 11.5%). The use of thinner chips, crinkle cut chips and lower fryer fat temperature were associated with higher chip fat content. Eighty-nine per cent of chain outlets used 6–10 mm chips compared with 83% of independent outlets that used chips ≥12 mm. A wide range of frying temperatures was recorded (136–233°C) with 58% of outlets frying outside the reference range (175–190°C). As indices of fat degradation, fat acid and polar compound values above the recommended levels occurred in 54% and 5% of outlets respectively. Operators seemed willing to learn more about best practice techniques, with lack of knowledge being the main barrier to change. Conclusions and implications: Deep frying practices could be improved through operator training and certification options. Even a small decrease in the mean fat content of chips would reduce the obesogenic impact of this popular food.