Technology and marginalization: a case study of the limited adoption of the intranet at a state-owned organisation in rural Australia

Taking a critical theory approach and the pluralist view of technology, this paper examines the problems in organizational communication that arose due to the implementation of a limited intranet electronic mail system as the main channel of communication between a rural stateowned organization and its city-based Head Office, installed at the sole discretion of the latter.
The intranet was provided only to the administration division and managers of some units due to financial constraints. This required others to receive information carried via the intranet through a gatekeeper who due to information and work overload, failed to disseminate the information effectively and efficiently. Using a combination of qualitative data collection methods, this study found that the intranet had marginalized those without access to it and reinforced the privileged position of those already with higher status within the organization, contrary to the utopian predictions
of new technologies as leading to social equality.

Technology and teachers in rural schools: creating future advantage

While there seem to be compelling arguments for the incorporation of computers and their applications into curricula, the reality is far from ideal. Problems are particularly evident for teachers and students in rural areas. This paper reports on a project situated in regional and rural areas of Victoria (Australia) in which a group of 16 primary and secondary teachers participated in an intensive program of professional development designed to assist them in embedding ICT into their classroom. The project provides some insight into the availability and use of current technological resources in the rural schools and examines the impact of an intensive professional development program of instruction on the implementation of ICT into the curriculum.

Technology and teachers in rural schools : diversity and similarity

This paper reports on a project situated in regional areas of Victoria in which 16 primary and secondary teachers participated in an intensive professional development program designed to assist them in embedding Information Communications Technology (ICT) into their classroom practice. The project provides some insight into the availability and use of current technological resources in the rural schools and examines the impact of an intensive professional development program on the implementation of ICT into the curriculum.

The results identified a large diversity of circumstances experienced by the schools in the project, not only in terms of ICT availability and use, and teacher experience, but also in more general issues of cultures of curriculum planning and integration, size, communication, and pedagogical presumptions. The successful integration of ICT into their pedagogical practice was influenced by a complex of factors including the availability of ICT resources, the teachers’ ICT skill level, the teachers’ ability and opportunity to integrate ICT in classroom, the level of support provided, both technical and pedagogical, and the curriculum requirements.

The results of the project have been positive with evidence of increased networking among the teachers, changes in teaching practice and increased teacher proficiency and awareness of ICT resources. The project has highlighted common difficulties that teachers experienced including frustrations with the unreliability of technology and a lack of time for necessary training and preparation. In response to the constraints, teachers have been resourceful and inventive in developing pedagogical strategies to aid the integration of ICT into their classroom practice.

Acceptability of videoconference technology for the delivery of continuing education to rural pharmacists

Aim: To investigate whether a rural continuing education (CE) program delivered by videoconference can enhance access to, and uptake of, CE among pharmacists and determine their satisfaction with videoconference for the delivery of CE. Method: A postal survey was sent to 33 registered pharmacists in south-west Victoria and south-east South Australia who had attended at least one videoconference CE session organised in that region. Results: Respondents worked in different areas of pharmacy, and 40% worked in more than one area of pharmacy. The use of videoconference facilities has increased access to and participation in CE generally, and most participants (88%) have found it to be an acceptable medium for delivery. Increased access to high-quality CE opportunities, and reduced travel time for CE were seen as the principal benefits of the medium. Negative aspects included technical glitches, organisational issues, and the time-lag in voice transmission. Overall, most participants were happy to receive a substantial proportion of their contact CE using this medium. Conclusions: Videoconference technology is a valuable tool for the delivery of carefully structured CE sessions in rural and remote areas with an appropriate information technology infrastructure.

Access and attitude of rural allied health professionals to CPD and training

Continuing professional development (CPD) activities for allied health professionals are becoming mandatory as a means for professionals to maintain accreditation or skills. To access CPD activities, rural allied health professionals have the added costs of travel, accommodation and information technology access. It is assumed that health professionals in rural areas want access to training and CPD. In 2003, a survey of allied health professionals was carried out in Southwest Victoria, Australia, with the aim of identifying access and attitudes to CPD. Results showed that allied health professionals in Southwest Victoria were highly qualified, wished to access CPD more than four times a year and were prepared to spend a mean rate of $1000 (1300) per annum on CPD activities.

Teaching and learning: flexible modes and technology applications

Australian universities face many challenges In providing postgraduate midwifery education opportunities for registered nurses, particularly for those residing in rural areas. This paper will describe the measures implemented by a team of midwifery academics of Deakin university, Melbourne campus, specifically for units of study within the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery. As a consequence of these measures, student travel to a campus of the university and separation from their families and communities have been reduced. These innovative measures include a blended teaching approach incorporating face-to-face and online teaching consisting of Deakin Studies Online based in Web CT Vista, and Elluminate Live, an interactive online synchronous communication tool. Over the past 20 years in Australia, Deakin university has led the way in computer mediated learning methods and the challenge was to provide appropriate teaching strategies for course content to meet the requirements of the regulatory authority, the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV), while promoting pedagogical methods of teaching and learning.

Checks and cheques : implementing a population health and recall system to improve coverage of patients with diabetes in a rural general practice

Identification of all diabetic patients in the population is essential if diabetic care is to be effective in achieving the targets of the St Vincent Declaration.¹ The challenge therefore is to establish population based monitoring and control systems by means of state of the art technology in order to achieve quality assurance in the provision of care for patients with diabetes. ^2,3 Disease management receives extensive international support as the most appropriate approach to organising and delivering healthcare for chronic conditions like diabetes.⁴ This approach is achieved through a combination of guidelines for practice, patient education, consultations and follow up using a planned team approach and a strong focus on continuous quality improvement using information technology. ^5,6 The current software (Medical Director) could not easily meet these requirements which led us to adopt a trial of Ferret. In designing this project we used change management⁷ and the plan, do, study, act cycle⁸ illustrated in Diagram 1.

A rural model for delivering regional continuing nurse education by videoconference : a pilot project

Background : The South West Alliance of Rural Health (SWARH) is an alliance of 33 health care agencies scattered across South West Victoria over a total area of approximately 46 000 square kilometres. SWARH was established to develop and install information technology (IT) infrastructure, hardware and software for all acute public hospitals in the region. The Rural Intercampus Learning Environment Project (March 2003-March 2004) piloted the use of the SWARH regional area IT network to deliver a program of continuing education to Division 1 registered nurses, utilising the expertise of local health professionals. The study was funded by the Department of Human Services, Victoria.

Aims & rationale/Objectives : Establish partnerships for multi-site delivery of programs.
Develop existing educational programs and resources for video and intranet delivery (including IT training and change management).
Collaboratively deliver educational programs utilising SWARHnet to six rural sites.
Explore issues related to the use of the technology in continuing education for rural nurses and the implications for practice.

Methods : Key informant interviews, paper-based audits, and focus groups informed the development of the schedule of the program. Session participants completed a 2-page evaluation questionnaire.

Principal findings : Participants must own the process.
Videoconferencing should be considered an adjunct to traditional education programs.
Videoconferencing most suitable for short education sessions as opposed to full-day workshops.
IT problems are unpredictable and frustrating for all concerned.
IT awareness/training of staff is essential.

Implications : The project proposes a model for coordinating and delivering regional continuing education which has been shown to improve access to education programs across multiple sites. It provides a sustainable organisational framework for the program, which could be applied in continuing professional education programs of other rural health professions, such as dentistry, medicine, allied health and pharmacy.

Presentation type : Poster

Engaging students in authentic science through school - community links : learning from the rural experience

There is an increase in school-community linked initiatives in school science. A substantial proportion of these involve rural schools. This article asks the question: In what ways do these initiatives offer possibilities for better engaging rural students with school science? The paper draws on information from a number of school-community linked science initiatives in rural areas, including exemplars from the recent Australian School Innovation in Science, Technology and Mathematics (ASISTM) project, which were obtained primarily through interviews with participants. The initiatives are analysed in terms of an 'innovation framework', concerning the ideas and purposes underlying them, the knowledge and pedagogies used, and the experiences of the participants in the initiative. The paper concludes that these initiatives differ in significant respects from traditional school science, and offer the possibility of productive future directions. The authors discuss the challenges and policy directions that need to be pursued to represent these practices in mainstream curricula.

What's needed to increase research capacity in rural primary health care

The aim of this study is to identify ways to build research capacity within primary health. A consultation was undertaken in late 2004 using a combination of a one-page survey and a guided meeting format, in a primary health setting in rural NSW. Most (81.3%) of the 134 individuals consulted were part of an Area Health Service, with 12.7% from non-government settings. Most (80.6%) were clinicians, with a third (31.5%) nurses, 8.3% in medicine, and the remainder from a range of allied health professions. Eleven organisations were represented. The main  outcome measures were identification of support needs, processes to enhance research engagement, and barriers and enablers to clinicians’ research  involvement. The results showed that popular delivery modes for research training and support were courses and “one-to- one” advice. Writing topics were generally more popular than others. Common barriers were time and technology issues. A key enabler was a discipline-specific focus. This is one of few rural Australian  consultations on research needs in primary health conducted with a diverse  range of clinicians at the clinician level. It will direct future research capacity  building efforts towards maximising face-to-face discipline specific options and  minimising technology use.

Ecology and conservation of insectivorous bats in rural landscapes

Throughout the world, the increasing use of land for agriculture has been associated with extensive loss and fragmentation of natural habitats and, frequently, the degradation of remaining habitats. The effects of such habitat changes have been well studied for some faunal groups, but little is known of their consequences for bats. The aim of this study was to investigate the ecology and conservation of an assemblage of insectivorous bats in a rural landscape, with particular focus on their foraging and roosting requirements. This increased knowledge will, hopefully, assist the formulation of policy and management decisions to ensure the long-term survival of bats in these altered environments. The distribution and abundance of insectivorous bats in the Northern Plains of Victoria was investigated to determine the impacts of land-use change and to identify factors influencing the distribution of bats in rural landscapes. Thirteen species of insectivorous bats were recorded across the region by sampling at 184 sites. Two species were rare, but the remaining 11 species were widespread and occurred in all types of remnant wooded vegetation, ranging from large blocks (≥200 ha) to small isolated remnants (≤5 ha) and scattered trees in cleared farm paddocks. There was no significant difference between remnant types in the relative abundance of bat species, in species richness, or in the composition of bat assemblages at study sites. In a subsequent study, no difference in the activity levels of bats was found between remnants with different tree densities, ranging from densely-vegetated blocks to single paddock trees. However, sites in open paddocks devoid of trees differed significantly from all types of wooded remnants and had significantly lower levels of bat activity and a different species composition. In highly cleared and modified landscapes, all native vegetation has value to bats, even the smallest remnant, roadside and single paddock tree. Roost sites are a key habitat requirement for bats and may be a limiting resource in highly modified environments. Two species, the lesser long-eared bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi and Gould's wattled bat Chalinolobus gouldii, were investigated as a basis for understanding the capacity of bats to survive in agricultural landscapes. These species have different wing morphologies, which may be influential in how they use the landscape, and anecdotal evidence suggested differences in their roosting ecology. Roosting ecology was examined using radio-tracking to locate 376 roosts in two study areas with contrasting tree cover in northern Victoria. Both species were highly selective in the location of their roosts in the landscape, in roost-site selection and in roosting behaviour, and responded differently to differing levels of availability of roosts. The Barmah-Picola study area incorporated remnant vegetation in farmland and an adjacent extensive floodplain forest (Barmah forest). Male N. geojfroyi roosted predominantly within 3 km of their foraging areas in remnants in farmland. However, most female N. geoffroyi, and both sexes of C. gouldii, roosted in Barmah forest up to 12 km from their foraging areas in farmland remnants. These distances were greater than previously recorded for these species and further than predicted by wing morphology. In contrast, in the second study area (Naring) where only small remnants of wooded vegetation remain in farmland, individuals of both species moved significantly shorter distances between roost sites and foraging areas. There were marked inter- and intra-specific differences in the roosts selected. C. gouldii used similar types of roosts in both areas - predominantly dead spouts in large, live trees. N. geoffroyi used a broader range of roost types, especially in the farmland environment. Roosts were typically under bark and in fissures, with males in particular also using anthropogenic structures. A strong preference was shown by both sexes for roosts in dead trees, and entrance dimensions of roosts were consistently narrow (2.5 cm). In Barmah forest, maternity roosts used by N. geoffroyi were predominantly in narrow fissures in large-diameter, dead trees, while at Naring maternity roosts were also found under bark, in buildings, and in small-diameter, live and dead trees. The number of roost trees that are required for an individual or colony is influenced by the frequency with which bats move between roosts, the proportion of roosts that are re-used, the distance between consecutive roosts, and the size of roosting colonies. Both species roosted in small colonies and regularly shifted roost sites within a discrete roost area. These behavioural traits suggest that a high density of roost sites is required. There were marked differences in these aspects of behaviour between individuals roosting in Barmah forest and in the fragmented rural landscape. At Naring, N. geqffroyi remained in roosts for longer periods and moved greater distances between consecutive roosts than in Barmah forest. In contrast, C. gouldii used a smaller pool of roosts in the farmland environment by re-using roosts more frequently. Within Barmah forest, there is an extensive area of forest but the density of hollow-bearing trees is reduced due to timber harvesting and silvicultural practices. Individuals were selective in the location of their roosting areas, with both species selecting parts of the forest that contained higher densities of their preferred roost trees than was generally available in the forest. In contrast, in farmland at Naring, where there were small pockets of remnant vegetation with high densities of potential roost sites surrounded by cleared paddocks with few roosting opportunities, little selection was shown. This suggests that in Barmah forest the density of trees with potential roosts is lower than optimal, while in farmland roosting resources may be adequate in woodland remnants, but limiting at the landscape scale since more than 95% of the landscape now provides no roosting opportunities. Insectivorous bats appear to be less severely affected than some other faunal groups by habitat fragmentation and land-use change. A highly developed capacity for flight, the spatial scale at which they move and their ability to cross open areas means that they can regularly move among multiple landscape elements, rather than depend on single remnants for all their resources. In addition, bats forage and roost mainly at elevated levels in trees and so are less sensitive to degradation of wooded habitats at ground level. Although seemingly resilient to habitat fragmentation, insectivorous bats are fundamentally dependent on trees for roosting and foraging, and so are vulnerable to habitat loss and ongoing rural tree decline. Protection of the remaining large old trees and measures to ensure regeneration to provide ongoing replacement of hollow-bearing trees through time are critical to ensure the long-term conservation of bats in rural landscapes.

Ecology of mistletoe parasitism in rural landscapes

This study examined the distribution of native mistletoes in agricultural landscapes. Mistletoes occur in all types of wooded habitat, and provide resources for many species. Landscape structure, particularly the overall extent of tree cover, is vital for conserving mistletoes. Their future status depends on effective management across different land tenures.

Nutrient dynamics in Victorian rural soils

Experimentation indicates that water and nutrients move through heterogeneous matrix flow pathways and that nutrients show little variation in concentration with fertilizer application rate after 2 months. However a scatter in concentrations independent of application rates after 4 and 7 months, indicates that external factors are affecting nutrient concentrations within the soil after this time period. Grassmere and Rutherglen were the sample sites.

Novices no longer : computer education for rural adults

This paper reports on "Introduction to Computer" classes conducted in Ballarat, Victoria as part of Adult Learners' Week, 2002. It outlines the background to the classes, topics covered, participants' reflections and further actions taken. The paper reveals the social and learning outcomes experienced by adults who participated in the computer classes. In addition, it explains the role of Graduate Diploma, Secondary, Information Technology Education students in planning and evaluating their teaching practice.