Facilitating student participation: a guide for sessional staff at Swinburne University of Technology

This guide has been written for people who are new to sessional teaching at
Swinburne University of Technology. This guide is one of a number of teaching and related guides provided by the University for those who teach in the higher education division (please see the ‘Sessional Teaching at Swinburne’ site in Blackboard). This particular guide will be particularly useful if you are responsible for teaching small groups (approximately less than 30 students) and where interaction between you and the students is expected. Please see the separate guide on effective lecturing if teaching larger groups is part of your responsibilities.

Improving the implementation of responsible alcohol management practices by community sporting clubs: A randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Despite an increased prevalence of risky alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm among members of sporting groups and at sporting venues, sporting clubs frequently fail to implement alcohol management practices consistent with liquor legislation and best practice guidelines. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a multi-strategy intervention in improving the implementation of responsible alcohol management practices by sports clubs. DESIGN AND METHODS: A randomised controlled trial was conducted with 87 football clubs, with half randomised to receive a multi-strategy intervention to support clubs to implement responsible alcohol management practices. The 2-year intervention, which was based on implementation and capacity building theory and frameworks, included project officer support, funding, accreditation rewards, printed resources, observational audit feedback, newsletters, training and support from state sporting organisations. Interviews were undertaken with club presidents at baseline and post-intervention to assess alcohol management practice implementation. RESULTS: Post-intervention, 88% of intervention clubs reported implementing '13 or more' of 16 responsible alcohol management practices, which was significantly greater than the proportion of control groups reporting this level of implementation (65%) [odds ratio: 3.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.1-13.2); P = 0.04]. All intervention components were considered highly useful and three-quarters or more of clubs rated the amount of implementation support to be sufficient. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The multi-strategy intervention was successful in improving alcohol management practices in community sports clubs. Further research is required to better understand implementation barriers and to assess the long-term sustainability of the change in club alcohol management practices.

On the fringe: barriers to participation in the new economy in regional areas

Electronic commerce offers tools which potentially support the development and re·invigoration of regional economies because of their ability to /ink enterprises and labour markets in networks across dispersed geographical areas. However. the evidence that regional areas of Australia benefit from this development in accordance with optimistic forecasts of the potential is, at best, mixed. This paper examines the constraints on the development of IT-based activity in regional areas and identifies barriers to full participation of those areas in Australia. It argues that regional areas are unlikely to benefit from the 'new economy' without a major changes in government thinking about regional development.

Public participation in an environmental dispute: implications for science education

The paper, which reports the findings of a case study of an environmental dispute, focuses on the role of the key players and the way in which they interacted with the underlying science. A model is proposed that lays out some of the dimensions of the complexity of public involvement, of the understandings of the science pertinent to such socio-scientific issues, and of the way knowledge of science is represented and disseminated in such issues. The analysis focuses on the value of local knowledge in framing and engaging with the issue, on the distinction between generative and evaluative engagement, and on the type of knowledge that proved central for engagement. The implications for science education and notions of scientific literacy are discussed.

Multiple visions or multiple aversions? Consumer representation, consultation and participation in maternity issues

This paper reviews the Commonwealth government's policy of 'purposeful reporting to consumers'. I argue that the notion of consumer participation is underdeveloped. Consumers' needs will not be fully met by confining consumer representation at the administrative level; that is, in assuming that consumer advocates may speak for other consumers of health care services. The partnership objective at the heart of 'purposeful reporting' may be addressed fully only when practitioners and providers recognise the reciprocal expertise of the consumer in defining their own health priorities. This would require a new model of knowledge, of ethics and of the clinical encounter. The problem is not one of information deficit but of contrasting views of knowledge.

Constructing the identities of `responsible mothers, invisible men` in child protection practice

Social constructionism offers valuable insights into the study of social problems for example, poverty, homelessness, crime and delinquency, including how social phenomena 'become' social problems, through social processes of interaction and interpretation. The social construction of child maltreatment has recently emerged as a site of scholarly inquiry and critique. This paper explores through three case studies how 'responsibility for child maltreatment' is constructed in child protection practice, with a specific focus on how 'responsibility' may also be gendered. In particular, how is gender associated with responsibility, such that the identity-pair, 'responsible mothers, invisible men', is a highly likely outcome as claimed in feminist literature? What other assumptions about 'identities of risk' or 'dangerousness' articulate with patriarchy and influence how responsibility is constructed? The case studies explore normally invisible processes by which social categories become 'fact', 'knowledge' and 'truth'. Furthermore, the social construction of 'responsibility for child maltreatment' is extended by a reflexive analysis of my own constructionist practices, as researcher/writer in claims making. The analysis offers an insight into the dynamic and dialectical relationship between professional and organisational knowledge and practice, allowing for a critique of knowledge itself, the basis for the claims made and possible alternative ways of knowing.

The participation of volunteers in contemporary palliative care

Historically, in Australia, individuals with widely differing interests, skills and values have engaged collaboratively, in a voluntary capacity, to establish services to assist persons experiencing particular need or hardship. Gradual recognition and acceptance by the State of its social responsibilities to citizens with various needs in areas of health, welfare, education and others, have seen the provision of a range of statutory services available to all Australians. Volunteer participation in the delivery of modern health services, therefore, is not usual; palliative care is an exception rather than a norm. This article explores the relationship between understandings of death and dying in Western culture and the participation of volunteers in contemporary palliative care. The author presents a view that volunteers provide a distinctive contribution to the quality of care delivery and to enrichment of the social environment of the wider community also. The topic is of relevance to all nurses and especially those involved in the care of dying persons and of their families.

Health status and participation in a range of activities in an Australian community

Introduction: The aim of the research was to determine the relationship between levels of participation in a community and self-assessed health status of people in a rural and regional setting.
Method: A cross-sectional design, using a mailed, self-administered questionnaire was used. Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of people aged 18 years and over who were registered on the electoral roll of a regional city and rural area, the Barwon and Otway regions of Victoria, Australia. The sample consisted of 1752 participants: 990 females (57%), 739 males (42%) and 23 sex undisclosed (1%). The range of participants was 18-98 years, and the mean age was 50.53 years (SD = 17.19).
Results: Self-assessed physical and mental health were measured using the SF-12 scale. Participants with low incomes, and those with low self-assessed physical and mental health scores, were significantly more likely than other participants to agree with one or more of the social isolation items, indicating that they experienced some social isolation. Low levels of participation in social, sports, leisure or support activities were associated with low self-assessed physical and mental health. Disengagement with the local community was associated with low levels of self-assessed mental health. While younger people were more likely than older people to participate in social, sports, leisure or support activities, they were less involved as members of their community. Females were more likely than males to have been involved in five or more sports, leisure or support activities. Participation in civic activities was associated with high income. Levels of participation in the four different types of activities were combined (social activities, sport, leisure or support activities, community and group activities, and civic activities). Participants classified as low participators were more likely to be older participants, to have a low income and to have low scores for both physical and mental health.
Conclusions: An association was found between health and community participation in a range of activities, and between health and engagement with the community in this rural and regional population. These findings are consistent with those reported from similar research with a metropolitan population sample. The current research suggests that the groups of people of most concern in terms of low participation rates, are people who have low incomes, people aged over 65 years, people who may be defined as possessing poor physical health and people who may be defined as possessing poor mental health. The relationship between age, community participation and health is complex and needs further exploration because it is not known whether poor health reduces community participation or whether reduced community participation results in poor health. However, current research suggests that developing and implementing strategies to promote people's engagement with and involvement in their local community is one important way of promoting the health of the community as a whole.

`I like football when it doesn`t hurt`: factors influencing participation in Auskick

Auskick is the Australian Football League's (AFL) introductory program specifically designed to recruit and harness the interest of primary or elementary school-aged children between the ages of 5-12 years. As an induction program, Auskick is underpinned by a philosophy that foregrounds involvement and enjoyment as foundational to a pathway to an ongoing affiliation with Australian Rules football. Getting young people to identify with Australian Rules football from early on is a strategic aspect of growing or sustaining the game. Within its charter of mass recruitment, Auskick is more about promoting an interest in football than it is about talent identification. Indeed, only a tiny minority of the more than 110,000 children that partake in the Auskick program in 2004 will go on to compete at the highest level. Drawing on over 200 interviews conducted with parents and children attending Auskick sessions, this paper presents an overview of some of the factors that influence initial participation in Australian Rules football. Among other things the authors ask participants how they intend to negotiate the behaviours and practices required to play a body contact sport like Australian Rules football.

Towards real shareholder participation in contemporary corporate governance

Enhanced shareholder participation in large public companies in Australia has not gone far enough.  Shareholders need to be given the opportunity to contribute to the forming of company decisions and strategies.  One proposal is to require that directors themselves be shareholders. A second proposal mandates shareholder committees in public companies.