Defining critical literacy

This article traces the lineage of critical literacy from Freire through critical pedagogies and discourse analysis. The author discusses the need for a contingent definition of critical literacy, as a situated and contextual response to political economies, institutional and cultural relations of power.

More is not necessarily better. A biomechanical study on distal screw numbers in volar locking distal radius plates

INTRODUCTION: Currently available volar locking plates for the treatment of distal radius fractures incorporate at least two distal screw rows for fixation of the metaphyseal fragment and have a variable-angle locking mechanism which allows placement of the screws in various directions There is, however no evidence that these plates translate into better outcomes or have superior biomechanical properties to first generation plates, which had a single distal screw row and fixed-angle locking. The aim of our biomechanical study was to compare fixed-angle single-row plates with variable-angle multi-row plates to clarify the optimal number of locking screws. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five different plate-screw combinations of three different manufacturers were tested, each group consisting of five synthetic fourth generation distal radius bones. An AO type C2 fracture was created and the fractures were plated according to each manufacturer's recommendations. The specimens then underwent cyclic and load-to-failure testing. An optical motion analysis system was used to detect displacement of fragments. RESULTS: No significant differences were detected after cyclic loading as well as after load-to-failure testing, neither in regard to axial deformation, implant rigidity or maximum displacement. The fixed-angle single-row plate showed the highest pre-test rigidity, least increase in post-testing rigidity and highest load-to-failure rigidity and least radial shortening. The radial shortening of plates with two distal screw rows was 3.1 and 4.3 times higher, respectively, than that of the fixed-angle single-row plate. CONCLUSION: The results of our study indicate that two distal screw rows do not add to construct rigidity and resistance against loss of reduction. Well conducted clinical studies based on the findings of biomechanical studies are necessary to determine the optimal number of screws necessary to achieve reproducibly good results in the treatment of distal radius fractures.

GLBTI police liaison services : a critical analysis of existing literature

GLBTI (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex) police liaison programs have been an important part of policing these communities for a number of decades now. In fact, this model appears to dominate approaches as the preferred way to manage relationships between GLBTI communities and police. Interestingly, while this model dominates, research on the effectiveness of this model, and the services that align with it, is limited. To date, only few studies have asked critical questions about the effectiveness of GLBTI police liaison services. For instance, we know that over 70% of GLBTI communities are aware of police liaison services, but only 4% of those victimised access them (Berman & Robinson, 2010). This paper critically examines existing literature about GLBTI police liaison services to demonstrate key themes and omissions. It argues that police liaison services as a preferred model has been taken for granted as the correct way of engaging with GLBTI communities in ways that may exclude other forms of engagement, and suggests that further research into these liaison programs is necessary if the relationships between GLBTI communities and the police are to be strengthened.

Good chronological history detected but critical analysis on the missing list

Invited book review of Carolyn Carpan, 2009, Sisters, Schoolgirls and Sleuths : Girls' Series Books in America, MD: Scarecrow Press

Identifying critical sun-protective beliefs among Australian adults

We investigated critical beliefs to target in interventions aimed at improving sun-protective behaviours of Australian adults, a population at risk for skin cancer. Participants (N = 816) completed a Theory of Planned Behaviour belief-based questionnaire and a 1-week follow-up of sun-protective behaviour. A range of behavioural, normative and control beliefs correlated with sun-protective behaviour, with no and only minimal differences observed in correlations between beliefs and behaviour by gender and age, respectively. A range of key beliefs made independent contributions to behaviour; however, the behavioural belief about being less likely to tan (β = 0.09); normative belief about friends (β = 0.20); and control beliefs about forgetfulness (β = −0.14), inconvenience (β = −0.17), knowing I will be in the sun for a long time (β = 0.16) and more fashionable sun-protective clothing (β = 0.13) were significant critical beliefs guiding people’s sun-protective behaviour. Our study fills a gap in the literature by investigating an at-risk population for skin cancer and using an established theoretical framework to identify critical beliefs that guide Australian adults’ decisions to sun protect. Attention to these critical beliefs will assist health campaigns and interventions aimed at combating the increasing rates of skin cancer for adults.

Using critical incident interviews to identify the mental health knowledge, skills and attitudes of entry-level dietitians

Aim: This paper aims to explore new graduates experience working with clients with mental health issues using critical incident interviews. Methods: The qualitative research techniques were based on phenomenology. A purposive sample of 19 new graduate dietitians was drawn from a range of work settings and locations throughout Australia. Data was gathered using thirty minute Critical Incident Interviews. Audio-taped data was transcribed, coded to identify common themes, compared for congruence and then categorised into knowledge, skills and attitudes. Results: New graduates encountered a range of situations involving a variety of mental health, wellbeing, dietetic and clinical issues. Common themes highlighted the mental health knowledge, skills and attitudes required for entry-level dietitians which then informed the review of the National Competency Standards for Entry-Level Dietitians. Conclusion: New graduates encounter a variety of mental health and wellbeing issues in their everyday practice and therefore require training to address these situations competently.

A critical appraisal of responses to Maori offending

This article critically analyses the role that criminological theory and specific policy formulations of culture play in the New Zealand state’s response to the over-representation of Māori in the criminal justice system. Part one provides an overview of the changing criminological explanations of, and responses to, Māori offending in New Zealand from the 1980s onwards and how these understandings extended colonialist approaches to Māori and crime into the neo-colonial context. In particular, we chart the shift in policy development from theorising Māori offending as attributable to loss of cultural identity to a focus on socio-economic and institutional antecedents and, finally, through the risk factors, assessment, and criminogenic needs approaches that have gained prominence in the current policy context. In part two, the focus moves to the strategies employed by members of the academy to elevate their own epistemological constructions of Māori social reality within the policy development process. In particular, the critique scrutinises recent attempts to portray Indigenous responses to social harm as “unscientific” and, in part, responsible for the continuing over-representation of Māori in New Zealand’s criminal justice system. The purpose of this analysis is to focus the critical, criminological gaze firmly on the activities of policy makers and administrative criminologists, to examine how their policies and approaches impact on Māori as an Indigenous people.

The Development of Competency Standards for Specialist Critical Care Nurses

In defining the contemporary role of the specialist nurse it is necessary to challenge the concept of nursing as merely a combination of skills and knowledge. Nursing must be demonstrated and defined in the context of client care and include the broader notions of professional development and competence. This qualitative study sought to identify the competency standards for nurse specialists in critical care and to articulate the differences between entry-to-practice standards and the advanced practice of specialist nurses. Over 800 hours of specialist critical care nursing practice were observed and grouped into 'domains' or major themes of specialist practice using a constant comparison qualitative technique. These domains were further refined to describe attributes of the registered nurses which resulted in effective and/or superior performance (competency standards) and to provide examples of performance (performance criteria) which met the defined standard. Constant comparison of the emerging domains, competency standards and performance criteria to observations of specialist critical care practice, ensured the results provided a true reflection of the specialist nursing role. Data analysis resulted in 20 competency standards grouped into six domains: professional practice, reflective practice, enabling, clinical problem solving, teamwork, and leadership. Each of these domains is comprised of between two and seven competency standards. Each standard is further divided into component parts or 'elements' and the elements are illustrated with performance criteria. The competency standards are currently being used in several Australian critical care educational programmes and are the foundation for an emerging critical care credentialling process. They have been viewed with interest by a variety of non-critical care specialty groups and may form a common precursor from which further specialist nursing practice assessment will evolve.

Power of engineering : changing the perceptions of year 9 and 10 female school students towards an engineering career

BACKGROUND The engineering profession in Australia has failed to attract young women for the last decade or so despite all the effort that have gone into promoting engineering as a preferred career choice for girls. It is a missed opportunity for the profession to flourish as a heterogeneous team. Many traditional initiatives and programs have failed to make much impact or at best incremental improvement into attracting and retaining more women in the profession. The reasons why girls and young women in most parts of the world show little interest in engineering haven't changed, despite all the efforts to address them, the issue proposed here in this paper is with the perceptions of engineering in the community and the confidence to pursue it. This gender imbalance is detrimental for the engineering profession, and hence an action-based intervention strategy was devised by the Women in Engineering Qld Chapter of Engineers Australia in 2012 to change the perceptions of school girls by redesigning the engagement strategy and key messages. As a result, the “Power of Engineering Inc” (PoE) was established as a not-for-profit organisation, and is a collaborative effort between government, schools, universities, and industry. This paper examines a case study in changing the perceptions of year 9 and 10 school girls towards an engineering career. PURPOSE To evaluate and determine the effectiveness of an intervention in changing the perceptions of year 9 and 10 school girls about engineering career options, but specifically, “What were their perceptions of engineering before today and have those perceptions changed?” DESIGN/METHOD The inaugural Power of Engineering (PoE) event was held on International Women’s Day, Thursday 8 March 2012 and was attended by 131 high school female students (year 9 and 10) and their teachers. The key message of the day was “engineering gives you the power to change the world”. A questionnaire was conducted with the participating high school female students, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. The survey instrument has not been validated. RESULTS The key to the success of the event was as a result of collaboration between all participants involved and the connection created between government, schools, universities and industry. Of the returned surveys (109 of 131), 91% of girls would now consider a career in engineering and 57% who had not considered engineering before the day would now consider a career in engineering. Data collected found significant numbers of negative and varying perceptions about engineering careers prior to the intervention. CONCLUSIONS The evidence in this research suggests that the intervention assisted in changing the perceptions of year 9 and 10 female school students towards engineering as a career option. Whether this intervention translates into actual career selection and study enrolment is to be determined. In saying this, the evidence suggests that there is a critical and urgent need for earlier interventions prior to students selecting their subjects for year 11 and 12. This intervention could also play its part in increasing the overall pool of students engaged in STEM education.

Critical timescales and time intervals for coupled linear processes

In 1991, McNabb introduced the concept of mean action time (MAT) as a finite measure of the time required for a diffusive process to effectively reach steady state. Although this concept was initially adopted by others within the Australian and New Zealand applied mathematics community, it appears to have had little use outside this region until very recently, when in 2010 Berezhkovskii and coworkers rediscovered the concept of MAT in their study of morphogen gradient formation. All previous work in this area has been limited to studying single–species differential equations, such as the linear advection–diffusion–reaction equation. Here we generalise the concept of MAT by showing how the theory can be applied to coupled linear processes. We begin by studying coupled ordinary differential equations and extend our approach to coupled partial differential equations. Our new results have broad applications including the analysis of models describing coupled chemical decay and cell differentiation processes, amongst others.

An automated tool for assessing security-critical designs and programs

This paper describes in detail our Security-Critical Program Analyser (SCPA). SCPA is used to assess the security of a given program based on its design or source code with regard to data flow-based metrics. Furthermore, it allows software developers to generate a UML-like class diagram of their program and annotate its confidential classes, methods and attributes. SCPA is also capable of producing Java source code for the generated design of a given program. This source code can then be compiled and the resulting Java bytecode program can be used by the tool to assess the program's overall security based on our security metrics.