Research needed on cultural capital, STEM endeavours and instructional innovations : a call for "collaborations between nations"

New Australian curriculum documents and government initiatives advocate the inclusion of Asian perspectives, which is highly relevant to the STEM fields. For Australia and other countries, STEM education is an opportunity to develop competencies towards employment in high-demand areas, yet the world’s knowledge of STEM is changing rapidly, requiring continuous analysis to meet market demands. This paper presents the need for “collaborations between nations” through research to advance each country’s STEM agenda towards further globalisation of education with the sharing of knowledge. Research is needed on views of what constitutes cultural capital for STEM, which also involves understanding past and current STEM endeavours occurring within various countries. Most importantly for STEM education is uncovering instructional innovations aligned with countries’ cultures and STEM endeavours. Research questions are provided in this paper to stimulate ideas for investigating in these fields. Economically, and as demonstrated recently by Greece and Spain, countries throughout the world can no longer operate independently for advancing standards of living. The world needs to recognise interdependence not only in trade and resources but also through the knowledge base that exists within countries. Learning together globally means transitioning from independence to interdependence in STEM education that will help each country meet global demands.

Improving communication and increasing adoption of innovations in the beef industry

Agriculture has adopted many scientific innovations that have improved productivity. The majority of innovations in agriculture have been communicated to end users through a simple diffusion and dissemination model. However, as the science underpinning the innovations becomes more complex, research and development organizations need to look at better ways to communicate their innovation to end users. This paper examines innovations in the beef industry in Australia and investigates how complex innovations are being communicated and identifies the nature and level of communication with end users and the role of intermediaries. The findings support the need for greater involvement of end users in the innovation development process and a more vibrant two-way communication process between scientists, intermediaries and end users. The results also suggest that the traditional diffusion processes are insufficient to ensure high levels of awareness and adoption.

Bringing skills and general competences back into technological education

In this paper we show that industry-based student training is not limited to work experience; work integrated learning, internship or extended vacation work. It is also about bringing back the lost parts of technological education. We experience the unilateral focus on theoretical knowledge at the expense of skills and general competences as one important challenge in technological education. The lacking facilitation and training of practical skills and general competences in the curricula and programs are identified, but many institutions have failed to address the problem. Today’s curricula in many ways reduce technology to abstract concepts, calculations and models, and create a gap between the academic programs and the practical applications in the society. We explore two (Australia and Norway) initiatives on industry-based student training and discuss how these initiatives address and bridge the gap. We argue that these initiatives of industry-based student training contribute to bringing skills and general competences back into technological education, and that the effects are not limited to increased employability, but also include increased academic performance.

Employees' adoption of enterprise web 2.0 : the role of technological attributes

Although the adoption of Enterprise Web 2.0 within organisations is beneficial, it could meet with employees’ resistance and the adoption process can be lengthy. The successful implementation of Enterprise Web 2.0 is based on employee involvement and adoption of such social technology. This paper is part of a larger research project that explored the adoption of Web 2.0 by individuals within enterprises. Using a qualitative study, the findings show that there are number of adoption influences including technological, individual and contextual issues. This paper presents Web 2.0 technological attributes that influence its adoption. The found attributes are: friendliness, reliability, mobility, technical compatibility, discoverability, transparency and Web 2.0 type.

Improving level crossing safety through enhanced data recording and reporting : The CRC for Rail Innovation’s Baseline Rail Level Crossing Video project

This paper describes the work being conducted in the baseline rail level crossing project, supported by the Australian rail industry and the Cooperative Research Centre for Rail Innovation. The paper discusses the limitations of near-miss data for analysis obtained using current level crossing occurrence reporting practices. The project is addressing these limitations through the development of a data collection and analysis system with an underlying level crossing accident causation model. An overview of the methodology and improved data recording process are described. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of benefits this project is expected to provide the Australian rail industry.

Exploring new and emerging models for nonlinear performative works

This dissertation seeks to define and classify potential forms of Nonlinear structure and explore the possibilities they afford for the creation of new musical works. It provides the first comprehensive framework for the discussion of Nonlinear structure in musical works and provides a detailed overview of the rise of nonlinearity in music during the 20th century. Nonlinear events are shown to emerge through significant parametrical discontinuity at the boundaries between regions of relatively strong internal cohesion. The dissertation situates Nonlinear structures in relation to linear structures and unstructured sonic phenomena and provides a means of evaluating Nonlinearity in a musical structure through the consideration of the degree to which the structure is integrated, contingent, compressible and determinate as a whole. It is proposed that Nonlinearity can be classified as a three dimensional space described by three continuums: the temporal continuum, encompassing sequential and multilinear forms of organization, the narrative continuum encompassing processual, game structure and developmental narrative forms and the referential continuum encompassing stylistic allusion, adaptation and quotation. The use of spectrograms of recorded musical works is proposed as a means of evaluating Nonlinearity in a musical work through the visual representation of parametrical divergence in pitch, duration, timbre and dynamic over time. Spectral and structural analysis of repertoire works is undertaken as part of an exploration of musical nonlinearity and the compositional and performative features that characterize it. The contribution of cultural, ideological, scientific and technological shifts to the emergence of Nonlinearity in music is discussed and a range of compositional factors that contributed to the emergence of musical Nonlinearity is examined. The evolution of notational innovations from the mobile score to the screen score is plotted and a novel framework for the discussion of these forms of musical transmission is proposed. A computer coordinated performative model is discussed, in which a computer synchronises screening of notational information, provides temporal coordination of the performers through click-tracks or similar methods and synchronises the audio processing and synthesized elements of the work. It is proposed that such a model constitutes a highly effective means of realizing complex Nonlinear structures. A creative folio comprising 29 original works that explore nonlinearity is presented, discussed and categorised utilising the proposed classifications. Spectrograms of these works are employed where appropriate to illustrate the instantiation of parametrically divergent substructures and examples of structural openness through multiple versioning.

Virtual worlds in Australian and New Zealand higher education : remembering the past, understanding the present and imagining the future

3D virtual reality, including the current generation of multi-user virtual worlds, has had a long history of use in education and training, and it experienced a surge of renewed interest with the advent of Second Life in 2003. What followed shortly after were several years marked by considerable hype around the use of virtual worlds for teaching, learning and research in higher education. For the moment, uptake of the technology seems to have plateaued, with academics either maintaining the status quo and continuing to use virtual worlds as they have previously done or choosing to opt out altogether. This paper presents a brief review of the use of virtual worlds in the Australian and New Zealand higher education sector in the past and reports on its use in the sector at the present time, based on input from members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. It then adopts a forward-looking perspective amid the current climate of uncertainty, musing on future directions and offering suggestions for potential new applications in light of recent technological developments and innovations in the area.

Recent innovations in cold-formed tubular sections

Cold-formed tubular sections are widely used in many modern steel structures. Two innovative cold-formed sections have been introduced to the Australian building industry. They are the 'in-line' galvanized rectangular hollow section (RHS) tubes and the hollow flange beams (HFB). They offer significant advantages but at the same time provide challenges to designers because of their special characteristics. The application, manufacturing, advantages and characteristics of these two sections are described.

Much ado about nothing? Tracing the progress of innovations borne on enterprise social network sites

Enterprise social networks are organizationally bounded online platforms for users to interact with another and maintain interpersonal relationships. The allure of these technologies is often seen in intra-organizational communication, collaboration and innovation. How these technologies actually support organizational innovation efforts remains unclear. A specific challenge is whether digital content on these platforms converts to actual innovation development efforts. In this study we set out to examine innovation-centric content flows on enterprise social networking platforms, and advance a conceptual model that seeks to explain which innovation conveyed in the digital content will traverse from the digital platform into regular processes. We describe important constructs of our model and offer strategies for the operationalization of the constructs. We conclude with an outlook to our ongoing empirical study that will explore and validate the key propositions of our model, and we sketch some potential implications for industry and academia.

Technological Advances in Geotextiles

The role of polymer chemistry (pure and applied sciences) is very prominent in the world of science today, but it is heading away from polymers and polymer blends towards composites and nanocomposites. This allows for the creation of new materials with unique properties and new possibilities which is the subject of this new book.

Understanding the signature pedagogy of the design studio and the opportunities for its technological enhancement

This paper presents an analysis of the studio as the signature pedagogy of design education. A number of theoretical models of learning, pedagogy, and education are used to interrogate the studio for its advantages and shortcomings, and to identify opportunities for the integration of new technologies and to explore the affordances that they might offer. In particular the theoretical ideas of signature pedagogies, conversational frameworks, and pedagogical patterns are used to justify the ‘unique’ status of the studio as a dominant learning environment and mode of delivery within design education. Such analysis identifies the opportunities for technological intervention and enhancement of the design studio through a re-examining of its fundamental pedagogical signature. This paper maps the dimensions and qualities that define the signature pedagogy against a range of delivery modes and technological media forms. Through such investigation it seeks to identify appropriate opportunities for technology; in essence offering a structure or framework for the analysis of future enquiry and experimentation.

Make-Buy Decisions in the Face of Radical Innovations

Make-buy decisions are an important aspect of the overall strategic plans for most firms, and the introduction of a new and potentially radical technology into an industry should therefore be a cue for managers to review their make-buy policies. Should a company make in-house the components and processes underpinning the technology, or should it buy them from an outside supplier? Earlier attempts to answer this question may have failed to agree on a single verdict because they have overlooked two important market forces: supplier relations and industry clockspeed. Based on an intensive three-year study at the University of Cambridge which analyzed supply chain management practices from a broad range of manufacturers around the world, this book helps to resolve this classic technology outsourcing dilemma and gives managers the tools they will need to determine if they should make or buy the components and processes that go into a potentially radical innovation.

Urban acupuncture: Hybrid social and technological practices for hyperlocal placemaking

This paper considers an emerging planning practice that uses networked connections to interact with urban places and re-create enlivened cities. The paper presents “urban acupuncture” as a new planning approach that broadens communication and strategically targets interventions across the city. Defined as an approach, which, through the use of digital social networks and interactions, involves citizens and planners in place activations in order to stimulate and reinvigorate place, thus creating meaningful relationships between citizens and their urban settings. This paper uses the UR[BNE] Brisbane Festival 2012 as a qualitative case study of urban acupuncture, best defined as a hyper-localized healing treatment through place activation to enliven and recreate cities. It examines the challenges faced and opportunities embraced by a network of urban professionals. Their aim was to activate the underused urban spaces of central Brisbane through the festival's activities and events. The findings identify the key elements required to design public spaces using socially and technologically networked interactions.

Innovations in dietary interventions : Use of a photographic food diary method and telephone linked computerized care in chronic disease

Access to dietetic care is important in chronic disease management and innovative technologies assists in this purpose. Photographic dietary records (PhDR) using mobile phones or cameras are valid and convenient for patients. Innovations in providing dietary interventions via telephone and computer can also inform dietetic practice. Three studies are presented. A mobile phone method was validated by comparing energy intake (EI) to a weighed food record and a measure of energy expenditure (EE) obtained using the doubly labelled water technique in 10 adults with T2 diabetes. The level of agreement between mean (±sd) energy intake mobile phone (8.2±1.7 MJ) and weighed record (8.5±1.6 MJ) was high (p=0.392), however EI/EE for both methods gave similar levels of under-reporting (0.69 and 0.72). All subjects preferred using the mobile phone vs. weighed record. Nineteen individuals with Parkinsons disease kept 3-day PhDRs on three occasions using point-and-shoot digital cameras over a 12 week period. The camera was rated as easy to use by 89%, keeping a PhDR was considered acceptable by 94% and none would rather use a “pen and paper” method. Eighty-three percent felt confident to use the camera again to record intake. An interactive, automated telephone system designed to coach people with T2 diabetes to adopt and maintain diabetes self-care behaviours, including nutrition, showed trends for improvements in total fat, saturated fat and vegetable intake of the intervention group compared to control participants over 6 months. Innovative technologies are acceptable to patients with chronic conditions and can be incorporated into dietetic care.