Lessons learned . . . about curriculum: Five years on and half a world away

The knowledge, skills, and attitudes manifested in health and physical education school curricula are an arbitrary selection of that which is known and valued at a particular place and time. Bernstein's (2000) theories of the social construction of knowledge offer a way to better understand the relationship among the production, selection, and reproduction of curricular knowledge. This article overviews contemporary knowledge in the primary field (production) on which curriculum writers in the recontextualizing field might draw. It highlights tensions in the knowledge generated within the primary field and, using a case of the USXs National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE), demonstrates how particular discourses become privileged when translated into curriculum documents in the recontextualizing field

Prospective study of individual, social, and environmental predictors of physical activity: women's leisure running

Background: Understanding and influencing the determinants of physical activity is an important public health challenge. We used prospective data to examine the influence of individual, social, and environmental factors on physical activity behaviour, using regular running as the behavioural model. Methods: Over 500 middle-aged women completed two consecutive questionnaires in 2000 and 2002. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine factors predicting adoption of and regression from regular leisure-time running during the follow-up. Results: Women who frequently used behavioural change skills were more likely to adopt regular running (OR=4.0, CI=1.7-9.5). There was an interaction between the enjoyment of running and family support: those who rated enjoyment of running high and reported high family support were less likely to adopt running (OR= 0.2, CI = 0.1-0.5). Women who reported infrequent use of motives were more likely (OR = 3.3, CI = 1.6-6.9) to regress from regular running. There was an interaction between perceived health and the neighbourhood environment: those who perceived themselves to be in poor health and had an unattractive neighbourhood were more likely (OR = 2.7, CI = 0.9-8.3) to regress from regular running. Conclusions: Behavioural skills and enjoyment may be of particular importance for the adoption of regular activity; social support and an aesthetically attractive neighbourhood are likely to have a key role in encouraging maintenance. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making media work in space: An interdisciplinary perspective on media and communication requirements for current and future space communities

As humans expand into space communities will form. These have already begun to form in small ways, such as long-duration missions on the International Space Station and the space shuttle, and small-scale tourist excursions into space. Social, behavioural and communications data emerging from such existing communities in space suggest that the physically-bounded, work-oriented and traditionally male-dominated nature of these extremely remote groups present specific problems for the resident astronauts, groups of them viewed as ‘communities’, and their associated groups who remain on Earth, including mission controllers, management and astronauts’ families. Notionally feminine group attributes such as adaptive competence, social adaptation skills and social sensitivity will be crucial to the viability of space communities and in the absence of gender equity, ‘staying in touch’ by means of ‘news from home’ becomes more important than ever. A template of news and media forms and technologies is suggested to service those needs and enhance the social viability of future terraforming activities.

Prevalence and patterns of anxiety and depression in patients undergoing elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Background The use of elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) as a treatment for coronary heart disease is increasing. Despite this, little is known about the prevalence and patterns of anxiety and depression experienced by patients undergoing and recovering from this procedure. Anxiety and depression are factors known to negatively influence recovery after a cardiac event. Objective The purpose of this study was to (1) describe the levels of anxiety and depression reported by patients pre- and postelective PTCA, and (2) determine associations evident between anxiety and depression and the sociodemographic and clinical variables of gender, marital status, history of acute myocardial infarction, and attendance at cardiac rehabilitation. Methods In this descriptive, repeated-measures investigation, patients (n = 140) were requested to complete the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) at three time points: 0(1) before admission for elective PTCA (T1); (2) 6 to 8 weeks (T2) after PTCA; and (3) 6 to 8 months (T3) after PTCA. Results A typical participant was male (75%), of European ethnicity (90%), aged 62 years (standard deviation = 10.7) with single or double vessel disease, and had attended cardiac rehabilitation in the past. At T1, 16% of men and 24% of women had state anxiety scores comparable to those experienced by neuropsychiatric patients. Trait anxiety scores remained relatively constant over time; higher scores at T1 were associated with past acute myocardial infarction. CDS scores at T2 and T3 were significantly lower than those at T1. However, an unexpected increase in CDS scores occurred at T3, compared with T2. At T3, 14% of men and 10% of women were depressed, relative to T1. Conclusion The findings lend support for the closer surveillance of emotional status in this population. Specialist nurses have the potential to play a greater role in identifying those at risk of developing anxiety and depression. However, this unmet need will remain unmet until specialist nurses who spend the most face-to-face time with patients are equipped with the skills and resources to systematically identify those “at risk.”

Aphasia websites: An examination of their quality and communicative accessibility

Background: Studies have examined Internet use as a source of information by various populations, however no study has examined the quality and accessibility of websites for people with aphasia, or their use of such sites. Aims: This study aimed to describe the quality, communicative accessibility, and readability of a sample of aphasia websites and to determine whether sites preferred by people with aphasia were those rated highly on measures of accessibility and quality. The perceptions of people with aphasia regarding the accessibility of the sites were compared with those of speech pathologists. The relationship between the quality and communicative accessibility of websites was analysed. Factors that may influence use of the Internet by people with aphasia and speech pathologists were explored. Methods & Procedures: Tools for measuring quality and communicative accessibility were developed and a sample of five websites was selected. Two participant groups (18 speech pathologists and 6 people with aphasia) assessed aphasia websites in terms of communicative accessibility. Speech pathologists also rated website quality. Spearman's rho was used to determine levels of agreement between variables. Outcomes & Results: People with aphasia and speech pathologists showed minimal agreement on their perceptions of communicative accessibility. However, when the preferences of websites (Aphasia Help and Speakability) were of a very high standard. There was a weak relationship between quality and communicative accessibility, however it was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Accessible websites are not necessarily of high quality, and quality websites are not guaranteed to be easily accessible. People with aphasia did not agree with speech pathologists as to what makes a good aphasia website. Therefore, people with aphasia should be involved in the design of aphasia websites since they are often the intended users. If Internet use by people with aphasia increases in line with other health populations, speech pathologist need to have the skills and confidence to recommend appropriate sites to their clients.

Gendered dichotomies and segregation patterns in computing jobs in Australia

The uneven distribution of women and men in IT employment is often depicted as reflecting adistinction between 'hard' and 'soft' tasks, skills and attributes. This article uses detailed occupational data on professional computing jobs in Australia to examine the extent to which patterns of gender segregation are consistent with such dichotomies. Additionally, we draw on qualitative interview data from aset oforganisational case studies for insights into the ways in which segregation patterns are reproduced and/or reshaped at"the workplace level. While perceptions ofgendered dichotomies were evident among many of our interviewees, overall our analysis shows considerably more complexity, with segregation patterns not necessarily aligned with clear-cut dichotomies and career directions often directly influenced by the organisation ofworking time in particular occupational streams.

Evaluation of universal, indicated, and combined cognitive-behavioral approaches to the prevention of depression among adolescents

A cluster, stratified randomized design was used to evaluate the impact of universal, indicated, and combined universal plus indicated cognitive-behavioral approaches to the prevention of depression among 13- to 15-year-olds initially reporting elevated symptoms of depression. None of the intervention approaches differed significantly from a no-intervention condition or from each other on changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety, externalizing problems, coping skills, and social adjustment. All high-symptom students, irrespective of condition, showed a significant decline in depressive symptoms and improvement in emotional well-being over time although they still demonstrated elevated levels of psychopathology compared with the general population of peers at 12-month follow-up. There were also no significant intervention effects for the universal intervention in comparison with no intervention for the total sample of students in those conditions.

Knowledge, perceptions and expectations of nurses in e-health: results of a survey in a children's hospital

We surveyed all nurses working at a tertiary paediatric hospital (except casual staff and those who were on leave) from 27 hospital departments. A total of 365 questionnaires were distributed. There were 40 questions in six sections: demographic details, knowledge of e-health, relevance of e-health to nursing profession, computing skills, Internet use and access to e-health education. A total of 253 surveys were completed (69%). Most respondents reported that that they had never had e-health education of any sort (87%) and their e-health knowledge and skills were low (71%). However, 11% of nurses reported some exposure to e-health through their work. Over half (56%) of respondents indicated that e-health was important, very important or critical for health professions while 26% were not sure. The lack of education and training was considered by most respondents (71%) to be the main barrier to adopting e-health. While nurses seemed to have moderate awareness of the potential benefits of e-health, their practical skills and knowledge of the topic were very limited.

An innovative use of the web to build graduate team skills

Successful graduates in today's competitive business environments must possess sound interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively in team situations within, and across, disciplines. However, developing these skills within the higher education curriculum is fraught with organisational and pedagogical difficulties, with many teachers not having the skills, time or resources to facilitate productive group processes. Furthermore, many students find their teamwork experiences frustrating, demanding, conflict-ridden and unproductive. This paper brings together the perspectives and experiences of an engineer and a social scientist in a cross-disciplinary examination of the characteristics of effective teamwork skills and processes. A focus is the development and operation of 'TeamWorker', an innovative online system that helps students and staff manage their team activities and assessment. TeamWorker was created to enhance team teaching and learning processes and outcomes including team creation, administration, development and evaluation. Importantly, TeamWorker can facilitate the early identification of problematic group dynamics, thereby enabling early intervention.

'Hybrids' and the gendering of computing jobs in Australia

This paper presents recent Australian evidence on the extent to which women are entering “hybrid” computing jobs combining technical and communication or “people management” skills, and the way these skill combinations are valued at organisational level. We draw on a survey of detailed occupational roles in large IT firms to examine the representation of women in a range of jobs consistent with the notion of “hybrid”, and analyse the discourse around these sorts of skills in a set of organisational case studies. Our research shows a traditional picture of labour market segmentation, with limited representation of women in high status jobs, and their relatively greater prevalence in more routine areas of the industry. While our case studies highlight perceptions of the need for hybrid roles and assumptions about the suitability of women for such jobs, the ongoing masculinity of core development functions appears untouched by this discourse.

A new breed of doctor? Lessons learned and changes made to library services for the MBBS program at the University of Queensland

November 2000 saw the graduation of the first cohort from the new MBBS Program at The University of Queensland. The fully integrated problem-based curriculum has provided many challenges and opportunities for The University of Queensland Library such as servicing an extensive remote student population, information technology issues and customer demand. In October 2000 all four years of the MBBS Program completed a survey on related issues such as the library's collection, web-based resources, information skills and evidence-based medicine. This paper focuses on the results of the survey, and the future directions of the library to ensure that the new doctors graduating from this program gain the essential attributes of life-long learning, information management and evidence-based principles.

'Worldmarks': Web guidelines for socially and culturally responsive assessment in university classrooms

In the early 21st century, we need to prepare university students to navigate local and global cultures effectively and sensitively. These future professionals must develop comprehensive intercultural communication skills and understanding. Yet university assessment in Australia is often based on a western template of knowledge, which automatically places International, Indigenous, as well as certain groups of local students at a study disadvantage. It also ensures that Australian students from dominant groups are not given the opportunity to develop these vital intercultural skills. This paper explores the issues embedded in themes 1 and 4 of this conference and provides details of an innovative website developed at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, which encourages academic staff to investigate the hidden assumptions that can underpin their assessment practices. The website also suggests strategies academics can use to ensure that their assessment becomes more socially and culturally responsive.

Developing interdisciplinary research graduates: educational opportunities and dilemmas

Attempting to solve the complex problems of the 21st century requires research graduates that have developed a sophisticated array of interdisciplinary teamwork and communication skills. Although universities, governments, industry and the professions have emphasised the need to break down disciplinary silos in order to produce graduates, who can respond more effectively to the needs of the knowledge economy, much of this work has centred on undergraduate programs. While there are some research higher degree students who choose to work on interdisciplinary research topics, very little has been done to develop interdisciplinary research education systematically. This paper explores the educational opportunities and dilemmas involved in developing systematic programs of interdisciplinary research activities in two research centres at the University of Queensland. Framed by Bruhn's (2000, p. 58) theoretical discourse about interdisciplinary research as 'a philosophy, an art form, an artifact, and an antidote', this paper emphasises the need for such programs to embed the development of students' interdisciplinary research skills and attitudes within their research projects. The two diverse programs also emphasise experiential, active and interactive learning techniques and are centred upon the development of students' reflective practice skills.

O homem levanta o mundo, a mulher sustenta o lar: A literatura doutrinária espírita contemporânea em perspectiva de gênero.

Os resultados da pesquisa bibliográfica corroboram o que na prática religiosa já havia notado, a existência de certo sincretismo intencional de apreensão e revisão de conteúdos religiosos, ou seja, de cosmovisões de matriz judaico-cristã impregnadas de valores e modelos de comportamento que marcaram as novas representações de gênero do Espiritismo, ainda na França, e posteriormente, no Brasil. Constatou-se que tanto na literatura espírita quanto no ethos espírita sempre houve uma oscilação entre uma divisão sexual do trabalho mais tradicional e androcêntrica com a supervalorização das mulheres como mães, e dos homens como provedores e como consequência disto ocorre a limitação do desenvolvimento das habilidades e competências de ambos os sexos nas várias instituições sociais (família, mercado de trabalho, etc.), inclusive nas instituições espíritas, de um lado, e; por outro lado, uma pretensa postura de defesa da progressiva liberação (emancipação) dos direitos da mulher. A presente pesquisa objetivou analisar as representações de gênero nas produções lítero-doutrinárias do Espiritismo brasileiro contemporâneo, a partir de um levantamento do contexto histórico que teria influenciado a elaboração das representações de gênero espíritas, desde uma fase anterior à institucionalização do Espiritismo, na França e no Brasil, aos dias de hoje e como tais representações de gênero estruturam a organização interna do Espiritismo, no que tange a divisão sexual do trabalho. Além de pesquisa bibliográfica foi realizada análise da literatura doutrinária espírita.

AS RELAÇÕES ENTRE INTELIGÊNCIA EMOCIONAL E BEM-ESTAR NO TRABALHO

Estudos em ambiente laboral acerca do comportamento humano e saúde no trabalho, bem como a melhor forma de se aplicar as competências e habilidades do trabalhador, vêm ganhando maior corpo devido à crescente busca por melhores resultados organizacionais, ao aumento da competitividade no mercado e à necessidade empresarial de atingir melhor desempenho de suas equipes. Gestores procuram por recursos e inovações a fim de tornar possível o alcance das metas organizacionais. Empregados mais capacitados, satisfeitos e envolvidos com seu trabalho são também aqueles que têm maior comprometimento afetivo com a organização. Para a empresa, isto pode significar um aumento da produtividade, o rebaixamento do número de absenteísmo e turnover. A dimensão saúde no trabalho ganha relevância porque bem-estar no trabalho significa também empregado mais feliz, com menor probabilidade de adoecimento físico, psíquico ou moral, reduzindo custos relativos à restituição da saúde do trabalhador. Por outro lado, estudo realizado sobre a inteligência emocional em gestores sugere que pessoas com alto nível deste tipo de inteligência são capazes de ter relacionamentos mais profundos e constituir uma rede social mais segura, ajudar os outros de seu grupo, bem como desenvolver uma liderança onde se possa construir uma equipe coesa e uma comunicação mais efetiva com os outros e levar a cabo planos estratégicos empresariais com mais eficiência. Este estudo teve como objetivo geral analisar as relações entre as habilidades da inteligência emocional e as dimensões de bem-estar no trabalho. A pesquisa foi realizada em uma empresa do setor de plásticos e metalurgia, em uma amostra constituída por 386 participantes dos sexos masculino e feminino, com faixa etária entre 18 e 58 anos. Foi utilizado para a coleta de dados um questionário composto de quatro escalas que mediram os três componentes de bem-estar no trabalho e as habilidades da inteligência emocional. Os resultados do estudo revelaram que apenas três habilidades da inteligência emocional tiveram correlações significativas com as dimensões de bem-estar no trabalho: empatia, sociabilidade e automotivação. Foram observadas correlações mais significativas entre sociabilidade e bem-estar no trabalho. Portanto, o bem-estar no trabalho parece associar-se às habilidades intelectuais e emocionais dos trabalhadores de serem empáticos, manterem-se automotivados e, especialmente, de estabelecerem e conservarem suas amizades (sociabilidade)