Mobilising School and Community Engagement to Implement Disability-Inclusive Education through Action Research: Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

This publication emanates from the four-country research project entitled “Strengthening capacity for disability-inclusive education development policy formulation, implementation and monitoring in the South Pacific region” funded by the Australian Development Research Award Scheme (ADRAS) and conducted jointly by the academic staff from the Queensland University of Technology and the University of the South Pacific.

Wikipedia, collective authorship, and the politics of knowledge

This chapter considers the legal ramifications of Wikipedia, and other online media, such as the Encyclopedia of Life. Nathaniel Tkacz (2007) has observed: 'Wikipedia is an ideal entry-point from which to approach the shifting character of knowledge in contemporary society.' He observes: 'Scholarship on Wikipedia from computer science, history, philosophy, pedagogy and media studies has moved beyond speculation regarding its considerable potential, to the task of interpreting - and potentially intervening in - the significance of Wikipedia's impact' (Tkacz 2007). After an introduction, Part II considers the evolution and development of Wikipedia, and the legal troubles that have attended it. It also considers the establishment of rival online encyclopedia - such as Citizendium set up by Larry Sanger, the co-founder of Wikipedia; and Knol, the mysterious new project of Google. Part III explores the use of mass, collaborative authorship in the field of science. In particular, it looks at the development of the Encyclopedia of Life, which seeks to document the world's biodiversity. This chapter expresses concern that Wiki-based software had to develop in a largely hostile and inimical legal environment. It contends that copyright law and related fields of intellectual property need to be reformed in order better to accommodate users of copyright material (Rimmer 2007). This chapter makes a number of recommendations. First, there is a need to acknowledge and recognize forms of mass, collaborative production and consumption - not just individual authorship. Second, the view of a copyright 'work' and other subject matter as a complete and closed piece of cultural production also should be reconceptualised. Third, the defense of fair use should be expanded to accommodate a wide range of amateur, peer-to-peer production activities - not only in the United States, but in other jurisdictions as well. Fourth, the safe harbor protections accorded to Internet intermediaries, such as Wikipedia, should be strengthened. Fifth, there should be a defense in respect of the use of 'orphan works' - especially in cases of large-scale digitization. Sixth, the innovations of open source licensing should be expressly incorporated and entrenched within the formal framework of copyright laws. Finally, courts should craft judicial remedies to take into account concerns about political censorship and freedom of speech.

Mathematical models for collective cell spreading

Collective cell spreading is frequently observed in development, tissue repair and disease progression. Mathematical modelling used in conjunction with experimental investigation can provide key insights into the mechanisms driving the spread of cell populations. In this study, we investigated how experimental and modelling frameworks can be used to identify several key features underlying collective cell spreading. In particular, we were able to independently quantify the roles of cell motility and cell proliferation in a spreading cell population, and investigate how these roles are influenced by factors such as the initial cell density, type of cell population and the assay geometry.

Urban informatics beyond data: Media architecture, placemaking, and citizen action

Since 2006, we have been conducting urban informatics research that we define as “the study, design, and practice of urban experiences across different urban contexts that are created by new opportunities of real-time, ubiquitous technology and the augmentation that mediates the physical and digital layers of people networks and urban infrastructures” [1]. Various new research initiatives under the label “urban informatics” have been started since then by universities (e.g., NYU’s Center for Urban Science and Progress) and industry (e.g., Arup, McKinsey) worldwide. Yet, many of these new initiatives are limited to what Townsend calls, “data-driven approaches to urban improvement” [2]. One of the key challenges is that any quantity of aggregated data does not easily translate directly into quality insights to better understand cities. In this talk, I will raise questions about the purpose of urban informatics research beyond data, and show examples of media architecture, participatory city making, and citizen activism. I argue for (1) broadening the disciplinary foundations that urban science approaches draw on; (2) maintaining a hybrid perspective that considers both the bird’s eye view as well as the citizen’s view, and; (3) employing design research to not be limited to just understanding, but to bring about actionable knowledge that will drive change for good.

Audience response systems can facilitate communal course feedback

Background At Queensland University of Technology (QUT), the Bachelor of Radiation Therapy course evaluation has previously suffered from low online survey participation rates. A communal instantaneous feedback event using an audience response system (ARS) was evaluated as a potential solution to this problem. The aims of the project were to determine the extent to which this feedback event could be facilitated by ARS technology and to evaluate the impact the technology made on student satisfaction and engagement. Methods Students were invited to a timetabled session to provide feedback on individual study units and the course overall. They provided quantitative Likert-style responses to prompts for each unit and the course using an ARS as well as anonymous typed qualitative comments. Data collection was performed live so students were able to view collective class responses. This prompted further discussion and enabled a prospective action plan to be developed. To inform future ARS use, students were asked for their opinions on the feedback method. Results Despite technological difficulties, student evaluation indicated that all responders enjoyed the session and the opportunity to view the combined responses. All students felt that useful feedback was generated and that this method should be used in the future. The student attendance and response rates were high, and it was clear that the session had led to the development of some insightful qualitative feedback comments. Conclusions: An ARS contributed well to the collection of course feedback in a communal and interactive environment. Students found it enjoyable to use, and it helped to stimulate useful qualitative comments

Collective land system in China: Congenital flaw or acquired irrational weakness?

With the level of urbanization in China now exceeding 50%, its collective rural land system is under increasing pressure, creating conditions in which there is increasing conflict between the efficient use of land for agricultural purposes and its retention as security for the rural population. This paper first examines the fundamental nature of China's collective land system by analyzing the collectivization history of China, then provides a comprehensive appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the collective land system's role in history and the challenges it faces in modern times. The main changes needed for the current collective system are identified as (1) the establishment of a new transfer mechanism for potential collective construction land, (2) the completion of land rights verification and consolidation work, and (3) the endowment of villagers with more rights to enjoy the distribution of land incremental value. The paper's main contribution is to question the relevance of collective rural land system in contemporary China, where a shift is now taking place from one of pure economic development to one involving more social concerns, and propose potential viable amendments to integrate the need for both perspectives.

Co-benefits of addressing climate change can motivate action around the world

Personal and political action on climate change is traditionally thought to be motivated by people accepting its reality and importance. However, convincing the public that climate change is real faces powerful ideological obstacles1, 2, 3, 4, and climate change is slipping in public importance in many countries5, 6. Here we investigate a different approach, identifying whether potential co-benefits of addressing climate change7 could motivate pro-environmental behaviour around the world for both those convinced and unconvinced that climate change is real. We describe an integrated framework for assessing beliefs about co-benefits8, distinguishing social conditions (for example, economic development, reduced pollution or disease) and community character (for example, benevolence, competence). Data from all inhabited continents (24 countries; 6,196 participants) showed that two co-benefit types, Development (economic and scientific advancement) and Benevolence (a more moral and caring community), motivated public, private and financial actions to address climate change to a similar degree as believing climate change is important. Critically, relationships were similar for both convinced and unconvinced participants, showing that co-benefits can motivate action across ideological divides. These relationships were also independent of perceived climate change importance, and could not be explained by political ideology, age, or gender. Communicating co-benefits could motivate action on climate change where traditional approaches have stalled.

Final report of Working Group 2: Traffic psychology [A COST Action TU1101 / HOPE collaboration]

BACKGROUND The workgroup of Traffic Psychology is concerned with the social, behavioral, and perceptual aspects that are associated with use and non-use of bicycle helmets, in their various forms and under various cycling conditions. OBJECTIVES The objectives of WG2 are to (1) share current knowledge among the people already working in the field, (2) suggest new ideas for research on and evaluation of the design of bicycle helmets, and (3) discuss options for funding of such research within the individual frameworks of the participants. Areas for research include 3.1. The patterns of use of helmets among different users: children, adults, and sports enthusiasts. 3.2. The use of helmets in different environments: rural roads, urban streets, and bike trails. 3.3. Concerns bicyclists have relative to their safety and convenience and the perceived impact of using helmets on comfort and convenience. 3.4. The benefit of helmets for enhancing visibility, and how variations in helmet design and colors affect daytime, nighttime, and dusktime visibility. 3.5. The role of helmets in the acceptance of city-wide pickup-and-drop-off bicycles. 3.6. The impact of helmets on visual search behaviour of bicyclists.

A comparative study of two design charrettes: Implications for codesign and participatory action research

The purpose of this paper is to explore how participatory prototyping, through the use of design charrettes, can advance participatory action research (PAR) approaches and contribute to codesign practices in organisational settings. This will be achieved through the comparison of two varying design charrette experiences from a PAR initiative to redesign spaces in the Auraria Library in Denver, Colorado. Each design charrette followed a three-stage sequence of information sharing, idea generation and prototyping, and prioritisation with each stage building upon the former, both in terms of design concepts and in building up elements of ‘making’. While both charrette structures were similar, leadership and execution varied considerably. Lessons learned from the two design charrette experiences are presented, including the value of participatory prototyping within PAR to support ‘research through design’ activities. In addition, it highlights the value of authentic design participation of ‘designing with’ rather than ‘designing for’ to encourage optimal design outcomes.

Population of computational rabbit-specific ventricular action potential models for investigating sources of variability in cellular repolarisation

Variability is observed at all levels of cardiac electrophysiology. Yet, the underlying causes and importance of this variability are generally unknown, and difficult to investigate with current experimental techniques. The aim of the present study was to generate populations of computational ventricular action potential models that reproduce experimentally observed intercellular variability of repolarisation (represented by action potential duration) and to identify its potential causes. A systematic exploration of the effects of simultaneously varying the magnitude of six transmembrane current conductances (transient outward, rapid and slow delayed rectifier K(+), inward rectifying K(+), L-type Ca(2+), and Na(+)/K(+) pump currents) in two rabbit-specific ventricular action potential models (Shannon et al. and Mahajan et al.) at multiple cycle lengths (400, 600, 1,000 ms) was performed. This was accomplished with distributed computing software specialised for multi-dimensional parameter sweeps and grid execution. An initial population of 15,625 parameter sets was generated for both models at each cycle length. Action potential durations of these populations were compared to experimentally derived ranges for rabbit ventricular myocytes. 1,352 parameter sets for the Shannon model and 779 parameter sets for the Mahajan model yielded action potential duration within the experimental range, demonstrating that a wide array of ionic conductance values can be used to simulate a physiological rabbit ventricular action potential. Furthermore, by using clutter-based dimension reordering, a technique that allows visualisation of multi-dimensional spaces in two dimensions, the interaction of current conductances and their relative importance to the ventricular action potential at different cycle lengths were revealed. Overall, this work represents an important step towards a better understanding of the role that variability in current conductances may play in experimentally observed intercellular variability of rabbit ventricular action potential repolarisation.

The bias and assumptions in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan

This presentation argues that “genuine” engagement and consultation is required where Indigenous voice is included within the policy development process for “true” progress to be achieved. With the ever increasing engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the decision making processes of Indigenous education, it is anticipated that there will be provision of opportunities for better outcomes and a greater acceptance of the policy within community (Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, 2014). This presentation is derived from a larger project where the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan (MCEECDYA, 2011) was critically analysed using Fairclough’s (2001) Critical Discourse Analysis framework and Rigney’s (1999) Indigenist Research Principles. Within this study, the underlying assumptions and bias identified within the policy and how it positions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were articulated. The major findings that emerged from the data included: - a) the homogenous grouping of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; - b) the maintenance of the prevalent dominant ideology within policy, and finally; - c) the expectation by the power elite of increased engagement and connections by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples without consideration of the detrimental effects of past policies and reforms.

A critical analysis of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan

This study involves the analysis of one of the most recent Indigenous Education policies, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Action Plan 2010-2014 (MCEECDYA, 2011). It examines how the language used within policy positions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Articulating Rigney's (1999) Indigenist Research Principles with Fairclough's (2001) Critical Discourse Analysis provides a platform for critical dialogues about policy decision-making. In doing so, this articulation enables and emphasises the need for potential policy revision to contribute to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander struggle for self-determination.

Watching ourselves watching: Ethical issues in ethnographic action research

In this paper we explore some of the ethical issues associated with conducting Ethnographic Action Research (Tacchi, 2004; Tacchi et al., 2003) for understanding and facilitating distributed collaboration. Ethnography and action research are increasingly popular qualitative approaches to researching computer-supported collaboration and we are applying them together in a project within a distributed research centre. We identify ethical principles applied to the conduct of research in Australia and we briefly describe a number of ethical problems that arise due to the nature of Ethnographic Action Research.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis pantothenate kinase: possible changes in location of ligands during enzyme action

The crystal structures of complexes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis pantothenate kinase with the following ligands have been determined: (i) citrate; (ii) the nonhydrolysable ATP analogue AMPPCP and pantothenate (the initiation complex); (iii) ADP and phosphopantothenate resulting from phosphorylation of pantothenate by ATP in the crystal (the end complex); (iv) ATP and ADP, each with half occupancy, resulting from a quick soak of crystals in ATP (the intermediate complex); (v) CoA; (vi) ADP prepared by soaking and cocrystallization, which turned out to have identical structures, and (vii) ADP and pantothenate. Solution studies on CoA binding and catalytic activity have also been carried out. Unlike in the case of the homologous Escherichia coli enzyme, AMPPCP and ADP occupy different, though overlapping, locations in the respective complexes; the same is true of pantothenate in the initiation complex and phosphopantothenate in the end complex. The binding site of MtPanK is substantially preformed, while that of EcPanK exhibits considerabl plasticity. The difference in the behaviour of the E. coli and M. tuberculosis enzymes could be explained in terms of changes in local structure resulting from substitutions. It is unusual for two homologous enzymes to exhibit such striking differences in action. Therefore, the results have to be treated with caution. However, the changes in the locations of ligands exhibited by M. tuberculosis pantothenate kinase are remarkable and novel.