Work-related self-efficacy among community residents with psychiatric disabilities

A new measure of work-related self-efficacy for people with psychiatric disabilities is reported. The 37-item scale measures self-efficacy in four relevant activity domains: 1) vocational service access and career planning, 2) job acquisition, 3) work-related social skills, and 4) general work skills. The scale was developed in a 12-month longitudinal survey of urban residents diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 104). Results indicate validity of both a four-factor structure differentiating four core skill domains, and a single factor representing total work-related self-efficacy. The favorable psychometric properties support further research and trial applications in supported employment and psychiatric vocational rehabilitation.

Work-related subjective experiences among community residents with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder

Objective: To develop a self-report scale of subjective experiences of illness perceived to impact on employment functioning, as an alternative to a diagnostic perspective, for anticipating the vocational assistance needs of people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders. Method: A repeated measures pilot study (n1 = 26, n2 = 21) of community residents with schizophrenia identified a set of work-related subjective experiences perceived to impact on employment functioning. Items with the best psychometric properties were applied in a 12 month longitudinal survey of urban residents with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n1 = 104; n2 = 94; n3 = 94). Results: Construct validity, factor structure, responsiveness, internal consistency, stability, and criterion validity investigations produced favourable results. Work-related subjective experiences provide information about the intersection of the person, the disorder, and expectations of employment functioning, which suggest new opportunities for vocational professionals to explore and discuss individual assistance needs. Conclusion: Further psychometric investigations of test-retest reliability, discriminant and predictive validity, and research applications in supported employment and vocational rehabilitation, are recommended. Subject to adequate psychometric properties, the new measure promises to facilitate exploring: individuals' specific subjective experiences; how each is perceived to contribute to employment restrictions; and the corresponding implications for specialized treatment, vocational interventions and workplace accommodations.

Scaling digital radiographs for templating in total hip arthroplasty using conventional acetate templates independent of calibration markers

We describe a scaling method for templating digital radiographs using conventional acetate templates independent of template magnification without the need for a calibration marker. The mean magnification factor for the radiology department was determined (119.8%, range117%-123.4%). This fixed magnification factor was used to scale the radiographs by the method described. 32 femoral heads on postoperative THR radiographs were then measured and compared to the actual size. The mean absolute accuracy was within 0.5% of actual head size (range 0 to 3%) with a mean absolute difference of 0.16mm (range 0-1mm, SD 0.26mm). Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) showed excellent reliability for both inter and intraobserver measurements with ICC scores of 0.993 (95% CI 0.988-0.996) for interobserver measurements and intraobserver measurements ranging between 0.990-0.993 (95% CI 0.980-0.997).

Fixing the city one photo at a time : mobile logging of maintenance requests

We have designed a mobile application that takes advantage of the built-in features of smart phones such as camera and GPS that allow users to take geo-tagged photos while on the move. Urban residents can take pictures of broken street furniture and public property requiring repair, attach a brief description, and submit the information as a maintenance request to the local government organisation of their city. This paper discusses the design approach that led to the application, highlights a built-in mechanism to elicit user feedback, and evaluates the progress to date with user feedback and log statistics. It concludes with an outlook highlighting user requested features and our own design aspirations for moving from a reporting tool to a civic engagement tool.

The use of Twitter hashtags in the formation of ad hoc publics

As the use of Twitter has become more commonplace throughout many nations, its role in political discussion has also increased. This has been evident in contexts ranging from general political discussion through local, state, and national elections (such as in the 2010 Australian elections) to protests and other activist mobilisation (for example in the current uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen, as well as in the controversy around Wikileaks). Research into the use of Twitter in such political contexts has also developed rapidly, aided by substantial advancements in quantitative and qualitative methodologies for capturing, processing, analysing, and visualising Twitter updates by large groups of users. Recent work has especially highlighted the role of the Twitter hashtag – a short keyword, prefixed with the hash symbol ‘#’ – as a means of coordinating a distributed discussion between more or less large groups of users, who do not need to be connected through existing ‘follower’ networks. Twitter hashtags – such as ‘#ausvotes’ for the 2010 Australian elections, ‘#londonriots’ for the coordination of information and political debates around the recent unrest in London, or ‘#wikileaks’ for the controversy around Wikileaks thus aid the formation of ad hoc publics around specific themes and topics. They emerge from within the Twitter community – sometimes as a result of pre-planning or quickly reached consensus, sometimes through protracted debate about what the appropriate hashtag for an event or topic should be (which may also lead to the formation of competing publics using different hashtags). Drawing on innovative methodologies for the study of Twitter content, this paper examines the use of hashtags in political debate in the context of a number of major case studies.

Reflection of My Digital Mind

This artwork visualised my digital mind which is built on my technology experience. The contemporary technologies make available many small pieces of factual information that have affected the formation of my identity. This results that multiple identities can exist in a rhizomatic form through a vertical gene transfer. This does not refer to schizophrenia, but an ongoing transformation of digital mind.

Parliament and community road safety

In the past, Queensland parliamentary committees have successfully assisted in the introduction of evidence-based policy and legislation and this presentation will describe how Parliament supports road safety through its committees. The presentation will examine the strengths of parliamentary committees in the Westminster system, provide an overview of the reformed committee system and discuss an example of a previous road safety inquiry (completed under the former committee system). Developing an understanding of parliamentary committees will help road safety practitioners to present their ideas in an appropriate manner that will encourage the examination of their ideas by parliamentary committees and increase the likelihood that their suggestions will be included as recommendations within a committee report and subsequently acted upon by the government.

Developing a digital image watermarking model

This paper presents a key based generic model for digital image watermarking. The model aims at addressing an identified gap in the literature by providing a basis for assessing different watermarking requirements in various digital image applications. We start with a formulation of a basic watermarking system, and define system inputs and outputs. We then proceed to incorporate the use of keys in the design of various system components. Using the model, we also define a few fundamental design and evaluation parameters. To demonstrate the significance of the proposed model, we provide an example of how it can be applied to formally define common attacks.

YouTube

Originally launched in 2005 with a focus on user-generated content, YouTube has become the dominant platform for online video worldwide, and an important location for some of the most significant trends and controversies in the contemporary new-media environment. Throughout its very short history, it has also intersected with and been the focus of scholarly debates related to the politics, economics, and cultures of the new media—in particular, the “participatory turn” associated with “Web 2.0” business models’ partial reliance on amateur content and social networking. Given the slow pace of traditional scholarly publishing, the body of media and cultural studies literature substantively dedicated to describing and critically understanding YouTube’s texts, practices, and politics is still small, but it is growing steadily. At the same time, since its inception scholars from a wide range of disciplines and critical perspectives have found YouTube useful as a source of examples and case studies, some of which are included here; others have experimented directly with the scholarly and educational potential of the platform itself. For these reasons, although primarily based around the traditional publishing outlets for media, Internet, and cultural studies, this bibliography draws eclectically on a wide range of sources—including sources very closely associated with the web business literature and with the YouTube community itself.

Actioning university-community engagement : leadership, mentoring and professional communities

This presentation focuses on actioning university-community engagement through a Department of Employment, Education and Work Relations (DEEWR) grant. The project associated with this grant is titled Teacher Education Done Differently (TEDD) and it is currently in its third and final year of operation. TEDD aims to facilitate benefits for all partners (i.e., teachers, school executives, students, preservice teachers, university staff, and education departments). This project aims to facilitate understandings and skills on advancing mentoring and teaching practices for preservice teachers.

Urban informatics for rural knowledge economies

This position paper provides an overview of a proposed study that seeks to design and develop tools, methods and applications of urban informatics to promote an innovation culture and knowledge economy in regional Queensland. The National Broadband Network has the potential to leapfrog regional Queensland to join the knowledge economy, but effective applications and content strategies are required. The Edge is the Queensland Government’s Digital Culture Centre to engage young people in the technology/culture nexus. This position paper provides an overview of a proposed study that will set up Living Labs at The Edge and in a new precinct in rural Queensland (Goondiwindi) as sites to trial strategies and applications that engage people in entrepreneurial thinking, sustainability initiatives, and new creative practices across the urban and rural boundaries.

Andrzej Zielinski : pulp digital fictions

This is a review of painter Andrzej Zielinski's exhibition at gallery 9 in Sydney. It highlights the artist's expressionistic style and strong colour sense as well as his association with American painterly traditions. The artist application of acrylic modelling paste and his paintings also gives them a sculptural and architectural dimension, and on a conceptual level play with notions of mimesis and material form.

Conceptualising climate change in rural Australia : community perceptions, attitudes and (in) actions

Public engagement and support is essential for ensuring adaptation to climate change. The first step in achieving engagement is documenting how the general public currently perceive and understand climate change issues, specifically the importance they place on this global problem and identifying any unique challenges for individual communities. For rural communities, which rely heavily on local agriculture industries, climate change brings both potential impacts and opportunities. Yet, to date, our knowledge about how rural residents conceptualise climate change is limited. Thus, this research explores how the broader rural community – not only farmers – conceptualise climate change and responsive activities, focussing on documenting the understandings and risk perceptions of local residents from two small Australian rural communities. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted in communities in the Eden/Gippsland region on the border of New South Wales and Victoria, and the North-East of Tasmania. There are conflicting views on how climate change is conceptualised, the degree of concern and need for action, the role of local industry, who will 'win' and 'lose', and the willingness of rural communities to adapt. In particular, residents who believed in anthropogenic or human-induced factors described the changing climate as evidence of 'climate change', whereas those who were more sceptical termed it 'weather variability', suggesting that there is a divide in rural Australia that, unless urgently addressed, will hinder local and national policy responses to this global issue. Engaging these communities in the 21st century climate change debate will require a significant change in terminology and communication strategies.

The role of gender and framing in shaping community activists' perceptions of environmental risks

campaign to oppose projects proposed in their local community. The social constructionist perspective advocates that these motivations are driven by activists’ interpretation of reality, such that activists will assign multiple meanings to and frame environmental issues in a way that reflects their view of reality. Past research suggest that these are also influenced by patterns of shared meaning and interpretation that develop over time in protest movements that shape activists’ perceptions of the environmental risks and impacts associated with construction activity. This paper explores the role of gender distinctions in shaping perceptions of environmental risk and how this affects their framing of the environmental, social, cultural/ historical impacts associated with a construction project. Using Snow and Benford’s (1988) 3-prong analytical tool for framing: diagnostic framing, prognostic framing and motivational framing, this paper presents findings from the content analysis of in-depth interviews of 24 activists protesting against a highly controversial housing project in the greater Sydney metropolitan area. The research adopts a single case study approach, and is particularly significant as it investigates an extensive and on-going community-based protest campaign (dating back almost 20 years) that has generated the longest standing 24-hour community picket in Australia.

Three theories and a process: engaging community

This study examines a dialogue process managers can use to explore community attitudes. The objectives of the research are to develop a dialogue process that engages community audiences on climate mitigation strategies. Secondly, to understand participants perspectives and potential reactions in particular to underground storage of CO2 and determine the strategies that most effectively engage people in dialogue to enable the climate change debate to move forward. Finally, to develop a dialogue process that can be used by managers on other politically sensitive topics. Knowledge of the dynamics of psychosocial relationships and communication between stakeholders contributed to increased understanding of the issues. The key findings of this study indicate that the public can be engaged in dialogue on the issue of CO2 capture and storage and low emission technologies without engendering adverse reactions. The dialogue process is critical to participant’s engagement and led to behaviour change in energy use.