Understanding the behavior of workshop facilitators in systems analysis and design projects: Developing theory from process modeling projects

Organizational and technological systems analysis and design practices such as process modeling have received much attention in recent years. However, while knowledge about related artifacts such as models, tools, or grammars has substantially matured, little is known about the actual tasks and interaction activities that are conducted as part of analysis and design acts. In particular, key role of the facilitator has not been researched extensively to date. In this paper, we propose a new conceptual framework that can be used to examine facilitation behaviors in process modeling projects. The framework distinguishes four behavioral styles in facilitation (the driving engineer, the driving artist, the catalyzing engineer, and the catalyzing artist) that a facilitator can adopt. To distinguish between the four styles, we provide a set of ten behavioral anchors that underpin facilitation behaviors. We also report on a preliminary empirical exploration of our framework through interviews with experienced analysts in six modeling cases. Our research provides a conceptual foundation for an emerging theory for describing and explaining different behaviors associated with process modeling facilitation, provides first preliminary empirical results about facilitation in modeling projects, and provides a fertile basis for examining facilitation in other conceptual modeling activities.

Folk theory of social change

People have a folk theory of social change (FTSC). A typical Western FTSC stipulates that as a society becomes more industrialized, it undergoes a natural course of social change, in which a communal society marked by communal relationships becomes a qualitatively different, agentic society where market-based exchange relationships prevail. People use this folk theory to predict a society’s future and estimate its past, to understand contemporary cross-cultural differences, and to make decisions about social policies. Nonetheless, the FTSC is not particularly consistent with the existing cross-cultural research on industrialization and cultural differences, and needs to be examined carefully.

Online counselling in secondary schools: Would students seek help by this medium?

Students in secondary schools experience problems that can impact on their well-being and educational outcomes. Although face-to-face counselling is available in most Australian secondary schools, many students, particularly boys, do not seek appropriate help. Research suggests that online counselling can be effective and increase engagement. This study of 215 secondary school students sought to assess students' intention to use online counselling if it was made available in schools. The results found no gender difference in the likely intentions to seek online help though year level was significant and students experiencing psychological distress had a preference for online counselling. If students did use online counselling it was more likely they would discuss sensitive topics rather than for career issues. Implications for school counselling are discussed.

Structural and electronic properties of layered arsenic and antimony arsenide

Layered materials exhibit intriguing electronic characteristics and the search for new types of two-dimensional (2D) structures is of importance for future device fabrication. Using state-of-art first principle calculations, we identify and characterize the structural and electronic properties of two 2D layered arsenic materials, namely, arsenic and its alloy AsSb. The stable 2D structural configuration of arsenic is confirmed to be the low-buckled two-dimensional hexagonal structure by phonon and binding energy calculations. The monolayer exhibits indirect semiconducting properties with gap around 1.5 eV (corrected to 2.2 eV by hybrid function), which can be modulated into a direct semiconductor within a small amount of tensile strain. These semiconducting properties are preserved when cutting into 1D nanoribbons, but the band gap is edge dependent. It is interesting to find that an indirect to direct gap transition can be achieved under strain modulation of the armchair ribbon. Essentially the same phenomena can be found in layered AsSb, except a weak Rashba induced band splitting is present in AsSb due to the nonsymmetric structure and spin orbit coupling. When an additional layer is added on the top, a semiconductor–metal transition will occur. The findings here broaden the family of 2D materials beyond graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides and provide useful information for experimental fabrication of new layered materials with possible application in optoelectronics.

Disrupting Ethnography through Rhizoanalysis

This article interrogates principles of ethnography in education proposed by Mills and Morton: raw tellings, analytic pattern, vignette and empathy. This article adopts a position that is uncomfortable, unconventional and interesting. It involves a deterritorialization/ rupture of ethnography in education in order to reterritorialize a different concept: rhizoanalysis, a way to position theory and data that is multi-layered, complex and messy. Rhizoanalysis, the main focus of this article is not a method. It is an approach to research conditioned by a reality in which Deleuze and Guattari disrupt representation, interpretation and subjectivity. In this article, Multiple Literacies Theory, a theoretical and practical framework, becomes a lens to examine a rhizomatic study of a Korean family recently arrived to Australia and attending English as a second language classes. Observations and interviews recorded the daily lives of the family. The vignettes were selected by reading data intensively and immanently through a process of palpation, an innovative approach to educational research. Rhizoanalysis proposes to abandon the given and invent different ways of thinking about and doing research and what might happen when reading data differently, intensively and immanently, through Multiple Literacies Theory. Rhizoanalysis, a game-changer in the way research can be conducted, affords a different lens to tackle issues in education through research.

Tailoring surface properties and structure of layered double hydroxides using silanes with different number of functional groups

Four silanes, trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS), dimethyldiethoxylsilane (DMDES), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), were adopted to graft layered double hydroxides (LDH) via an induced hydrolysis silylation method (IHS). Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and 29Si MAS nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (29Si MAS NMR) indicated that APTES and TEOS can be grafted onto LDH surfaces via condensation with hydroxyl groups of LDH, while TMCS and DMDES could only be adsorbed on the LDH surface with a small quantity. A combination of X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD) and 29Si MAS NMR spectra showed that silanes were exclusively present in the external surface and had little influence on the long range order of LDH. The surfactant intercalation experiment indicated that the adsorbed and/or grafted silane could not fix the interlamellar spacing of the LDH. However, they will form crosslink between the particles and affect the further surfactant intercalation in the silylated samples. The replacement of water by ethanol in the tactoids and/or aggregations and the polysiloxane oligomers formed during silylation procedure can dramatically increase the value of BET surface area (SBET) and total pore volumes (Vp) of the products.

Transition metal layered double hydroxides for energy storage

Various types of layered double hydroxides, a type of clay, were synthesised. They were then electrochemically tested to determine whether the samples would be suitable to store energy as supercapacitors. A manganese aluminium layered double hydroxide was electrochemically tested for the first time and found to have a large capacitance.

Abatement of aqueous anionic contaminants by thermo-responsive nanocomposites: (Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide))-co-silylanized Magnesium/Aluminun layered double hydroxides

A series of novel thermo-responsive composite sorbents, were prepared by free-radical co-polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and the silylanized Mg/Al layered double hydroxides (SiLDHs), named as PNIPAm-co-SiLDHs. For keeping the high affinity of Mg/Al layered double hydroxides towards anions, the layered structure of LDHs was assumed to be reserved in PNIPAm-co-SiLDHs by the silanization of the wet LDH plates as evidenced by the X-ray powder diffraction. The sorption capacity of PNIPAm-co-SiLDH (13.5 mg/g) for Orange-II from water was found to be seven times higher than that of PNIPAm (2.0 mg/g), and the sorption capacities of arsenate onto PNIPAm-co-SiLDH are also greater than that onto PNIPAm, for both As(III) and As(V). These sorption results suggest that reserved LDH structure played a significant role in enhancing the sorption capacities. NO3− intercalated LDHs composite showed the stronger sorption capacity for Orange-II than that of CO32−. After sorption, the PNIPAm-co-SiLDH may be removed from water because of its gel-like nature, and may be easily regenerated contributing to the accelerated desorption of anionic contaminants from PNIPAm-co-SiLDHs by the unique phase-transfer feature through slightly heating (to 40 °C). These recyclable and regeneratable properties of thermo-responsive nanocomposites facilitate its potential application in the in-situ remediation of organic and inorganic anions from contaminated water.

Establishing a participatory library model: A Grounded Theory study

Purpose The purpose of this research is to explore the idea of the participatory library in higher education settings. This research aims to address the question, what is a participatory university library? Design/methodology/approach Grounded theory approach was adopted. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with two diverse groups of participants including ten library staff members and six library users. Data collection and analysis were carried out simultaneously and complied with Straussian grounded theory principles and techniques. Findings Three core categories representing the participatory library were found including “community”, “empowerment”, and “experience”. Each category was thoroughly delineated via sub-categories, properties, and dimensions that all together create a foundation for the participatory library. A participatory library model was also developed together with an explanation of model building blocks that provide a deeper understanding of the participatory library phenomenon. Research limitations The research focuses on a specific library system, i.e., academic libraries. Therefore, the research results may not be very applicable to public, special, and school library contexts. Originality/value This is the first empirical study developing a participatory library model. It provides librarians, library managers, researchers, library students, and the library community with a holistic picture of the contemporary library.

Privacy, modesty, hospitality and the design of Muslim homes in Australia

The home environment is conceptualised in prolific ways within the academic literature. A home is an unparalleled base for human settlement and habitation that embodies a sensorial space that is layered with personal memories and traces of history. The success of a home in providing a strong ‘sense of place’ depends on various factors such as geographical location, monetary funds or personal perceptions. A home too, is an influential medium that allows its dwellers to express, perform and continue their cultural traditions and religious faiths. Traditional Islamic teachings and practices involve guidelines that apply directly to the domestic space. The principles of privacy, modesty and hospitality are paramount to these guidelines and each has a significant influence upon the design of Muslim homes and the home owners’ or dwellers’ domestic behaviours. Despite a significant increase of Muslim population in Australia over the last decade, very little is known about their perceptions of domestic life and their use of domestic spaces within an Australian context. This research investigated on how Muslims in Brisbane live and adapt within their Australian homes and if these homes meet their personal and familial needs to perform their daily activities, as well as maintaining and practising their Islamic faiths and traditions. Specific attention has been given to their perceptions on tripartite principles of privacy, modesty, and hospitality (PMH) and how they achieve these three objectives. A qualitative case study approach was used to investigate six Muslim families living in four Brisbane suburbs, consisting of: a) Case Study 1: three Muslim families residing in one suburb of Brisbane and, b) Case Study 2: three international Muslim students living in three different Brisbane suburbs. This research indicates that apart from minor ‘design-related’ difficulties, case study participants were able to continue to perform their daily activities within their current homes through minor changes to the use of the available interior spaces. Above all, case study participants opined that their current Australian homes provide them with adequate safety and privacy for their families without any major disturbances. Insight gained from these cases suggests that greater research attention needs to be given to the potential development of Australian home designs that are adaptable to the ever-changing needs of the Australian multicultural society. Awareness of the multifactorial nature of the influences on Muslims’ perceptions of home and their use of domestic space is needed if architects, building designers, engineers and builders are to be properly equipped to meet the needs of their Muslim clients.

Technology adoption as a multi-stage process

This study proposes that technology adoption be considered as a multi-stage process constituting several distinct stages. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Ettlie’s adoption stages and by employing data gathered from 162 owners of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), our findings show that the determinants of the intention to adopt packaged software fluctuate significantly across adoption stages.

Editorial: Towards intuitive interaction theory

The Special Issue of Interacting with Computers, 2015 showcases the current state of the art in intuitive interaction research. Several papers have showcased new potential methods for both applying and assessing intuitive interaction during early and later phases of the design process. Diefenbach and Ullrich present a new, alternative framework for intuitive interaction, comprised of the four components of gut feeling, verbalizability. Fischer and colleagues paper also reported on an experiment in applying image schemas but in this case they aimed to find a more efficient way of discovering and applying them, in order to find ways to improve the design process as well as assessment of new interfaces. Still and co-researchers had a similar aim, that of establishing what levels and types of knowledge can be most easily and accurately elicited from users in order to be applied to new interfaces. Hespanhol and Tomitsch described strategies for intuitive interaction in public urban spaces. Macaranas and colleagues described an experiment which tested three different full body gestural interfaces to establish which types of mappings were more intuitive, one based on images schemas and two on different previously encountered features from other types of interfaces.

Young and unaffected by road policing strategies: Using deterrence theory to explain provisional drivers' (non)compliance

Newly licenced drivers are disproportionately represented in traffic injuries and crash statistics. Despite the implementation of countermeasures designed to improve safety, such as graduated driver licencing (GDL) schemes, many young drivers do not comply with road rules. This study used a reconceptualised deterrence theory framework to investigate young drivers’ perceptions of the enforcement of road rules in general and those more specifically related to GDL. A total of 236 drivers aged 17–24 completed a questionnaire assessing their perceptions of various deterrence mechanisms (personal and vicarious) and their compliance with both GDL-specific and general road rules. Hierarchical multiple regressions conducted to explore noncompliant behaviour revealed that, contrary to theoretical expectations, neither personal nor vicarious punishment experiences affected compliance in the expected direction. Instead, the most influential factors contributing to noncompliance were licence type (P2) and, counterintuitively, having previously been exposed to enforcement. Parental enforcement was also significant in the prediction of transient rule violations, but not fixed rule violations or overall noncompliance. Findings are discussed in light of several possibilities, including an increase in violations due to more time spent on the road, an ‘emboldening effect’ noted in prior studies and possible conceptual constraints regarding the deterrence variables examined in this study.

Moving from theory to praxis on the fly: Introducing a salutogenic method to expedite mental health care provision in disaster situations

Not a lot is known about most mental illness. Its triggers can rarely be established and nor can its aetiological dynamics, so it is hardly surprising that the accepted treatments for most mental illnesses are really strategies to manage the most overt symptoms. But with such a dearth of knowledge, how can worthy decisions be made about psychiatric interventions, especially given time and budgetary restrictions? This paper introduces a method, extrapolated from Salutogenics; the psycho-social theory of health introduced by Antonovsky in 1987. This method takes a normative stance (that psychiatric health care is for the betterment of psychiatric patients), and applies it to any context where there is a dearth of workable knowledge. In lieu of guiding evidence, the method identifies reasonable alternatives on the fly, enabling rational decisions to be made quickly with limited resources.

The subcortical confinement hypothesis: A neurological model for schizotypal hallucinations

Introduction Different types of hallucinations are symptomatic of different conditions. Schizotypal hallucinations are unique in that they follow existing delusional narrative patterns: they are often bizarre, they are generally multimodal, and they are particularly vivid (the experience of a newsreader abusing you personally over the TV is both visual and aural. Patients who feel and hear silicone chips under their skin suffer from haptic hallucinations as well as aural ones, etc.) Although there are a number of hypotheses for hallucinations, few cogently grapple the sheer bizarreness of the ones experienced in schizotypal psychosis. Methods A review-based hypothesis, traversing theory from the molecular level to phenomenological expression as a distinct and recognizable symptomatology. Conclusion Hallucinations appear to be caused by a two-fold dysfunction in the mesofrontal dopamine pathway, which is considered here to mediate attention of different types: in the anterior medial frontal lobe, the receptors (largely D1 type) mediate declarative awareness, whereas the receptors in the striatum (largely D2 type) mediate latent awareness of known schemata. In healthy perception, most of the perceptual load is performed by the latter: by the top-down predictive and mimetic engine, with the bottom-up mechanism being used as a secondary tool to bring conscious deliberation to stimuli that fails to match up against expectations. In schizophrenia, the predictive mode is over-stimulated, while the bottom-up feedback mechanism atrophies. The dysfunctional distribution pattern effectively confines dopamine activity to the striatum, thereby stimulating the structural components of thought and behaviour: well-learned routines, narrative structures, lexica, grammar, schemata, archetypes, and other procedural resources. Meanwhile, the loss of activity in the frontal complex reduces the capacity for declarative awareness and for processing anything that fails to meet expectations.