WIL-power: Developing journalism students' intercultural communications and international reporting skills on field trips to Vietnam

This article examines journalism students' learning experience that is intercultural, immersive and intensive. Accounts of 'intercultural' experience date back to Herodotus of Halicarnassus; 'immersion' is integral to contemporary practice in language learning; and 'intensive' delivery has been refined to an art by postgraduate business education. Together they can be grouped under the broader pedagogical concept of work-integrated learning (WIL). This article examines two WIL projects that involved field trips by journalism students to Vietnam in 2012 and 2014, and their implications for future WIL initiatives.

Electronic medical record systems in Saudi Arabia: Knowledge and preferences of healthcare professionals

Background The use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems is increasing internationally, though developing countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have tended to lag behind in the adoption and implementation of EMR systems due to several barriers. The literature shows that the main barriers to EMR in Saudi Arabia are lack of knowledge or experience using EMR systems and staff resistance to using the implemented EMR system. Methods A quantitative methodology was used to examine health personnel knowledge and acceptance of and preference for EMR systems in seven Saudi public hospitals in Jeddah, Makkah and Taif cities. Results Both English literacy and education levels were significantly correlated with computer literacy and EMR literacy. Participants whose first language was not Arabic were more likely to prefer using an EMR system compared to those whose first language was Arabic. Conclusion This study suggests that as computer literacy levels increase, so too do staff preferences for using EMR systems. Thus, it would be beneficial for hospitals to assess English language proficiency and computer literacy levels of staff prior to implementing an EMR system. It is recommended that hospitals need to offer training and targeted educational programs to the potential users of the EMR system. This would help to increase English language proficiency and computer literacy levels of staff as well as staff acceptance of the system.

Children's literature and the environment

Fiction offers creative and imaginative scenarios and solutions that may stimulate young people to consider their own relationship with the environment. Literature for young people also offers insights into ecocatastrophe, anthropocentrism, sustainability, and other important issues. A further significance of this project is that it aligns with the cross-curriculum priority of the Australian Curriculum, namely ‘sustainability’. The 'Children's Literature and the Environment' project in AustLit includes a variety of bibliographic records (fiction, information books, film, poetry, and multimedia) relevant to children and young adults that deal with the environment in imaginative, scientific, educational, and creative ways, which culminates in an online exhibition. There are a number of components clustered around key concepts and issues, such as sustainability, urban environments, and Indigenous perspectives. This exhibition allows researchers and students to access and engage with bibliographical data on a range of literary and critical texts that provide various environmental perspectives over a significant period of time.