Editorial

On a balmy summer morning a small group of us gathered for breakfast at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing during the 2010 ISME World Conference. As the cafe started to fill up with delegates from around the globe, we sat intently discussing our grand plan. Quite simply, we wanted to develop a network of community music practitioners and scholars in the Asia Pacific region. Inspired by the Community Music Activity (CMA) Commission we had just attended in Hangzhou the week before, we felt a pressing need to keep the seminar’s momentum going. During the seminar we had heard many stories and examples of musical practices, community contexts, pedagogical approaches and research ethics; however, set against the backdrop of this Chinese context, these familiar topics seemed to take on a new meaning (see Bartleet 2011). As we experienced the local culture and interacted with some of our Chinese colleagues, we were reminded that the concept of community is always contextual, contingent and contested(see Elliott et al. 2008: 3). We were also reminded that notions of what community music is and its social and educational functions are always fluid and varied depending on where you are in the world. After the seminar, our sense was that there are new voices and ideas relating to community music coming from this region that need to be heard. We hoped that this network would serve as a vehicle for activating relationships between these practitioners and scholars, as well as a channel for developing cross cultural partnerships, and disseminating research about community music in this region. On the surface this goal seemed quite straightforward...

Travel writing

This chapter introduces techniques that are used in travel writing to create a strong sense of place and a meaningful, engaging narrative of a journey. It raises and defines terms of modern rhetoric to show that a distinctive and enduring feature of travel writing lies in the ways it mixes modes of writing. Towards the end, the chapter offers ways of effectively unifying elements of travel writing.

Portfolio review

The portfolio can be loosely defined as a collection or collation of achievements, artefacts, creative works or examples of competencies, usually for the purpose of demonstrating a person’s capabilities in a specific field of endeavour. People make and share their portfolios for many reasons: social or cultural recognition, employment, accreditation, and educational qualification. It is this latter purpose that this chapter addresses; the creation and use of a portfolio for educational development and certification.

Preparing for portfolio careers in Australian music : setting a research agenda

In the twenty-first century, Australian musicians increasingly maintain ‘portfolio’ careers, in which they combine diverse employment arrangements and activities. Often, these incorporate industry sectors outside of music. This career pattern is widespread but not well understood, largely because of the limitations of existing research. The lack of knowledge about musicians’ work and careers means that Australia currently may not provide appropriate and effective policy, funding, initial training and continuing career support across the diverse music sector. This article discusses existing research relating to the careers and skilling needs of musicians in Australia, and outlines a targeted agenda for further research that has the potential to inform stronger alignment between the requirements of building sustainable music careers and musicians’ education and training.

The value of community wellbeing for locality based practice

This presentation put forward six propositions regarding the value and character of community wellbeing, in particular the economic contribution of social and community programs and initiatives. The six propositions are: 1. Community wellbeing is a useful umbrella concept 2. Everyone benefits from public programs 3. There is an economic as well as social cost of not responding well 4. Local government is key in fostering community wellbeing 5. Good practice involves bringing together a number of perspectives and levers, including social and cultural initiatives 6. Engaging with the community around wellbeing offers an opportunity to enhance the political process

BabelFuse data fusion unit with precision wireless clock synchronisation

A significant issue encountered when fusing data received from multiple sensors is the accuracy of the timestamp associated with each piece of data. This is particularly important in applications such as Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) where vehicle velocity forms an important part of the mapping algorithms; on fastmoving vehicles, even millisecond inconsistencies in data timestamping can produce errors which need to be compensated for. The timestamping problem is compounded in a robot swarm environment due to the use of non-deterministic readily-available hardware (such as 802.11-based wireless) and inaccurate clock synchronisation protocols (such as Network Time Protocol (NTP)). As a result, the synchronisation of the clocks between robots can be out by tens-to-hundreds of milliseconds making correlation of data difficult and preventing the possibility of the units performing synchronised actions such as triggering cameras or intricate swarm manoeuvres. In this thesis, a complete data fusion unit is designed, implemented and tested. The unit, named BabelFuse, is able to accept sensor data from a number of low-speed communication buses (such as RS232, RS485 and CAN Bus) and also timestamp events that occur on General Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) pins referencing a submillisecondaccurate wirelessly-distributed "global" clock signal. In addition to its timestamping capabilities, it can also be used to trigger an attached camera at a predefined start time and frame rate. This functionality enables the creation of a wirelessly-synchronised distributed image acquisition system over a large geographic area; a real world application for this functionality is the creation of a platform to facilitate wirelessly-distributed 3D stereoscopic vision. A ‘best-practice’ design methodology is adopted within the project to ensure the final system operates according to its requirements. Initially, requirements are generated from which a high-level architecture is distilled. This architecture is then converted into a hardware specification and low-level design, which is then manufactured. The manufactured hardware is then verified to ensure it operates as designed and firmware and Linux Operating System (OS) drivers are written to provide the features and connectivity required of the system. Finally, integration testing is performed to ensure the unit functions as per its requirements. The BabelFuse System comprises of a single Grand Master unit which is responsible for maintaining the absolute value of the "global" clock. Slave nodes then determine their local clock o.set from that of the Grand Master via synchronisation events which occur multiple times per-second. The mechanism used for synchronising the clocks between the boards wirelessly makes use of specific hardware and a firmware protocol based on elements of the IEEE-1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP). With the key requirement of the system being submillisecond-accurate clock synchronisation (as a basis for timestamping and camera triggering), automated testing is carried out to monitor the o.sets between each Slave and the Grand Master over time. A common strobe pulse is also sent to each unit for timestamping; the correlation between the timestamps of the di.erent units is used to validate the clock o.set results. Analysis of the automated test results show that the BabelFuse units are almost threemagnitudes more accurate than their requirement; clocks of the Slave and Grand Master units do not di.er by more than three microseconds over a running time of six hours and the mean clock o.set of Slaves to the Grand Master is less-than one microsecond. The common strobe pulse used to verify the clock o.set data yields a positive result with a maximum variation between units of less-than two microseconds and a mean value of less-than one microsecond. The camera triggering functionality is verified by connecting the trigger pulse output of each board to a four-channel digital oscilloscope and setting each unit to output a 100Hz periodic pulse with a common start time. The resulting waveform shows a maximum variation between the rising-edges of the pulses of approximately 39¥ìs, well below its target of 1ms.

Brominated flame retardants in the Australian population : 1993-2009

Brominated flame retardants, including hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used to reduce the flammability of a multitude of electrical and electronic products, textiles and foams. The use of selected PBDEs has ceased, however, use of decaBDE and HBCD continues. While elevated concentrations of PBDEs in humans have been observed in Australia, no data is available on other BFRs such as HBCD. This study aimed to provide background HBCD concentrations from a representative sample of the Australian population and to assess temporal trends of HBCD and compare with PBDE concentrations over a 16 year period. Samples of human milk collected in Australia from 1993 to 2009, primarily from primiparae mothers were combined into 12 pools from 1993 (2 pools); 2001; 2002/2003 (4 pools); 2003/2004; 2006; 2007/2008 (2 pools); and 2009. Concentrations of ∑HBCD ranged from not quantified (nq) to 19 ng g−1 lipid while α-HBCD and γ-HBCD ranged from nq to 10 ng g−1 lipid and nq to 9.2 ng g−1 lipid. β-HBCD was detected in only one sample at 3.6 ng g−1 lipid while ∑4PBDE ranged from 2.5 to 15.8 ng g−1 lipid. No temporal trend was apparent in HBCD concentrations in human milk collected in Australia from 1993 to 2009. In comparison, PBDE concentrations in human milk show a peak around 2002/03 (mean ∑4PBDEs = 9.6 ng g−1 lipid) and 2003/04 (12.4 ng g−1 lipid) followed by a decrease in 2007/08 (2.7 ng g−1 lipid) and 2009 (2.6 ng g−1 lipid). In human blood serum samples collected from the Australian population, PBDE concentrations did not vary greatly (p = 0.441) from 2002/03 to 2008/09. Continued monitoring including both human milk and serum for HBCD and PBDEs is required to observe trends in human body burden of HBCD and PBDEs body burden following changes to usage.

Managing older workers during a period of tight labour supply

This article reports on a recent survey of employer attitudes and policies towards older workers in Australia at a time of sustained economic growth and ongoing concerns about labour shortages. Findings from a survey of 590 employers with more than 50 employees in the State of Queensland point to an unusually strong orientation towards the recruitment of older workers among respondents, although the retraining of older workers is not prioritised by the majority. The issue of workforce ageing is viewed as being of medium-term importance by the majority of respondents, although for a substantial number the issue is of immediate concern. Both sector and organisation size are predictive of the application of a broad range of policies targeting older workers, with public-sector and larger organisations more likely to be active. Concerns about workforce ageing and labour supply are predictive of employer behaviours regarding older workers, suggesting that sustained policy making may be emerging in response to population ageing over and above more immediate concerns about labour shortages and that this broad thrust of organisational policy making may be immune to the point in the economic cycle. This study found no evidence that the flexible firm will not countenance an ageing workforce.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a kidney and cardiovascular disease treatment program in an Australian Aboriginal population

The objective of the study was to assess, from a health service perspective, whether a systematic program to modify kidney and cardiovascular disease reduced the costs of treating end-stage kidney failure. The participants in the study were 1,800 aboriginal adults with hypertension, diabetes with microalbuminuria or overt albuminuria, and overt albuminuria, living on two islands in the Northern Territory of Australia during 1995 to 2000. Perindopril was the primary treatment agent, and other medications were also used to control blood pressure. Control of glucose and lipid levels were attempted, and health education was offered. Evaluation of program resource use and costs for follow-up periods was done at 3 and 4.7 years. On an intention-to-treat basis, the number of dialysis starts and dialysis-years avoided were estimated by comparing the fate of the treatment group with that of historical control subjects, matched for disease severity, who were followed in the before the treatment program began. For the first three years, an estimated 11.6 person-years of dialysis were avoided, and over 4.7 years, 27.7 person-years of dialysis were avoided. The net cost of the program was 1,210 dollars more per person per year than status quo care, and dialyses avoided gave net savings of 1.0 million dollars at 3 years and 3.4 million dollars at 4.6 years. The treatment program provided significant health benefit and impressive cost savings in dialysis avoided.

Managing the production of a Cochrane systematic review

Undertaking a Cochrane systematic review can be an incredibly rewarding experience. It is however a challenging and time-consuming task. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions1 provides an essential resource to help reviewers navigate the often complex methodological issues of systematic review research. Additional guidelines have been developed for those undertaking reviews of public health topics,2 and Cochrane Centres throughout the world offer invaluable training opportunities. This emphasis on training and methodological rigour has helped Cochrane reviews become one of the most respected sources of synthesized research available. Even with the assistance available, however, many authors with good intentions register titles and prepare protocols but fail to publish the completed review. Data extracted from Cochrane’s Information Management System (Archie) in June 2010 showed that there were 1,301 titles registered more than two years ago that have not been published as a full review.3 Of these registered titles, 697 have had protocols published (25 are no longer active) while 604 have not even progressed to this stage (154 are no longer active). There are also 146 protocols that have been published for more than two years without being converted into completed reviews. These registered titles and protocols that have not yet progressed to a completed review represent a significant amount of time and energy invested by review authors, Cochrane editorial staff and, in some cases, external referees...

Enhancing capacity for 'systematic' thinking in public health

The concept of being evidence based or evidence informed is widely acknowledged as an important component of decision-making. It is perhaps most universally referred to in medicine, however has extended into many other disciplines over the past decade, including public health. Evidence-based public health has been defined as the ‘conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of communities and populations in the domain of health protection, disease prevention, health maintenance and improvement (health promotion)’.1 More recent literature favours the use of the term evidence informed over evidence based to acknowledge the varying influences on decisions in this complex field.2,3 Evidence-informed activities in any discipline require a specific set of skills in critical thinking. These skills include identifying the questions to be resolved, collecting relevant evidence, and assessing, synthesizing and distilling evidence in a way that can inform the set of activities to be undertaken as a result.

Community wide interventions for increasing physical activity (protocol)

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: Primary research objective To determine the effects of community wide, multi-strategic interventions upon community levels of physical activity. Secondary research objectives 1. To explore whether any effects of the intervention are different within and between populations, and whether these differences form an equity gradient. 2. To describe other health (e.g. cardiovascular disease morbidity) and behavioural effects (e.g. diet) where appropriate outcomes are available. 3. To explore the influence of context in the design, delivery, and outcomes of the interventions. 4. To explore the relationship between the number of components, duration, and effects of the interventions. 5. To highlight implications for further research and research methods to improve knowledge of the interventions in relation to the primary research objective.

Complications related to therapeutic anticoagulation in total hip arthroplasty

Bleeding related wound complications cause significant morbidity in lower limb arthroplasty surgery. Patients who require therapeutic anticoagulation in the peri operative period are potentially at higher risk of these complications. This is a retrospective case control study reviewing all primary total hip replacements performed in a single center over a five year period and comparing outcomes of the patients on warfarin with a double-matched control group of patients not on warfarin. The warfarin group had significantly higher risk of deep joint infection (9% vs 2.2%), haematoma/ wound ooze (28% vs 4%) and superficial infection (13.5% vs 2.2%). Managing the total hip arthroplasty patient with therapeutic anticoagulation is a balance between the risk of thromboembolic disease and bleeding related complications. Improved understanding of this risk will better allow the patient to make an informed decision regarding their elective arthroplasty surgery.

Dichotomy in the design studio 2.0 : adapting to new blended learning environments

In a study aimed at better understanding how students adapt to new blended studio learning environments, all undergraduate and masters of architecture students at a large school of architecture in Australia, learned a semester of architectural design in newly renovated, technology embedded, design studio environments. The renovations addressed the lessons learned from a 2011 pilot study of a second year architectural design studio learned in a high technology embedded prototype digital laboratory. The new design studios were purpose designed for the architecture students and adapted Student-Centred Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs design principles. At the end of the semester, the students completed a questionnaire about their experiences of learning in the new design studio environments. Using a dual method qualitative approach, the questionnaire data were coded and extrapolated using both thematic analysis and grounded theory methodology. The results from these two approaches were compared, contrasted and finally merged, to reveal five distinct emerging themes, which were instrumental in offering resistance or influencing adaptation to, the new blended studio learning environments. This paper reports on the study, discusses the major contributors to resistance and adaptation, and proposes points for consideration when renovating or designing new blended studio learning environments. This research extends the 2011 pilot study by the same authors: ‘Dichotomy in the design studio: Adapting to new blended learning environments’.

Engineering across cultures : new learning resources for intercultural competency in engineering

BACKGROUND The work described in this paper has emerged from an ALTC/OLT funded project, Exploring Intercultural Competency in Engineering. The project indentified many facets of culture and intercultural competence that go beyond a culture-as-nationality paradigm. It was clear from this work that resources were needed to help engineering educators introduce students to the complex issues of culture as they relate to engineering practice. A set of learning modules focussing on intercultural competence in engineering practice were developed early on in the project. Through the OLT project, these modules have been expanded into a range of resources covering various aspects of culture in engineering. Supporting the resources, an eBook detailing the ins and outs of intercultural competency has also been developed to assist engineering educators to embed opportunities for students to develop skills in unpacking and managing cross-cultural challenges in engineering practice. PURPOSE This paper describes the key principles behind the development of the learning modules, the areas they cover and the eBook developed to support the modules. The paper is intended as an introduction to the approaches and resources and extends an invitation to the community to draw from, and contribute to this initial work. DESIGN/METHOD A key aim of this project was to go beyond the culture-as-nationality approach adopted in much of the work around intercultural competency (Deardorff, 2011). The eBook explores different dimensions of culture such as workplace culture, culture’s influence on engineering design, and culture in the classroom. The authors describe how these connect to industry practice and explore what they mean for engineering education. The packaged learning modules described here have been developed as a matrix of approaches moving from familiar known methods through complicated activities relying to some extent on expert knowledge. Some modules draw on the concept of ‘complex un-order’ as described in the ‘Cynefin domains’ proposed by Kurtz and Snowden (2003). RESULTS Several of the modules included in the eBook have already been trialled at a variety of institutions. Feedback from staff has been reassuringly positive so far. Further trials are planned for second semester 2012, and version 1 of the eBook and learning modules, Engineering Across Cultures, is due to be released in late October 2012. CONCLUSIONS The Engineering Across Cultures eBook and learning modules provide a useful and ready to employ resource to help educators tackle the complex issue of intercultural competency in engineering education. The book is by no means exhaustive, and nor are the modules, they instead provide an accessible, engineering specific guide to bringing cultural issues into the engineering classroom.