Knitted images : cartographies

Through the making of these works I research teachers. Here, I push a/r/tography (Irwin & Springgay 2008) into ca/r/tography - a process of mapping that is multitexural, mutable; moving between theorization, creation, process, research, and mapped by me as I wander between artist, researcher, teacher...

Public engagement in major projects : the Hong Kong experience

Public engagement is an essential process for major municipal infrastructure and construction projects as it serves to identify the interests and concerns of citizens before the planning and design are finalised and thus ensures the schemes are beneficial to all sectors of the community. However, the success of public engagement depends on a number of factors, not least the suitability of the engagement methods used, representativeness and activeness of participants, time pressure, financial constraint and so on. In Hong Kong, the community has experienced discontent with several major projects recently, suggesting the need to examine the effectiveness of its current public engagement mechanism. This paper reports the results of a series of interviews with a variety of stakeholders – indicating the need for a carefully considered public engagement plan to be established at the beginning to drive the process and more experienced people to lead and facilitate the engagement process.

Applying academagogy : the transference of an organised heuristic teaching approach to the digital realm

Much has been written about transferring class materials and teaching techniques to digital platforms, but less has been written about applying heuristic organizing constructs in the same manner. With the transformation of learning ecologies over the past decades as well as requirements to adjust to constantly shifting digital tools and environments, the challenges for learning facilitators are to readily adapt and change, as well as to engage a changing learner demographic. However, most importantly is to engage most effectively with learners in these online environments. This article reviews the existing literature in the heuristic construct of academagogy [1] and applies a case study methodology to discussion of the first application of academagogy to the online delivery of an undergraduate design unit. Through a focus on effective teaching and learning techniques, the transfer from face-to-face (f2f) to the digital realm is explored through four main focal points: Tools for teaching, teaching and learning, communicating with students, and effective teaching methods. These four focal points are then used to discuss ways to meet the challenges of teaching online including how they create new dimensions in teaching practice and how the digital experience changes learning experiences. The article concludes with reflection and consolidation of the similarities and differences between the face-to-face and digital deliveries, and by suggesting changes to the academagogic heuristic to enable its use more easily in a digital space.

Doctoral research training : encouraging timely completion – case study reflections of one university on how it supports a vibrant research training culture

This is a case study of a young university striving to generate and sustain a vibrant Research Training culture. The university’s research training framework is informed by a belief in a project management approach to achieving successful research candidature. This has led to the definition and reporting of key milestones during candidature. In turn, these milestones have generated a range of training programs to support Higher Degree Research (HDR) students to meet these milestones in a timely fashion. Each milestone focuses on a specific set of skills blended with supporting the development of different parts of the doctoral thesis. Data on student progress and completion has provided evidence in highlighting the role that the milestones and training are playing in supporting timely completion. A university-wide reporting cycle generated data on the range of workshops and training provided to Higher Degree Research students and supervisors. The report provided details of thesis topic and format, as well as participation in research training events and participant evaluation of those events. Analysis of the data led to recommendations and comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the current research training program. Discussion considered strategies and drivers for enhancements into the future. In particular, the paper reflects on the significant potential role of centrally curated knowledge systems to support HDR student and supervisor access, and engagement and success. The research training program was developed using blended learning as a model. It covered face-to-face workshops as well as online modules. These were supplemented by web portals that offered a range of services to inform and educate students and supervisors and included opportunities for students to interact with each other. Topics ranged from the research life cycle, writing and publication, ethics, managing research data, managing copyright, and project management to use of software and the University’s Code of Conduct for Research. The challenges discussed included: How to reach off campus students and those studying in external modes? How best to promote events to potential participants? How long and what format is best for face-to-face sessions? What online resources best supplement face-to-face offerings? Is there a place for peer-based learning and what form should this take? These questions are raised by a relatively young university seeking to build and sustain a vibrant research culture. The rapid growth in enrolments in recent years has challenged previous one-to-one models of support. This review of research training is timely in seeking strategies to address changing research training support capacity and student needs. Part of the discussion will focus on supervisory training, noting that good supervision is the one remaining place where one-to-one support is provided. Ensuring that supervisors are appropriately equipped to address student expectations is considered in the context of the research training provisions. The paper concludes with reflection on the challenges faced, and recommended ways forward as the number of research students grows into the future.

Older academics : motivation to keep working

This is an interpretive – descriptive analysis of responses to 41 open ended questionnaires returned by cademicsworking beyond normal retirement age. The sample consisted mainly of academics from the United Kingdom,Australia, and New Zealand. The research addressed the question of what motivates some academics to continueworking beyond the ‘usual’ retirement age. The main motivation for continuing was strong interest and commitment,particularly to research and writing. Some also gave social, financial, and other reasons for continuing. Those not infull time employment described barriers, including finance and facilities and the support that they needed to maintaintheir activities. In most countries institutional and government policies made it possible for them to stay involvedacademically even if it meant making a personal effort. Most of them would have liked better support or recognitionfrom their universities. The results suggest that universities should more actively support older academics incontinuing activity.

Out-of-pocket expenditures for hospital care in Iran : who is at risk of incurring catastrophic payments?

Since the beginning of 1980s, the Iranian health care system has undergone several reforms designed to increase accessibility of health services. Notwithstanding these reforms, out-of-pocket payments which create a barrier to access health services contribute almost half of total health are financing in Iran. This study aimed to provide a greater understanding about the inequality and determinants of the out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) and the related catastrophic expenditure (CE) for hospital services in Iran using a nationwide survey data, the 2003 Utilisation of Health Services Survey (UHSS). The concentration index and the Heckman selection model were used to assess inequality and factors associated with these expenditures. Inequality analysis suggests that the CE is concentrated among households in lower socioeconomic levels. The results of the Heckman selection model indicate that factors such as length of stay, admission to a hospital owned by private sector or Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and living in remote areas are positively associated with higher OOPE. Results of the ordered-probit selection model demonstrate that length of stay, lower household wealth index, and admission to a private hospital are major factors contributing to the increase in the probability of CE. Also, we find that households living in East Azarbaijan, Kordestan and Sistan and Balochestan face a higher level of CE. Based on our findings, the current employer-sponsored health insurance system does not offer equal protection against hospital expenditure in Iran. It seems that a single universal health insurance scheme that covers health services for all Iranian—regardless of their employment status—can better protect households from catastrophic health spending.

Effects of microfinance on poverty reduction in Vietnam : a pseudo-panel data analysis

The development of microfinance in Vietnam since 1990s has coincided with a remarkable progress in poverty reduction. Numerous descriptive studies have illustrated that microfinance is an effective tool to eradicate poverty in Vietnam but evidence from quantitative studies is mixed. This study contributes to the literature by providing new evidence on the impact of microfinance to poverty reduction in Vietnam using the repeated cross - sectional data from the Vietnam Living Standard s Survey (VLSS) during period 1992 - 2010. Our results show that micro - loans contribute significantly to household consumption.

"Kirjailijoiden tapaus" Venäjällä vuonna 1997

In the autumn of 1997, Russian government was faced with media pressure when owners of the TV channels ORT and NTV joined forces against it. This study is based on media sources from October 1997 to December 1997. It shows clearly how the enormous power of the media was able to dictate what happened in Russia. In the mid-1990s Russians started to talk about political technology, which became a commonly used term by professionals, journalists, politicians and intelligence services. As a result of this action, two leading reformers in the government, Anatoliy Chubais and Boris Nemtsov, were dismissed from their highly influential posts as finance and energy ministers respectively, but retained their power as first deputy prime ministers. According to the correspondents, the real reason was to resolve a conflict within the parliament, which had demanded the dismissal of Mr. Chubais. This demand was presented after Chubais had accepted $90,000 as a reward for co-writing a book on privatization. Chubais was considered to be Russia’s “business card” towards the west – the"Authors’ case" (Delo avtorov) was only solved after President Boris Yeltsin took part in the public debate. According to the research, the media owned by powerful businessmen Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinski, was able to use its own security services to expose sensitive material (Russian term ‘kompromat’), if necessary, concerning any given person. The so-called Authors’ case can be considered as a part of the battle and the tip of the iceberg in arrangements designed to organize the funding of the Russian presidential election campaign in 2000. The reason why this particular incident was so widely covered on television was because several programs aimed to reveal to the public "hidden bribes" that, as they claimed, government officials had received. The political aspect, however, was quite mild, when the concrete issues of possible dismissals of Ministers were debated in the Parliament. Everything was dealt with as a “family matter” inside Kremlin. Yeltsin's "family" consisted of practically anybody from oligarch Berezovsky to Chubais, the father of Russia's privatization policy. Methods of critical history implementation analysis has been used in this research in determining the use of the source material. Literature and interviews have also provided a good base for the study. The study proves that any literature dealing with the subject has not paid enough attention to how the dismissal of Alexander Kazakov, deputy of President’s administration, was linked directly with Gazprom, the state gas monopoly. Kazakov had to leave Gazprom and lose his position as Chubais' ally when the influential ORT television company was deteriorated.

Esimiestaitojen tärkeys, hallinta ja kehitystarpeet

This study examines the leadership skills in municipal organisation. The study reflects the manager views on leadership skills required. The purpose of this study was to reflect the most important leadership skills currently and in the future as well as the control of these skills. The study also examines the importance of the change and development needs of the leadership skills. In addition, the effect of background variables on evaluation of leadership skills were also examined. The quantitative research method was used in the study. The material was collected with the structured questionnaire from 324 Kotka city managers. SPSS-program was used to analyse the study material. Factor analysis was used as the main method for analysis. In addition, mean and standard deviations were used to better reflect the study results. Based on the study results, the most important leadership skills currently and in the future are associated with internet skills, work control, problem solving and human resource management skills. Managers expected the importance of leadership skills to grow in the future. Main growth is associated with the software utilisation, language skills, communication skills as well as financial leadership skills. Strongest competence according to managers is associated with the internet skills. Managers also considered to control well the skills related to employee know-how and manager networking. In addition, significant development needs are required in leadership skills. Main improvement areas were discovered in software utilisation, work control, human resource management skills as well as skills requiring problem solving. It should be noted that the main improvement areas appeared in the leadership skills that were evaluated as most important apart from software utilisation. Position, municipal segments and sex were observed to explain most of the deviation in received responses.

Engagement with superannuation: Is there really a gender gap?

A recent report produced by Suncorp Bank and The association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) found women were less engaged with their superannuation than men (2012). Given that women have lower superannuation balances than men, a lack of engagement could leader to a further reduction in their ability to provide for themselves in retirement (Basu and Drew, 2009). Using a variety of measures of engagement, we find women are mostly as engaged as men. The main determinants of engagement continue to be financial literacy, age and value of superannuation.

Tietämisen politiikka : Kokemuksellinen tieto kunnan hallinnassa

The present study examines citizen participation in local government and municipal democracy. Previous research has shown that the prerequisite for active citizenship lies in the opportunities available for local residents to determine which perspectives and planning needs are relevant. This research looks at whether the conception of knowledge employed in municipal planning allows for this kind of active role for local citizens. Methodologically the study employs an hermeneutic approach. The aim has been to identify various approaches steering the practice of municipal democracy. The theory behind the study comes from the assumption of the intersubjectivity of reality. Construing the rationality of one s own behaviour is seen as a prerequisite for meaningful action. In this context, criteria for the functionality of municipal democracy and the purpose of strengthening citizen participation are defined. The study is divided into two parts. Firstly, the purpose of participation and the opportunities for local residents to contribute is examined theoretically with reference to previous studies. The intention is to provide an overview of the Finnish cross-disciplinary debate on resident participation. This debate is reflected onto the prevailing views on changes in the municipal operating environment and modes of operation. In conclusion, a theoretical model is constructed to explain how the various modes of operation in regional municipalities affect the purpose of resident participation and the utilisation of information received through this participation. The second part of the study discusses the utilisation of this information and knowledge acquired through the participation of local residents and all those involved in political and administrative processes in municipalities. These first-hand reports are analysed using the model constructed earlier in the study. The goal is to understand how political and administrative practice affects opportunities for local residents to participate and contribute. The core of this analysis is based on the pragmatic conception of knowledge employed in municipal administration. The study argues that the normal practice of municipal administration does not support the systematic utilisation of local residents experience. This is caused by two interlinked factors: firstly, knowledge constructed through these practices requires that the knowledge is apolitical; secondly, arising from this there is confusion with regard to when during a planning process does information obtained from the public become relevant; in other words, what are the politics of knowledge? The study suggests that the solution is in the complementary concept of knowledge, which implicitly acknowledges the politics of knowledge. The complementary concept of knowledge would serve the politicisation of issues on the level of interpretations linked with social reality, an indispensable requirement for functional democracy. Keywords: participation, municipal democracy, knowledge base for planning, experiential knowledge

A study of professional advisers in Australia

Since 2002, ACPNS has been surveying professional advisers to affluent Australians intermittently to seek their views and experiences around client and personal philanthropy. Why?: because professional advisers on finance, wealth management, law, accounting, taxation, estate management and beyond are an important nexus with people who have the capacity to channel significant funding into community need. Overall, this study suggests a slight shift away from advising affluent clients on philanthropic matters. It also highlights some perceived lack of organisational and professional association support and the feeling of many advisers that they do not have the expertise yet to advise in this area. These results provide thought fodder for advisers, their organisations and sector bodies.

Kaupungin savut ja käryt : Helsingin ilmansuojelu 1945-1982

The smoke and fumes of the city: Air protection in Helsinki from 1945 to 1982 This dissertation examines air pollution and air protection in post-war Helsinki. The period studied ends in 1982 when the Air Protection Act entered into force, thus institutionalising air protection in Finland as a socially governed environmental matter. The dissertation is based on the research traditions of environmental politics and urban environmental history. The development of air protection is approached from the perspectives of politicisation and institutionalisation. The dissertation also investigates how air pollution grew into a social issue and presents various discursive ways of analysing air pollution and protection. The primary research material consists of municipal documents and newspapers, while supplementary material includes journal articles and interviews. The event history of air protection is described through an analysis of the material, including source criticism. The social ways of dealing with air pollution and the emergence of air protection are analysed in the light of case-specific air quality disputes from both factual and discursive perspectives. This approach enables the contextualisation of the development of air protection as part of the local history of post-war Helsinki. The dissertation presents the major sources of air pollution in Helsinki and describes the deterioration of air quality in a society which emphasised the primacy of economic prosperity. The air issue emerged during the 1950s in neighbourhood disputes and was exacerbated into a larger problem in the late 1960s. Concurrent to the formation of the field of environmental protection in Finland, an air protection organisation was established in the 1970s in Helsinki. As a result, air protection became a regular part of municipal government. Air protection in Helsinki developed from small-scale policies focused on individual cases into a large, institutionalised air protection system managed by experts. The dissertation research material gave rise to the following major research themes: the economic dimension of the air issue, the role of science in the formation of the environmental problem, and the establishment of norms for acceptable air quality and reasonable limits to air pollution in the urban environment. The paper also discusses the inequitable distribution of the negative effects of air pollution between the residents of different districts. The dissertation concludes that air protection in Helsinki became a local success story although it was long marred by inefficiency and partial failure.

Koulun kestävän kehityksen työn merkitys kiinteistön jätehuollossa Case: Helsingin peruskoulujen jätekustannukset ja -määrät

Koulujen kestävän kehityksen työllä tarkoitetaan ekologiseen, taloudelliseen, sosiaaliseen ja kulttuuriseen kestävyyteen pohjautuvaa ympäristökasvatusta. Helsingissä peruskoulujen kestävän kehityksen työvälineet (ympäristökartoitukset ja – ohjelmat) ovat perustuneet koulujen ympäristöasioiden suunnitteluun, opetussuunnitelmien toteutumiseen ja ylläpitotoimintoihin, kuten jätehuoltoon. Opetusvirasto käytti vuosina 2005 ja 2009 ympäristötoiminnan arvioinnissa ympäristötasokuvauksia 1-3, joista arvosana 3 kuvaa ympäristöasioissa edistyneintä koulua. Tutkielman tavoitteena on tutkia ympäristötoiminnan tasojen perusteella ryhmiteltyjen peruskoulujen välisiä eroja jätekustannuksissa ja – määrissä (euroa/henkilö ja kg/henkilö) ja löytää mahdollisesti eroihin vaikuttavia tekijöitä. Tutkielman toimeksiantajana on 4V-Välitä, vaikuta, viihdy, voi hyvin – hanke, jonka yhtenä toiminnan osa-alueena on koulujen kestävän kehityksen työ. Tuloksista tullaan johtamaan tietoa Opetusviraston sekä muiden tahojen, kuten HSY:n ja Palmian ympäristötyöhön sekä Kiinteistöviraston Tilakeskuksen hallinnassa olevien koulukiinteistöjen jätehuollon kehittämiseen. Tutkimusaineistoina käytettiin Helsingin peruskoulujen vuoden 2009 jätekustannuksia ja tutkielman yhteydessä kerätyn jäteseurannan tuloksia vuodelta 2010. Jätekustannus- ja jätemääräaineistot yhdistettiin vuoden 2009 ympäristötoiminnan tasoluokitusten perusteella otokseksi (n=64). Lopullinen jätekustannus- ja jätemääräanalyysi tehtiin 29 koulun otoksella, josta oli rajattu pois kiinteistöt, joilla on koulun toiminnan lisäksi muita käyttötarkoituksia. Analyysiin sisällytettiin myös tarkempi tarkastelu koulujen seka- ja biojätejakeiden kustannuksista ja määristä. Tutkimuksen johtopäätöksenä todettiin, että eri ympäristötasoisten peruskoulujen välillä on huomattavia euro- ja kilomääräisiä eroja henkilöä kohden lasketuissa jätekustannuksissa ja –määrissä. Kokonaisjätemäärässä ei ole tapahtunut merkittävää muutosta tarkasteluvuosien välillä, mutta lajittelu näyttäisi kuitenkin tehostuneen. Tulosten perusteella ympäristöasioissa edistyneiden tason 3 koulujen keskimääräiset sekajätemäärät ja -kustannukset olivat pienimmät tasojen 1 ja 2 kouluihin verrattuna. Biojätemäärät ja –kustannukset olivat suurimmat tason 2 kouluissa. Jätekustannuksiin ja – määriin näyttäisivät vaikuttavan jäteastioiden määrien, kokojen ja tyhjennysrytmien optimointi sekä jäteastioiden täyttöasteet. Peruskoulujen tulisi keskittyä kestävän kehityksen työn avulla jätteiden synnyn ehkäisyyn ja vähentämiseen, jotta jätekustannuksetkin vähentyisivät jätehuollon kehittämistoimenpiteiden seurauksena.