Work integrated learning as a component of the capstone experience in undergraduate law

Background: The “Curriculum renewal in legal education” project has been funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council with the core objectives being the articulation of a set of final year curriculum design principles, and the development of a model of a transferable final year program. Through these principles and the development of the model, it is anticipated that the final year experience for law students will provide greater opportunity for them to understand the relevance of their learning, and will enhance their capacity to make decisions regarding their career path. Discussion / Argument: This paper reports on the project’s progress to date, and presents an argument for the inclusion of work integrated learning (WIL) as a component of the final year experience in undergraduate law programs. The project has identified that the two principal objectives of capstone experiences are to provide closure and to facilitate transition to post-university life. Reflective practice and Bruner’s spiral curriculum model are the central theoretical foundations by which these objectives can be achieved. Experiential learning is also increasingly seen as an essential element of a capstone experience. WIL is consistent with the objectives of capstones in focusing on the transition to professional practice and providing opportunities for reflection. However, the ability of WIL to meet all of the objectives of capstones, particularly closure and integration, may be limited. Conclusions / Implications: The paper posits that while WIL should be considered as a potential component of a capstone experience, educators should ensure that WIL is not equated with a capstone experience unless it is carefully designed to ensure that all of the objectives of capstones are met. Keywords: Work-integrated learning, capstone, final year experience, law

A vision of the past : The Mill Albion

This paper examines The Mill Albion community history project, a diverse, multi-layered public history/art program that captures the social heritage of The Albion Flour Mill, as told through images produced as part of a research consultancy undertaken by QUT for FKP Property Group. The Albion Flour Mill was built in 1930 and continued operations for more than 72 years. After ceasing operation in 2005 the site was left to deteriorate. The FKP Property Group purchased the land to undertake a new urban redevelopment project. This paper reflects on the project and showcases some of the culturally creative ways this community’s history was told, using images.

On the endogeneity of the pay-performance relationship in professional soccer

In this reply we show that the Nüesch (2009) comment paper to our initial contribution (Torgler and Schmidt 2007) has several shortcomings. He suggests that professional soccer wages seem to buy talent rather than motivation. We therefore provide a larger set of talent proxies and estimations to check whether this assertion is correct. Our results indicate that his conclusion is problematic. We still observe a strong motivational effect, and in some cases the effect is even larger than the talent effect. A further key problem in Nüesch’s contribution is the fact that he neglects to consider the relevance of the relative salary situation.

Architecture for a free subjectivity : Deleuze and Guattari at the Horizon of the Real

Architecture for a Free Subjectivity reformulates the French philosopher Gilles Deleuze's model of subjectivity for architecture, by surveying the prolific effects of architectural encounter, and the spaces that figure in them. For Deleuze and his Lacanian collaborator Félix Guattari, subjectivity does not refer to a person, but to the potential for and event of matter becoming subject, and the myriad ways for this to take place. By extension, this book theorizes architecture as a self-actuating or creative agency for the liberation of purely "impersonal effects." Imagine a chemical reaction, a riot in the banlieues, indeed a walk through a city. Simone Brott declares that the architectural object does not merely take part in the production of subjectivity, but that it constitutes its own.

Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl titanate mineral betafite (Ca,U)2(Ti,Nb)2O6(OH) –Effect of Metamictization

Raman spectra of the uranyl titanate mineral betafite were obtained and related to the mineral structure. A comparison is made with the spectra of uranyl oxyhydroxide hydrates. Observed bands are attributed to the (UO2)2+ stretching and bending vibrations, U-OH bending vibrations, H2O and (OH)- stretching, bending and libration modes. U-O bond lengths in uranyls and O-H…O bond lengths are calculated from the wavenumbers assigned to the stretching vibrations. Raman bands of betafite are comparable with those of the uranyl oxyhydroxides. The mineral betafite is metamict as is evidenced by the intensity of the UO stretching and bending modes being of lower intensity than expected and with bands that are significantly broader.

The emotional geography of a mine closure: a study of the Ravensthorpe nickel mine in Western Australia

This paper engages with the literature on emotional geographies to report on a case study of the emotions surrounding the closure of a nickel mine in the shire of Ravensthorpe in the south-west of Western Australia in January 2009. Two themes from the affect-infused narratives of pre- and post-mine community members are outlined. The first, which challenges constructions of the closure as a purely industrial and economic concern, focuses on the intense feelings the shut-down invoked amongst participants. The second theme explores the way in which the owner of the mine, BHP Billiton, worked to suppress and regulate affective reactions to the closure and thus reveals the highly political nature of emotions.

A systematic review of the association between physical activity and colorectal cancer risk

This review evaluated the strength of the evidence for a causal relationship between physical activity (PA) and colorectal cancer (CRC). A systematic review of databases through February 2008 was conducted to identify studies that assessed the association between total or recreational PA and incidence or mortality of CRC (including CRC, rectal cancer, colon cancer, and proximal or distal colon cancer). Studies were evaluated for significant associations between PA and risk of CRC endpoints and for evidence of dose–response relationships in the highest quality studies. Twenty cohort studies were evaluated; 11 were high-quality. Fifty percent of all studies and 64%of highest quality studies reported at least one significant association between PA and risk of a CRC endpoint (Po0.05).However, only 28%of all analyses (31% of analyses of highest quality studies) were significant (Po0.05). Only 40% of analyses of highest quality studies resulted in a significant P for trend (Po0.05); however, a non-significant inverse linear association between PA and colon cancer riskwas apparent.Heterogeneity in the evidence from all studies and from the highest quality studies was evident. Evidence from cohort studies is not sufficient to claim a convincing relationship exists between PA and CRC risk.

Effect of the Summer Months on Body Weight and Composition in College Women

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: College students and young adults are experiencing the greatest increases in rates of obesity, and 20% of college students are classified as obese. The objective of this study was to compare changes and rates of change in body weight and body composition between the freshman academic year and the summer after the freshman year among female college students. METHODS: Participants were recruited early in their freshman year of college to participate in a prospective longitudinal study examining changes in body weight and composition over the college years. Height and weight were measured, and body composition was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at the beginning and end of the freshman year. Upon return from the summer for their sophomore year, participants returned to have all measurements repeated. Sixty-nine female participants completed all three visits. RESULTS: Body weight increased 1.3 kg during the academic period and an additional 0.1 kg during the summer period. Body mass index (BMI) increased between the first two visits but did not change between the last two visits. However, percent fat increased at each visit. Fat-free mass significantly increased 0.5 kg over the academic year but decreased by 1.1 kg over the summer (p<0.05). Greater rates of change were detected in percent fat, fat-free mass, and BMI during the summer compared with the academic year (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Differences in body composition between the academic and summer periods may reflect changes in living situations between these periods. Unfavorable changes during the summer suggest the need to promote healthy lifestyles to freshman women before they leave campus for the summer

Informed consent : the review of the law of negligence and the utility of reference to NHMRC guidelines

Although rarely referred to in litigation in the years that have followed the Ipp Review Report, there may well be some merit in more frequent judicial reference to the NHMRC guidelines for medical practitioners on providing information to patients 2004.

What's cooking for dietetics? A review of the literature

Aim: There has been no systematic research on the role of cooking skills for improving dietary intakes in Australia. Cooking skills are proposed to be declining and/or being devalued. If cooking skills have been devalued and declining, then what evidence is there for this decline and what impact might this have on dietary intakes? The aim of the present paper is to explore these assumptions with particular reference to Australia. The objectives of the present paper are to define the terms cooking and cooking skills, discuss evidence on levels of cooking skills in Australia and describe the evidence linking cooking skills to dietary intakes.---------- Methods: A review of the peer-reviewed literature using multiple databases from 1990 to September 2009.---------- Results: Cooking skills are complex and require a range of processes for people to develop efficiency or confidence in food preparation. There is little evidence on the level of cooking skills in the Australian population and how this relates to dietary intakes. The Australian Bureau of Statistic’s latest Time Use Survey and Household Expenditure Survey suggest that cooking is still a gendered activity and that the time devoted to cooking has changed little in the past 15 years, but there is an increasing use of foods prepared outside the home.---------- Conclusion: Further research is required to examine the prevalence of different types and levels of cooking skills in Australia as well as their potential effects on dietary intakes. Dietitians need evidence about the level of cooking skills people require for healthy dietary intakes.

Non-linear oscillations assessment of the distribution static compensator operating in voltage control mode

This article deals with the non-linear oscillations assessment of a distribution static comensator ooperating in voltage control mode using the bifurcation theory. A mathematical model of the distribution static compensator in the voltage control mode to carry out the bifurcation analysis is derived. The stabiity regions in the Thevein equivalent plane are computed. In addition, the stability regions in the control gains space, as well as the contour lines for different Floquet multipliers are computed. The AC and DC capacitor impacts on the stability are analyzed through the bifurcation theory. The observations are verified through simulaation studies. The computation of the stability region allows the assessment of the stable operating zones for a power system that includes a distribution static compensator operating in the voltage mode.

A discussion of the research performance evaluation in building and construction management discipline : the journal impact factors and SCI-index journals

The trend of diminished funding, demands for greater efficiency and higher public accountability have led to a rapid expansion of interest in the bibliometric assessment of research performance of universities. A pilot research is conducted to provide a preliminary overview of the research performance of the building and construction schools or departments through the analysis of bibliometric indicators including the journal impact factor (JIF) published by Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). The suitability of bibliometric evaluation approaches as a measure of research quality in building and construction management research field is discussed.

Cigarette smoking in young adults : the influence of the HTR2A T102C polymorphism and punishment sensitivity

Background: The C allele of a common polymorphism of the serotonin 2A receptor (HTR2A) gene, T102C, results in reduced synthesis of 5-HT2A receptors and has been associated with current smoking status in adults. The -1438A/G polymorphism, located in the regulatory region of this gene, is in linkage disequilibrium with T102C, and the A allele is associated with increased promoter activity and with smoking in adult males. We investigated the contributions of the HTR2A gene, chronic psychological stress, and impulsivity to the prediction of cigarette smoking status and dependence in young adults. Methods: T102C and -1438A/G genotyping was conducted on 132 healthy Caucasian young adults (47 smokers) who completed self-report measures of chronic stress, depressive symptoms, impulsive personality and cigarette use. Results: A logistic regression analysis of current cigarette smoker user status, after adjusting for gender, depressive symptom severity and chronic stress, indicated that the T102C TT genotype relative to the CC genotype (OR = 7.53), and lower punishment sensitivity (OR = 0.91) were each significant predictive risk factors. However, for number of cigarettes smoked, only lower punishment sensitivity was a significant predictor (OR = 0.81). Conclusions: These data indicate the importance of the T102C polymorphism to tobacco use but not number of cigarettes smoked for Caucasian young adults. Future studies should examine whether this is explained by effects of nicotine on the serotonin system. Lower punishment sensitivity increased risk of both smoking and of greater consumption, perhaps via a reduced sensitivity to cigarette health warnings and negative physiological effects.

The aftermath of the Lehman Brothers collapse in Hong Kong : the saga, regulatory deficiencies and government responses

The paper examines the fallout of the Lehman Brothers collapse in Hong Kong. As an international financial hub in Asia, Hong Kong was profoundly affected by the collapse of this company. As a result, it impacted negatively on the public’s confidence in the Hong Kong’s banking sector. Furthermore, this event has exposed a number of regulatory deficiencies in Hong Kong. In response to this financial crisis, the Hong Kong government had made an unprecedented move to negotiate with local banks to refund the investors. In addition, the government has also sought public consultation on proposal to enhance the regulation of the sale of financial products. This paper argues that there needs to be amendments to the prevailing laws and the inclusions of legal rules to back up those proposed measures so that the disclosed information from the financial institution will not mislead the investors or misrepresent the products offered.

Markov modelling of the IEEE 802.11 DCF for real-time applications with periodic traffic

Popular wireless network standards, such as IEEE 802.11/15/16, are increasingly adopted in real-time control systems. However, they are not designed for real-time applications. Therefore, the performance of such wireless networks needs to be carefully evaluated before the systems are implemented and deployed. While efforts have been made to model general wireless networks with completely random traffic generation, there is a lack of theoretical investigations into the modelling of wireless networks with periodic real-time traffic. Considering the widely used IEEE 802.11 standard, with the focus on its distributed coordination function (DCF), for soft-real-time control applications, this paper develops an analytical Markov model to quantitatively evaluate the network quality-of-service (QoS) performance in periodic real-time traffic environments. Performance indices to be evaluated include throughput capacity, transmission delay and packet loss ratio, which are crucial for real-time QoS guarantee in real-time control applications. They are derived under the critical real-time traffic condition, which is formally defined in this paper to characterize the marginal satisfaction of real-time performance constraints.