David F. Treagust : congenial soul, science educator, and international research leader

For almost a half century David F. Treafust has been an exemplary science educator who has contributed through his dedication and commitments to students, curriculum development and collaboration with teachers, and cutting edge research in science education that has impacted the field globally, nationally and locally. A hallmark of his outstanding career is his collaborative style that inspires others to produce their best work.

Nobody says no : student self-censorship in a collaborative knowledge building activity

This paper explores student self-censorship within an online learning environment. Self-censorship in group activity can be seen as a two-edged sword. While it can be advantageous that a student censor personal frustration and angst when working with others, if the self-censorship impacts on the cognitive contribution a student makes then this may significantly impact upon the overall quality of the group’s collective knowledge artefact. This paper reports on a study where it was found that students had self censored both their feelings and ideas as they collaboratively worked together.

YouTube

Originally launched in 2005 with a focus on user-generated content, YouTube has become the dominant platform for online video worldwide, and an important location for some of the most significant trends and controversies in the contemporary new-media environment. Throughout its very short history, it has also intersected with and been the focus of scholarly debates related to the politics, economics, and cultures of the new media—in particular, the “participatory turn” associated with “Web 2.0” business models’ partial reliance on amateur content and social networking. Given the slow pace of traditional scholarly publishing, the body of media and cultural studies literature substantively dedicated to describing and critically understanding YouTube’s texts, practices, and politics is still small, but it is growing steadily. At the same time, since its inception scholars from a wide range of disciplines and critical perspectives have found YouTube useful as a source of examples and case studies, some of which are included here; others have experimented directly with the scholarly and educational potential of the platform itself. For these reasons, although primarily based around the traditional publishing outlets for media, Internet, and cultural studies, this bibliography draws eclectically on a wide range of sources—including sources very closely associated with the web business literature and with the YouTube community itself.

High fidelity simulation; challenges encountered in developing and implementing student learning experiences, staff education and researching approaches to learning

High fidelity simulation as a teaching and learning approach is being embraced by many schools of nursing. Our school embarked on integrating high fidelity (HF) simulation into the undergraduate clinical education program in 2011. Low and medium fidelity simulation has been used for many years, but this did not simplify the integration of HF simulation. Alongside considerations of how and where HF simulation would be integrated, issues arose with: student consent and participation for observed activities; data management of video files; staff development, and conceptualising how methods for student learning could be researched. Simulation for undergraduate student nurses commenced as a formative learning activity, undertaken in groups of eight, where four students undertake the ‘doing’ role and four are structured observers, who then take a formal role in the simulation debrief. Challenges for integrating simulation into student learning included conceptualising and developing scenarios to trigger students’ decision making and application of skills, knowledge and attitudes explicit to solving clinical ‘problems’. Developing and planning scenarios for students to ‘try out’ skills and make decisions for problem solving lay beyond choosing pre-existing scenarios inbuilt with the software. The supplied scenarios were not concept based but rather knowledge, skills and technology (of the manikin) focussed. Challenges lay in using the technology for the purpose of building conceptual mastery rather than using technology simply because it was available. As we integrated use of HF simulation into the final year of the program, focus was on building skills, knowledge and attitudes that went beyond technical skill, and provided an opportunity to bridge the gap with theory-based knowledge that students often found difficult to link to clinical reality. We wished to provide opportunities to develop experiential knowledge based on application and clinical reasoning processes in team environments where problems are encountered, and to solve them, the nurse must show leadership and direction. Other challenges included students consenting for simulations to be videotaped and ethical considerations of this. For example if one student in a group of eight did not consent, did this mean they missed the opportunity to undertake simulation, or that others in the group may be disadvantaged by being unable to review their performance. This has implications for freely given consent but also for equity of access to learning opportunities for students who wished to be taped and those who did not. Alongside this issue were the details behind data management, storage and access. Developing staff with varying levels of computer skills to use software and undertake a different approach to being the ‘teacher’ required innovation where we took an experiential approach. Considering explicit learning approaches to be trialled for learning was not a difficult proposition, but considering how to enact this as research with issues of blinding, timetabling of blinded groups, and reducing bias for testing results of different learning approaches along with gaining ethical approval was problematic. This presentation presents examples of these challenges and how we overcame them.

Private supervisors of learner drivers and Queensland's graduated driver licensing system : how important are they?

Background: A key element of graduated driver licensing systems is the level of support provided by parents. In mid-2007 changes were made to Queensland’s graduated driver licensing system, including amendments to the learner licence with one of the more significant changes requiring learners to record 100 hours of supervised driving practice in a logbook. Prior to mid-2007, there was no minimum supervision requirement. Aims: The aim of this study was to document the experiences of the supervisors of Queensland learner drivers after the changes made to the graduated driver licensing system in mid-2007. Methods: The sample of 552 supervisors of learner drivers was recruited using a combination of convenience and snowball sampling techniques. The internet survey was open for completion between July 2009 and May 2010 and took approximately 15 to 20 minutes for participants to complete. Results: For 59.7 per cent of the participants, this was the first time that they had supervised a learner driver. For 63.2 per cent, they classified themselves as the main supervisor for the learner driver. Participants provided an average of 79.62 hours of supervision (sd = 92.38), while other private supervisors provided 34.89 hours of supervision (sd = 41.74) to the same learner and professional driving instructors 18.55 hours of supervision (sd = 27.54). The vast majority of supervisors recorded all or most of the practice that they provided their learner driver in their log book with most supervisors indicating that they believed that the hours recorded in the learner’s logbook were either accurate or very accurate. While many supervisors stated that they did not receive any advice regarding the supervision of learner drivers, some had received advice from others such as friends or through discussions with a professional driving instructor. Discussion and conclusions: While graduated driver licensing systems implicitly encourage the involvement of parents and other private supervisors, these people tend not to be systematically involved. As demonstrated in this study, private supervisors provide a significant amount of supervised practice and seek to record this practice accurately and honestly in the learner’s logbook. However, even though a significant number of participants reported that this was the first time that they had supervised a learner driver, they accessed little support or guidance for their role. This suggests a need to more overtly encourage and support the role of private supervisors for learner drivers.

Enduring documents : improving the forms, improving the outcomes

Most Australian states have introduced legislation to provide for enduring documents for financial, personal and health care decision making in the event of incapacity. Since the introduction of Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) and Advance Health Directives (AHDs) in Queensland in 1998, concerns have continued to be raised by service providers, professionals and individuals about the uptake, understanding and appropriate use of these documents. In response to these concerns, the Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) convened a Practical Guardianship Initiatives Working Party. This group identified the limited evidence base available to address these concerns. In 2009, a multidisciplinary research team from the University of Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology was awarded $90,000 from the Legal Practitioners Interest on Trust Account Fund to undertake a review of the current EPA and AHD forms. The goal of the research was to gather data on the content and useability of the forms from the perspectives of a range of stakeholders, particularly those completing the EPA and AHD, witnesses of these documents, attorneys appointed under an EPA, and health professionals involved in the completion of an AHD or dealing with it in a clinical context. The researchers also sought to gather information from the perspective of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) individuals as well people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups. Although the focus of the research was on the forms and the extent to which the current design, content and format represents a barrier to uptake, in the course of the research, some broader issues were identified which have an impact on the effectiveness of the EPA and AHD in achieving the goals of planning for financial and personal and health care in advance of losing capacity. The data gathered enabled the researchers to achieve the primary goal of the research: to make recommendations to improve the content and useability of the forms which hopefully will lead to an increased uptake and appropriate use of the forms. However, the researchers thought it was important not to ignore broader policy issues that were identified in the course of the research. These broader issues have been highlighted in this Report, and the researchers have responded to them in a variety of ways. For some issues, the researchers have suggested alterations that could be made to the forms to address the particular concerns. For other issues, the researchers have suggested that Government may need to take specific action such as educating the broader community with some attention to strategies that engage particular groups within communities. Other concerns raised can only be dealt with by legislative reform and, in some of these cases, the researchers have identified issues that Government may wish to consider further. We do note, however, that it is beyond the scope of this Report to recommend changes to the law. This three stage mixed methods project aimed to provide systematic evidence from a broad range of stakeholders in regard to: (i) which groups use and do not use these documents and why, (ii) the contribution of the length/complexity/format/language of the forms as barriers to their completion and/or effective use, and (iii) the issues raised by the current documents for witnesses and attorneys. Understanding and use of EPAs and AHDs were generally explored in separate but parallel processes. A purposive sampling strategy included users of the documents as principals and attorneys, and professionals, witnesses and service providers who assist others to execute or use the forms. The first component of this study built on existing knowledge using a Critical Reference Group and material provided by the DJAG Practical Guardianship Initiatives Working Party. This assisted in the development of the data collection tools for subsequent stages. The second component comprised semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a targeted sample of current users of the forms, potential users, witnesses and other professionals to provide in-depth information on critical issues. Outreach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and individuals and workers with CALD groups ensured a broad sample of potential users of the two documents. Fifty individual interviews and three focus groups were completed. Most interviews and focus groups focused on perceptions of, and experiences with, either the EPA or the AHD form. In the interviews with Indigenous people and the CALD focus groups, however, respondents provided their perceptions and experiences of both documents. In general, these respondents had not used the forms and were responding to the documents made available in the interview or focus group. In total, seventy-seven individuals were involved in interviews or focus groups. The final component comprised on-line surveys for EPA principals, EPA attorneys, AHD principals, witnesses of EPAs and AHDs and medical practitioners with experience of AHDs as nominated and/or treating doctors. The surveys were developed from the initial component and the qualitative analysis of the interview and focus group data. A total of 116 surveys were returned from major cities and regional Queensland. The survey data was analysed descriptively for patterns and trends. It is important to note that the aim of the survey was to gain insight into issues and concerns relating to the documents and not to make generalisations to the broader population.

Towards a controlled growth of self-assembled nanostructures: shaping, ordering and localization in Ge/Si heteroepitaxy.

The strain-induced self-assembly of suitable semiconductor pairs is an attractive natural route to nanofabrication. To bring to fruition their full potential for actual applications, individual nanostructures need to be combined into ordered patterns in which the location of each single unit is coupled with others and the surrounding environment. Within the Ge/Si model system, we analyze a number of examples of bottom-up strategies in which the shape, positioning, and actual growth mode of epitaxial nanostructures are tailored by manipulating the intrinsic physical processes of heteroepitaxy. The possibility of controlling elastic interactions and, hence, the configuration of self-assembled quantum dots by modulating surface orientation with the miscut angle is discussed. We focus on the use of atomic steps and step bunching as natural templates for nanodot clustering. Then, we consider several different patterning techniques which allow one to harness the natural self-organization dynamics of the system, such as: scanning tunneling nanolithography, focused ion beam and nanoindentation patterning. By analyzing the evolution of the dot assembly by scanning probe microscopy, we follow the pathway which leads to lateral ordering, discussing the thermodynamic and kinetic effects involved in selective nucleation on patterned substrates.

Advance directives, autonomy and the refusal of life-sustaining medical treatment

As Australian society 1s agemg, individuals are increasingly concerned about managing their future, including making decisions about the medical treatment they may wish to receive or refuse if they lose decision-making capacity. To date, there has been relatively little research into the extent to which legal regulation allows competent adults to make advance refusals of life-sustaining medical treatment that will bind health professionals and others when a decision needs to be made at a future time. This thesis aims to fill this gap in the research by presenting the results of research into the legal regulation of advance directives that refuse life-sustaining medical treatment. In the five papers that comprise this thesis, the law that governs this area is examined, and the ethical principle of autonomy is used to critically evaluate that law. The principal finding of this research is that the current scheme of regulation is ineffective to adequately promote the right of a competent adult to make binding advance directives about refusal of medical treatment. The research concludes that legislation should be enacted to enable individuals to complete an advance directive, only imposing restrictions to the extent that this is necessary to promote individual autonomy. The thesis first examines the principle of autonomy upon which the common law (and some statutory law) is expressed to be based, to determine whether that principle is an appropriate one to underpin regulation. 1 The finding of the research is that autonomy can be justified as an organising principle on a number of grounds: it is consistent with the values of a liberal democracy; over recent decades, it is a principle that has been even more prominent within the discipline of medical ethics; and it is the principle which underpins the legal regulation of a related topic, namely the contemporaneous refusal of medical treatment. Next, the thesis reviews the common law to determine whether it effectively achieves the goal of promoting autonomy by allowing a competent adult to make an advance directive refusing treatment that will operate if he or she later loses decision-making capacity. 2 This research finds that conunon law doctrine, as espoused by the judiciary, prioritises individual choice by recognising valid advance directives that refuse treatment as binding. However, the research also concludes that the common law, as applied by the judiciary in some cases, may not be effective to promote individual autonomy, as there have been a number of circumstances where advance directives that refuse treatment have not been followed. The thesis then examines the statutory regimes in Australia that regulate advance directives, with a focus on the regulation of advance refusals of life-sustaining medical treatment.3 This review commences with an examination ofparliamentary debates to establish why legislation was thought to be necessary. It then provides a detailed review of all of the statutory regimes, the extent to which the legislation regulates the form of advance directives, and the circumstances in which they can be completed, will operate and can be ignored by medical professionals. The research finds that legislation was enacted mainly to clarify the common law and bring a level of certainty to the field. Legislative regimes were thought to provide medical professionals with the assurance that compliance with an advance directive that refuses life-sustaining medical treatment will not expose them to legal sanction. However, the research also finds that the legislation places so many restrictions on when an advance directive refusing treatment can be made, or will operate, that they have not been successful in promoting individual autonomy.

What happened to the education revolution? : new media technologies and the Australian curriculum : constraints and possibilities

This chapter investigates the place of new media in Queensland in the light of the Australian curriculum. ‘Multimodal texts’ in English are being defined as largely electronically ‘created’ and yet restricted access to digital resources at the chalkface may preclude this work from happening. The myth of the ‘digital native’ (Prensky, 2007), combined with the reality of the ‘digital divide’ coupled with technophobia amongst some quite experienced teachers, responsible for implementing the curriculum, paints a picture of constraints. These constraints are due in part to protective state bans in Queensland on social networking sites and school bans on mobile phone use. Some ‘Generation next’ will have access to digital platforms for the purpose of designing texts at home and school, and others will not. Yet without adequate Professional Development for teachers and substantially increased ICT infrastructure funding for all schools, the way new media and multimodal opportunities are interpreted at state level in the curriculum may leave much to be desired in schools. This chapter draws on research that I recently conducted on the professional development needs of beginning teachers, as well as a critical reading of the ACARA policy documents.

Refusal of medical treatment : a child's prerogative?

Society has a need for children to be able to make health care decisions. Homeless children need access to health care. Parents may not be accessible or competent to consent to their child’s health care. The familial relationship may have broken down. Children may not want their parents to know about drug, alcohol or pregnancy related issues. There is legal and academic support for the right of children to make autonomous decisions with respect to their health care. However what these decisions cover and who can make them is not clear. Whether or not a minor has capacity and is therefore competent to consent to medical treatment is a question of law. Some states of Australia have enacted legislation, while others rely on the common law to determine this issue. At common law a minor is capable of giving consent to medical treatment when he or she achieves a sufficient understanding and intelligence to be able to understand fully what is proposed. Known as ‘Gillick competence’ this is a well known principle of law. The question posed by this paper is whether the decision of a ‘Gillick competent’ child can and should be overridden by the court?

Part-time job design : symptom and solution for a changing work environment

Part-time work presents a conundrum. Across industrialised countries, there has been significant growth in part-time work as a solution to resolving the diverse interests of employers, workers and families in managing time and resources. However, there are intrinsic disadvantages associated with part-time work; notably with pay and career prospects, which impact the same stakeholders it is intended to benefit. These disadvantages are particularly evident in professional services organisations, due to strong cultural norms of long work hours, single-focused commitment to work and 24x7 availability. There are indications, both in research and practice, that the design of part-time work arrangements could be improved to address some of the disadvantages associated with part-time work, and to challenge norms and dated assumptions that influence the structure of professional work. This study explored the changes made when professional service workers move from a full-time to part-time arrangement. The study drew on a recently proposed framework for work design, which extended previous models to reflect substantial changes in the contemporary work environment. The framework proved to be a useful perspective from which to explore the design of part-time work, principally because it integrated previously disconnected areas of literature and practice through a broader focus on the context of work. Exploration of the differences between part-time and full-time roles, and comparisons between part-time roles in similar types of work, provided insights into the design of professional part-time work. Analysis revealed that having a better understanding of design characteristics may help explain disadvantages associated with professional part-time work, and that some full-time roles can be more easily adapted to part-time arrangements than others. Importantly, comparisons revealed that even roles that are considered difficult to undertake on a part-time basis can potentially be re-designed to be more effective. Through empirical testing of the framework, a contextualised work design model is presented that may guide further research and the practice of crafting part-time arrangements. The findings also suggest that poor work design may lead to the symptoms associated with professional part-time work, and that improved work design may be a potential solution to these structural constraints.

Temporal tracking of mineralization and transcriptional developments of shell formation during the early life history of pearl oyster Pinctada maxima

Molluscan larval ontogeny is a highly conserved process comprising three principal developmental stages. A characteristic unique to each of these stages is shell design, termed prodissoconch I, prodissoconch II and dissoconch. These shells vary in morphology, mineralogy and microstructure. The discrete temporal transitions in shell biomineralization between these larval stages are utilized in this study to investigate transcriptional involvement in several distinct biomineralization events. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis of P. maxima larvae and juveniles collected throughout post-embryonic ontogenesis, document the mineralogy and microstructure of each shelled stage as well as establishing a timeline for transitions in biomineralization. P. maxima larval samples most representative of these biomineralization distinctions and transitions were analyzed for differential gene expression on the microarray platform PmaxArray 1.0. A number of transcripts are reported as differentially expressed in correlation to the mineralization events of P. maxima larval ontogeny. Some of those isolated are known shell matrix genes while others are novel; these are discussed in relation to potential shell formation roles. This interdisciplinary investigation has linked the shell developments of P. maxima larval ontogeny with corresponding gene expression profiles, furthering the elucidation of shell biomineralization.

Partners in education : the teacher education done differently (TEDD) project

There has been an abundance of education reform recommendations for teaching and teacher education as a result of national and international reviews. A major criticism in education is the lack of connection between theory and practice (or praxis), that is, how the learning at university informs practical applications for teaching in the classroom. This paper presents the Teacher Education Done Differently (TEDD) project, funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). It outlines how it has re-structured its offering of coursework in a Bachelor of Education (BEd) held at an Australian university campus to embrace praxis. Establishing partnerships was crucial to the development of this project. TEDD initially gathered a reference group of educators, which included university staff, school executives, and other key stakeholders, who formed an Advisory Group and Steering Committee. These groups formed a collective vision for TEDD and aimed to motivate others, foster team work, and create leadership roles that would benefit all stakeholders. The paper presents how university units changed to include a stronger praxis development for preservice teachers. Preservice teachers take their learning into schools within lead-up programs such as Ed Start for practicum I, III, and IV; Science in Schools, and Studies of Society and its Environment (SOSE). Findings showed that opportunities for undertaking additional real-world experiences were perceived to assist the preservice teachers’ praxis development. Additional school-based experiences as lead-up days for field experiences and as avenues for exploring the teaching of specific subject areas presented as an opportunity for enhancing education for all.

The Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer for knee strength assessment in children : advantages and limitations

Objective: To critically appraise the Biodex System 4 isokinetic dynamometer for strength assessment of children. Methods: Appraisal was based on experiences from two independent laboratories involving testing of 213 children. Issues were recorded and the manufacturer was consulted regarding appropriate solutions. Results: The dynamometer had insufficient height adjustment for alignment of the knee for some children, requiring the construction of padding to better fit the child within the dynamometer. Potential for entrapment of the non-testing leg was evident in the passive and eccentric modes and a leg bracket restraint was constructed. Automated gravity correction did not operate when protocols were linked or data was exported to an external device. Conclusions: Limitations were noted, some of which were applicable to knee strength testing in general and others which were specific to use with children. However, most of these obstacles could be overcome, making the Biodex System 4 suitable for assessment of knee strength in children.

That one piece of advice - microlecture

Programme: In these microlectures, developers, educators, critics, and artists give you the one piece of advice that they hold above all others. That one piece of advice: It's about the passion: Excerpt: Shades of madness - Creativity - Passion: There is something very important to observe about an industry that engages in these intense weekends. The monolithic Hollywood model is not viable, we need to scaffold the next gen of game designers, foster the passion, provide opportunity, CHANGE the model – not just dress it in new clothes