- Crinall, Karen, Laming, Christopher
- Authors: Crinall, Karen , Laming, Christopher
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text: false
- Description: Research report Evaluation report for the Victorian Government's Departments of Human Services and Education and Early Childhood Development
Examining the experiences of intercultural ambassadors in regional Victoria from 2019 to 2021
- Cooper, Kimberlea, Patil, Tejaswini, Ottmann, Goetz, Williams, Dominic, Mummery, Jane
- Authors: Cooper, Kimberlea , Patil, Tejaswini , Ottmann, Goetz , Williams, Dominic , Mummery, Jane
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Authors: Cooper, Kimberlea , Patil, Tejaswini , Ottmann, Goetz , Williams, Dominic , Mummery, Jane
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
Exploring lived experiences of participants in the Intercultural Employment Pathways (IEP) program from 2019 to 2022
- Cooper, Kimberlea, Patil, Tejaswini, Ottmann, Goetz, Williams, Dominic, Mummery, Jane
- Authors: Cooper, Kimberlea , Patil, Tejaswini , Ottmann, Goetz , Williams, Dominic , Mummery, Jane
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: This report documents research conducted by Federation University in relation to the City of Ballarat Intercultural Employment Pathways (IEP) program from 2019 - 2022. The IEP program aims to enhance social inclusion, employment, and education pathways for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants in the Ballarat region. The purpose of the research was to explore the lived experiences of migrants who participated in the IEP program to better understand the strengths of the program and propose recommendations for its future. The research was a qualitative study that used a survey, interviews, and a focus group to explore the perspectives of IEP participants and encourage them to share deep and rich accounts of their lived experiences. Overall, 39 migrants involved with the IEP program participated in the research. The findings are grouped into four themes: Connection: The communal nature of the IEP program enabled participants to establish social and professional connections which increased their networking capacity to find gainful employment. Participants valued the networking opportunities created by the IEP program as many felt as though they were ‘starting again’ after migrating to Australia. Culture: The IEP program assisted participants to adapt to Australian norms of job-hunting and workplace culture and to learn practical strategies to utilise in their job application and interview techniques. The IEP program created a broader platform for cultural exchange within the community and can contribute to wider changes in representation and appreciation of diversity. Confidence: The IEP program assisted participants to improve their levels of confidence and feelings of self-worth. The tailored support that is available to each participant enabled them to develop confidence in their abilities and focus upon their strengths. Context: Participants shared experiences of the many challenges and barriers they have faced when looking for meaningful and secure employment in Australia. Understanding these wider experiences provide the context in which the IEP program operates and emphasises its importance in providing valuable assistance to migrants settling in the City of Ballarat.
- Authors: Cooper, Kimberlea , Patil, Tejaswini , Ottmann, Goetz , Williams, Dominic , Mummery, Jane
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: This report documents research conducted by Federation University in relation to the City of Ballarat Intercultural Employment Pathways (IEP) program from 2019 - 2022. The IEP program aims to enhance social inclusion, employment, and education pathways for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) migrants in the Ballarat region. The purpose of the research was to explore the lived experiences of migrants who participated in the IEP program to better understand the strengths of the program and propose recommendations for its future. The research was a qualitative study that used a survey, interviews, and a focus group to explore the perspectives of IEP participants and encourage them to share deep and rich accounts of their lived experiences. Overall, 39 migrants involved with the IEP program participated in the research. The findings are grouped into four themes: Connection: The communal nature of the IEP program enabled participants to establish social and professional connections which increased their networking capacity to find gainful employment. Participants valued the networking opportunities created by the IEP program as many felt as though they were ‘starting again’ after migrating to Australia. Culture: The IEP program assisted participants to adapt to Australian norms of job-hunting and workplace culture and to learn practical strategies to utilise in their job application and interview techniques. The IEP program created a broader platform for cultural exchange within the community and can contribute to wider changes in representation and appreciation of diversity. Confidence: The IEP program assisted participants to improve their levels of confidence and feelings of self-worth. The tailored support that is available to each participant enabled them to develop confidence in their abilities and focus upon their strengths. Context: Participants shared experiences of the many challenges and barriers they have faced when looking for meaningful and secure employment in Australia. Understanding these wider experiences provide the context in which the IEP program operates and emphasises its importance in providing valuable assistance to migrants settling in the City of Ballarat.
Exploring the lived experiences of migrants in regional Victoria, Australia
- Patil, Tejawswimi, Mummery, Jane, Pedersen, Cassie, Camilleri, Marg
- Authors: Patil, Tejawswimi , Mummery, Jane , Pedersen, Cassie , Camilleri, Marg
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: This research project has been undertaken by Federation University Australia and was commissioned by the EVOLVE Strategic Multicultural Capacity Building Partnership. The purpose of this research was to examine the lived experiences of migrants living and/or working in the areas of Ballarat, Horsham, and Nhill from 2009 to 2018 in accordance with the nine key priority areas set out in the Department of Social Services National Settlement Framework (2016). These include language services; employment; education and training; housing; health and wellbeing; transport; civic participation; family and social support; and justice. The research analysed the lived experiences of migrants to identify key benefits and barriers to settlement within Central and Western Victoria, and will be used to enhance service provision available to migrants in Ballarat, Horsham, and Nhill. The research has utilised interpretative phenomenology, which is a qualitative methodology that draws on participants’ multilayered descriptions of their lived experiences. In accordance with this methodological framework, nine individual interviews were conducted in Ballarat as well as two focus groups that consisted of one group of women and one group of men. In Horsham, four individual interviews were conducted in addition to one focus group. In Nhill, the research team conducted five individual interviews and one focus group. Participants were presented with a range of open-ended questions concerning their settlement experiences across Ballarat, Horsham, and Nhill.
- Authors: Patil, Tejawswimi , Mummery, Jane , Pedersen, Cassie , Camilleri, Marg
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: This research project has been undertaken by Federation University Australia and was commissioned by the EVOLVE Strategic Multicultural Capacity Building Partnership. The purpose of this research was to examine the lived experiences of migrants living and/or working in the areas of Ballarat, Horsham, and Nhill from 2009 to 2018 in accordance with the nine key priority areas set out in the Department of Social Services National Settlement Framework (2016). These include language services; employment; education and training; housing; health and wellbeing; transport; civic participation; family and social support; and justice. The research analysed the lived experiences of migrants to identify key benefits and barriers to settlement within Central and Western Victoria, and will be used to enhance service provision available to migrants in Ballarat, Horsham, and Nhill. The research has utilised interpretative phenomenology, which is a qualitative methodology that draws on participants’ multilayered descriptions of their lived experiences. In accordance with this methodological framework, nine individual interviews were conducted in Ballarat as well as two focus groups that consisted of one group of women and one group of men. In Horsham, four individual interviews were conducted in addition to one focus group. In Nhill, the research team conducted five individual interviews and one focus group. Participants were presented with a range of open-ended questions concerning their settlement experiences across Ballarat, Horsham, and Nhill.
Food security and wellbeing project evaluation 2022-2023
- Porter, Joanne, Simic, Megan, Miller, Elizabeth, Bransgrove, Natalie, Barbagallo, Michael, Peck, Blake, Unsworth, Carolyn, Hewitt, Alana, Soldatenko, Daria, Hualda, Luis, My, Sambath, Prokopiv, Valerie
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , Bransgrove, Natalie , Barbagallo, Michael , Peck, Blake , Unsworth, Carolyn , Hewitt, Alana , Soldatenko, Daria , Hualda, Luis , My, Sambath , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Although the country is transitioning out of COVID-19 lockdowns and easing restrictions, Australians are now facing increased costs of living. Global political unrest, interest rate rises, and inflation have seen the prices of fuel, food and household bills surge, increasing the strain on individuals and families. Fruit and vegetables have seen cost increases by almost 7% from last year, with this figure only estimated to rise. During the same period, however, takeaway food prices increased marginally by 0.7%, potentially due to government subsidy and voucher systems introduced post COVID-19 lockdowns. The strain of food prices is felt even more greatly by those living in regional, rural and remote Australia, with prices increasing due to freight costs. The Morwell Neighbourhood House (MNH) Food Bank provides emergency relief without requiring an appointment and is unrestricted by postcode or healthcare card status. The Food Bank is supported by St Vinnies Morwell, which provides $12,000 annually towards the cost of food, and by numerous community organisations, individuals and businesses. Demand for the Food Bank has increased steadily and particularly so during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate precursor to the People’s Kitchen was a 2019 project named Cooking for a Purpose. That involved GippsTAFE VCAL students preparing nutritious frozen meals using ingredients provided by MNH. The availability of frozen home-cooked meals has ensured that Food Bank clients have at least one nutritious hot meal per day. The CERC was commissioned to explore the activities of the MNH, gaining an insight into how the whole of person approach to food security was being implemented. This understanding was gained through the perspective of those who were paid employees, Volunteers or accessed the MNH services, outlining the benefits, barriers and future suggestions for the MNH operations when addressing food security in the Latrobe Valley. Data were collected between 2022 - 2023 using a mixed methods approach to understand the impact of the MNH services on participants. Participants included MNH stakeholders, staff, Volunteers, secondary school students and people who accessed the MNH services. In addition to this, a comprehensive literature review was performed to understand the global landscape of food insecurity, exploring how people access Food Banks, the opportunities that arise from engaging with food security service activities and the perspectives of employees who ran these services.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , Bransgrove, Natalie , Barbagallo, Michael , Peck, Blake , Unsworth, Carolyn , Hewitt, Alana , Soldatenko, Daria , Hualda, Luis , My, Sambath , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Although the country is transitioning out of COVID-19 lockdowns and easing restrictions, Australians are now facing increased costs of living. Global political unrest, interest rate rises, and inflation have seen the prices of fuel, food and household bills surge, increasing the strain on individuals and families. Fruit and vegetables have seen cost increases by almost 7% from last year, with this figure only estimated to rise. During the same period, however, takeaway food prices increased marginally by 0.7%, potentially due to government subsidy and voucher systems introduced post COVID-19 lockdowns. The strain of food prices is felt even more greatly by those living in regional, rural and remote Australia, with prices increasing due to freight costs. The Morwell Neighbourhood House (MNH) Food Bank provides emergency relief without requiring an appointment and is unrestricted by postcode or healthcare card status. The Food Bank is supported by St Vinnies Morwell, which provides $12,000 annually towards the cost of food, and by numerous community organisations, individuals and businesses. Demand for the Food Bank has increased steadily and particularly so during the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate precursor to the People’s Kitchen was a 2019 project named Cooking for a Purpose. That involved GippsTAFE VCAL students preparing nutritious frozen meals using ingredients provided by MNH. The availability of frozen home-cooked meals has ensured that Food Bank clients have at least one nutritious hot meal per day. The CERC was commissioned to explore the activities of the MNH, gaining an insight into how the whole of person approach to food security was being implemented. This understanding was gained through the perspective of those who were paid employees, Volunteers or accessed the MNH services, outlining the benefits, barriers and future suggestions for the MNH operations when addressing food security in the Latrobe Valley. Data were collected between 2022 - 2023 using a mixed methods approach to understand the impact of the MNH services on participants. Participants included MNH stakeholders, staff, Volunteers, secondary school students and people who accessed the MNH services. In addition to this, a comprehensive literature review was performed to understand the global landscape of food insecurity, exploring how people access Food Banks, the opportunities that arise from engaging with food security service activities and the perspectives of employees who ran these services.
FRRR health & wellness program Yinnar & District Memorial Hall Committee evaluation report
- Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael, Dabkowski, Elissa, Prokopiv, Val, Federation University. Collaboration Evaluation Unit.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prokopiv, Val , Federation University. Collaboration Evaluation Unit.
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary focus of the Yinnar Health and Wellness Program is to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults in the Gippsland region by removing barriers to participation in facilitated health and wellbeing activities. This report provides analysis and evaluation of the impact of the Program using the CEU Participatory Evaluation Framework for the period February – December 2019. Working in collaboration with key stakeholders, a mixed methods approach was taken and included the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. A literature review was also completed. Results of the data show that the Program successfully delivered weekly classes for a period of twelve months to a consistent number of participants with some significant positive outcomes. The Program was adaptive in design so that it met the individual needs of each participant. Participants reported improvements in their physical health and in their confidence. Results also showed that the Program had a positive impact on the social connectiveness of participants. In confirmation of the literature that was analysed the Program has shown that regular exercise classes have a positive physical, social, and psychological impact on individuals. Although the majority of the participants lived in Yinnar, there were a number of regulars that travelled to attend the program from neighbouring communities. There was a direct impact to the participant’s health with many individuals stating that their overall health, function and movement had improved because of attending the program. A total of 23 out of 24 participants agreed or strongly agreed that the Program had improved their fitness levels and overall confidence. Participants stated that the Program addressed a gap in the service delivery for the region. Not only did the Program improve recovery from illness it helped to maintain overall fitness levels of the participants which ultimately may lead to fewer hospital admissions. It also addressed the need for organised social connection activities for the aging population. The participants agreed that the Program met the needs of the community and the individuals, providing significant physical, mental and social benefits from regular attendance.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prokopiv, Val , Federation University. Collaboration Evaluation Unit.
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary focus of the Yinnar Health and Wellness Program is to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults in the Gippsland region by removing barriers to participation in facilitated health and wellbeing activities. This report provides analysis and evaluation of the impact of the Program using the CEU Participatory Evaluation Framework for the period February – December 2019. Working in collaboration with key stakeholders, a mixed methods approach was taken and included the analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. A literature review was also completed. Results of the data show that the Program successfully delivered weekly classes for a period of twelve months to a consistent number of participants with some significant positive outcomes. The Program was adaptive in design so that it met the individual needs of each participant. Participants reported improvements in their physical health and in their confidence. Results also showed that the Program had a positive impact on the social connectiveness of participants. In confirmation of the literature that was analysed the Program has shown that regular exercise classes have a positive physical, social, and psychological impact on individuals. Although the majority of the participants lived in Yinnar, there were a number of regulars that travelled to attend the program from neighbouring communities. There was a direct impact to the participant’s health with many individuals stating that their overall health, function and movement had improved because of attending the program. A total of 23 out of 24 participants agreed or strongly agreed that the Program had improved their fitness levels and overall confidence. Participants stated that the Program addressed a gap in the service delivery for the region. Not only did the Program improve recovery from illness it helped to maintain overall fitness levels of the participants which ultimately may lead to fewer hospital admissions. It also addressed the need for organised social connection activities for the aging population. The participants agreed that the Program met the needs of the community and the individuals, providing significant physical, mental and social benefits from regular attendance.
ILO survey report on the National Initiatives to Promote Quality Apprenticeships in G20 Countries
- Smith, Erica, Tuck, Jacqueline
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Tuck, Jacqueline
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: While the level of educational attainment has been rising globally in the past decades, in many countries education and training systems struggle with adapting to rapidly changing skill needs in the fast evolving labour market. The resulting skills mismatch exerts upward pressure on youth unemployment rates with young people opting for jobs that do not match their qualifications which in turn limits their salary and progression prospects. At the same time, businesses, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, face critical skills shortages as they seek to expand. Unemployment affects youth almost three times more than adults. As such, it is crucial to implement measures to improve the employability of young people. It is in this context that the International Labour Office (ILO), with the support of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, launched the Skills that Work Project: Improving the Employability of Low and Middle-Skilled Workers in February 2017. The project aims to promote quality apprenticeships as an effective means to provide young people from diverse backgrounds with labour market relevant skills, and exposure to the work environment and a smoother transition into employment. Quality apprenticeships are known to facilitate the school-to-work transition of youth as they offer employer-led skills development opportunities that lead to nationally recognised qualifications. As a result, policymakers increasingly rely on apprenticeships to address skills mismatch and youth unemployment. In fact, the G20, L20 and B20 have committed to promote apprenticeships. In this light, we believe it is timely and helpful to take stock of good national initiatives to improve apprenticeships and make the knowledge widely available as part of our continuous efforts to support evidence-based policymaking. The project also provides support to the design and implementation of quality apprenticeship programmes by providing a concise set of key information and practical tools. It is our hope that this report contributes to the promotion of quality apprenticeships by facilitating policy discussions and enhancing our knowledge base of various initiatives that have been tested in the G20 Member States.
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Tuck, Jacqueline
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: While the level of educational attainment has been rising globally in the past decades, in many countries education and training systems struggle with adapting to rapidly changing skill needs in the fast evolving labour market. The resulting skills mismatch exerts upward pressure on youth unemployment rates with young people opting for jobs that do not match their qualifications which in turn limits their salary and progression prospects. At the same time, businesses, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, face critical skills shortages as they seek to expand. Unemployment affects youth almost three times more than adults. As such, it is crucial to implement measures to improve the employability of young people. It is in this context that the International Labour Office (ILO), with the support of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, launched the Skills that Work Project: Improving the Employability of Low and Middle-Skilled Workers in February 2017. The project aims to promote quality apprenticeships as an effective means to provide young people from diverse backgrounds with labour market relevant skills, and exposure to the work environment and a smoother transition into employment. Quality apprenticeships are known to facilitate the school-to-work transition of youth as they offer employer-led skills development opportunities that lead to nationally recognised qualifications. As a result, policymakers increasingly rely on apprenticeships to address skills mismatch and youth unemployment. In fact, the G20, L20 and B20 have committed to promote apprenticeships. In this light, we believe it is timely and helpful to take stock of good national initiatives to improve apprenticeships and make the knowledge widely available as part of our continuous efforts to support evidence-based policymaking. The project also provides support to the design and implementation of quality apprenticeship programmes by providing a concise set of key information and practical tools. It is our hope that this report contributes to the promotion of quality apprenticeships by facilitating policy discussions and enhancing our knowledge base of various initiatives that have been tested in the G20 Member States.
Latrobe City Council Community Engagement Survey 2021 Analysis
- Porter, Joanne, Barbagallo, Michael, Reimers, Vaughan, Prokopiv, Valerie, James, Michelle, Dabkowski, Elissa, Prezioso, Michelle, Federation University. Collaborative Evaluation Unit (CEU)
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Reimers, Vaughan , Prokopiv, Valerie , James, Michelle , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prezioso, Michelle , Federation University. Collaborative Evaluation Unit (CEU)
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: As part of Latrobe City’s community engagement strategy, a survey was developed and distributed during May to June 2021, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to capture feedback and suggestions on how Latrobe City could be a better place to live, work, visit and play. The survey also invited residents to share their thoughts on current and future challenges for the City. A total of 1552 responses to the survey were received of which 69 were blank, with 1453 making up the final data set. This report highlights the findings from the survey. The majority of the participants were female (65%, n=744), 33% were from Traralgon, 35% from smaller townships with the remaining 32% from Moe, Newborough, Morwell and Churchill. The participants ranged in age from 17-30 years (15%), 31-40 years (27%), 41-70 years (43%) 70+ years (10%). The majority of the participants were employed in healthcare, education and administrative roles with 89% stating that they live and work in Latrobe City. Friends are family was cited as the most common reason why participants believed that Latrobe City was a good place, with Location in Victoria, Affordability and Natural environment rounding off the top four responses. The most common reason people gave for Latrobe City being a good place to work was Distance from home (n=504) and similarly the most common reason participants gave for it being a good place to study was Close to home. Safety, Economy and Built environment were considered the things most important for Latrobe City Council to focus on this was evident in both the quantitative and qualitative responses. A thematic analysis process was used to analyse the content from the six open-ended questions in the survey. Six main themes emerged; Employment, Safety, Transport, Education, Sport and Entertainment and Hope for the future.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Barbagallo, Michael , Reimers, Vaughan , Prokopiv, Valerie , James, Michelle , Dabkowski, Elissa , Prezioso, Michelle , Federation University. Collaborative Evaluation Unit (CEU)
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: As part of Latrobe City’s community engagement strategy, a survey was developed and distributed during May to June 2021, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data to capture feedback and suggestions on how Latrobe City could be a better place to live, work, visit and play. The survey also invited residents to share their thoughts on current and future challenges for the City. A total of 1552 responses to the survey were received of which 69 were blank, with 1453 making up the final data set. This report highlights the findings from the survey. The majority of the participants were female (65%, n=744), 33% were from Traralgon, 35% from smaller townships with the remaining 32% from Moe, Newborough, Morwell and Churchill. The participants ranged in age from 17-30 years (15%), 31-40 years (27%), 41-70 years (43%) 70+ years (10%). The majority of the participants were employed in healthcare, education and administrative roles with 89% stating that they live and work in Latrobe City. Friends are family was cited as the most common reason why participants believed that Latrobe City was a good place, with Location in Victoria, Affordability and Natural environment rounding off the top four responses. The most common reason people gave for Latrobe City being a good place to work was Distance from home (n=504) and similarly the most common reason participants gave for it being a good place to study was Close to home. Safety, Economy and Built environment were considered the things most important for Latrobe City Council to focus on this was evident in both the quantitative and qualitative responses. A thematic analysis process was used to analyse the content from the six open-ended questions in the survey. Six main themes emerged; Employment, Safety, Transport, Education, Sport and Entertainment and Hope for the future.
Latrobe Regional Hospital : The Wellness Centre evaluation 2021-2022
- Porter, Joanne, Simic, Megan, Ghasemiardekani, Maryam, Prokopiv, Valerie
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Ghasemiardekani, Maryam , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: CERC (formally CERG) partnered with the Latrobe Regional Health (LRH) to evaluate their Staff Wellness Centre, designed to provide wellbeing support for staff during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. The organisation had identified an impact to staff wellness during the pandemic, responding with the Centre to help staff access health promotion services, mental and physical wellbeing services. CERC assisted with evaluating the service, demonstrating the impact the service has had on the overall wellbeing of staff.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Simic, Megan , Ghasemiardekani, Maryam , Prokopiv, Valerie
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: CERC (formally CERG) partnered with the Latrobe Regional Health (LRH) to evaluate their Staff Wellness Centre, designed to provide wellbeing support for staff during and post the COVID-19 pandemic. The organisation had identified an impact to staff wellness during the pandemic, responding with the Centre to help staff access health promotion services, mental and physical wellbeing services. CERC assisted with evaluating the service, demonstrating the impact the service has had on the overall wellbeing of staff.
Leading sustainable improvement in university teaching and learning : Lessons from the sector
- Devlin, Marcia, Smeal, Georgia, Cummings, Rick, Mazzolini, Margaret
- Authors: Devlin, Marcia , Smeal, Georgia , Cummings, Rick , Mazzolini, Margaret
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article , Technical report
- Relation: Vol. , no. (2012), p. 1-64
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Overall, the investigation found that universities that wish to improve the quality of teaching and learning should take an approach that aims to be: collaborative and developmental; embedded; sustainable; and focused on enabling innovation and enhancement. The seven interlinked insights characteristic of sustainable, positive change in teaching and learning in Australian universities are as follows. 1. Efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning are aligned with the strategic direction of the university The evidence indicates that efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning within an institution should be aligned with the strategic direction of the university. While this might seem self evident, the findings indicate that there are sometimes tensions between overall institutional priorities and efforts to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Careful strategic thinking can ensure efforts to enhance teaching and learning provide a means through which universities can enact aspects of their strategic plans. 2. Senior executives support teaching and learning enhancement, and resources for those improvements are allocated as part of the universityʼs planning and budget cycle The study found that embedding and sustaining good teaching and learning practice requires high-level support within an institution. In addition to providing stable representation and championing of teaching and learning, effective support was found to also incorporate institutional investment in the form of funding and resourcing positions and initiatives. It was found that sustainability relies on institutional funding that ensured ongoing impetus for, and successful work in, enhancing teaching and learning. 3. Staff workload allocations allow time for innovation, enhancement and improvement in teaching and learning The project findings indicate that the major factor inhibiting efforts to improve teaching and learning is high staff workloads and the consequent lack of time to engage with, and contribute to, teaching and learning enhancement efforts. This finding mirrors those of several other recent Australian studies of the changing academic profession, although this current project notes the applicability of workload matters to both academic and professional staff. If leaders in Australian universities wish to enhance teaching and learning, fresh thinking, policy and planning is needed around academic and professional staff roles and workload allocation. 4. Effective leadership proactively manages tensions between discipline research endeavours and efforts to improve teaching and learning This research found that a major cultural impediment to enhancing teaching and learning is the privileging of research over teaching and learning within an institution. The findings suggest that effective leadership and management of the tensions that arise between research endeavours and efforts to improve teaching and learning are critical if the latter are to be successful. The findings suggest that the reconciliation of research and teaching and learning can be achieved to some extent through a range of means, including the facilitation of research and scholarship around teaching and learning. Leading sustainable change in university teaching and learning: Lessons from the sector 6 5. Teaching and learning are supported by relevant research and scholarship conducted within the institution and in collaboration with other institutions and relevant bodies The study findings indicate the importance of research and scholarship in the area of teaching and learning. External interface, networking and exchange with stakeholders and bodies outside the institution are critical to ensuring enhancement efforts fit with the broader context in which they are occurring. Some of the benefits of engaging in such research and scholarship were: increased reflection on practice; a heightened awareness of the link between an individualʼs own teaching and their studentsʼ outcomes; increased innovation in teaching; improved morale; enhancing the quality of teaching and learning both within an institution and more broadly; and opportunities to both benchmark and improve teaching performance. The potential for research into teaching and learning to contribute to resolving the tensions between discipline research and teaching and learning was also noted. 6. A distributed teaching and learning support structure exists within the institution and is coordinated from the centre The findings of this research showed that a distributed institutional support structure for teaching and learning enhancement, coordinated from the centre, was perceived to be the most effective approach. Most commonly this involved cooperation between a central teaching and learning centre and one or more of: teaching and learning committees; the associate deans (teaching and learning) or equivalent; educational development and other staff located in the faculties; and a critical mass of people with a commitment to teaching and learning improvement and enhancement who have the capacity to lead. 7. Mechanisms to recognise excellence in teaching and learning and to enable teaching and learning career pathways are in place This study found that professional development, reward and recognition mechanisms and enabling career pathways for those committed to teaching and learning are important components in the successful leadership of teaching and learning enhancement. The project findings indicate the centrality of linking efforts to enhance teaching and learning with promotion opportunities. The research findings indicate that university promotion criteria that incorporate excellence in teaching and learning scholarship and practice allow appropriate recognition, enable the sustainability of excellent practice and help embed enhancement.
- Authors: Devlin, Marcia , Smeal, Georgia , Cummings, Rick , Mazzolini, Margaret
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article , Technical report
- Relation: Vol. , no. (2012), p. 1-64
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Overall, the investigation found that universities that wish to improve the quality of teaching and learning should take an approach that aims to be: collaborative and developmental; embedded; sustainable; and focused on enabling innovation and enhancement. The seven interlinked insights characteristic of sustainable, positive change in teaching and learning in Australian universities are as follows. 1. Efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning are aligned with the strategic direction of the university The evidence indicates that efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning within an institution should be aligned with the strategic direction of the university. While this might seem self evident, the findings indicate that there are sometimes tensions between overall institutional priorities and efforts to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Careful strategic thinking can ensure efforts to enhance teaching and learning provide a means through which universities can enact aspects of their strategic plans. 2. Senior executives support teaching and learning enhancement, and resources for those improvements are allocated as part of the universityʼs planning and budget cycle The study found that embedding and sustaining good teaching and learning practice requires high-level support within an institution. In addition to providing stable representation and championing of teaching and learning, effective support was found to also incorporate institutional investment in the form of funding and resourcing positions and initiatives. It was found that sustainability relies on institutional funding that ensured ongoing impetus for, and successful work in, enhancing teaching and learning. 3. Staff workload allocations allow time for innovation, enhancement and improvement in teaching and learning The project findings indicate that the major factor inhibiting efforts to improve teaching and learning is high staff workloads and the consequent lack of time to engage with, and contribute to, teaching and learning enhancement efforts. This finding mirrors those of several other recent Australian studies of the changing academic profession, although this current project notes the applicability of workload matters to both academic and professional staff. If leaders in Australian universities wish to enhance teaching and learning, fresh thinking, policy and planning is needed around academic and professional staff roles and workload allocation. 4. Effective leadership proactively manages tensions between discipline research endeavours and efforts to improve teaching and learning This research found that a major cultural impediment to enhancing teaching and learning is the privileging of research over teaching and learning within an institution. The findings suggest that effective leadership and management of the tensions that arise between research endeavours and efforts to improve teaching and learning are critical if the latter are to be successful. The findings suggest that the reconciliation of research and teaching and learning can be achieved to some extent through a range of means, including the facilitation of research and scholarship around teaching and learning. Leading sustainable change in university teaching and learning: Lessons from the sector 6 5. Teaching and learning are supported by relevant research and scholarship conducted within the institution and in collaboration with other institutions and relevant bodies The study findings indicate the importance of research and scholarship in the area of teaching and learning. External interface, networking and exchange with stakeholders and bodies outside the institution are critical to ensuring enhancement efforts fit with the broader context in which they are occurring. Some of the benefits of engaging in such research and scholarship were: increased reflection on practice; a heightened awareness of the link between an individualʼs own teaching and their studentsʼ outcomes; increased innovation in teaching; improved morale; enhancing the quality of teaching and learning both within an institution and more broadly; and opportunities to both benchmark and improve teaching performance. The potential for research into teaching and learning to contribute to resolving the tensions between discipline research and teaching and learning was also noted. 6. A distributed teaching and learning support structure exists within the institution and is coordinated from the centre The findings of this research showed that a distributed institutional support structure for teaching and learning enhancement, coordinated from the centre, was perceived to be the most effective approach. Most commonly this involved cooperation between a central teaching and learning centre and one or more of: teaching and learning committees; the associate deans (teaching and learning) or equivalent; educational development and other staff located in the faculties; and a critical mass of people with a commitment to teaching and learning improvement and enhancement who have the capacity to lead. 7. Mechanisms to recognise excellence in teaching and learning and to enable teaching and learning career pathways are in place This study found that professional development, reward and recognition mechanisms and enabling career pathways for those committed to teaching and learning are important components in the successful leadership of teaching and learning enhancement. The project findings indicate the centrality of linking efforts to enhance teaching and learning with promotion opportunities. The research findings indicate that university promotion criteria that incorporate excellence in teaching and learning scholarship and practice allow appropriate recognition, enable the sustainability of excellent practice and help embed enhancement.
Living in a 2.2 World: ERA, Capacity Building and the Topography of Australian Educational Research
- Seddon, Terri, Bennett, Dawn, Bobis, Janette, Bennett, Sue, Harrison, Neil, Shore, Sue, Smith, Erica, Chan, Philip
- Authors: Seddon, Terri , Bennett, Dawn , Bobis, Janette , Bennett, Sue , Harrison, Neil , Shore, Sue , Smith, Erica , Chan, Philip
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: Early in 2011, the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) and the Australian Council of Deans of Education (ACDE) established a joint working party to create a strategic plan for strengthening national research capacity in the field of Education. This proposal followed the publication of Excellence of Research in Australia (ERA) 2010 results, which revealed that the national average weighting of Australian research in Field of Research 13 (FoR 13) - Education was well below the 'world standard' rating of 3.0. Moreover, the 2010 ERA data demonstrated that we had no up-to-date picture of who is involved in educational research, what their strengths are, or how they relate to one another. As an input into strategic research capacity building in Australian educational research, this project begins the process of documenting who 'we' are as educational researchers. The research described within the report used an ecological model to address the project's overarching question, which was: What is the topography of Australian educational research?
- Authors: Seddon, Terri , Bennett, Dawn , Bobis, Janette , Bennett, Sue , Harrison, Neil , Shore, Sue , Smith, Erica , Chan, Philip
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text:
- Description: Early in 2011, the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) and the Australian Council of Deans of Education (ACDE) established a joint working party to create a strategic plan for strengthening national research capacity in the field of Education. This proposal followed the publication of Excellence of Research in Australia (ERA) 2010 results, which revealed that the national average weighting of Australian research in Field of Research 13 (FoR 13) - Education was well below the 'world standard' rating of 3.0. Moreover, the 2010 ERA data demonstrated that we had no up-to-date picture of who is involved in educational research, what their strengths are, or how they relate to one another. As an input into strategic research capacity building in Australian educational research, this project begins the process of documenting who 'we' are as educational researchers. The research described within the report used an ecological model to address the project's overarching question, which was: What is the topography of Australian educational research?
Lower Jinsha Valley bird study
- Wright, Wendy, Federation University Australia
- Authors: Wright, Wendy , Federation University Australia
- Date: 2011-2013
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text: false
- Description: This study represents a systematic bird survey in part of the Lower Jinsha Valley, in Western China. The intention of the study is to document the bird fauna of the area before it undergoes significant environmental transformation. The study area will be affected by the construction of a series of large hydropower dams along the Jinsha (Yangtze) River. Flooding of the valleys in this area will be to an elevation of 825m and will result in the inundation of substantial areas of farmland and much of the current sparse and poor quality forest habitat in Ningnan County (Sichuan Province) and Qiaojia County (Yunnan Province). Bird searches were conducted at 15 locations (5 in forest, 5 in farmland, 5 in Leucaena plantation) during two survey periods: Winter 2012: Nov-Dec 2012 (six field days: 30/11 – 7/12) (survey period 3) Summer 2013 June 2013 (seven field days 6/6 – 12/6) (survey period 4) Two visits were made to each location during each study period. One visit occurred during the morning and involved a timed transect search plus a list building search. The other visit occurred during the afternoon and involved a list building search only. The timed transect search involved noting birds seen along the 100m transect during a 20min search period. No recorded calls were used to attract birds during the timed transect search, which always occurred prior to the list building search. List building searches were conducted in the interests of maximizing the opportunity to identify species present at each location. Each list building search involved an initial broadcast playback of the call of Collared Owlet (Glaucidium brodiei) followed by identification of birds seen or heard, including birds responding to the call of the owlet. Collared Owlet is a small owl, which sometimes hunts diurnally. It is commonly mobbed by small songbirds (Mackinnon and Phillips, 2010). Where necessary, previously recorded calls of particular bird species were used to encourage birds to respond and therefore confirm identification. In some cases, calling birds were recorded in situ and these calls were immediately played back in order to encourage a response and allow visual identification. All birds clearly identified visually or by their call were recorded, including birds of prey seen flying overhead or in nearby valleys. Birds seen on roadsides during transit between locations were noted separately and are included in the bird list for the survey period, but not included in analyses. The visualisation of the survey data is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation(CeRDI) at Federation University Australia (FedUni).
Mapping out the soundlines of new urban developments
- Duffy, Michelle, Merlino, Dean, Manning, Debra
- Authors: Duffy, Michelle , Merlino, Dean , Manning, Debra
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Relation: Ambiance
- Full Text: false
- Description: Research Report
Measuring the progress of the timeliness childhood immunization compliance in Vietnam between 2006-2014 : a decomposition analysis
- Thuy, Do Thi, Nguyen, Quang, Nguyen, Huy, Thomas-Agnan, Christine, Trinh, Thi-Huong
- Authors: Thuy, Do Thi , Nguyen, Quang , Nguyen, Huy , Thomas-Agnan, Christine , Trinh, Thi-Huong
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Vietnam launched the national Expanded Program on Immunization in 1981. Since then, this program has contributed signi cantly to the improvement of child health and to the reduction of child mortality rate. Despite of the fact that the coverage of the national EPI keeps expanding, the number of children who complied with the recommended immunization schedule remains low. This article studies the progress of the timeliness childhood immunization compliance among children between 0-5 years of age in Vietnam from 2006 to 2014 and analyzes the socio-economic factors that account for the changes of the compliance rate during this period. The dataset is extracted from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in 2006 and 2014. We rst identify the socio-economic factors that impact on the vaccination compliance rate using a logistic regression model. Next, we apply the decomposition method to determine the contribution of each factor on the evolution of the timeliness childhood immunization compliance. The progress of the timeliness childhood immunization has been positive and the major contribution comes from the structure e ect (unmeasured e ect). Rural areas show a stronger improvement as of 2014. Among the socio-economic factors, mother education and birth order are the ones that have the larger in uence on the childhood immunization compliance rate. However, these factors have di erent implications in urban and rural areas. These findings are critical to the current context of Vietnam where the government is designing a strategy focusing on the effectiveness rather than the traditional coverage indicator.
- Authors: Thuy, Do Thi , Nguyen, Quang , Nguyen, Huy , Thomas-Agnan, Christine , Trinh, Thi-Huong
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: Vietnam launched the national Expanded Program on Immunization in 1981. Since then, this program has contributed signi cantly to the improvement of child health and to the reduction of child mortality rate. Despite of the fact that the coverage of the national EPI keeps expanding, the number of children who complied with the recommended immunization schedule remains low. This article studies the progress of the timeliness childhood immunization compliance among children between 0-5 years of age in Vietnam from 2006 to 2014 and analyzes the socio-economic factors that account for the changes of the compliance rate during this period. The dataset is extracted from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey in 2006 and 2014. We rst identify the socio-economic factors that impact on the vaccination compliance rate using a logistic regression model. Next, we apply the decomposition method to determine the contribution of each factor on the evolution of the timeliness childhood immunization compliance. The progress of the timeliness childhood immunization has been positive and the major contribution comes from the structure e ect (unmeasured e ect). Rural areas show a stronger improvement as of 2014. Among the socio-economic factors, mother education and birth order are the ones that have the larger in uence on the childhood immunization compliance rate. However, these factors have di erent implications in urban and rural areas. These findings are critical to the current context of Vietnam where the government is designing a strategy focusing on the effectiveness rather than the traditional coverage indicator.
Men’s shed field officer project phase 2 evaluation 2022/2023
- Porter, Joanne, Coombs, Nicole, Soldatenko, Daria, Simic, Megan, Miller, Elizabeth, My, Sambath, Bransgrove, Natalie
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Coombs, Nicole , Soldatenko, Daria , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , My, Sambath , Bransgrove, Natalie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: In September 2021, the Latrobe Health Assembly (LHA) and Victorian Men’s Sheds Association (VSMA) launched the Men’s Shed Field Officer in Latrobe to work with local men, Men’s Sheds and other men’s groups with the aim to achieve increased health and wellbeing outcomes for local men and support the activity of the Men’s Sheds in Latrobe. The Field Officer role had previously been evaluated by the Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC) from Federation University, with several recommendations made after analysing data collected from the Field Officer himself and the Shed members. At the end of the first year, it was recommended that the project be extended for another 12 months to allow the adaption of processes to permit further impact of the role. With identified misconceptions and challenges in identifying how the role could assist the Sheds, it was determined more time was required to learn about the Sheds and the individual needs associated with each different Shed culture. The Men’s Shed Field Officer engaged with Men’s Sheds in Toongabbie, Traralgon, Traralgon South, Boolarra, Churchill, Moe, Newborough, and Morwell and helped with the establishment of a new shed in Moe called Carpenter Bee Men’s Shed. The CERC was again commissioned to evaluate Phase 2 of the project with the aim to contribute to the knowledge regarding the best use of resources to achieve improved engagement with men across Latrobe and achieve enhanced health outcomes.
- Authors: Porter, Joanne , Coombs, Nicole , Soldatenko, Daria , Simic, Megan , Miller, Elizabeth , My, Sambath , Bransgrove, Natalie
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: In September 2021, the Latrobe Health Assembly (LHA) and Victorian Men’s Sheds Association (VSMA) launched the Men’s Shed Field Officer in Latrobe to work with local men, Men’s Sheds and other men’s groups with the aim to achieve increased health and wellbeing outcomes for local men and support the activity of the Men’s Sheds in Latrobe. The Field Officer role had previously been evaluated by the Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC) from Federation University, with several recommendations made after analysing data collected from the Field Officer himself and the Shed members. At the end of the first year, it was recommended that the project be extended for another 12 months to allow the adaption of processes to permit further impact of the role. With identified misconceptions and challenges in identifying how the role could assist the Sheds, it was determined more time was required to learn about the Sheds and the individual needs associated with each different Shed culture. The Men’s Shed Field Officer engaged with Men’s Sheds in Toongabbie, Traralgon, Traralgon South, Boolarra, Churchill, Moe, Newborough, and Morwell and helped with the establishment of a new shed in Moe called Carpenter Bee Men’s Shed. The CERC was again commissioned to evaluate Phase 2 of the project with the aim to contribute to the knowledge regarding the best use of resources to achieve improved engagement with men across Latrobe and achieve enhanced health outcomes.
- Day, Lesley, Hoareau, Effie, Finch, Caroline, Harrison, James, Segal, Leonie, Bolton, Tom, Bradley, Clare, Boufous, Soufiane, Ullah, Shahid, National Injury Prevention Injury Working Group
- Authors: Day, Lesley , Hoareau, Effie , Finch, Caroline , Harrison, James , Segal, Leonie , Bolton, Tom , Bradley, Clare , Boufous, Soufiane , Ullah, Shahid , National Injury Prevention Injury Working Group
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text: false
- Description: The ageing of the population is one of the major transformations being experienced in Australia, with falls a significant threat to safety, health and independence. There is now substantial evidence regarding effective interventions for preventing falls among older people living independently in the community. The aim of this project was to develop and apply a framework for epidemiological modelling of the population level impact of proven interventions on future fall rates, providing a powerful policy-setting tool for prevention. We used the Cochrane review to source current best efficacy evidence from randomised controlled trials which have provided evidence of minimising the incidence of falls among older people living in the community. Six interventions defined in that review as most promising for community dwelling older people were modelled. Additionally, one other intervention not in the Cochrane review, expedited cataract removal, was also modelled. Occupational therapy delivered home hazard assessment and modification for those with recent fall history, as modelled here, represents the best falls prevention investment. Cardiac pacing is a good falls prevention investment over the medium term, although is unlikely to have a major impact on population level hospital admission rates. The relative cost-effectiveness of psychotropic medication withdrawal appears high, although some implementation issues would need to be addressed and further costs included. Multi-disciplinary multi-factorial risk management represents good clinical practice for high risk individuals, but is not relatively cost-effective for widespread implementation. Tai chi programs may represent good value for falls prevention resources, if local circumstances allow the cost per participant to be substantially lower than modelled here. Predicted reductions in national fall-related hospital admission rates for people aged 65 years and over ranged from 0.4% to 4.6% for five of the six falls prevention strategies implemented over a one year period. These reductions, however, suggest that substantial investment in falls prevention will be required to have large effects on the fall-related hospitalisation rates. In addition, the costeffectiveness of a number of the modelled interventions could be improved by variations to the implementation processes such as measures to increase uptake, or decrease the cost per participant. The framework developed provides the potential for the research evidence base to better guide policy and practice with respect to reducing falls and future fall-related hospitalisation rates.
- Earl, George, Martin, Jennifer, Liu, Benjamin, Roca, Eduardo, Min, Byung, Beh, Jeanie, Morawakage, Prabath
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
- Earl, George, Martin, Jennifer, Liu, Benjamin, Roca, Eduardo, Min, Byung, Beh, Jeanie, Morawakage, Prabath
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
- Earl, George, Martin, Jennifer, Liu, Benjamin, Roca, Eduardo, Min, Byung, Beh, Jeanie, Morawakage, Prabath
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text: false
- Earl, George, Martin, Jennifer, Liu, Benjamin, Roca, Eduardo, Min, Byung, Beh, Jeanie, Morawakage, Prabath
- Authors: Earl, George , Martin, Jennifer , Liu, Benjamin , Roca, Eduardo , Min, Byung , Beh, Jeanie , Morawakage, Prabath
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Technical report
- Full Text: false