Mining a rich lode : The making of the Springdallah Deep Lead Goldfield communities
- Authors: Hunt, Joan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Although little material evidence survives other than mullock heaps and the occasional ruined building, a large body of archival documentation exists to help reveal the history of the deep lead gold mining communities at Springdallah. This thesis reconstructs the discovery, rise and progress of that goldfield, 30km south-west of Ballarat, through a study of family formation and community building, facilitated by micro-study tools including prosopographical and genealogical databases. At its prosperous and productive peak in the 1860s and 1870s, the communities relied totally on the mining industry for their existence. This thesis positions the alluvial deep lead gold mining industry firmly within the long but disparate historiography of Australian, and particularly Victorian, gold seeking. Unlike the many regional histories that celebrate the growth from goldfields to city status, it focuses on the miners who worked the deep leads of buried river beds, and how they and their families effected material and social change to benefit the communities they created. The findings of this thesis reveal that, in contrast to the strong Cornish presence on many Victorian goldfields, miners at Springdallah came mainly from northern England, south-west Ireland, and the lowlands of Scotland, often with extensive kinship networks. The study demonstrates that this network of communities attracted workers, usually with coal and lead mining experience, who had skills suited to conditions in the deep lead alluvial gold mining industry. According to the findings of this thesis, miners gained power within the Springdallah communities by becoming members of committees, councils, and boards of local and wider institutions. This study found that the Springdallah families were youthful, adapted well to their changed circumstances, were agents of change within their communities, and quickly took advantage of Victorian land legislation, particularly the 1869 Land Act, to take up farming properties both locally and in the north and east of the State.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hunt, Joan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Although little material evidence survives other than mullock heaps and the occasional ruined building, a large body of archival documentation exists to help reveal the history of the deep lead gold mining communities at Springdallah. This thesis reconstructs the discovery, rise and progress of that goldfield, 30km south-west of Ballarat, through a study of family formation and community building, facilitated by micro-study tools including prosopographical and genealogical databases. At its prosperous and productive peak in the 1860s and 1870s, the communities relied totally on the mining industry for their existence. This thesis positions the alluvial deep lead gold mining industry firmly within the long but disparate historiography of Australian, and particularly Victorian, gold seeking. Unlike the many regional histories that celebrate the growth from goldfields to city status, it focuses on the miners who worked the deep leads of buried river beds, and how they and their families effected material and social change to benefit the communities they created. The findings of this thesis reveal that, in contrast to the strong Cornish presence on many Victorian goldfields, miners at Springdallah came mainly from northern England, south-west Ireland, and the lowlands of Scotland, often with extensive kinship networks. The study demonstrates that this network of communities attracted workers, usually with coal and lead mining experience, who had skills suited to conditions in the deep lead alluvial gold mining industry. According to the findings of this thesis, miners gained power within the Springdallah communities by becoming members of committees, councils, and boards of local and wider institutions. This study found that the Springdallah families were youthful, adapted well to their changed circumstances, were agents of change within their communities, and quickly took advantage of Victorian land legislation, particularly the 1869 Land Act, to take up farming properties both locally and in the north and east of the State.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Motion picture production : A micro-budget model
- Authors: Owen, Richard
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The film industry plays an important cultural and economic role in Australia. However, the film industry in Australia has struggled for many years under a subsidy-driven government intervention process that creates a high degree of dependence on a subsidy-centric model. Motion picture production costs worldwide have risen dramatically over the last decade with Hollywood production budgets commonly exceeding $100 million. Australia as a nation has a proven capability to produce respectable motion pictures at varying production budgets, although this capacity has become entrenched with taxpayers’ money. Historically, subsidy-driven industries in Australia trend towards collapse due primarily to cyclical fiscal deficits and changing funding imperatives at the Commonwealth level. As a PhD by exegesis, the focus of this research was to create, as well as evaluate, a new model of film production that would not be dependent on subsidies. This study evaluated a number of factors that were relevant to establishing a viable micro-budget model. Micro-budget films have received little research attention, with the focus being on major films. This research examined an alternative model, through the creation of a feature-length micro-budget film, called Stakes, and assessed it across a range of criterion to determine whether Australia’s film industry could be strengthened and potentially become self-sufficient. The resulting motion picture premièred in Australian cinemas on October 29th 2015. The justification, methods and results are discussed in detail throughout this exegesis providing strong evidence in favour of the viability for a micro-budget segment in the Australian film industry. Such a model could reduce the risk of Australia’s film industry collapsing if subsidies are reduced or abolished. Thus, this research has significant implications for Australia’s film industry and also contributes strongly to scholarship through providing crucial information on micro-budget films.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Owen, Richard
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The film industry plays an important cultural and economic role in Australia. However, the film industry in Australia has struggled for many years under a subsidy-driven government intervention process that creates a high degree of dependence on a subsidy-centric model. Motion picture production costs worldwide have risen dramatically over the last decade with Hollywood production budgets commonly exceeding $100 million. Australia as a nation has a proven capability to produce respectable motion pictures at varying production budgets, although this capacity has become entrenched with taxpayers’ money. Historically, subsidy-driven industries in Australia trend towards collapse due primarily to cyclical fiscal deficits and changing funding imperatives at the Commonwealth level. As a PhD by exegesis, the focus of this research was to create, as well as evaluate, a new model of film production that would not be dependent on subsidies. This study evaluated a number of factors that were relevant to establishing a viable micro-budget model. Micro-budget films have received little research attention, with the focus being on major films. This research examined an alternative model, through the creation of a feature-length micro-budget film, called Stakes, and assessed it across a range of criterion to determine whether Australia’s film industry could be strengthened and potentially become self-sufficient. The resulting motion picture premièred in Australian cinemas on October 29th 2015. The justification, methods and results are discussed in detail throughout this exegesis providing strong evidence in favour of the viability for a micro-budget segment in the Australian film industry. Such a model could reduce the risk of Australia’s film industry collapsing if subsidies are reduced or abolished. Thus, this research has significant implications for Australia’s film industry and also contributes strongly to scholarship through providing crucial information on micro-budget films.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Optimality conditions for nonsmooth optimization problems via generalised derivatives
- Authors: Hassani, Sara
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Aquatic plants are integral components of freshwater ecosystems and provide essential ecosystem services. However, when invasive species establish in new aquatic environments, there are few natural checks and balances to inhibit their growth and spread. Overabundant aquatic vegetation can harm aquatic systems if left unchecked and negatively impact on agricultural productivity, social amenity and biodiversity values. Prevention and early intervention are recognised as the most cost effective means to manage invasive species that pose a biosecurity risk. This thesis contributes to the development of effective management strategies for one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plant species, known as alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.). It focusses on developing management strategies in an early stage of invasion, in order to achieve extirpation of this species from catchments and waterways. Developing effective detection and surveillance strategies are required for invasive aquatic plants, as a key impediment to achieving extirpation is the ability to detect infestations, so that control strategies can be enacted. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of aerial surveillance for detection of alligator weed at different spatial scales, using high altitude aerial imagery (orthophotos) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. An examination of the growth rate of alligator weed in Victoria, Australia, over a five year period, demonstrates the effective use of orthophotos to detect and monitor large infestations of aquatic alligator weed. The efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicle technology, including the use of automated algorithms, to detect patches of alligator weed growing in waterways is evaluated against current detection techniques. Effective management of invasive aquatic plants targeted for extirpation requires the coupling of effective detection and control efforts to prevent reproduction. To date, development of control strategies for aquatic alligator weed has been limited to evaluating the efficacy of short-term control at a local scale without regard to the effects of management strategies on dispersal of propagules throughout catchments. This thesis determines that viable alligator weed stem fragments are produced following herbicide application, which comprises extirpation efforts. This thesis has gone further than current practice in that it has evaluated the efficacy of current and novel control techniques, in both laboratory and field trials and has developed methods to manage viable fragment production post-herbicide application, to limit dispersal throughout catchments. In this respect, the application of the herbicides glyphosate, metsulfuron-methyl and imazapyr, and their effectiveness when incorporating surfactant systems and plant growth regulators, have been evaluated in field and laboratory studies to optimise control techniques for aquatic alligator weed. Results have shown that our approaches, when used in an early stage of invasion, are capable of eliminating patches of alligator weed in two to three years. Integral to the research is an experiment to determine the effect of herbicide treatments on the production of alligator weed stem fragments and their subsequent viability. Further investigation to determine the usefulness of commercially available plant growth regulators (PGRs) to reduce the number of viable propagules produced by alligator weed post-herbicide application was found to be ineffective. This thesis also evaluates the impact of herbicides and surfactant systems, on all key alligator weed response metrics in aquatic environments including; above ground biomass, below ground biomass and viable stem fragmentation. No previous studies have looked simultaneously at these three important measures for determining the efficacy of a particular control regime, and we have determined that this is essential for effective management of aquatic alligator weed in an early stage of invasion. The thesis has underscored the notion that development of more effective management strategies, based upon experimental trials, will result in an increased likelihood of eradicating invasive aquatic plants that pose a biosecurity risk, and thus move toward the mitigation of the threat that high-risk species pose to aquatic ecosystems. PLEASE NOTE: Portions of the full text have been removed due to copyright restrictions.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hassani, Sara
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Aquatic plants are integral components of freshwater ecosystems and provide essential ecosystem services. However, when invasive species establish in new aquatic environments, there are few natural checks and balances to inhibit their growth and spread. Overabundant aquatic vegetation can harm aquatic systems if left unchecked and negatively impact on agricultural productivity, social amenity and biodiversity values. Prevention and early intervention are recognised as the most cost effective means to manage invasive species that pose a biosecurity risk. This thesis contributes to the development of effective management strategies for one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plant species, known as alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.). It focusses on developing management strategies in an early stage of invasion, in order to achieve extirpation of this species from catchments and waterways. Developing effective detection and surveillance strategies are required for invasive aquatic plants, as a key impediment to achieving extirpation is the ability to detect infestations, so that control strategies can be enacted. This thesis investigates the effectiveness of aerial surveillance for detection of alligator weed at different spatial scales, using high altitude aerial imagery (orthophotos) and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology. An examination of the growth rate of alligator weed in Victoria, Australia, over a five year period, demonstrates the effective use of orthophotos to detect and monitor large infestations of aquatic alligator weed. The efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicle technology, including the use of automated algorithms, to detect patches of alligator weed growing in waterways is evaluated against current detection techniques. Effective management of invasive aquatic plants targeted for extirpation requires the coupling of effective detection and control efforts to prevent reproduction. To date, development of control strategies for aquatic alligator weed has been limited to evaluating the efficacy of short-term control at a local scale without regard to the effects of management strategies on dispersal of propagules throughout catchments. This thesis determines that viable alligator weed stem fragments are produced following herbicide application, which comprises extirpation efforts. This thesis has gone further than current practice in that it has evaluated the efficacy of current and novel control techniques, in both laboratory and field trials and has developed methods to manage viable fragment production post-herbicide application, to limit dispersal throughout catchments. In this respect, the application of the herbicides glyphosate, metsulfuron-methyl and imazapyr, and their effectiveness when incorporating surfactant systems and plant growth regulators, have been evaluated in field and laboratory studies to optimise control techniques for aquatic alligator weed. Results have shown that our approaches, when used in an early stage of invasion, are capable of eliminating patches of alligator weed in two to three years. Integral to the research is an experiment to determine the effect of herbicide treatments on the production of alligator weed stem fragments and their subsequent viability. Further investigation to determine the usefulness of commercially available plant growth regulators (PGRs) to reduce the number of viable propagules produced by alligator weed post-herbicide application was found to be ineffective. This thesis also evaluates the impact of herbicides and surfactant systems, on all key alligator weed response metrics in aquatic environments including; above ground biomass, below ground biomass and viable stem fragmentation. No previous studies have looked simultaneously at these three important measures for determining the efficacy of a particular control regime, and we have determined that this is essential for effective management of aquatic alligator weed in an early stage of invasion. The thesis has underscored the notion that development of more effective management strategies, based upon experimental trials, will result in an increased likelihood of eradicating invasive aquatic plants that pose a biosecurity risk, and thus move toward the mitigation of the threat that high-risk species pose to aquatic ecosystems. PLEASE NOTE: Portions of the full text have been removed due to copyright restrictions.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Organisational change in Department of Defence : A comparison of change management acceptance and interdependencies between military and non-military personnel
- Authors: Leonard, Ann
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , DBA , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Organisational change is used to understand how varying cultures interpret the effects of organisational life, including social capital, leadership and organisational structure. The literature shows how the culture of an organisation can have a direct impact upon the acceptance of change. However most of the empirical data is only concerned with either the culture of public servants or military personnel within the organisation. The purpose of this study is to seek an understanding of how multiple cultures directly relate to organisation change in an integrated environment. This study explores two cultures within Defence (public servants and military personnel) and identified interdependencies between these groups. The study adopted qualitative research methods using interviews to gather the main source of data that was triangulated with demographics and organisational documentation. The results revealed the social capital of the two cultures are equally interdependent. The social network of the integrated office environment is critical for public servants to support military personnel. Furthermore the existence of a new cultural group was identified within the integrated environment. This group provides legitimacy to the interdependencies as they have experience within both cultures. This research could be beneficial to individuals who are charged with leading organisational change in Defence. Additionally the research provides insight into the differing cultures and identifies the interdependencies required to support the military through effective change management.
- Description: Doctor of Business
- Authors: Leonard, Ann
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , DBA , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Organisational change is used to understand how varying cultures interpret the effects of organisational life, including social capital, leadership and organisational structure. The literature shows how the culture of an organisation can have a direct impact upon the acceptance of change. However most of the empirical data is only concerned with either the culture of public servants or military personnel within the organisation. The purpose of this study is to seek an understanding of how multiple cultures directly relate to organisation change in an integrated environment. This study explores two cultures within Defence (public servants and military personnel) and identified interdependencies between these groups. The study adopted qualitative research methods using interviews to gather the main source of data that was triangulated with demographics and organisational documentation. The results revealed the social capital of the two cultures are equally interdependent. The social network of the integrated office environment is critical for public servants to support military personnel. Furthermore the existence of a new cultural group was identified within the integrated environment. This group provides legitimacy to the interdependencies as they have experience within both cultures. This research could be beneficial to individuals who are charged with leading organisational change in Defence. Additionally the research provides insight into the differing cultures and identifies the interdependencies required to support the military through effective change management.
- Description: Doctor of Business
Organisational resilience within a complexity science framework : A case study of Ballarat City Council
- Authors: Stockton, Imogen
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Understanding the resilience of organisations, their vulnerabilities and capacity to adapt to an unknown future is critical because modern society is dependent upon the continuation of these systems or alternative systems which support humans, their communities and the environment. The challenge for organisations assessing their resilience is to find a way to undertake this assessment that best meets the needs of the organisation and the context in which it operates. Thus this study aims to develop an understanding of resilience, in particular, organisational resilience and develop a means of identifying resilience in an organisation. A conceptual model of organisational resilience was developed together with an operational Framework of Analysis which was then applied to the Ballarat City Council as a single case study. The conceptual model proposes that resilience is a state of being, that is a proximity to the edge of chaos, where the connections between agents within a system are most flexible. The absence of rigid, inflexible connections enables agents within a complex adaptive system to innovate, co-evolve and adapt to changing circumstances. This is achieved by having an awareness of the fitness landscape, having the flexibility to manage vulnerabilities and being able to adapt. Coevolution, adaptation and creativity occur most readily from close proximity to the edge of chaos. Using a Critical Realist approach, the Ballarat City Council case study evaluates the Framework of Analysis. Data collection occurred over a six month period with primary sources of data being an organisational document analysis, interviews and an infrastructure assessment. The results indicate that situational awareness, the identification and management of keystone vulnerabilities and an increase in adaptive capacity act as mechanisms of adaptation and are integral to an organisation achieving a position of resilience. This research presents a new perspective to the concept of resilience, in which resilience is a position relative to the edge of chaos, rather than a process or set of characteristics.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Stockton, Imogen
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Understanding the resilience of organisations, their vulnerabilities and capacity to adapt to an unknown future is critical because modern society is dependent upon the continuation of these systems or alternative systems which support humans, their communities and the environment. The challenge for organisations assessing their resilience is to find a way to undertake this assessment that best meets the needs of the organisation and the context in which it operates. Thus this study aims to develop an understanding of resilience, in particular, organisational resilience and develop a means of identifying resilience in an organisation. A conceptual model of organisational resilience was developed together with an operational Framework of Analysis which was then applied to the Ballarat City Council as a single case study. The conceptual model proposes that resilience is a state of being, that is a proximity to the edge of chaos, where the connections between agents within a system are most flexible. The absence of rigid, inflexible connections enables agents within a complex adaptive system to innovate, co-evolve and adapt to changing circumstances. This is achieved by having an awareness of the fitness landscape, having the flexibility to manage vulnerabilities and being able to adapt. Coevolution, adaptation and creativity occur most readily from close proximity to the edge of chaos. Using a Critical Realist approach, the Ballarat City Council case study evaluates the Framework of Analysis. Data collection occurred over a six month period with primary sources of data being an organisational document analysis, interviews and an infrastructure assessment. The results indicate that situational awareness, the identification and management of keystone vulnerabilities and an increase in adaptive capacity act as mechanisms of adaptation and are integral to an organisation achieving a position of resilience. This research presents a new perspective to the concept of resilience, in which resilience is a position relative to the edge of chaos, rather than a process or set of characteristics.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Percy : A life in China - The life and times of Percy Nettle : 1886-1964
- Authors: Nettle, Rodney
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis is about the transnational life of Percival Edward Nettle (1886-1964), a young man born in Ballarat who moved from Australia to Shanghai at the end of 1906 on his way to San Francisco. He never did get to San Francisco but lived in and out of China until he died in 1964. This thesis tells his story and also addresses the perennial human management problem of achieving a co-operative fit between people from different cultural backgrounds. Percy Nettle achieved this fit with the Chinese through developing an exceptional rapport with Chinese people from the time he commenced working with them in 1907 on engineering projects, and later during and through wars and other civil engagements. He was a great success in China, the key to which was his skill with the language and later from his ability to culturally adapt and empathise with the people in the environments in which he was living at the time. Percy also found that his ‘Wesleyan’ approach to people conveniently dovetailed with the ‘Confucian’ values approach of the Chinese. Percy was able to communicate with Chinese people from Viceroys to infantry men and bandits and could win their trust regardless of social levels. Percy documented his ‘fitting in’ experience with the Chinese in his diaries, letters and journals over a fifty-five-year period until his death in Hong Kong in 1964. The analysis and contextualisation of his original records form the basis of this thesis and what is learned from this study of his exceptional life is the importance of achieving a very high level of cultural empathy and understanding with the people we deal with beginning with learning how to speak with them in their own language. Percy was also able to demonstrate the universal efficacy of strong ethical values even when they are transposed from one cultural setting to another.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Nettle, Rodney
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis is about the transnational life of Percival Edward Nettle (1886-1964), a young man born in Ballarat who moved from Australia to Shanghai at the end of 1906 on his way to San Francisco. He never did get to San Francisco but lived in and out of China until he died in 1964. This thesis tells his story and also addresses the perennial human management problem of achieving a co-operative fit between people from different cultural backgrounds. Percy Nettle achieved this fit with the Chinese through developing an exceptional rapport with Chinese people from the time he commenced working with them in 1907 on engineering projects, and later during and through wars and other civil engagements. He was a great success in China, the key to which was his skill with the language and later from his ability to culturally adapt and empathise with the people in the environments in which he was living at the time. Percy also found that his ‘Wesleyan’ approach to people conveniently dovetailed with the ‘Confucian’ values approach of the Chinese. Percy was able to communicate with Chinese people from Viceroys to infantry men and bandits and could win their trust regardless of social levels. Percy documented his ‘fitting in’ experience with the Chinese in his diaries, letters and journals over a fifty-five-year period until his death in Hong Kong in 1964. The analysis and contextualisation of his original records form the basis of this thesis and what is learned from this study of his exceptional life is the importance of achieving a very high level of cultural empathy and understanding with the people we deal with beginning with learning how to speak with them in their own language. Percy was also able to demonstrate the universal efficacy of strong ethical values even when they are transposed from one cultural setting to another.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Progressive rebels of Boy's Own Adventure? The 1935 Australian Cricket tour of India; breaking down social and racial barriers
- Authors: Ponsford, Megan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In October 1935, a touring party embarked on the inaugural tour of India by an Australian cricket team. To a great, and somewhat stereotypical, extent popular representations of IndianeAustralian relations are viewed through the lens of cricket – the national game in both countries. This dissertation about a significant, yet overlooked, chapter in sporting history examines the Australian cricketers’ response to the social, racial and political hierarchies of lateecolonial India. The experience of the touring party encouraged a reeimagining of ideological perspectives and this thesis identifies a uniquely Australian subjectivity to the British colonisation of India. The tour between the colony (India) and the dominion (Australia) can be interpreted as an antie imperial gesture. Both countries were attempting to forge relationships that would be independent from Britain. The role of cricket, itself experiencing a renaissance during the 1930s as it transformed from a largely amateur pursuit to an increasingly professional occupation is interrogated. As part of this transformation international cricket positioned itself as an increasingly politicised global entity within the broader turbulence of the firstehalf of the twentieth century. All those involved in the tour are now dead. However a close historical analysis of previously lost, highly personalised, primary material (letters, manuscripts, photographs and cricket ephemera) enables an interpretation of the players’ experience. This thesis argues that sporting events can be interpreted as cultural ciphers yet scholars and the wider sportsewriting community have neglected the historical significance of the 1935/36 tour. The unofficial status of the tour and its highly professional emphasis alienated it from the amateur ideals of Australian cricket. This transnational, multiedisciplinary approach addresses a lacunae in the professional trajectory of cricket. It also provides a new understanding and historical counter narrative of idetwentieth century IndianeAustralian sporting history and cultural exchange.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Ponsford, Megan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In October 1935, a touring party embarked on the inaugural tour of India by an Australian cricket team. To a great, and somewhat stereotypical, extent popular representations of IndianeAustralian relations are viewed through the lens of cricket – the national game in both countries. This dissertation about a significant, yet overlooked, chapter in sporting history examines the Australian cricketers’ response to the social, racial and political hierarchies of lateecolonial India. The experience of the touring party encouraged a reeimagining of ideological perspectives and this thesis identifies a uniquely Australian subjectivity to the British colonisation of India. The tour between the colony (India) and the dominion (Australia) can be interpreted as an antie imperial gesture. Both countries were attempting to forge relationships that would be independent from Britain. The role of cricket, itself experiencing a renaissance during the 1930s as it transformed from a largely amateur pursuit to an increasingly professional occupation is interrogated. As part of this transformation international cricket positioned itself as an increasingly politicised global entity within the broader turbulence of the firstehalf of the twentieth century. All those involved in the tour are now dead. However a close historical analysis of previously lost, highly personalised, primary material (letters, manuscripts, photographs and cricket ephemera) enables an interpretation of the players’ experience. This thesis argues that sporting events can be interpreted as cultural ciphers yet scholars and the wider sportsewriting community have neglected the historical significance of the 1935/36 tour. The unofficial status of the tour and its highly professional emphasis alienated it from the amateur ideals of Australian cricket. This transnational, multiedisciplinary approach addresses a lacunae in the professional trajectory of cricket. It also provides a new understanding and historical counter narrative of idetwentieth century IndianeAustralian sporting history and cultural exchange.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Relationships between pumping costs and water quality in optimal operation of regional multiquality water distribution systems
- Authors: Mala-Jetmarova, Helena
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The operation of regional multiquality water distribution systems (WDSs) is a complex task involving multiple objectives in order to meet customer water quantity and quality requirements. These objectives, often conflicting, include scheduling of pumps to minimise pumping costs and mixing different quality waters from sources to ensure adequate quality water for customers. Evolutionary algorithms have been successfully applied to optimise operation of regional WDSs. Although a considerable reduction in pumping costs was demonstrated in past studies, other legitimate objectives, for example water quality, were not considered on an equal basis as they were included as a constraint. This single-objective approach precludes the tradeoffs between the objectives being obtained, so any insight on how to operate such a system cannot be provided should pumping costs and water quality be considered on equal basis. A multi-objective approach is applied in this thesis to optimise operation of regional multiquality WDSs considering pumping costs and water quality as legitimate objectives. Two optimisation models with increasing complexity are proposed. The first model considers two objectives, the pumping costs and a general water quality objective. The second model includes three objectives, the pumping costs and two water quality objectives for turbidity and salinity. The optimisation models are applied to three example networks from the literature using numerous scenarios and water quality data from the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, Australia. A methodology is proposed to find the optimal solution for the multi‐objective optimisation of the WDS, which links a network simulator with a multi-objective genetic algorithm. Prior to optimisation, the performance of algorithm parameters is evaluated and their sensitivity analysed, for which a new methodology is developed. The following results were obtained. For the two-objective optimisation problem, there is a tradeoff with a competing nature between pumping costs and water quality. It means that reduction in pumping costs cannot be achieved without deterioration of water quality delivered to customers and vice versa. For the three-objective optimisation problem, interestingly, there is not a unique type of tradeoff (either competing or non-competing) between a particular pair of objectives. It is dependent on network hydraulics in combination with water quality at sources and customer water quality requirements. General principles behind the tradeoffs are formulated based on new categorisation of sources, so called consistent/inconsistent water quality (CWQ/IWQ) sources, in relation to customer water quality requirements. A practical approach for system operational strategy is developed for the purpose of long-term operational planning. It enables an operator to schedule supply from multiple sources with minimum pumping costs and customer water quality requirements being satisfied as much as possible, for all predicted water quality scenarios in the system.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Mala-Jetmarova, Helena
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The operation of regional multiquality water distribution systems (WDSs) is a complex task involving multiple objectives in order to meet customer water quantity and quality requirements. These objectives, often conflicting, include scheduling of pumps to minimise pumping costs and mixing different quality waters from sources to ensure adequate quality water for customers. Evolutionary algorithms have been successfully applied to optimise operation of regional WDSs. Although a considerable reduction in pumping costs was demonstrated in past studies, other legitimate objectives, for example water quality, were not considered on an equal basis as they were included as a constraint. This single-objective approach precludes the tradeoffs between the objectives being obtained, so any insight on how to operate such a system cannot be provided should pumping costs and water quality be considered on equal basis. A multi-objective approach is applied in this thesis to optimise operation of regional multiquality WDSs considering pumping costs and water quality as legitimate objectives. Two optimisation models with increasing complexity are proposed. The first model considers two objectives, the pumping costs and a general water quality objective. The second model includes three objectives, the pumping costs and two water quality objectives for turbidity and salinity. The optimisation models are applied to three example networks from the literature using numerous scenarios and water quality data from the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline, Australia. A methodology is proposed to find the optimal solution for the multi‐objective optimisation of the WDS, which links a network simulator with a multi-objective genetic algorithm. Prior to optimisation, the performance of algorithm parameters is evaluated and their sensitivity analysed, for which a new methodology is developed. The following results were obtained. For the two-objective optimisation problem, there is a tradeoff with a competing nature between pumping costs and water quality. It means that reduction in pumping costs cannot be achieved without deterioration of water quality delivered to customers and vice versa. For the three-objective optimisation problem, interestingly, there is not a unique type of tradeoff (either competing or non-competing) between a particular pair of objectives. It is dependent on network hydraulics in combination with water quality at sources and customer water quality requirements. General principles behind the tradeoffs are formulated based on new categorisation of sources, so called consistent/inconsistent water quality (CWQ/IWQ) sources, in relation to customer water quality requirements. A practical approach for system operational strategy is developed for the purpose of long-term operational planning. It enables an operator to schedule supply from multiple sources with minimum pumping costs and customer water quality requirements being satisfied as much as possible, for all predicted water quality scenarios in the system.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Structural analysis of Online Romance Scams by applying the transtheoretical model in conjunction with the theory of personal love stories
- Authors: Kopp, Christian
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The internet has become an important communications platform which people choose for personal interactions. One of the most popular manifestations is the creation and maintenance of social relationships using social and dating websites. Unscrupulous operators have identified its potential for reaching vulnerable people and have started using it as platform for their criminal activity in the form of so-called Online Romance Scams. Quickly, this cybercrime has become very successful and thus an increasing threat in the social networking environment. The Online Romance Scam causes considerable financial and emotional damage to the victims. In this research we introduce a theory which helps to explain the success of this scam. In a similar way to the “The Nigerian Letter”, we propose that the scam techniques appeal to strong emotions, which are clearly involved in Romantic relationships. We also assume that the same success factors of normal relationships contribute to the success of the Romance Scam. Previous research into normal relationships has identified personal “love stories” as an important factor for the development of relationships. We have suggested that these personal love stories will have a key role in fraudulent relationships. The aim of this research is to explore Online Romance Scams as a type of ‘virtual love’ which initially creates happiness for the victim in a virtual romantic relationship, but tragically then causes the victim to be separated from his or her savings. Using narrative research methodology, this research will establish a model of the Romance Scam structure and its variations regarding human romantic attitudes. During the research program, the analysis of publicly available data from the internet were used, and as a consequence of this, appropriate ethical usage of research data is discussed. Findings of this research will contribute to the knowledge of the Online Romance Scam as significant crime, and provide information about the structure and the development of the modus operandi which can be used to identify an online relationship as a scam at an early phase in order to prevent significant harm to the victim.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Kopp, Christian
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The internet has become an important communications platform which people choose for personal interactions. One of the most popular manifestations is the creation and maintenance of social relationships using social and dating websites. Unscrupulous operators have identified its potential for reaching vulnerable people and have started using it as platform for their criminal activity in the form of so-called Online Romance Scams. Quickly, this cybercrime has become very successful and thus an increasing threat in the social networking environment. The Online Romance Scam causes considerable financial and emotional damage to the victims. In this research we introduce a theory which helps to explain the success of this scam. In a similar way to the “The Nigerian Letter”, we propose that the scam techniques appeal to strong emotions, which are clearly involved in Romantic relationships. We also assume that the same success factors of normal relationships contribute to the success of the Romance Scam. Previous research into normal relationships has identified personal “love stories” as an important factor for the development of relationships. We have suggested that these personal love stories will have a key role in fraudulent relationships. The aim of this research is to explore Online Romance Scams as a type of ‘virtual love’ which initially creates happiness for the victim in a virtual romantic relationship, but tragically then causes the victim to be separated from his or her savings. Using narrative research methodology, this research will establish a model of the Romance Scam structure and its variations regarding human romantic attitudes. During the research program, the analysis of publicly available data from the internet were used, and as a consequence of this, appropriate ethical usage of research data is discussed. Findings of this research will contribute to the knowledge of the Online Romance Scam as significant crime, and provide information about the structure and the development of the modus operandi which can be used to identify an online relationship as a scam at an early phase in order to prevent significant harm to the victim.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Sustainable practices in small and medium sized enterprises in regional Australia
- Authors: Salimzadeh, Parisa
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Global warming, through rising greenhouse gas emissions, is not only impacting on human populations and ecosystems; it is also causing negative impacts on economic development. Commercial activities of businesses are contributing to global warming through unethical social behaviours, so businesses have a role to play by adopting environmental friendly practices in their actions and strategies, so as to reduce their impact on ecosystems. Also, successful businesses to be sustainable need to consider the social concerns within their local communities. Socially friendly businesses attempt to increase human capital through skill improvement and contribute to social capital in a way that community and social groups respect their social responsibility and support them. Sustainability adoption refers to the actual implementation of sustainable practices in currently operating businesses. Such adoption in terms of ecology and community has been commonly accepted as a requirement for large businesses under the rubric of corporate social responsibility. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have not been scrutinised anywhere near to the same level in terms of their attention to sustainability adoption in their business mission and strategies. Owner/managers of SMEs are no more exempt from environmental and social ethics than anyone else in society. Furthermore, SMEs are significant regional development agents contributing to the increased productivity and an improved quality of local life. Especially in Regional Australia where SMEs constitute approximately 95% of businesses in services and industry sectors, so for Regional Australian SMEs to adopt sustainability and regional economic strategies at the same time, enables local communities to benefit from sustainable development, innovation and economic development in their regions. In the SME literature, there is a lack of appreciation of the sustainability issue and its connection with its local community. Bringing together the relevant literature, this research develops a sustainability assessment framework for SMEs by determining the internal and external drivers and inhibitors affecting the adoption of social and environmental friendly practices in SMEs within the regional context. This framework can be used as a basis for application in regional development. It will also be a valuable tool for evaluation and monitoring of strategies for sustainability adoption. To gain a deep understanding of sustainability adoption by regional SMEs, this research investigates social and environmental practices adopted by regional SMEs in order to respond to the sustainability challenge. This research explores factors affecting the sustainability adoption by regional SMEs. Also the research undertaken seeks to identify whether some demographic variables (i.e. business size, business category, business age, owners/managers‟ experience and educational level) have any significant impact on the adoption of social and environmental practices. This quantitative research has a response rate of 28.77% and stands on pre-test, a pilot study and the main study. It draws on the response of 233 SME owner/managers within the regional city of Ballarat. The research uses descriptive statistics, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and logistic regression and is guided by the conceptual framework. The results show that the SMEs are actively engaged in employee support and they tend to be close to the local community while lacking environmental practices. However, despite being active in the areas of recycling, energy efficiency, and using environmentally friendly products, these SMEs showed an inability to grasp the strategic importance of overall environmentally sustainable policy and practice. Moreover, findings reveal that business size and owner/managers‟ education have significant positive effects on the adoption of socially responsible practices. The results of this research contribute significantly to understanding of sustainability adoption by SMEs in a regional context. This research is one of the first empirical studies undertaken to investigate the factors affecting the sustainability adoption by regional SMEs in Australia. Thus, this research builds a platform for future research in relation to understanding better the factors that are barriers to adoption of sustainable practices outside major metropolitan regions, and a theoretical framework to guide such future research. The findings of this research highlight significant implications for both theory and practice in the context of a non-metropolitan urban setting. These implications include addressing practices in a way that brings business operators together to network and collaborate with the communities in the region.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Salimzadeh, Parisa
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Global warming, through rising greenhouse gas emissions, is not only impacting on human populations and ecosystems; it is also causing negative impacts on economic development. Commercial activities of businesses are contributing to global warming through unethical social behaviours, so businesses have a role to play by adopting environmental friendly practices in their actions and strategies, so as to reduce their impact on ecosystems. Also, successful businesses to be sustainable need to consider the social concerns within their local communities. Socially friendly businesses attempt to increase human capital through skill improvement and contribute to social capital in a way that community and social groups respect their social responsibility and support them. Sustainability adoption refers to the actual implementation of sustainable practices in currently operating businesses. Such adoption in terms of ecology and community has been commonly accepted as a requirement for large businesses under the rubric of corporate social responsibility. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have not been scrutinised anywhere near to the same level in terms of their attention to sustainability adoption in their business mission and strategies. Owner/managers of SMEs are no more exempt from environmental and social ethics than anyone else in society. Furthermore, SMEs are significant regional development agents contributing to the increased productivity and an improved quality of local life. Especially in Regional Australia where SMEs constitute approximately 95% of businesses in services and industry sectors, so for Regional Australian SMEs to adopt sustainability and regional economic strategies at the same time, enables local communities to benefit from sustainable development, innovation and economic development in their regions. In the SME literature, there is a lack of appreciation of the sustainability issue and its connection with its local community. Bringing together the relevant literature, this research develops a sustainability assessment framework for SMEs by determining the internal and external drivers and inhibitors affecting the adoption of social and environmental friendly practices in SMEs within the regional context. This framework can be used as a basis for application in regional development. It will also be a valuable tool for evaluation and monitoring of strategies for sustainability adoption. To gain a deep understanding of sustainability adoption by regional SMEs, this research investigates social and environmental practices adopted by regional SMEs in order to respond to the sustainability challenge. This research explores factors affecting the sustainability adoption by regional SMEs. Also the research undertaken seeks to identify whether some demographic variables (i.e. business size, business category, business age, owners/managers‟ experience and educational level) have any significant impact on the adoption of social and environmental practices. This quantitative research has a response rate of 28.77% and stands on pre-test, a pilot study and the main study. It draws on the response of 233 SME owner/managers within the regional city of Ballarat. The research uses descriptive statistics, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), analysis of variance (ANOVA), and logistic regression and is guided by the conceptual framework. The results show that the SMEs are actively engaged in employee support and they tend to be close to the local community while lacking environmental practices. However, despite being active in the areas of recycling, energy efficiency, and using environmentally friendly products, these SMEs showed an inability to grasp the strategic importance of overall environmentally sustainable policy and practice. Moreover, findings reveal that business size and owner/managers‟ education have significant positive effects on the adoption of socially responsible practices. The results of this research contribute significantly to understanding of sustainability adoption by SMEs in a regional context. This research is one of the first empirical studies undertaken to investigate the factors affecting the sustainability adoption by regional SMEs in Australia. Thus, this research builds a platform for future research in relation to understanding better the factors that are barriers to adoption of sustainable practices outside major metropolitan regions, and a theoretical framework to guide such future research. The findings of this research highlight significant implications for both theory and practice in the context of a non-metropolitan urban setting. These implications include addressing practices in a way that brings business operators together to network and collaborate with the communities in the region.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Teacher pedagogies of dialogic imagination - A narrative inquiry
- Authors: Zibell, Linda
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis is a narrative inquiry to investigate teachers’ meanings for imagination and its potency for teaching and learning. Six teachers who identified it as central to their practice shared stories of how imagination is an effective pedagogy through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Imagination is a living, mercurial phenomenon contested in philosophical circles yet taken-for-granted amongst the populace. Consequently, imagination in teaching and learning is under researched and widely regarded as mere decoration - helpful for engagement but unrelated to cognition. The literature review situates the research in international discussions concerning imagination’s value for teaching and learning. Several conceptualisations of meaning for imagination lead to a theoretical framework which re-conceptualises Bakhtin’s dialogic imagination and combines his philosophy of discourse with Ricoeur’s philosophy of imagination, and Brockmeier’s narrative imagination. Data analysis to compare and contrast the teachers’ meanings to the framework strongly suggests that, contrary to existing stereotypes, imagination is cognitive: it catalyses metaphoric meaning-making events as dialogic imagination. Since an open living discourse and narrative imagination are conditions for such meaning events, the teachers’ pedagogical choices are consequently rational and supportive of learning. Australian educational policy-makers have increasingly leveraged a closed classroom discourse over past decades: teachers must ensure students comply with national testing regimes that demand monologic responses tied to finalised syllabus requirements. Over that period students’ accomplishment has either seriously declined or flatlined. The teachers in this narrative inquiry keep living discourse and imagination open and alive but in spite of, not because of existing policy: the research presented here permits their understandings and professional art to be given voice in educational debates on effective teaching. I conclude policy makers might seriously consider the impacts of policy dynamics and whether they are slowly suffocating opportunities for a living atmosphere that invites imagination – a powerhouse of learning – into their lives.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Zibell, Linda
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis is a narrative inquiry to investigate teachers’ meanings for imagination and its potency for teaching and learning. Six teachers who identified it as central to their practice shared stories of how imagination is an effective pedagogy through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Imagination is a living, mercurial phenomenon contested in philosophical circles yet taken-for-granted amongst the populace. Consequently, imagination in teaching and learning is under researched and widely regarded as mere decoration - helpful for engagement but unrelated to cognition. The literature review situates the research in international discussions concerning imagination’s value for teaching and learning. Several conceptualisations of meaning for imagination lead to a theoretical framework which re-conceptualises Bakhtin’s dialogic imagination and combines his philosophy of discourse with Ricoeur’s philosophy of imagination, and Brockmeier’s narrative imagination. Data analysis to compare and contrast the teachers’ meanings to the framework strongly suggests that, contrary to existing stereotypes, imagination is cognitive: it catalyses metaphoric meaning-making events as dialogic imagination. Since an open living discourse and narrative imagination are conditions for such meaning events, the teachers’ pedagogical choices are consequently rational and supportive of learning. Australian educational policy-makers have increasingly leveraged a closed classroom discourse over past decades: teachers must ensure students comply with national testing regimes that demand monologic responses tied to finalised syllabus requirements. Over that period students’ accomplishment has either seriously declined or flatlined. The teachers in this narrative inquiry keep living discourse and imagination open and alive but in spite of, not because of existing policy: the research presented here permits their understandings and professional art to be given voice in educational debates on effective teaching. I conclude policy makers might seriously consider the impacts of policy dynamics and whether they are slowly suffocating opportunities for a living atmosphere that invites imagination – a powerhouse of learning – into their lives.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Telomere, DNA Methylation and Gene Expression changes caused by exercise training
- Authors: Denham, Joshua
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Exercise training is one of the few therapeutic interventions that improves health span by delaying the onset of age-related diseases and preventing early death. Despite the clear benefits to health conferred by exercise training, our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms remain crude. The primary purpose of this thesis is to determine and analyse the molecular biology changes that occur with strenuous aerobic exercise. Specifically, the main objectives were to investigate the impact of strenuous aerobic exercise training on structural DNA modifications, measured in context with cardiovascular health and fitness adaptations. In the first part of this thesis I investigated the influence of endurance exercise training on leukocyte telomere length and cardiovascular health. Leukocyte telomere length reflects biological age. Indeed, excessively short leukocyte telomeres are associated with age-related chronic diseases. Epidemiological studies indicate endurance athletes live longer than people from the general public who do not engage in extensive aerobic exercise training. In Chapter 2, my literature review on the subject of exercise and telomere biology suggested that, at the time of this study, the impact of exercise training on leukocyte telomere length was equivocal. Therefore, to determine whether strenuous aerobic exercise training influences biological ageing (assessed by leukocyte telomere length), I conducted two cross-sectional studies on leukocyte telomere length differences between endurance athletes and healthy controls. The first study (Chapter 3) was a cross-sectional analysis of leukocyte telomere length between athletes and controls, determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). This is a relative measurement of telomere length expressed as a telomere (T) to single copy gene (S) ratio. Relative to the healthy controls (n = 56), the ultra-marathon runners (n = 67) possessed 11% longer leukocyte telomeres in age-adjusted analysis (ultra-marathon runners vs controls; average T/S ratio: 3.56 vs 3.16, p = 1.4 × 10-4) and the difference was not explained by the favourable cardiovascular health profile exhibited by the athletes (p = 2.2 × 10-4). The difference in leukocyte telomere length indicated the athletes had reduced their biological age by 16.2 years. To elucidate the potential mechanism for the longer leukocyte telomeres observed in endurance athletes, I recruited another cohort of athletes and controls and measured leukocyte telomere length and gene expression of genes involved in telomere length regulation. In the second study (Chapter 4), I describe data replicating the finding that endurance athletes possess longer leukocyte telomeres compared to healthy controls (athletes v controls mean T/S ratio ± SE: 3.64 ± 0.06 vs 3.38 ± 0.06, p = 0.002). This difference was associated with a concomitant increased activity of two important telomere regulating genes, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and adrenocortical dysplasia homolog (TPP1) (2- fold and 1.3-fold, respectively, both p < 0.05). The difference in leukocyte telomere length and leukocyte telomere-regulating gene (TERT and TPP1 mRNA) expression was ameliorated after adjusting for maximal oxygen uptake and resting heart rate (all p > 0.05). This finding indicates that cardiorespiratory fitness is an important determinant of telomere biology. Together, these two cross-sectional studies suggest that regular endurance exercise training is associated with longer leukocytes telomeres and that this is likely achieved through higher TPP1 and TERT mRNA expression gained through improved cardiorespiratory fitness. The findings in Chapters 3 and 4 provide evidence for extensive endurance exercise training as an effective lifestyle strategy to attenuate biological ageing. In parallel to telomere length changes, epigenetic modifications (e.g. DNA methylation) caused by environmental factors alter the transcriptomic milieu of cells. My thorough literature review (Chapter 5) revealed that exercise training seems to rearrange chromatin by modifying the DNA methylome in a variety of cells and that the extent is dictated by exercise duration and intensity. Therefore, in the second part of my thesis, I investigated the DNA methylation changes in leukocytes (which are somatic cells) and sperm (male germ cells) from healthy men before and after sprint interval training (SIT). Unlike traditional, long duration training at moderate intensity training, SIT involves short, intense (>85% VO2max to supra-maximal) efforts followed by periods of rest (3–4 min), typically repeated 3–8 times. It is an effective type of training that improves cardiorespiratory fitness quicker than traditional long slow distance training. Thus, to establish the DNA methylome changes associated with SIT, I conducted two training studies and analysed the leukocyte and sperm methylomes using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina). My third study (Chapter 6) provides the first evidence showing an association between DNA methylation changes paralleled with improvements to lipid profile and cardiorespiratory fitness in humans. Twelve young men (18–24 years) undertook SIT (thrice weekly) for four weeks. Resting blood samples were obtained and whole-blood leukocytes were isolated by red blood cell lysis. Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using the 450K BeadChip (Illumina). Cardiorespiratory fitness, determined by maximal oxygen uptake, was improved by 2.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 and low-density lipo-protein cholesterol was decreased by 3.9% after SIT (p < 0.05). Notably, the leukocyte methylome was significantly affected by SIT, in regions throughout the genome in relation to CpG islands – CpG islands, North shores, N shelves, South shores and South shelve – and the nearest genes – 3’ untranslated region (UTR), 5’ UTR, exonic, intergenic, intronic, non-coding and promoter regions (all p < 0.001). Genes with differentially methylated CpG sites (q < 0.005) after SIT were enriched for cardiovascular gene ontology (GO) terms that included metabolic activity, biological adhesion and antioxidant activity. Similarly, pathway analysis revealed genes involved in focal adhesion, calcium signaling and mitogen activated protein kinase were modulated by SIT-induced DNA methylation changes. Amongst the 205,987 probes relating 32,445 transcripts differentially methylated after SIT (q < 0.05), with methylation changes between 0.1 – 62.8%, the largest and most statistically significant demethylated site was in the epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene, causing decreased mRNA expression. As with EGF, the microRNA-21 and microRNA-210 genes (MIR21 and MIR210, respectively), known for their roles in cardiovascular disease (ischemic heart disease and coronary atherosclerosis), had modest but consistently statistically significant DNA methylation changes at numerous CpG sites, which altered mature microRNA abundance. Together, these data suggest that genome-wide DNA methylation changes occur after short-term intense exercise training concurrently with improvements to blood cholesterol profile and cardiorespiratory fitness. The data presented in this thesis provided evidence that the epigenome of somatic cells is malleable to exercise. There is mounting evidence supporting the premise that environmental perturbations cause DNA methylation changes and these are subsequently transgenerationally inherited, altering phenotypes of future generations. In the current study I also asked the question; can exercise training reconfigure the DNA methylome of male germ cells (sperm)? Therefore, my next study (Chapter 7) entails an analysis of the impact that three months of SIT has on genome-wide DNA methylation of sperm in healthy men. Thirteen subjects undertook twice-weekly SIT for three months, while the controls were asked not to change their current physical activity habits (if any). Sperm samples were donated before and after the three-month intervention. Mature sperm were isolated using density gradient centrifugation and DNA was extracted using the Purelink Genomic DNA Mini Kit (Life Technologies). Global and genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based kit and the 450K BeadChip (Illumina), respectively. Relative to controls, the cases decreased their resting heart rate and had a higher maximal treadmill speed during exercise testing (both p < 0.05). Cases had decreased global DNA methylation after SIT compared to controls (p < 0.05). Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis revealed numerous modest (0.3 – 6%) methylation changes to 7509 CpG sites, relating to 4602 transcripts (q ≤ 0.1). Differentially methylated CpG sites were in genes associated with developmental biology, which included GO terms, such as developmental process, anatomical structure, embryonic morphogenesis and organ development, together with known pathways regulated by exercise training (MAPK, ErbB and PI3K-Akt signalling). Genes with increased methylation were associated with numerous human diseases, with most overrepresented being psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and autism). Notably, paternally imprinted genes associated with other diseases were also differentially methylated after SIT. Therefore, exercise training is associated with the modifications to genome-wide DNA methylation of both somatic and germ cells. In conclusion, the studies presented as a series of peer-reviewed publications, outlines investigations that describe an influence of strenuous exercise training on leukocyte telomere length regulation and the DNA methylome of both leukocytes and germ cells. Both of these molecular changes in leukocytes and sperm provide evidence for novel molecular mechanisms by which exercise improves cardiovascular health and fitness. Future investigations should focus on longitudinal studies determining whether these changes are required for improved health and fitness, and should establish whether exercise-induced DNA methylation changes are transgenerationally inherited, and if so, what impact this has to future generations. Such discoveries could change national physical activity guidelines and policies, by emphasising the benefit of regular exercise both in the present and to future offspring.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Denham, Joshua
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Exercise training is one of the few therapeutic interventions that improves health span by delaying the onset of age-related diseases and preventing early death. Despite the clear benefits to health conferred by exercise training, our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms remain crude. The primary purpose of this thesis is to determine and analyse the molecular biology changes that occur with strenuous aerobic exercise. Specifically, the main objectives were to investigate the impact of strenuous aerobic exercise training on structural DNA modifications, measured in context with cardiovascular health and fitness adaptations. In the first part of this thesis I investigated the influence of endurance exercise training on leukocyte telomere length and cardiovascular health. Leukocyte telomere length reflects biological age. Indeed, excessively short leukocyte telomeres are associated with age-related chronic diseases. Epidemiological studies indicate endurance athletes live longer than people from the general public who do not engage in extensive aerobic exercise training. In Chapter 2, my literature review on the subject of exercise and telomere biology suggested that, at the time of this study, the impact of exercise training on leukocyte telomere length was equivocal. Therefore, to determine whether strenuous aerobic exercise training influences biological ageing (assessed by leukocyte telomere length), I conducted two cross-sectional studies on leukocyte telomere length differences between endurance athletes and healthy controls. The first study (Chapter 3) was a cross-sectional analysis of leukocyte telomere length between athletes and controls, determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). This is a relative measurement of telomere length expressed as a telomere (T) to single copy gene (S) ratio. Relative to the healthy controls (n = 56), the ultra-marathon runners (n = 67) possessed 11% longer leukocyte telomeres in age-adjusted analysis (ultra-marathon runners vs controls; average T/S ratio: 3.56 vs 3.16, p = 1.4 × 10-4) and the difference was not explained by the favourable cardiovascular health profile exhibited by the athletes (p = 2.2 × 10-4). The difference in leukocyte telomere length indicated the athletes had reduced their biological age by 16.2 years. To elucidate the potential mechanism for the longer leukocyte telomeres observed in endurance athletes, I recruited another cohort of athletes and controls and measured leukocyte telomere length and gene expression of genes involved in telomere length regulation. In the second study (Chapter 4), I describe data replicating the finding that endurance athletes possess longer leukocyte telomeres compared to healthy controls (athletes v controls mean T/S ratio ± SE: 3.64 ± 0.06 vs 3.38 ± 0.06, p = 0.002). This difference was associated with a concomitant increased activity of two important telomere regulating genes, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and adrenocortical dysplasia homolog (TPP1) (2- fold and 1.3-fold, respectively, both p < 0.05). The difference in leukocyte telomere length and leukocyte telomere-regulating gene (TERT and TPP1 mRNA) expression was ameliorated after adjusting for maximal oxygen uptake and resting heart rate (all p > 0.05). This finding indicates that cardiorespiratory fitness is an important determinant of telomere biology. Together, these two cross-sectional studies suggest that regular endurance exercise training is associated with longer leukocytes telomeres and that this is likely achieved through higher TPP1 and TERT mRNA expression gained through improved cardiorespiratory fitness. The findings in Chapters 3 and 4 provide evidence for extensive endurance exercise training as an effective lifestyle strategy to attenuate biological ageing. In parallel to telomere length changes, epigenetic modifications (e.g. DNA methylation) caused by environmental factors alter the transcriptomic milieu of cells. My thorough literature review (Chapter 5) revealed that exercise training seems to rearrange chromatin by modifying the DNA methylome in a variety of cells and that the extent is dictated by exercise duration and intensity. Therefore, in the second part of my thesis, I investigated the DNA methylation changes in leukocytes (which are somatic cells) and sperm (male germ cells) from healthy men before and after sprint interval training (SIT). Unlike traditional, long duration training at moderate intensity training, SIT involves short, intense (>85% VO2max to supra-maximal) efforts followed by periods of rest (3–4 min), typically repeated 3–8 times. It is an effective type of training that improves cardiorespiratory fitness quicker than traditional long slow distance training. Thus, to establish the DNA methylome changes associated with SIT, I conducted two training studies and analysed the leukocyte and sperm methylomes using the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Illumina). My third study (Chapter 6) provides the first evidence showing an association between DNA methylation changes paralleled with improvements to lipid profile and cardiorespiratory fitness in humans. Twelve young men (18–24 years) undertook SIT (thrice weekly) for four weeks. Resting blood samples were obtained and whole-blood leukocytes were isolated by red blood cell lysis. Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using the 450K BeadChip (Illumina). Cardiorespiratory fitness, determined by maximal oxygen uptake, was improved by 2.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 and low-density lipo-protein cholesterol was decreased by 3.9% after SIT (p < 0.05). Notably, the leukocyte methylome was significantly affected by SIT, in regions throughout the genome in relation to CpG islands – CpG islands, North shores, N shelves, South shores and South shelve – and the nearest genes – 3’ untranslated region (UTR), 5’ UTR, exonic, intergenic, intronic, non-coding and promoter regions (all p < 0.001). Genes with differentially methylated CpG sites (q < 0.005) after SIT were enriched for cardiovascular gene ontology (GO) terms that included metabolic activity, biological adhesion and antioxidant activity. Similarly, pathway analysis revealed genes involved in focal adhesion, calcium signaling and mitogen activated protein kinase were modulated by SIT-induced DNA methylation changes. Amongst the 205,987 probes relating 32,445 transcripts differentially methylated after SIT (q < 0.05), with methylation changes between 0.1 – 62.8%, the largest and most statistically significant demethylated site was in the epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene, causing decreased mRNA expression. As with EGF, the microRNA-21 and microRNA-210 genes (MIR21 and MIR210, respectively), known for their roles in cardiovascular disease (ischemic heart disease and coronary atherosclerosis), had modest but consistently statistically significant DNA methylation changes at numerous CpG sites, which altered mature microRNA abundance. Together, these data suggest that genome-wide DNA methylation changes occur after short-term intense exercise training concurrently with improvements to blood cholesterol profile and cardiorespiratory fitness. The data presented in this thesis provided evidence that the epigenome of somatic cells is malleable to exercise. There is mounting evidence supporting the premise that environmental perturbations cause DNA methylation changes and these are subsequently transgenerationally inherited, altering phenotypes of future generations. In the current study I also asked the question; can exercise training reconfigure the DNA methylome of male germ cells (sperm)? Therefore, my next study (Chapter 7) entails an analysis of the impact that three months of SIT has on genome-wide DNA methylation of sperm in healthy men. Thirteen subjects undertook twice-weekly SIT for three months, while the controls were asked not to change their current physical activity habits (if any). Sperm samples were donated before and after the three-month intervention. Mature sperm were isolated using density gradient centrifugation and DNA was extracted using the Purelink Genomic DNA Mini Kit (Life Technologies). Global and genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based kit and the 450K BeadChip (Illumina), respectively. Relative to controls, the cases decreased their resting heart rate and had a higher maximal treadmill speed during exercise testing (both p < 0.05). Cases had decreased global DNA methylation after SIT compared to controls (p < 0.05). Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis revealed numerous modest (0.3 – 6%) methylation changes to 7509 CpG sites, relating to 4602 transcripts (q ≤ 0.1). Differentially methylated CpG sites were in genes associated with developmental biology, which included GO terms, such as developmental process, anatomical structure, embryonic morphogenesis and organ development, together with known pathways regulated by exercise training (MAPK, ErbB and PI3K-Akt signalling). Genes with increased methylation were associated with numerous human diseases, with most overrepresented being psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease and autism). Notably, paternally imprinted genes associated with other diseases were also differentially methylated after SIT. Therefore, exercise training is associated with the modifications to genome-wide DNA methylation of both somatic and germ cells. In conclusion, the studies presented as a series of peer-reviewed publications, outlines investigations that describe an influence of strenuous exercise training on leukocyte telomere length regulation and the DNA methylome of both leukocytes and germ cells. Both of these molecular changes in leukocytes and sperm provide evidence for novel molecular mechanisms by which exercise improves cardiovascular health and fitness. Future investigations should focus on longitudinal studies determining whether these changes are required for improved health and fitness, and should establish whether exercise-induced DNA methylation changes are transgenerationally inherited, and if so, what impact this has to future generations. Such discoveries could change national physical activity guidelines and policies, by emphasising the benefit of regular exercise both in the present and to future offspring.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The inimitable Mr Meek : Re-discovering a lost art
- Authors: Luxemburg, Joan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: James McKain Meek was a Victorian-era graphic artist, miniature calligrapher and colonial eccentric with polymathic interests, who fell into obscurity at the end of the nineteenth century. This research re-discovers, re-presents and re-evaluates his body of graphic art. A single lithograph by Meek held in the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s collection generated the research which uncovered a significant body of work in Australia and overseas. Inspired by this re-discovered oeuvre, an exhibition was curated to mark Meek’s bicentenary, returning him to public view. An illustrated companion catalogue, the first scholarly commentary on Meek’s oeuvre, presented a series of essays exploring Meek’s works and situating them in their Victorian context and within a longer tradition of prints. The exegesis, the final element of this project, reflects on the research design, addresses curatorial and related issues, and deepens the examination of Meek’s output. An analysis of key works informed by Word and Image Studies explores his trademark verbal and visual interplay. Valuable research outcomes discussed include the ongoing conservation of works, contextualisation of material held in collections around the world, Meek’s place in the larger narrative of Australian art history, and his legacy. This tri-partite PhD thesis is comprised of exhibition, catalogue and exegesis: these components are complementary and designed to be considered together. The catalogue addresses an educated lay readership and the exegesis is an overarching academic commentary. The exegesis extends and references the catalogue, and both are grounded in Meek’s works, in particular, key works displayed in the exhibition. This research contends that Meek’s work is singular and argues for his re-instatement in the Australian graphic arts canon. His highly individual style and the fact he is local (in his special links with Ballarat and his Trans-Tasman career), make him of particular interest in the Victorian and Australasian contexts.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Luxemburg, Joan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: James McKain Meek was a Victorian-era graphic artist, miniature calligrapher and colonial eccentric with polymathic interests, who fell into obscurity at the end of the nineteenth century. This research re-discovers, re-presents and re-evaluates his body of graphic art. A single lithograph by Meek held in the Art Gallery of Ballarat’s collection generated the research which uncovered a significant body of work in Australia and overseas. Inspired by this re-discovered oeuvre, an exhibition was curated to mark Meek’s bicentenary, returning him to public view. An illustrated companion catalogue, the first scholarly commentary on Meek’s oeuvre, presented a series of essays exploring Meek’s works and situating them in their Victorian context and within a longer tradition of prints. The exegesis, the final element of this project, reflects on the research design, addresses curatorial and related issues, and deepens the examination of Meek’s output. An analysis of key works informed by Word and Image Studies explores his trademark verbal and visual interplay. Valuable research outcomes discussed include the ongoing conservation of works, contextualisation of material held in collections around the world, Meek’s place in the larger narrative of Australian art history, and his legacy. This tri-partite PhD thesis is comprised of exhibition, catalogue and exegesis: these components are complementary and designed to be considered together. The catalogue addresses an educated lay readership and the exegesis is an overarching academic commentary. The exegesis extends and references the catalogue, and both are grounded in Meek’s works, in particular, key works displayed in the exhibition. This research contends that Meek’s work is singular and argues for his re-instatement in the Australian graphic arts canon. His highly individual style and the fact he is local (in his special links with Ballarat and his Trans-Tasman career), make him of particular interest in the Victorian and Australasian contexts.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Tourism governance for sustainable heritage tourism in Sri Lankan heritage destinations
- Authors: Sivanandamoorthy, Sivesan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis investigates tourism governance models for sustainable heritage tourism in Kandy, a world heritage city situated in central Sri Lanka. Additionally, it explains how the success of sustainable heritage tourism has underpinned sustainable livelihoods development from a socio-cultural perspective. The main objective is to find, identify and assess the influence of tourism governance on sustainable heritage tourism in Sri Lanka. Stemming from this approach is the development of a tourism governance model for sustainable heritage tourism in Kandy. This thesis is intended as a response to the challenges of adopting a sustainable livelihoods development approach. Accordingly, it investigates the role sustainable heritage tourism plays in host community development within the context of sociocultural, economic and environmental aspects in Kandy. Employing a qualitative methodological approach, this thesis is underpinned by an interpretive research philosophy. Research data was collected through field-based in-country interviews and open-ended questionnaires as this approach allowed respondents to offer more information and to include their feelings, attitudes and understanding of the subject. Research results from in-country fieldwork reveal that tourism governance models have a major influence on the viability of sustainable heritage tourism at Sri Lankan heritage destinations. Macro-scale and micro-scale factors were found to be influential in tourism governance models. Additionally, sustainable heritage tourism was found to be a persuasive factor in host community development. Research from this thesis provides policy recommendations and potential management frameworks for tourism practitioners and policy makers. These insights into Kandy and other Sri Lankan heritage localities enable improvement of tourism governance systems and sustainable heritage tourism.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Sivanandamoorthy, Sivesan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis investigates tourism governance models for sustainable heritage tourism in Kandy, a world heritage city situated in central Sri Lanka. Additionally, it explains how the success of sustainable heritage tourism has underpinned sustainable livelihoods development from a socio-cultural perspective. The main objective is to find, identify and assess the influence of tourism governance on sustainable heritage tourism in Sri Lanka. Stemming from this approach is the development of a tourism governance model for sustainable heritage tourism in Kandy. This thesis is intended as a response to the challenges of adopting a sustainable livelihoods development approach. Accordingly, it investigates the role sustainable heritage tourism plays in host community development within the context of sociocultural, economic and environmental aspects in Kandy. Employing a qualitative methodological approach, this thesis is underpinned by an interpretive research philosophy. Research data was collected through field-based in-country interviews and open-ended questionnaires as this approach allowed respondents to offer more information and to include their feelings, attitudes and understanding of the subject. Research results from in-country fieldwork reveal that tourism governance models have a major influence on the viability of sustainable heritage tourism at Sri Lankan heritage destinations. Macro-scale and micro-scale factors were found to be influential in tourism governance models. Additionally, sustainable heritage tourism was found to be a persuasive factor in host community development. Research from this thesis provides policy recommendations and potential management frameworks for tourism practitioners and policy makers. These insights into Kandy and other Sri Lankan heritage localities enable improvement of tourism governance systems and sustainable heritage tourism.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Video game classification in Australia : Does it enable parents to make informed game choices for their children
- Authors: Ross, Julie
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: If Australian video game classification does not warn of all classifiable elements, parents may be making game choices that inadvertently expose their child to content that may be deemed inappropriate. Research shows that classification in the United States of America (USA) does not always warn of all elements, and to date there has been no comparable research in Australia. This research explored issues surrounding video game classification in Australia, and whether parents feel that provides enough information for them to make informed game choices, by asking the following questions: 1. Does video game classification in Australia provide enough information for parents to make informed decisions about what games their children play? 2. What are the factors that may prevent parents from protecting children from inappropriate content in video games? To answer the first question, a content analysis compared the classification given to video games classified ‘MA15+’ in Australia during the years 2009 - 2010 with their overseas counterparts. Results showed that a substantial number of video games in Australia carry different classification information than those overseas. To answer the second question, a mixed-methods questionnaire surveyed parents of children who played video games to explore issues surrounding video game classification, and the role it plays when making game choices for children. A quasi-longitudinal process within the questionnaire explored the effect that more detailed information has on game choices. Results showed that some parents use classification to assist them with choosing games for their child, but when presented with more information some parents will make different choices. Factors which may prevent parents from protecting their child from inappropriate content in video games were also identified. The Protection Motivation Theory underpinning this research was modified to produce the Vigilant Protection Motivation Theory. Overall, this research suggests that parents in Australia may not have enough information to make appropriate game choices.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Ross, Julie
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: If Australian video game classification does not warn of all classifiable elements, parents may be making game choices that inadvertently expose their child to content that may be deemed inappropriate. Research shows that classification in the United States of America (USA) does not always warn of all elements, and to date there has been no comparable research in Australia. This research explored issues surrounding video game classification in Australia, and whether parents feel that provides enough information for them to make informed game choices, by asking the following questions: 1. Does video game classification in Australia provide enough information for parents to make informed decisions about what games their children play? 2. What are the factors that may prevent parents from protecting children from inappropriate content in video games? To answer the first question, a content analysis compared the classification given to video games classified ‘MA15+’ in Australia during the years 2009 - 2010 with their overseas counterparts. Results showed that a substantial number of video games in Australia carry different classification information than those overseas. To answer the second question, a mixed-methods questionnaire surveyed parents of children who played video games to explore issues surrounding video game classification, and the role it plays when making game choices for children. A quasi-longitudinal process within the questionnaire explored the effect that more detailed information has on game choices. Results showed that some parents use classification to assist them with choosing games for their child, but when presented with more information some parents will make different choices. Factors which may prevent parents from protecting their child from inappropriate content in video games were also identified. The Protection Motivation Theory underpinning this research was modified to produce the Vigilant Protection Motivation Theory. Overall, this research suggests that parents in Australia may not have enough information to make appropriate game choices.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
What is the value of meaning created through social learning in informal virtual communities?
- Authors: Wilmott, Deirdre
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study asks the question ‘What is the value of meaning created through social learning in informal virtual communities?’. By researching how people learn in two virtual communities of practice, based around forums, it endeavours to explore learning in online environments that are unconnected to workplace or educational institutions. Both communities studied in this project are meeting places for peers who pursue a domain of personal interest, hence neither community defines itself as a learning environment but as a social meeting place for people to share similar pursuits. The rationale of this study was to explore in-depth the plethora of resources that forum-based communities offer researchers of learning outside the academy, in order to understand the intricacies of un-facilitated social learning. A research strategy for this study was developed from Crotty's (1998) platform which defines: research methods; a methodology; a theoretical perspective; and an epistemology. Triangulated research methods of interview, observation, and personal participation form the basis of data collection. Ethnography, which incorporates auto-ethnography, was the chosen methodology, and the study is centred on a constructivist epistemology. This study employs an interpretivist theoretical perspective, relying on the approaches of two theorists to analyse the data. Both communities were explored by developing four specific propositions from an in-depth analysis of the available literature on informal learning, virtual environments and communities, together with the theoretical understandings of Wenger (1998) regarding Communities of Practice, and Candy (1991) relating to autodidactic and constructed learning. Two viewpoints were chosen because whilst there are a number of theoretical perspectives that can be applied to informal learning in a virtual environment, there is no one agreed theory which comprehensively explains the complexities of individual and social learning in virtual communities. Despite recognition of the Internet as a major source of many people’s informal learning, there is still comparatively limited research undertaken on how this happens. This study is intended to assist in the reduction of this gap by examining aspects of learning including: the connection between autonomous learners and virtual communities; the effect of the written format of the communities observed on dispersing meaning; and the impact of the virtuality of the community on the process of learning and creation of meaning. By undertaking an ethnographical examination of the nature of learning in two informal virtual communities based around written asynchronous forums, this study is intended to contribute to understanding the worth of informal learning in virtual communities where learning occurs between peers. This study contributes to knowledge through its exploration of the way learning occurs in un-facilitated environments and the legitimacy of the outcomes of that learning. Through this exploration, it fosters an appreciation of the value of meaning created in these social environments, as well as their role in validation of communal and individual meaning. It is able to do this by circumnavigating the difficulties earlier researchers have had in developing in-depth studies of the topic because it does not rely implicitly on the perspectives of those participating, or limited-time observations. The study concludes that for both communities their virtuality greatly influences the way their practice develops, as well as how this practice shapes the way in which their members learn in informal environments. It also concludes that learning in these environments is a very complex, often sophisticated, and sometimes contradictory process that is governed by many different, and occasionally competing, aims of individuals and communities. This study also resolved that because of the very complexity of this learning, these two communities produce some very deep and meaningful contributions to their respective domains. As individuals connected within these communities in order to explore their interest in their respective domains, the communities became: repositories of ideas and resources; places to engage in negotiating and renegotiating meaning; and places to validate personal meaning through testing against established community understandings and peer views. Thus after extensive ethnographical research on both communities of this study, it is considered that this work advances the knowledge of learning outside the academy by providing evidence that people do learn effectively in informal virtual communities
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Wilmott, Deirdre
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study asks the question ‘What is the value of meaning created through social learning in informal virtual communities?’. By researching how people learn in two virtual communities of practice, based around forums, it endeavours to explore learning in online environments that are unconnected to workplace or educational institutions. Both communities studied in this project are meeting places for peers who pursue a domain of personal interest, hence neither community defines itself as a learning environment but as a social meeting place for people to share similar pursuits. The rationale of this study was to explore in-depth the plethora of resources that forum-based communities offer researchers of learning outside the academy, in order to understand the intricacies of un-facilitated social learning. A research strategy for this study was developed from Crotty's (1998) platform which defines: research methods; a methodology; a theoretical perspective; and an epistemology. Triangulated research methods of interview, observation, and personal participation form the basis of data collection. Ethnography, which incorporates auto-ethnography, was the chosen methodology, and the study is centred on a constructivist epistemology. This study employs an interpretivist theoretical perspective, relying on the approaches of two theorists to analyse the data. Both communities were explored by developing four specific propositions from an in-depth analysis of the available literature on informal learning, virtual environments and communities, together with the theoretical understandings of Wenger (1998) regarding Communities of Practice, and Candy (1991) relating to autodidactic and constructed learning. Two viewpoints were chosen because whilst there are a number of theoretical perspectives that can be applied to informal learning in a virtual environment, there is no one agreed theory which comprehensively explains the complexities of individual and social learning in virtual communities. Despite recognition of the Internet as a major source of many people’s informal learning, there is still comparatively limited research undertaken on how this happens. This study is intended to assist in the reduction of this gap by examining aspects of learning including: the connection between autonomous learners and virtual communities; the effect of the written format of the communities observed on dispersing meaning; and the impact of the virtuality of the community on the process of learning and creation of meaning. By undertaking an ethnographical examination of the nature of learning in two informal virtual communities based around written asynchronous forums, this study is intended to contribute to understanding the worth of informal learning in virtual communities where learning occurs between peers. This study contributes to knowledge through its exploration of the way learning occurs in un-facilitated environments and the legitimacy of the outcomes of that learning. Through this exploration, it fosters an appreciation of the value of meaning created in these social environments, as well as their role in validation of communal and individual meaning. It is able to do this by circumnavigating the difficulties earlier researchers have had in developing in-depth studies of the topic because it does not rely implicitly on the perspectives of those participating, or limited-time observations. The study concludes that for both communities their virtuality greatly influences the way their practice develops, as well as how this practice shapes the way in which their members learn in informal environments. It also concludes that learning in these environments is a very complex, often sophisticated, and sometimes contradictory process that is governed by many different, and occasionally competing, aims of individuals and communities. This study also resolved that because of the very complexity of this learning, these two communities produce some very deep and meaningful contributions to their respective domains. As individuals connected within these communities in order to explore their interest in their respective domains, the communities became: repositories of ideas and resources; places to engage in negotiating and renegotiating meaning; and places to validate personal meaning through testing against established community understandings and peer views. Thus after extensive ethnographical research on both communities of this study, it is considered that this work advances the knowledge of learning outside the academy by providing evidence that people do learn effectively in informal virtual communities
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
10 Days in 2009 : An auto-ethnographical study of "Communical Resistance" taken by international students in Australia
- Authors: Saunders, Owen
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The early millennium saw the rise of an educational system in Australia where unchartered private educational provider institutions teach degree courses via contractual arrangements with parent universities. This study examines an incident where students at several such institutions collectively declined to submit a required online assessment piece to the possible detriment of the successful completion of their degrees. The research questions that arose from this incident were; what went wrong; how can we understand what happened here; and, what does this mean for me personally? Students’ perceptions of an online assessment piece are examined in the study of this incident. The study covers identical units offered at six private providers in three different Australian cities and the parent university. The students at the private institutions were all international students; those at the parent were a mix of international and domestic students. The assessment piece, a mandatory requirement for completion of the degree, was given to a collective cohort of approximately 400 students. The majority of students from four of the private institutions declined to submit the assessment piece. Initial research indicated that the students were uncomfortable with the format of a new blended-learning delivery introduced that year (2009). Upon deeper investigation, it was revealed that the declination to submit was, in fact, a complex situation involving conflicts, cultural clashes, social upheaval, and legislative misunderstandings that combined to create an environment where the students felt they had no option but to openly protest against perceived injustices. The author of this work is also the educator at the centre of this event, thus the thesis has been written in an auto-ethnographical method, viewed through the educator’s lens. To protect sensitive information, pseudonyms have been used and identifying details removed. The parent university at the centre of the event, named Newgarth University, is fictitious. Auto-ethnography has been used to present the empirical data (quantitative and qualitative), and the reader will be taken through a “detective story” that reveals various characters, plots, and protest. The study documents a previously unrecorded incident in the international student education industry in Australia. The study offers explanations as to why this incident occurred and adds to the cumulative knowledge of the international student education industry in Australia by offering suggestions to prevent such incidents occurring again. The study demonstrates that when a group of students are placed in an unfamiliar uncomfortable environment with little or no access to pastoral care or welfare services, they will create support groups of allegiance to protect their interests. These allegiance groups will employ tried and tested methods of communal resistance practised by the dominant culture of that field of endeavour.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Saunders, Owen
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The early millennium saw the rise of an educational system in Australia where unchartered private educational provider institutions teach degree courses via contractual arrangements with parent universities. This study examines an incident where students at several such institutions collectively declined to submit a required online assessment piece to the possible detriment of the successful completion of their degrees. The research questions that arose from this incident were; what went wrong; how can we understand what happened here; and, what does this mean for me personally? Students’ perceptions of an online assessment piece are examined in the study of this incident. The study covers identical units offered at six private providers in three different Australian cities and the parent university. The students at the private institutions were all international students; those at the parent were a mix of international and domestic students. The assessment piece, a mandatory requirement for completion of the degree, was given to a collective cohort of approximately 400 students. The majority of students from four of the private institutions declined to submit the assessment piece. Initial research indicated that the students were uncomfortable with the format of a new blended-learning delivery introduced that year (2009). Upon deeper investigation, it was revealed that the declination to submit was, in fact, a complex situation involving conflicts, cultural clashes, social upheaval, and legislative misunderstandings that combined to create an environment where the students felt they had no option but to openly protest against perceived injustices. The author of this work is also the educator at the centre of this event, thus the thesis has been written in an auto-ethnographical method, viewed through the educator’s lens. To protect sensitive information, pseudonyms have been used and identifying details removed. The parent university at the centre of the event, named Newgarth University, is fictitious. Auto-ethnography has been used to present the empirical data (quantitative and qualitative), and the reader will be taken through a “detective story” that reveals various characters, plots, and protest. The study documents a previously unrecorded incident in the international student education industry in Australia. The study offers explanations as to why this incident occurred and adds to the cumulative knowledge of the international student education industry in Australia by offering suggestions to prevent such incidents occurring again. The study demonstrates that when a group of students are placed in an unfamiliar uncomfortable environment with little or no access to pastoral care or welfare services, they will create support groups of allegiance to protect their interests. These allegiance groups will employ tried and tested methods of communal resistance practised by the dominant culture of that field of endeavour.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A financial stress index to model and forecast financial stress in Australia
- Authors: Mukulu, Sandra
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The series of financial crises that cascaded through and rocked much of the world over the past decade created opportunities to draw meaning from the pattern of countries succumbing to crisis and those who appear to be wholly or partially immune. This thesis examines the case of Australia, a developed country that has seldom experienced an endogenous crisis in the last few decades, but has experienced crisis by contagion. This study designs a financial stress index to measure and forecast the health of the Australian economy and proposes a custom-made stress index to: Gauge the potential for a crisis; and Signal when a timely intervention may minimise fear and contagion losses in the Australian financial market. Financial and economic data is used to design indicators for stress in the banking sector and equity, currency and bond markets. Further, this study explores how movements in equity markets of key trading partners of Australia can be used to predict movements in the Australian equity market. The variance-equal weights (VEW) and principal components approach (PCA) are used to subsume 22 stress indicators into a composite stress index. The VEW and PCA stress indexes were examined to determine monitoring and their forecasting capabilities. It was found that the VEW stress index performed better than the PCA stress index, because it provided more consistent estimates for the level of Australian financial stress. Although, both models show some promise, each model fell short of giving adequate forecasts in financial stress especially at the peak time of the 2007-2009 GFC. Thus, more research is needed to understand the complex nature of financial crisis, how crises develop and the techniques that can be used to predict the onset of financial crises.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Mukulu, Sandra
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The series of financial crises that cascaded through and rocked much of the world over the past decade created opportunities to draw meaning from the pattern of countries succumbing to crisis and those who appear to be wholly or partially immune. This thesis examines the case of Australia, a developed country that has seldom experienced an endogenous crisis in the last few decades, but has experienced crisis by contagion. This study designs a financial stress index to measure and forecast the health of the Australian economy and proposes a custom-made stress index to: Gauge the potential for a crisis; and Signal when a timely intervention may minimise fear and contagion losses in the Australian financial market. Financial and economic data is used to design indicators for stress in the banking sector and equity, currency and bond markets. Further, this study explores how movements in equity markets of key trading partners of Australia can be used to predict movements in the Australian equity market. The variance-equal weights (VEW) and principal components approach (PCA) are used to subsume 22 stress indicators into a composite stress index. The VEW and PCA stress indexes were examined to determine monitoring and their forecasting capabilities. It was found that the VEW stress index performed better than the PCA stress index, because it provided more consistent estimates for the level of Australian financial stress. Although, both models show some promise, each model fell short of giving adequate forecasts in financial stress especially at the peak time of the 2007-2009 GFC. Thus, more research is needed to understand the complex nature of financial crisis, how crises develop and the techniques that can be used to predict the onset of financial crises.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Accurate and efficient clustering algorithms for very large data sets
- Authors: Quddus, Syed
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The ability to mine and extract useful information from large data sets is a common concern for organizations. Data over the internet is rapidly increasing and the importance of development of new approaches to collect, store and mine large amounts of data is significantly increasing. Clustering is one of the main tasks in data mining. Many clustering algorithms have been proposed but there are still clustering problems that have not been addressed in depth especially the clustering problems in large data sets. Clustering in large data sets is important in many applications and such applications include network intrusion detection systems, fraud detection in banking systems, air traffic control, web logs, sensor networks, social networks and bioinformatics. Data sets in these applications contain from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of data points and they may contain hundreds or thousands of attributes. Recent developments in computer hardware allows to store in random access memory and repeatedly read data sets with hundreds of thousands and even millions of data points. This makes possible the use of existing clustering algorithms in such data sets. However, these algorithms require a prohibitively large CPU time and fail to produce an accurate solution. Therefore, it is important to develop clustering algorithms which are accurate and can provide real time clustering in such data sets. This is especially important in a big data era. The aim of this PhD study is to develop accurate and real time algorithms for clustering in very large data sets containing hundreds of thousands and millions of data points. Such algorithms are developed based on the combination of heuristic algorithms with the incremental approach. These algorithms also involve a special procedure to identify dense areas in a data set and compute a subset most informative representative data points in order to decrease the size of a data set. It is the aim of this PhD study to develop the center-based clustering algorithms. The success of these algorithms strongly depends on the choice of starting cluster centers. Different procedures are proposed to generate such centers. Special procedures are designed to identify the most promising starting cluster centers and to restrict their number. New clustering algorithms are evaluated using large data sets available in public domains. Their results will be compared with those obtained using several existing center-based clustering algorithms.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Quddus, Syed
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The ability to mine and extract useful information from large data sets is a common concern for organizations. Data over the internet is rapidly increasing and the importance of development of new approaches to collect, store and mine large amounts of data is significantly increasing. Clustering is one of the main tasks in data mining. Many clustering algorithms have been proposed but there are still clustering problems that have not been addressed in depth especially the clustering problems in large data sets. Clustering in large data sets is important in many applications and such applications include network intrusion detection systems, fraud detection in banking systems, air traffic control, web logs, sensor networks, social networks and bioinformatics. Data sets in these applications contain from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions of data points and they may contain hundreds or thousands of attributes. Recent developments in computer hardware allows to store in random access memory and repeatedly read data sets with hundreds of thousands and even millions of data points. This makes possible the use of existing clustering algorithms in such data sets. However, these algorithms require a prohibitively large CPU time and fail to produce an accurate solution. Therefore, it is important to develop clustering algorithms which are accurate and can provide real time clustering in such data sets. This is especially important in a big data era. The aim of this PhD study is to develop accurate and real time algorithms for clustering in very large data sets containing hundreds of thousands and millions of data points. Such algorithms are developed based on the combination of heuristic algorithms with the incremental approach. These algorithms also involve a special procedure to identify dense areas in a data set and compute a subset most informative representative data points in order to decrease the size of a data set. It is the aim of this PhD study to develop the center-based clustering algorithms. The success of these algorithms strongly depends on the choice of starting cluster centers. Different procedures are proposed to generate such centers. Special procedures are designed to identify the most promising starting cluster centers and to restrict their number. New clustering algorithms are evaluated using large data sets available in public domains. Their results will be compared with those obtained using several existing center-based clustering algorithms.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Algae-based models to configure consumptive flows for ecological benefit in the highly regulated MacKenzie River, south-east Australia
- Authors: Atazadeh, Ehsan
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Many river ecosystems, especially those in arid and semi-arid, are experiencing severe stress due to the increasing demands on the ecosystem services they provide, coupled with anthropogenic catchment impacts and factors associated with climate change and weather extremes. The flow regime of the Mackenzie River was substantially modified since the construction of a water supply reservoir on its upper reach in 1887. Water is now regulated at several locations downstream of the reservoir, creating a substantially modified flow regime, impacting key environmental values of the river. The river receives an environmental flow allocation and the river channel is used to transfer water dedicated for consumptive use. Water Quality and algal monitoring formed the basis of models that were developed evaluate the ecological condition of this working river under base flow and before, during and after freshes that deliver water to users. Samples of diatoms, soft algae and measurements of water quality were analysed at ten sampling sites for three years (between February 2012 and November 2014) along the MacKenzie River in different seasons and under different flow regimes to understand the spatial and temporal variation in the relationship between algal communities and water quality, and so stream condition. Baseline information on algal communities and water quality was collected during base flow conditions, while experiments on the effect of water releases on algal communities were based on flow regime variations (manipulated flow regimes), specifically on the algae community structure, water quality and ecosystem function. These comprised cease to flow (0 ML/day), low flows (10-15 ML/day), freshes (35-40 ML/day) and high flow (55ML/day) conditions. Physical and chemical characteristics of water, including pH, temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, phosphorus and cations and anions were measured. Biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, including dry mass, ash-free dry mass, chlorophyll-a concentration and species composition, were also measured. Furthermore, the DSIAR (Diatom Species Index for Australian Rivers) score was calculated to classify the condition of the waterway. The results showed the algal species composition changed under different flow regimes along the river. The sensitivity of diatoms to changes in water quality and flow rates deemed them useful indicators of river condition. The results indicated that flows tended to improve DSIAR scores and diatoms versus green algae and cyanobacteria biomass measures in the mid and lower reaches. The biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, and the species composition, varied between sites under different flow regimes. The accumulation of dry mass (not ash-free) decreased downstream during freshes, however the accumulation of AFDM (ash-free dry mass) gradually increased downstream. The results showed that the concentration of chlorophyll-a decreased downstream under water release events. The Pearson’s correlation matrix revealed flow regimes had a significant influence on the water chemistry characteristics and biological properties. The principal component analysis (PCA) illustrated that upstream species of algae were associated with low pH and temperature and higher DO. In contrast downstream species were associated with higher turbidity, TSS, conductivity, TN, and TDS. The correspondence analysis (CA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) showed a split between algal assemblages during water release events in comparison with before and after water release. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified five significant environmental variables including pH, TSS, Turbidity, TN and TP explaining algal assemblage and structure along the river. The collected data were used to develop ecological response models based on algae communities living under different flow regimes in the MacKenzie River. The algae-based models across a hydraulic gradient may be useful in water management efforts to find sustainable solutions in the river by balancing environmental and human values. The empirical data and models showed the lower reaches of the river to be in poor condition under low flows, but this condition improved under flows of 35 ML/day, as indicated by the reduction in green algae and cyanobacteria and improvement in DSIAR scores. The results are presented to tailor discharge and duration of the river flows by amalgamation of consumptive and environmental flows to improve the condition of the stream thereby supplementing the flows dedicated to environmental outcomes. Ultimately the findings can be used by management to configure consumptive flows to enhance the for ecological condition of the MacKenzie River.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Atazadeh, Ehsan
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Many river ecosystems, especially those in arid and semi-arid, are experiencing severe stress due to the increasing demands on the ecosystem services they provide, coupled with anthropogenic catchment impacts and factors associated with climate change and weather extremes. The flow regime of the Mackenzie River was substantially modified since the construction of a water supply reservoir on its upper reach in 1887. Water is now regulated at several locations downstream of the reservoir, creating a substantially modified flow regime, impacting key environmental values of the river. The river receives an environmental flow allocation and the river channel is used to transfer water dedicated for consumptive use. Water Quality and algal monitoring formed the basis of models that were developed evaluate the ecological condition of this working river under base flow and before, during and after freshes that deliver water to users. Samples of diatoms, soft algae and measurements of water quality were analysed at ten sampling sites for three years (between February 2012 and November 2014) along the MacKenzie River in different seasons and under different flow regimes to understand the spatial and temporal variation in the relationship between algal communities and water quality, and so stream condition. Baseline information on algal communities and water quality was collected during base flow conditions, while experiments on the effect of water releases on algal communities were based on flow regime variations (manipulated flow regimes), specifically on the algae community structure, water quality and ecosystem function. These comprised cease to flow (0 ML/day), low flows (10-15 ML/day), freshes (35-40 ML/day) and high flow (55ML/day) conditions. Physical and chemical characteristics of water, including pH, temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total nitrogen, phosphorus and cations and anions were measured. Biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, including dry mass, ash-free dry mass, chlorophyll-a concentration and species composition, were also measured. Furthermore, the DSIAR (Diatom Species Index for Australian Rivers) score was calculated to classify the condition of the waterway. The results showed the algal species composition changed under different flow regimes along the river. The sensitivity of diatoms to changes in water quality and flow rates deemed them useful indicators of river condition. The results indicated that flows tended to improve DSIAR scores and diatoms versus green algae and cyanobacteria biomass measures in the mid and lower reaches. The biological properties of the algal periphyton communities, and the species composition, varied between sites under different flow regimes. The accumulation of dry mass (not ash-free) decreased downstream during freshes, however the accumulation of AFDM (ash-free dry mass) gradually increased downstream. The results showed that the concentration of chlorophyll-a decreased downstream under water release events. The Pearson’s correlation matrix revealed flow regimes had a significant influence on the water chemistry characteristics and biological properties. The principal component analysis (PCA) illustrated that upstream species of algae were associated with low pH and temperature and higher DO. In contrast downstream species were associated with higher turbidity, TSS, conductivity, TN, and TDS. The correspondence analysis (CA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) showed a split between algal assemblages during water release events in comparison with before and after water release. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified five significant environmental variables including pH, TSS, Turbidity, TN and TP explaining algal assemblage and structure along the river. The collected data were used to develop ecological response models based on algae communities living under different flow regimes in the MacKenzie River. The algae-based models across a hydraulic gradient may be useful in water management efforts to find sustainable solutions in the river by balancing environmental and human values. The empirical data and models showed the lower reaches of the river to be in poor condition under low flows, but this condition improved under flows of 35 ML/day, as indicated by the reduction in green algae and cyanobacteria and improvement in DSIAR scores. The results are presented to tailor discharge and duration of the river flows by amalgamation of consumptive and environmental flows to improve the condition of the stream thereby supplementing the flows dedicated to environmental outcomes. Ultimately the findings can be used by management to configure consumptive flows to enhance the for ecological condition of the MacKenzie River.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy