Enhancing illusionism within the encased contemporary art diorama through the integration of screen-based animated film
- Authors: Kronberger, Kenneth
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In the late nineteen eighties artists started to create a highly illusionistic type of small scaled diorama, which I refer to as the encased contemporary art diorama. Such dioramas are typically presented encased in a box-like structure with a glazed viewing window situated at the front. Artifice such as realistically coloured and shaped miniature forms, strategically positioned mirrors and quantified atmospheric lighting are used to enhance the verisimilitude of the mimetic resemblance to life-sized reality. As a maker of animated films, I became curious about the ways in which illusionism within such dioramas might be enhanced through the integration of screen-based animated film. To pursue this line of enquiry, I first strove to understand how illusionism functions within encased contemporary art dioramas, and I travelled to Lyon, France to view an exhibition of such dioramas at the Musee Miniature et Cinema. As there is an apparent lack of text on how illusionism functions within such dioramas, I modelled my initial research on texts about illusionism in representational pictures, how artists create visual illusions and the role of the viewer in the formation and perception of illusions. I engaged the writing of Michael Fish to assist in identifying different illusion types. To fully view the interior of an encased contemporary art diorama, the viewer must alter the location of their eyes in relation to the diorama and its contents, concurrently the encasement prevents any tactile appraisal of the diorama’s contents. I refer to Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of embodiment to account for the ways the viewer’s embodiment can influence their perception of dioramic illusions. The outcomes of my studio practice include animated films, and dioramas both with and without screen-based animated film integrated within them. The resulting illusions achieved are appraised and discussed, limitations are identified, and future potentials contemplated.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Kronberger, Kenneth
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In the late nineteen eighties artists started to create a highly illusionistic type of small scaled diorama, which I refer to as the encased contemporary art diorama. Such dioramas are typically presented encased in a box-like structure with a glazed viewing window situated at the front. Artifice such as realistically coloured and shaped miniature forms, strategically positioned mirrors and quantified atmospheric lighting are used to enhance the verisimilitude of the mimetic resemblance to life-sized reality. As a maker of animated films, I became curious about the ways in which illusionism within such dioramas might be enhanced through the integration of screen-based animated film. To pursue this line of enquiry, I first strove to understand how illusionism functions within encased contemporary art dioramas, and I travelled to Lyon, France to view an exhibition of such dioramas at the Musee Miniature et Cinema. As there is an apparent lack of text on how illusionism functions within such dioramas, I modelled my initial research on texts about illusionism in representational pictures, how artists create visual illusions and the role of the viewer in the formation and perception of illusions. I engaged the writing of Michael Fish to assist in identifying different illusion types. To fully view the interior of an encased contemporary art diorama, the viewer must alter the location of their eyes in relation to the diorama and its contents, concurrently the encasement prevents any tactile appraisal of the diorama’s contents. I refer to Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of embodiment to account for the ways the viewer’s embodiment can influence their perception of dioramic illusions. The outcomes of my studio practice include animated films, and dioramas both with and without screen-based animated film integrated within them. The resulting illusions achieved are appraised and discussed, limitations are identified, and future potentials contemplated.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing integration of specialised exercise training into coach practice to prevent lower-limb injury : Using theory and exploring coaches' salient beliefs
- Authors: McGlashan, Angela
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Lower limb injuries (LLIs) are common in community-Australian football (CAF) and specialised exercise training (SET) programs can reduce their incidence. Despite the protection SET programs afford, the use of SET by coaches in CAF contexts, who play a key role in the preparation of players, is largely unknown. The overall purpose of this thesis research was to explore and describe: (1) the contextual and specific nature of CAF coaching practices, and, (2) the factors central to understanding whether or not coaches will make changes in their training practices in the future. Thereby, assisting to devise effective behaviour change and implementation strategies that maximise future integration (adoption and maintainence) of SET programs in CAF contexts to reduce the risk of LLIs for players. This mixed methods research was underpinned by a combination of behavioural and social science theories and models (BSSTM). Coaches’ were sampled from CAF clubs in Victoria and Western Australia. Eligible coaches completed cross-sectional questionnaires pre (n=31) and post (n=28) season in 2007/08. Three coaches engaged in semi-structured, in-depth interviews, 12-18 months later. At preseason, 58% of coaches used injury prevention strategies with their team. Only 69% of them had a formal training plan for the entire season, and most did not explicitly incorporate SET programs, despite their views being favourable towards the latter. Coaches believed their players had a high chance of sustaining a LLI and that LLI could have serious consequences. They believed it was important to have current knowledge of SET programs, but many lacked the behavioural capability and self-efficacy to implement SET programs. They also reported that player attendance at training could also impact on SET program outcomes. Postseason findings were similar with generally positive SET outcome expectancies; many coaches reported they intended to modify SET program implementation in future seasons. Suggested improvements related to collaboration, feedback/reinforcement approaches, education and other sociocultural themes. Coaches reported divergent views about their self-efficacy in relation to SET program implementation but were motivated by what their players thought. Qualitative analysis of the in-depth interviews identified four main themes (and associated coach salient beliefs) that supported and extended quantitative findings. These included: (1) the development of coach behavioural capability/self-efficacy (including informal and formal learning sources), (2) biopsychosocial risk perceptions regarding players’ injury susceptibility, (3) facilitators and hindrances to adopting/maintaining SET, and (4) cues to action/planning. The promotion of SET programs to reduce the susceptibility of LLIs and ensure safe and sustainable participation in AF is important. This thesis has captured a complexity of factors that can be used to enhance and facilitate CAF coaches’ adoption and maintenance of SET, alongside wider-prevention efforts. Future research should continue to use a range of BSSTM and methodological approaches, and devise and evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive taxonomy of cognitive-behavioural strategies, to provide more insight into effective translation of SET programs into practice. Coaches and their players will be safer if such work continues.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: McGlashan, Angela
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Lower limb injuries (LLIs) are common in community-Australian football (CAF) and specialised exercise training (SET) programs can reduce their incidence. Despite the protection SET programs afford, the use of SET by coaches in CAF contexts, who play a key role in the preparation of players, is largely unknown. The overall purpose of this thesis research was to explore and describe: (1) the contextual and specific nature of CAF coaching practices, and, (2) the factors central to understanding whether or not coaches will make changes in their training practices in the future. Thereby, assisting to devise effective behaviour change and implementation strategies that maximise future integration (adoption and maintainence) of SET programs in CAF contexts to reduce the risk of LLIs for players. This mixed methods research was underpinned by a combination of behavioural and social science theories and models (BSSTM). Coaches’ were sampled from CAF clubs in Victoria and Western Australia. Eligible coaches completed cross-sectional questionnaires pre (n=31) and post (n=28) season in 2007/08. Three coaches engaged in semi-structured, in-depth interviews, 12-18 months later. At preseason, 58% of coaches used injury prevention strategies with their team. Only 69% of them had a formal training plan for the entire season, and most did not explicitly incorporate SET programs, despite their views being favourable towards the latter. Coaches believed their players had a high chance of sustaining a LLI and that LLI could have serious consequences. They believed it was important to have current knowledge of SET programs, but many lacked the behavioural capability and self-efficacy to implement SET programs. They also reported that player attendance at training could also impact on SET program outcomes. Postseason findings were similar with generally positive SET outcome expectancies; many coaches reported they intended to modify SET program implementation in future seasons. Suggested improvements related to collaboration, feedback/reinforcement approaches, education and other sociocultural themes. Coaches reported divergent views about their self-efficacy in relation to SET program implementation but were motivated by what their players thought. Qualitative analysis of the in-depth interviews identified four main themes (and associated coach salient beliefs) that supported and extended quantitative findings. These included: (1) the development of coach behavioural capability/self-efficacy (including informal and formal learning sources), (2) biopsychosocial risk perceptions regarding players’ injury susceptibility, (3) facilitators and hindrances to adopting/maintaining SET, and (4) cues to action/planning. The promotion of SET programs to reduce the susceptibility of LLIs and ensure safe and sustainable participation in AF is important. This thesis has captured a complexity of factors that can be used to enhance and facilitate CAF coaches’ adoption and maintenance of SET, alongside wider-prevention efforts. Future research should continue to use a range of BSSTM and methodological approaches, and devise and evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive taxonomy of cognitive-behavioural strategies, to provide more insight into effective translation of SET programs into practice. Coaches and their players will be safer if such work continues.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing service quality and reliability in intelligent traffic system
- Authors: Chowdhury, Abdullahi
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS) can manage on-road traffic efficiently based on real-time traffic conditions, reduce delay at the intersections, and maintain the safety of the road users. However, emergency vehicles still struggle to meet their targeted response time, and an ITS is vulnerable to various types of attacks, including cyberattacks. To address these issues, in this dissertation, we introduce three techniques that enhance the service quality and reliability of an ITS. First, an innovative Emergency Vehicle Priority System (EVPS) is presented to assist an Emergency Vehicle (EV) in attending the incident place faster. Our proposed EVPS determines the proper priority codes of EV based on the type of incidents. After priority code generation, EVPS selects the number of traffic signals needed to be turned green considering the impact on other vehicles gathered in the relevant adjacent cells. Second, for improving reliability, an Intrusion Detection System for traffic signals is proposed for the first time, which leverages traffic and signal characteristics such as the flow rate, vehicle speed, and signal phase time. Shannon’s entropy is used to calculate the uncertainty associated with the likelihood of particular evidence and Dempster-Shafer (DS) decision theory is used to fuse the evidential information. Finally, to improve the reliability of a future ITS, we introduce a model that assesses the trust level of four major On-Board Units (OBU) of a self-driving car along with Global Positioning System (GPS) data and safety messages. Both subjective logic (DS theory) and CertainLogic are used to develop the theoretical underpinning for estimating the trust value of a self-driving car by fusing the trust value of four OBU components, GPS data and safety messages. For evaluation and validation purposes, a popular and widely used traffic simulation package, namely Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO), is used to develop the simulation platform using a real map of Melbourne CBD. The relevant historical real data taken from the VicRoads website were used to inject the traffic flow and density in the simulation model. We evaluated the performance of our proposed techniques considering different traffic and signal characteristics such as occupancy rate, flow rate, phase time, and vehicle speed under many realistic scenarios. The simulation result shows the potential efficacy of our proposed techniques for all selected scenarios.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Chowdhury, Abdullahi
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS) can manage on-road traffic efficiently based on real-time traffic conditions, reduce delay at the intersections, and maintain the safety of the road users. However, emergency vehicles still struggle to meet their targeted response time, and an ITS is vulnerable to various types of attacks, including cyberattacks. To address these issues, in this dissertation, we introduce three techniques that enhance the service quality and reliability of an ITS. First, an innovative Emergency Vehicle Priority System (EVPS) is presented to assist an Emergency Vehicle (EV) in attending the incident place faster. Our proposed EVPS determines the proper priority codes of EV based on the type of incidents. After priority code generation, EVPS selects the number of traffic signals needed to be turned green considering the impact on other vehicles gathered in the relevant adjacent cells. Second, for improving reliability, an Intrusion Detection System for traffic signals is proposed for the first time, which leverages traffic and signal characteristics such as the flow rate, vehicle speed, and signal phase time. Shannon’s entropy is used to calculate the uncertainty associated with the likelihood of particular evidence and Dempster-Shafer (DS) decision theory is used to fuse the evidential information. Finally, to improve the reliability of a future ITS, we introduce a model that assesses the trust level of four major On-Board Units (OBU) of a self-driving car along with Global Positioning System (GPS) data and safety messages. Both subjective logic (DS theory) and CertainLogic are used to develop the theoretical underpinning for estimating the trust value of a self-driving car by fusing the trust value of four OBU components, GPS data and safety messages. For evaluation and validation purposes, a popular and widely used traffic simulation package, namely Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO), is used to develop the simulation platform using a real map of Melbourne CBD. The relevant historical real data taken from the VicRoads website were used to inject the traffic flow and density in the simulation model. We evaluated the performance of our proposed techniques considering different traffic and signal characteristics such as occupancy rate, flow rate, phase time, and vehicle speed under many realistic scenarios. The simulation result shows the potential efficacy of our proposed techniques for all selected scenarios.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing the implementation of injury prevention exercise programs in professional soccer
- Authors: O’Brien, James
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Recently, injury prevention exercise programs (IPEPs) for soccer have received considerable attention and their efficacy has been demonstrated in large-scale trials. However, the ultimate impact of IPEPs will depend not only on their efficacy under controlled conditions, but also on the extent to which they are successfully implemented under real-world conditions. Despite increasing recognition of the challenges involved in successfully implementing IPEPs, there is a paucity of research addressing these challenges. The first aim of this thesis was to systematically review published IPEP trial reports, from an implementation perspective, in both soccer and other team ball sports. To achieve this, an established health-promotion framework, called the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, was employed. The subsequent phases of the thesis aimed to identify IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators in the specific context of professional soccer. Two cross-sectional surveys explored the perceptions of IPEP users in professional teams and a prospective observational study assessed IPEP use, over one playing season, in a professional youth soccer academy. Evaluation of the published literature against the RE-AIM framework revealed major gaps in the reporting of specific IPEP implementation aspects, particularly relating to program adoption and maintenance. In professional soccer teams, multiple IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators were identified. These factors related either to the content and nature of the IPEPs themselves (e.g. variation, progression and soccer-specificity), or the delivery and support of programs (e.g. communication and team work) at different levels of the professional soccer ecology. In summary, there are major gaps in the reporting of implementation aspects in team ball sport trials. To enhance the implementation of IPEPs in professional soccer settings, the content and delivery of programs require significant tailoring to the specific implementation context.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: O’Brien, James
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Recently, injury prevention exercise programs (IPEPs) for soccer have received considerable attention and their efficacy has been demonstrated in large-scale trials. However, the ultimate impact of IPEPs will depend not only on their efficacy under controlled conditions, but also on the extent to which they are successfully implemented under real-world conditions. Despite increasing recognition of the challenges involved in successfully implementing IPEPs, there is a paucity of research addressing these challenges. The first aim of this thesis was to systematically review published IPEP trial reports, from an implementation perspective, in both soccer and other team ball sports. To achieve this, an established health-promotion framework, called the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, was employed. The subsequent phases of the thesis aimed to identify IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators in the specific context of professional soccer. Two cross-sectional surveys explored the perceptions of IPEP users in professional teams and a prospective observational study assessed IPEP use, over one playing season, in a professional youth soccer academy. Evaluation of the published literature against the RE-AIM framework revealed major gaps in the reporting of specific IPEP implementation aspects, particularly relating to program adoption and maintenance. In professional soccer teams, multiple IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators were identified. These factors related either to the content and nature of the IPEPs themselves (e.g. variation, progression and soccer-specificity), or the delivery and support of programs (e.g. communication and team work) at different levels of the professional soccer ecology. In summary, there are major gaps in the reporting of implementation aspects in team ball sport trials. To enhance the implementation of IPEPs in professional soccer settings, the content and delivery of programs require significant tailoring to the specific implementation context.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Epidemiology, injury and illness prevention in Olympic combat sports
- Authors: Bromley, Sally
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background: Olympic combat sports are commonly considered dangerous, however injury rates for these sports are not well understood. Isolated studies in combat sports have investigated injury, however these are mainly during competition, and therefore are unlikely to include significant or persistent injury which prevents athletes competing and participating in data collection. This thesis was undertaken as a series of linked studies, to provide further detail into the types, mechanisms and aetiology of injuries in combat sports. Methods: Study 1 was a systematic review that utilised the PRISMA guidelines to investigate the current evidence. Study 2 was a repeated measures study to examine the reliability of training load measures. Study 3 employed a longitudinal study design to assess the feasibility of injury, illness and training load monitoring. Finally, Study 4 was a cross-sectional cohort study that gathered perspectives of combat sport coaches and managers before and after an injury and illness prevention workshop. Results: Study 1 found one high-quality epidemiological study with low risk of bias in Judo. Variation in injury and illness definitions prevented cross-sport comparisons, however the injury incidence was comparable to other sports. In Study 2, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was shown to have good stability across sessions (ICC=0.84), and no significant differences were found between coach (observed) and athlete (experienced) RPE (ordered logistic regression coefficient = 0.47 [1.51–0.57 95%CI]). Study 3 found that athlete engagement with the monitoring system was low, with only 13% of athletes entering data across a 12-week period. Irrespective of low engagement, 62 injuries and illnesses were recorded. In Study 4, combat sport coaches and managers were found to be generally well informed of the risk and seriousness of injury and illness, however, illness risk perceptions changed after the workshop (p=0.048). Discussion and Conclusion: Currently, cross-sport comparisons are not possible due to varying data methodology and study quality. Based upon the results presented in this thesis, RPE can be used as a tool to quantify training load in the sport of judo. Longitudinal surveillance of training load, injury and illness in combat sport is not currently feasible within the Australian system, due to low uptake and engagement. However, the collection of data on a large number of injuries and illnesses indicates that athletes are experiencing multiple, repeated health problems. Coaches and managers are well informed about injury and illness risk and seriousness, indicating that injury and illness prevention education alone may not translate to a decrease in injury and illness incidence in combat sport.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bromley, Sally
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background: Olympic combat sports are commonly considered dangerous, however injury rates for these sports are not well understood. Isolated studies in combat sports have investigated injury, however these are mainly during competition, and therefore are unlikely to include significant or persistent injury which prevents athletes competing and participating in data collection. This thesis was undertaken as a series of linked studies, to provide further detail into the types, mechanisms and aetiology of injuries in combat sports. Methods: Study 1 was a systematic review that utilised the PRISMA guidelines to investigate the current evidence. Study 2 was a repeated measures study to examine the reliability of training load measures. Study 3 employed a longitudinal study design to assess the feasibility of injury, illness and training load monitoring. Finally, Study 4 was a cross-sectional cohort study that gathered perspectives of combat sport coaches and managers before and after an injury and illness prevention workshop. Results: Study 1 found one high-quality epidemiological study with low risk of bias in Judo. Variation in injury and illness definitions prevented cross-sport comparisons, however the injury incidence was comparable to other sports. In Study 2, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was shown to have good stability across sessions (ICC=0.84), and no significant differences were found between coach (observed) and athlete (experienced) RPE (ordered logistic regression coefficient = 0.47 [1.51–0.57 95%CI]). Study 3 found that athlete engagement with the monitoring system was low, with only 13% of athletes entering data across a 12-week period. Irrespective of low engagement, 62 injuries and illnesses were recorded. In Study 4, combat sport coaches and managers were found to be generally well informed of the risk and seriousness of injury and illness, however, illness risk perceptions changed after the workshop (p=0.048). Discussion and Conclusion: Currently, cross-sport comparisons are not possible due to varying data methodology and study quality. Based upon the results presented in this thesis, RPE can be used as a tool to quantify training load in the sport of judo. Longitudinal surveillance of training load, injury and illness in combat sport is not currently feasible within the Australian system, due to low uptake and engagement. However, the collection of data on a large number of injuries and illnesses indicates that athletes are experiencing multiple, repeated health problems. Coaches and managers are well informed about injury and illness risk and seriousness, indicating that injury and illness prevention education alone may not translate to a decrease in injury and illness incidence in combat sport.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Epigenetic modifications in essential hypertension
- Authors: Wise, Ingrid
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background: Hypertension (HTN) is a complex, multifactorial, quantitative trait under polygenic control that affects more than one billion people globally. Despite advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of HTN and the implementation of more effective treatment and prevention strategies, HTN remains one of the world’s great public health problems. The accepted inference from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is that the genetic code lays the foundation for transcriptomic changes and in turn physiological change. On the other side of the coin, environmental factors (smoking, diet, chemical exposure) can in turn affect DNA itself in genes relevant to blood pressure (BP). Variation in epigenetic forms of modification may thus explain additional phenotypic variation in BP and provide new clues to the physiological processes influencing its regulation. DNA methylation is one of these epigenetic mechanisms responsible for changes to gene expression, activated by interaction with environmental triggers. DNA methylation is a reversible epigenetic modifier of specific dinucleotide sites called CpGs, which consists of a transfer of a methyl group derived from S-adenosyl-L-methionine to position five of a cytosine ring, forming 5mC. Pathophysiologically, the kidney is known as the key organ of BP regulation and one of the most important contributors to HTN. According to the hypothesis put forward by Guyton, over 40 years ago, the control of BP in the steady-state and longer-term is critically dependent on renal mechanisms. In fact, almost all monogenic forms of HTN are driven by rare mutations in genes involved in salt handling in the distal nephron. It is therefore crucial to understand kidney DNA methylation changes that may drive gene expression in kidney and lead to HTN. Hypothesis: The central hypothesis underpinning this PhD thesis is that alterations in kidney specific DNA methylation plays a fundamental role in modulating gene expression changes involved in the regulation of BP and pathophysiology of EH. Aims: This PhD thesis focuses on characterising the role of DNA methylation in the hypertensive kidney using array and RNA-sequencing methods. Three major aims are addressed: • Aim 1: To characterise blood and kidney global DNA methylation dynamics and its functional role in the hypertensive population (Chapter 3). • Aim 2: To determine the role of genome-wide, loci specific DNA methylation in the hypertensive human kidney (Chapter 4). • Aim 3: To understand the relationship between DNA methylation and differential expression of genes associated with BP and HTN in the human kidney (Chapter 5). Results: In Aim 1 global DNA methylation changes were characterised in peripheral blood leukocyte and kidney DNA of the hypertensive (HT) population using he ELISA method. We found no association between HTN diagnosis and global methylation percentage in either peripheral blood leukocytes or kidney DNA. However, a negative correlation was found between global methylation and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), yet this relationship was not evident after adjustment for the effect of antihypertensive medication. Furthermore, we investigated the sensitivity of ELISA-based global methylation detection by calculating the percentage of global methylation in kidney using array based methods; the results were similar, demonstrating no association between HTN diagnosis and median kidney methylation
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Wise, Ingrid
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background: Hypertension (HTN) is a complex, multifactorial, quantitative trait under polygenic control that affects more than one billion people globally. Despite advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of HTN and the implementation of more effective treatment and prevention strategies, HTN remains one of the world’s great public health problems. The accepted inference from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is that the genetic code lays the foundation for transcriptomic changes and in turn physiological change. On the other side of the coin, environmental factors (smoking, diet, chemical exposure) can in turn affect DNA itself in genes relevant to blood pressure (BP). Variation in epigenetic forms of modification may thus explain additional phenotypic variation in BP and provide new clues to the physiological processes influencing its regulation. DNA methylation is one of these epigenetic mechanisms responsible for changes to gene expression, activated by interaction with environmental triggers. DNA methylation is a reversible epigenetic modifier of specific dinucleotide sites called CpGs, which consists of a transfer of a methyl group derived from S-adenosyl-L-methionine to position five of a cytosine ring, forming 5mC. Pathophysiologically, the kidney is known as the key organ of BP regulation and one of the most important contributors to HTN. According to the hypothesis put forward by Guyton, over 40 years ago, the control of BP in the steady-state and longer-term is critically dependent on renal mechanisms. In fact, almost all monogenic forms of HTN are driven by rare mutations in genes involved in salt handling in the distal nephron. It is therefore crucial to understand kidney DNA methylation changes that may drive gene expression in kidney and lead to HTN. Hypothesis: The central hypothesis underpinning this PhD thesis is that alterations in kidney specific DNA methylation plays a fundamental role in modulating gene expression changes involved in the regulation of BP and pathophysiology of EH. Aims: This PhD thesis focuses on characterising the role of DNA methylation in the hypertensive kidney using array and RNA-sequencing methods. Three major aims are addressed: • Aim 1: To characterise blood and kidney global DNA methylation dynamics and its functional role in the hypertensive population (Chapter 3). • Aim 2: To determine the role of genome-wide, loci specific DNA methylation in the hypertensive human kidney (Chapter 4). • Aim 3: To understand the relationship between DNA methylation and differential expression of genes associated with BP and HTN in the human kidney (Chapter 5). Results: In Aim 1 global DNA methylation changes were characterised in peripheral blood leukocyte and kidney DNA of the hypertensive (HT) population using he ELISA method. We found no association between HTN diagnosis and global methylation percentage in either peripheral blood leukocytes or kidney DNA. However, a negative correlation was found between global methylation and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), yet this relationship was not evident after adjustment for the effect of antihypertensive medication. Furthermore, we investigated the sensitivity of ELISA-based global methylation detection by calculating the percentage of global methylation in kidney using array based methods; the results were similar, demonstrating no association between HTN diagnosis and median kidney methylation
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Ergonomics interventions as investments in occupational health and safety : A selected series of case studies within the Australian postal corporation
- Authors: Nelson, David
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines and reports upon the application of ergonomics interventions to OHS-based industrial problems. The study focuses on the values of these interventions as investment opportunieties for management. A wide review of the scientific and commercial literature, personal information, observation techniques, and a selected series of seven case studies and eleven separate data-sets within the Australian Postal Corporation have been undertaken.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Nelson, David
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines and reports upon the application of ergonomics interventions to OHS-based industrial problems. The study focuses on the values of these interventions as investment opportunieties for management. A wide review of the scientific and commercial literature, personal information, observation techniques, and a selected series of seven case studies and eleven separate data-sets within the Australian Postal Corporation have been undertaken.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Ernabella Rules football : Australian Rules football at the Ernabella Mission, 1937-1974
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Estimation of population using satellite imagery
- Authors: Harvey, Jack
- Date: 1999
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The basic aims of this research were twofold; to extend and refine statistical image analysis methodologies for directly estimating small area populations and population densities from Landsat TM images and to validate procedures developed and to explore their robustness to geographical and seasonal differences within Australia, and hence to explore the potential of this methodology to provide a genuine operational alternative to existing methods of population estimation."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Harvey, Jack
- Date: 1999
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The basic aims of this research were twofold; to extend and refine statistical image analysis methodologies for directly estimating small area populations and population densities from Landsat TM images and to validate procedures developed and to explore their robustness to geographical and seasonal differences within Australia, and hence to explore the potential of this methodology to provide a genuine operational alternative to existing methods of population estimation."
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Evaluating explanations of artificial intelligence decisions : the explanation quality rubric and survey
- Authors: Young, Charlotte
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms is growing rapidly (Vilone & Longo, 2020). With this comes an increasing demand for reliable, robust explanations of AI decisions. There is a pressing need for a way to evaluate their quality. This thesis examines these research questions: What would a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations look like? How can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be created? Can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be used to improve explanations? Current Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) research lacks an accepted, widely employed method for evaluating AI explanations. This thesis offers a method for creating a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations. It uses this to create an evaluation methodology, the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey. The XQ Rubric and Survey are then employed to improve explanations of AI decisions. The thesis asks what constitutes a good explanation in the context of XAI. It provides: 1. a model of good explanation for use in XAI research 2. a method of gathering non-expert evaluations of XAI explanations 3. an evaluation scheme for non-experts to employ in assessing XAI explanations (XQ Rubric and XQ Survey). The thesis begins with a literature review, primarily an exploration of previous attempts to evaluate XAI explanations formally. This is followed by an account of the development and iterative refinement of a solution to the problem, the eXplanation Quality Rubric (XQ Rubric). A Design Science methodology was used to guide the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey development. The thesis limits itself to XAI explanations appropriate for non-experts. It proposes and tests an evaluation rubric and survey method that is both stable and robust: that is, readily usable and consistently reliable in a variety of XAI-explanation tasks.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Young, Charlotte
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms is growing rapidly (Vilone & Longo, 2020). With this comes an increasing demand for reliable, robust explanations of AI decisions. There is a pressing need for a way to evaluate their quality. This thesis examines these research questions: What would a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations look like? How can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be created? Can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be used to improve explanations? Current Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) research lacks an accepted, widely employed method for evaluating AI explanations. This thesis offers a method for creating a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations. It uses this to create an evaluation methodology, the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey. The XQ Rubric and Survey are then employed to improve explanations of AI decisions. The thesis asks what constitutes a good explanation in the context of XAI. It provides: 1. a model of good explanation for use in XAI research 2. a method of gathering non-expert evaluations of XAI explanations 3. an evaluation scheme for non-experts to employ in assessing XAI explanations (XQ Rubric and XQ Survey). The thesis begins with a literature review, primarily an exploration of previous attempts to evaluate XAI explanations formally. This is followed by an account of the development and iterative refinement of a solution to the problem, the eXplanation Quality Rubric (XQ Rubric). A Design Science methodology was used to guide the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey development. The thesis limits itself to XAI explanations appropriate for non-experts. It proposes and tests an evaluation rubric and survey method that is both stable and robust: that is, readily usable and consistently reliable in a variety of XAI-explanation tasks.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Evaluation of knowledge translation and workforce development through targeted exercise for falls prevention education programs for exercise physiologists
- Authors: Pascoe, Deborah
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There is a wealth of evidence supporting the positive effects of exercise for falls prevention. The problem that faces researchers, policy makers, accreditation bodies and higher education providers is how to best translate this information to allied health practitioners to ensure they are providing the best evidence-based practice to their clients. One in three community dwelling older people over the age of 65 years fall every year and this figure increases to one in two people over the age of 80 years. As a profession, exercise physiologists (EPs) are responsible for providing exercise for the prevention, maintenance and treatment of chronic disease and complex medical conditions, including prescribing exercise for falls prevention. The incidence of falls, chronic disease and complex medical conditions increases with age and as Australia moves towards an ever ageing population, the cost burden of health care for older people and falls is exploding. Exercise physiology and exercise science professionals have an opportunity to become champions of exercise for falls prevention and assist in ameliorating the ever increasing burden of falls in Australia. By targeting the exercise physiology profession and providing methods to translate the research evidence, there is great potential to build workforce capacity to deliver falls prevention exercise programs. But how best to target the profession of exercise physiology? Advances can be made by targeting undergraduate and post-graduate university programs or as part of mandated professional continuing education programs which focuses on both the future and current exercise physiology workforce respectively. A scoping study conducted across two States in Australia (New South Wales and Victoria) established that at the time, the current level of knowledge of undergraduate human movement and exercise and sports science students and post graduate exercise rehabilitation/exercise physiology students, was inadequate with regard to falls risk and exercise prescription for fall prevention in older people. These results highlighted the need for the development and widespread implementation of an evidence-based “exercise for falls prevention” curriculum for future exercise professionals. The UniFPEP curriculum was developed to provide evidence-based teaching and learning resource materials to enhance learning beyond current levels by translating the latest research evidence regarding falls risk and exercises for falls prevention to produce a discipline leading curriculum. The curriculum was designed to enhance exercise science and exercise rehabilitation students’ learning outcomes through the provision of online lectures and learning materials to supplement and strengthen the delivery of face-to-face lectures, practical classes and self-directed learning tasks. The UniFPEP curriculum was implemented at the University of Ballarat and following completion students’ knowledge outcomes and self-reported confidence to prescribe exercise for older people and for falls prevention were significantly increased. The results indicated that a significant change in knowledge and confidence can be achieved during a 2-3 week educational period during a normal university semester. More importantly, these changes were retained 13 weeks after completion of the UniFPEP curriculum. Following evaluation of the UniFPEP the curriculum was reviewed and prepared as a workforce continuing education program (CEP) (Fit+Fall=Free). This was implemented and evaluated as a clustered controlled trial to compare two different delivery modes: face-to-face and online, to a control group of exercise physiology professionals. The Fit+Fall=Free CEP showed significant improvements in the knowledge and confidence of EPs in prescribing exercise for older people and exercise prescription for falls prevention for both the face-to-face (F2F) and Online delivery modes. The F2F delivery of the Fit+Fall=Free CEP provided the greatest long-term impact with the increases being maintained at a significant level six months post workshop.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Pascoe, Deborah
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There is a wealth of evidence supporting the positive effects of exercise for falls prevention. The problem that faces researchers, policy makers, accreditation bodies and higher education providers is how to best translate this information to allied health practitioners to ensure they are providing the best evidence-based practice to their clients. One in three community dwelling older people over the age of 65 years fall every year and this figure increases to one in two people over the age of 80 years. As a profession, exercise physiologists (EPs) are responsible for providing exercise for the prevention, maintenance and treatment of chronic disease and complex medical conditions, including prescribing exercise for falls prevention. The incidence of falls, chronic disease and complex medical conditions increases with age and as Australia moves towards an ever ageing population, the cost burden of health care for older people and falls is exploding. Exercise physiology and exercise science professionals have an opportunity to become champions of exercise for falls prevention and assist in ameliorating the ever increasing burden of falls in Australia. By targeting the exercise physiology profession and providing methods to translate the research evidence, there is great potential to build workforce capacity to deliver falls prevention exercise programs. But how best to target the profession of exercise physiology? Advances can be made by targeting undergraduate and post-graduate university programs or as part of mandated professional continuing education programs which focuses on both the future and current exercise physiology workforce respectively. A scoping study conducted across two States in Australia (New South Wales and Victoria) established that at the time, the current level of knowledge of undergraduate human movement and exercise and sports science students and post graduate exercise rehabilitation/exercise physiology students, was inadequate with regard to falls risk and exercise prescription for fall prevention in older people. These results highlighted the need for the development and widespread implementation of an evidence-based “exercise for falls prevention” curriculum for future exercise professionals. The UniFPEP curriculum was developed to provide evidence-based teaching and learning resource materials to enhance learning beyond current levels by translating the latest research evidence regarding falls risk and exercises for falls prevention to produce a discipline leading curriculum. The curriculum was designed to enhance exercise science and exercise rehabilitation students’ learning outcomes through the provision of online lectures and learning materials to supplement and strengthen the delivery of face-to-face lectures, practical classes and self-directed learning tasks. The UniFPEP curriculum was implemented at the University of Ballarat and following completion students’ knowledge outcomes and self-reported confidence to prescribe exercise for older people and for falls prevention were significantly increased. The results indicated that a significant change in knowledge and confidence can be achieved during a 2-3 week educational period during a normal university semester. More importantly, these changes were retained 13 weeks after completion of the UniFPEP curriculum. Following evaluation of the UniFPEP the curriculum was reviewed and prepared as a workforce continuing education program (CEP) (Fit+Fall=Free). This was implemented and evaluated as a clustered controlled trial to compare two different delivery modes: face-to-face and online, to a control group of exercise physiology professionals. The Fit+Fall=Free CEP showed significant improvements in the knowledge and confidence of EPs in prescribing exercise for older people and exercise prescription for falls prevention for both the face-to-face (F2F) and Online delivery modes. The F2F delivery of the Fit+Fall=Free CEP provided the greatest long-term impact with the increases being maintained at a significant level six months post workshop.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Every crypto breath in the world : the current global position of the cryptocurrency market and future prediction
- Authors: Jayawardhana, Asanga
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study was motivated by the breakthrough of cryptocurrencies in 2018. The other main reasons behind the motivation are the total market capitalisation of one trillion-dollar diversification possibilities and the lack of preceding scientific research to identify the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies from many angles. Four empirical studies were conducted to provide a holistic view of cryptocurrency as an investment tool. The first study investigated the portfolio diversification possibilities between cryptocurrencies and traditional financial markets. A quantitative method was employed with Cointegration, ARDL bound testing approach, causality, and co-movement testing. Applying Modern portfolio theory to identify the diversification possibilities between the aforementioned markets enabled the study to highlight how investors can reap the benefits of cryptocurrencies. The second study extended the investigation of the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrency by including precious metals and cryptocurrencies in the same investment basket. Investors switch from traditional investment assets, such as equity and debt market instruments, to precious metal markets to reap benefits. Therefore, this study investigates how cryptocurrency can be an alternative source of investment to include in an investment portfolio. The daily precious metal and cryptocurrency data from 2017 to 2022 was utilised through an ARDL framework to obtain the Cointegration between cryptocurrency, precious metal and across cryptocurrencies. Modern portfolio theory is used to identify the diversification possibilities in this study with different portfolio diversification strategies. The third study clarified the cryptocurrency stakeholders to identify the global perception of cryptocurrency investments. A qualitative method was employed with sentiment analysis, followed by data extractions from the global databases using machine learning algorithms. The study identified the percentage of stakeholder groups' positive, negative, and neutral perceptions of cryptocurrency. The main obstacles hindering cryptocurrency investment growth are the fear of current scams, lack of definitional issues and the absence of a legal framework in some countries. The fourth study included the findings from the first, second and third studies to develop a cryptocurrency predictive model by factoring in macroeconomic variables. Panel data regression with fixed and dynamic effects was employed to analyse the data from 2017 to 2002. The findings suggest the impact of each macroeconomic variable selected in the study for the cryptocurrency price changes while adding more significance to technological variables. The overall findings provide strong support for the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies. Inclusions of the wide range of investment classes, exploring stakeholder perception and highlighting the macroeconomic variables' influence on the cryptocurrency price prediction generate new insights and valuable comparisons about cryptocurrency markets for academia, crypto issuers, investors, government, policymakers, and fund managers to use as an investment and decision-support tools. Keywords: Cryptocurrency, ARDL, Financial Markets, Cointegration, Causality, Portfolio diversification, Precious Metals, Predictive model.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Jayawardhana, Asanga
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study was motivated by the breakthrough of cryptocurrencies in 2018. The other main reasons behind the motivation are the total market capitalisation of one trillion-dollar diversification possibilities and the lack of preceding scientific research to identify the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies from many angles. Four empirical studies were conducted to provide a holistic view of cryptocurrency as an investment tool. The first study investigated the portfolio diversification possibilities between cryptocurrencies and traditional financial markets. A quantitative method was employed with Cointegration, ARDL bound testing approach, causality, and co-movement testing. Applying Modern portfolio theory to identify the diversification possibilities between the aforementioned markets enabled the study to highlight how investors can reap the benefits of cryptocurrencies. The second study extended the investigation of the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrency by including precious metals and cryptocurrencies in the same investment basket. Investors switch from traditional investment assets, such as equity and debt market instruments, to precious metal markets to reap benefits. Therefore, this study investigates how cryptocurrency can be an alternative source of investment to include in an investment portfolio. The daily precious metal and cryptocurrency data from 2017 to 2022 was utilised through an ARDL framework to obtain the Cointegration between cryptocurrency, precious metal and across cryptocurrencies. Modern portfolio theory is used to identify the diversification possibilities in this study with different portfolio diversification strategies. The third study clarified the cryptocurrency stakeholders to identify the global perception of cryptocurrency investments. A qualitative method was employed with sentiment analysis, followed by data extractions from the global databases using machine learning algorithms. The study identified the percentage of stakeholder groups' positive, negative, and neutral perceptions of cryptocurrency. The main obstacles hindering cryptocurrency investment growth are the fear of current scams, lack of definitional issues and the absence of a legal framework in some countries. The fourth study included the findings from the first, second and third studies to develop a cryptocurrency predictive model by factoring in macroeconomic variables. Panel data regression with fixed and dynamic effects was employed to analyse the data from 2017 to 2002. The findings suggest the impact of each macroeconomic variable selected in the study for the cryptocurrency price changes while adding more significance to technological variables. The overall findings provide strong support for the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies. Inclusions of the wide range of investment classes, exploring stakeholder perception and highlighting the macroeconomic variables' influence on the cryptocurrency price prediction generate new insights and valuable comparisons about cryptocurrency markets for academia, crypto issuers, investors, government, policymakers, and fund managers to use as an investment and decision-support tools. Keywords: Cryptocurrency, ARDL, Financial Markets, Cointegration, Causality, Portfolio diversification, Precious Metals, Predictive model.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Evoking the sacred : the artist as shaman
- Authors: Whitehand, Dawn
- Date: 2009
- Type: Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines, via a feminist theoretical framework, the systems in existence that permit the ongoing exploitation of the environment; and the appropriateness of ceramics as a medium to reinvigorate dormant insights. I argue that the organic nuances expressed through clay; the earthy, phenomenological and historic ritual connotations of clay; and the tactile textured surfaces and undulating form, allows ceramics to conjure responses within the viewer that reinvigorates a sense of embedment in the Earth.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Whitehand, Dawn
- Date: 2009
- Type: Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines, via a feminist theoretical framework, the systems in existence that permit the ongoing exploitation of the environment; and the appropriateness of ceramics as a medium to reinvigorate dormant insights. I argue that the organic nuances expressed through clay; the earthy, phenomenological and historic ritual connotations of clay; and the tactile textured surfaces and undulating form, allows ceramics to conjure responses within the viewer that reinvigorates a sense of embedment in the Earth.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Examining factors that influence the relationship between personality and stress
- Authors: Duggan, Leanne
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Individual differences in the stress response have been linked with numerous factors, including personality traits and mindfulness. Selye (1950) was among the first to detail the physiological stress response that takes place during a stressful event, or after exposure to a stressor. These responses include heart rate changes and the secretion of cortisol into the blood stream, which are key physiological indicators that a stress response is taking place. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) examined appraisal of stressful events, determining that this is crucial to the stress experience. An extension of Lazarus and Folkman’s cognitive appraisal theory was offered by Vollrath (2001), suggesting an individual’s personality accentuates our stress response, therefore, offering an explanation for the individual differences evident in stress responses. The relationship between personality and stress is not straight forward, and other factors, such as affect and mindfulness, may influence this relationship. Thus, this dissertation is divided into three studies. Study 1 examined the moderating and mediating factors of affect on the relationship between personality traits and perceived stress. A total of 290 adults (71% female; Mage = 35.0 years, SD = 12.92) completed an online questionnaire package, comprising of the Perceived Stress Scale, Big Five Inventory, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and a number of demographic questions. A hierarchical regression showed that 56% of the variance in perceived stress was explained by personality and affect, and when all personality traits were viewed concurrently and with affect, neuroticism was the only one to significantly explain variance in perceived stress. No moderation effects were found in Study 1 however, positive affect partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism and perceived stress. Study 2 aimed to further the findings of Study 1 by investigating whether trait mindfulness impacted the relationship between personality and stress. A total of 266 adults (70% female; Mage = 34.0 years, SD = 12.68) completed an online questionnaire package, consisting of the Perceived Stress Scale, Big Five Inventory, and Carolina Empirically Derived Mindfulness Scale. A hierarchical regression showed that 58% of the variance in perceived stress was explained by personality and trait mindfulness. When all personality traits and trait mindfulness were viewed together, neuroticism and agreeableness were the only personality traits to significantly explain variance in perceived stress. The sub-scale trait mindfulness attention significantly moderated the relationship between agreeableness and perceived stress, while a partial mediation was found between neuroticism and the sub-scale trait mindfulness acceptance. Study 3 investigated the effectiveness of a brief state-based mindfulness intervention on physiological (cortisol and heart rate) and psychological stress responses, in a participant matched design. A total of 20 participants (60% female; Mage = 34.60 years, SD = 14.68) were recruited from Studies 1 and/or 2 and matched based on gender, dominant personality trait (found in Study 1 and 2), and perceived stress. One participant in each matched pair was then randomly allocated to the mindfulness experimental, or control, group. The mindfulness experimental group completed a 10-minute breathing exercise, prior to completing the Trier Social Stress Test, a verbal presentation and arithmetic task, designed to induce stress. The control group did not complete any activity prior to the stress test. Comparison of the groups indicated that no significant differences in perceived stress were evident pre-post- intervention. Changes in heart rate were noted for all participants during the intervention, though no difference was evident between groups. The results of Study 3 indicate a mindfulness breathing exercise makes little difference to physiological stress responses during a stress task. The combined findings of this dissertation indicate that personality traits can influence the likelihood of an individual experiencing stress. Mindfulness and affect also impact on the relationship between personality and stress and offer some insight into the individual experience of stress responses.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Duggan, Leanne
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Individual differences in the stress response have been linked with numerous factors, including personality traits and mindfulness. Selye (1950) was among the first to detail the physiological stress response that takes place during a stressful event, or after exposure to a stressor. These responses include heart rate changes and the secretion of cortisol into the blood stream, which are key physiological indicators that a stress response is taking place. Lazarus and Folkman (1984) examined appraisal of stressful events, determining that this is crucial to the stress experience. An extension of Lazarus and Folkman’s cognitive appraisal theory was offered by Vollrath (2001), suggesting an individual’s personality accentuates our stress response, therefore, offering an explanation for the individual differences evident in stress responses. The relationship between personality and stress is not straight forward, and other factors, such as affect and mindfulness, may influence this relationship. Thus, this dissertation is divided into three studies. Study 1 examined the moderating and mediating factors of affect on the relationship between personality traits and perceived stress. A total of 290 adults (71% female; Mage = 35.0 years, SD = 12.92) completed an online questionnaire package, comprising of the Perceived Stress Scale, Big Five Inventory, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and a number of demographic questions. A hierarchical regression showed that 56% of the variance in perceived stress was explained by personality and affect, and when all personality traits were viewed concurrently and with affect, neuroticism was the only one to significantly explain variance in perceived stress. No moderation effects were found in Study 1 however, positive affect partially mediated the relationship between neuroticism and perceived stress. Study 2 aimed to further the findings of Study 1 by investigating whether trait mindfulness impacted the relationship between personality and stress. A total of 266 adults (70% female; Mage = 34.0 years, SD = 12.68) completed an online questionnaire package, consisting of the Perceived Stress Scale, Big Five Inventory, and Carolina Empirically Derived Mindfulness Scale. A hierarchical regression showed that 58% of the variance in perceived stress was explained by personality and trait mindfulness. When all personality traits and trait mindfulness were viewed together, neuroticism and agreeableness were the only personality traits to significantly explain variance in perceived stress. The sub-scale trait mindfulness attention significantly moderated the relationship between agreeableness and perceived stress, while a partial mediation was found between neuroticism and the sub-scale trait mindfulness acceptance. Study 3 investigated the effectiveness of a brief state-based mindfulness intervention on physiological (cortisol and heart rate) and psychological stress responses, in a participant matched design. A total of 20 participants (60% female; Mage = 34.60 years, SD = 14.68) were recruited from Studies 1 and/or 2 and matched based on gender, dominant personality trait (found in Study 1 and 2), and perceived stress. One participant in each matched pair was then randomly allocated to the mindfulness experimental, or control, group. The mindfulness experimental group completed a 10-minute breathing exercise, prior to completing the Trier Social Stress Test, a verbal presentation and arithmetic task, designed to induce stress. The control group did not complete any activity prior to the stress test. Comparison of the groups indicated that no significant differences in perceived stress were evident pre-post- intervention. Changes in heart rate were noted for all participants during the intervention, though no difference was evident between groups. The results of Study 3 indicate a mindfulness breathing exercise makes little difference to physiological stress responses during a stress task. The combined findings of this dissertation indicate that personality traits can influence the likelihood of an individual experiencing stress. Mindfulness and affect also impact on the relationship between personality and stress and offer some insight into the individual experience of stress responses.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Examining the assessment and development of a fundamental motor skill and the efficacy of peer teaching instructional approaches
- Authors: Beseler, Bradley
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The overall purpose of this dissertation was to examine the process of assessing and developing the Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) of overarm throwing. This dissertation involved two foci: qualitative assessment of FMS and the efficacy of peer teaching approaches. The first focus was to contribute to qualitative assessment of FMS research by examining an assessment system commonly used to assess overarm throwing development. The second focus was to examine the efficacy of peer teaching instructional approaches on improving overarm throwing performance of pre-service physical education (PE) teachers to determine whether these approaches could facilitate pre-service PE teachers to efficiently develop FMS proficiency. PE teachers who can proficiently perform FMS are better equipped to teach these skills; their demonstrations provide the learners a “blueprint” of the skill they are trying to acquire. The research includes four separate studies. The first two studies examined Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984), a qualitative assessment system used extensively for over four decades to research overarm throwing development, primarily examining the technique of children and older throwers. Study 1 attempted to validate one of the backswing sequences (Haywood et al., 1991) to authenticate it for assessing the backswing component of university-aged throwers. The findings provided preliminary support that the Haywood et al. backswing sequence, previously only validated for assessing the backswing technique of older throwers, was suitable for assessing the backswing of the university-aged throwers. Study 2 examined the impact of the follow-through on throwing velocity. Findings showed the follow-through had the second largest impact on throwing velocity of all the six components, providing preliminary support for the inclusion of the follow-through component to the existing five components of Roberton’s (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) levels, making this system more accurate and comprehensive. Study 3 and 4 both utilised a quasi-experimenal between-subjects pre-test, intervention, post-test, and retention test designs. The participants were allocated to one of three experimental groups: a Video Analysis Group (VAG), a Verbal Group (VG), and a Control Group (CG). During the interventions the VAG and VG worked in pairs in a Reciprocal style of peer teaching (Mosston & Ashworth, 2002). The VAG and VG interventions were identical except the VAG had access to video analysis technology and the CG completed unrelated course work. Study 3, a single session intervention, and Study 4, a three-session intervention, attempted to ascertain whether video analysis affects throwing technique of participants working in reciprocal peer teaching settings. The findings indicated the impact of video analysis may be dependent on the number of intervention sessions. In Study 3, video analysis in a single session intervention appeared to accelerate the participants throwing improvement. Study 4 revealed video analysis was not vital over the course of the three sessions. The VAG and VG achieved similar throwing improvements that were superior to the CG who did not experience the peer teaching intervention. The findings from this dissertation have identified scope for the Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) to be refined and the two peer teaching instructional approaches examined have been shown to be effective when trying to develop overarm throwing. Furthermore, these findings can inform Physical Education Teacher Education Programs, potentially preparing graduate PE teachers more effectively to develop their students’ FMS, which may increase the involvement of children and adolescents in sport and physical activity because they will have the necessary skills to successfully engage in these activities.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Beseler, Bradley
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The overall purpose of this dissertation was to examine the process of assessing and developing the Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) of overarm throwing. This dissertation involved two foci: qualitative assessment of FMS and the efficacy of peer teaching approaches. The first focus was to contribute to qualitative assessment of FMS research by examining an assessment system commonly used to assess overarm throwing development. The second focus was to examine the efficacy of peer teaching instructional approaches on improving overarm throwing performance of pre-service physical education (PE) teachers to determine whether these approaches could facilitate pre-service PE teachers to efficiently develop FMS proficiency. PE teachers who can proficiently perform FMS are better equipped to teach these skills; their demonstrations provide the learners a “blueprint” of the skill they are trying to acquire. The research includes four separate studies. The first two studies examined Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984), a qualitative assessment system used extensively for over four decades to research overarm throwing development, primarily examining the technique of children and older throwers. Study 1 attempted to validate one of the backswing sequences (Haywood et al., 1991) to authenticate it for assessing the backswing component of university-aged throwers. The findings provided preliminary support that the Haywood et al. backswing sequence, previously only validated for assessing the backswing technique of older throwers, was suitable for assessing the backswing of the university-aged throwers. Study 2 examined the impact of the follow-through on throwing velocity. Findings showed the follow-through had the second largest impact on throwing velocity of all the six components, providing preliminary support for the inclusion of the follow-through component to the existing five components of Roberton’s (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) levels, making this system more accurate and comprehensive. Study 3 and 4 both utilised a quasi-experimenal between-subjects pre-test, intervention, post-test, and retention test designs. The participants were allocated to one of three experimental groups: a Video Analysis Group (VAG), a Verbal Group (VG), and a Control Group (CG). During the interventions the VAG and VG worked in pairs in a Reciprocal style of peer teaching (Mosston & Ashworth, 2002). The VAG and VG interventions were identical except the VAG had access to video analysis technology and the CG completed unrelated course work. Study 3, a single session intervention, and Study 4, a three-session intervention, attempted to ascertain whether video analysis affects throwing technique of participants working in reciprocal peer teaching settings. The findings indicated the impact of video analysis may be dependent on the number of intervention sessions. In Study 3, video analysis in a single session intervention appeared to accelerate the participants throwing improvement. Study 4 revealed video analysis was not vital over the course of the three sessions. The VAG and VG achieved similar throwing improvements that were superior to the CG who did not experience the peer teaching intervention. The findings from this dissertation have identified scope for the Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) to be refined and the two peer teaching instructional approaches examined have been shown to be effective when trying to develop overarm throwing. Furthermore, these findings can inform Physical Education Teacher Education Programs, potentially preparing graduate PE teachers more effectively to develop their students’ FMS, which may increase the involvement of children and adolescents in sport and physical activity because they will have the necessary skills to successfully engage in these activities.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Exotic fish impacts on lake community structure and function in Western Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Khan, Tariq
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The researcher investigated a number of closed catchment lakes in western Victoria that have been stocked with exotic fish. Exotic-native fish interactions were studied and the potential of the exotic species to affect the lake ecosystem structure was explored.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Khan, Tariq
- Date: 2002
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The researcher investigated a number of closed catchment lakes in western Victoria that have been stocked with exotic fish. Exotic-native fish interactions were studied and the potential of the exotic species to affect the lake ecosystem structure was explored.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Exploring interprofessional clinical placements to understand perceptions and outcomes for pre-registration healthcare students
- Authors: Hood, Kerry
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background There is an ongoing need for preregistration healthcare students to acquire skills that equip them to collaborate with others for patient-centred care and outcomes. Traditional models of university learning and clinical placement seldom offer students the opportunities to experience interprofessional learning or to ‘test the waters’ of collaborative practice. Aims A range of interprofessional learning opportunities were offered to preregistration healthcare students while on clinical placement in a large metropolitan health service. This research evaluated interprofessional learning opportunities for preregistration healthcare students as preparation for collaborative practice. It also explored the perceived value for student learning of these activities and examined the challenges and opportunities accompanying the design and implementation of the student-led beds model. Methods A mixed methods approach was undertaken. In particular, there was a focus on the experiences of students in an immersive two-week interprofessional placement in which interprofessional student teams worked together to lead the care of inpatients in a variety of clinical settings. This experience enabled students to experience authentic collaborative practice in a real clinical setting. The Theory of Planned Behaviour was used to retrospectively evaluate the findings presented in the published papers. Outcomes This research reflects a journey of student experience of clinical interprofessional learning (IPL), from understanding attitudes to IPL to perceptions of clinical workshops and culminating in the experience of an immersive clinical placement. Outcomes included positive learning experiences and a sense of clarity of professional and interprofessional identity. The model of placement was informed by the international literature, most notably the ‘student-led bed’ model pioneered at Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Despite solid evidence of the usefulness and efficacy of this model, it is yet to be embedded in clinical environments across the world. This research demonstrated that the model can be successfully implemented in a metropolitan health service and may contribute to real behavioural change of our future health professionals
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hood, Kerry
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background There is an ongoing need for preregistration healthcare students to acquire skills that equip them to collaborate with others for patient-centred care and outcomes. Traditional models of university learning and clinical placement seldom offer students the opportunities to experience interprofessional learning or to ‘test the waters’ of collaborative practice. Aims A range of interprofessional learning opportunities were offered to preregistration healthcare students while on clinical placement in a large metropolitan health service. This research evaluated interprofessional learning opportunities for preregistration healthcare students as preparation for collaborative practice. It also explored the perceived value for student learning of these activities and examined the challenges and opportunities accompanying the design and implementation of the student-led beds model. Methods A mixed methods approach was undertaken. In particular, there was a focus on the experiences of students in an immersive two-week interprofessional placement in which interprofessional student teams worked together to lead the care of inpatients in a variety of clinical settings. This experience enabled students to experience authentic collaborative practice in a real clinical setting. The Theory of Planned Behaviour was used to retrospectively evaluate the findings presented in the published papers. Outcomes This research reflects a journey of student experience of clinical interprofessional learning (IPL), from understanding attitudes to IPL to perceptions of clinical workshops and culminating in the experience of an immersive clinical placement. Outcomes included positive learning experiences and a sense of clarity of professional and interprofessional identity. The model of placement was informed by the international literature, most notably the ‘student-led bed’ model pioneered at Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Despite solid evidence of the usefulness and efficacy of this model, it is yet to be embedded in clinical environments across the world. This research demonstrated that the model can be successfully implemented in a metropolitan health service and may contribute to real behavioural change of our future health professionals
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Pillay, Manikam
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study investigated whether safe work method statements (SWMS) enhance or hinder resilience engineering (RE) as a health and safety management strategy in the Victorian construction industry. It is an important study because SWMS have been legislated by the federal and state governments as a fundamental risk control strategy for high-risk construction work; yet there is little empirical evidence to support this policy decision. Research on safety rules and procedures (to which SWMS can be associated) suggests they are not followed to the letter but adapted to suit context, and this adaptation is an important aspect of RE, a recent innovation in health and safety management.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Exploring risk-awareness as a cultural approach to safety : An ethnographic study of a contract maintenance environment
- Authors: Borys, David
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Safety culture has risen to prominence over the past two decades as a means by which organisations may enhance their safety performance. Safety culture may be conceptualised as an interpretive device that mediates between organisational safety rhetoric and safety programs on the one hand, and local workplace cultures on the other. More recently, risk-awareness has emerged as a cultural approach to safety. Front line workers are encouraged to become risk-aware through programs designed to prompt them to undertake mental or informal risk assessments before commencing work. The problem is that risk-awareness programs have not been the subject of systematic research and the impact of these programs on the culture of safety and the resultant level of risk is unknown. Therefore, this ethnographic study of two sites within a large contract maintenance organisation in Australia explored what impact risk-awareness programs have upon the culture of safety and the resultant level of risk. The researcher spent two months in the field and data was collected through participant observation, semistructured interviews and through a review of organisational documents. This study found that managers focused upon collecting the paperwork associated with the program as proof that workers had a safer workplace, whereas workers preferred to rely upon their common sense rather than the paperwork to keep them safe. As a consequence, the riskawareness program resulted in a culture of paperwork and varying levels of risk reduction because the paperwork associated with the program created an illusion of safety for managers as much as common sense did for workers. The results of this study have implications for safety culture, risk-awareness programs and for organisational learning. They also have implications for organisations wishing to improve their safety culture by encouraging risk-awareness in front-line workers.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Borys, David
- Date: 2007
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Safety culture has risen to prominence over the past two decades as a means by which organisations may enhance their safety performance. Safety culture may be conceptualised as an interpretive device that mediates between organisational safety rhetoric and safety programs on the one hand, and local workplace cultures on the other. More recently, risk-awareness has emerged as a cultural approach to safety. Front line workers are encouraged to become risk-aware through programs designed to prompt them to undertake mental or informal risk assessments before commencing work. The problem is that risk-awareness programs have not been the subject of systematic research and the impact of these programs on the culture of safety and the resultant level of risk is unknown. Therefore, this ethnographic study of two sites within a large contract maintenance organisation in Australia explored what impact risk-awareness programs have upon the culture of safety and the resultant level of risk. The researcher spent two months in the field and data was collected through participant observation, semistructured interviews and through a review of organisational documents. This study found that managers focused upon collecting the paperwork associated with the program as proof that workers had a safer workplace, whereas workers preferred to rely upon their common sense rather than the paperwork to keep them safe. As a consequence, the riskawareness program resulted in a culture of paperwork and varying levels of risk reduction because the paperwork associated with the program created an illusion of safety for managers as much as common sense did for workers. The results of this study have implications for safety culture, risk-awareness programs and for organisational learning. They also have implications for organisations wishing to improve their safety culture by encouraging risk-awareness in front-line workers.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Exploring the development of thinking in senior secondary mathematics : a focus on probability
- Authors: Ernst, Heather
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Higher order thinking skills have been identified as desirable although elusive outcomes of many educational curricula. Through a qualitative case study, the alignment between the three levels of the curriculum: intended, implemented, and attained, was examined to determine the tensions and possibilities in the development of mathematical and thinking skills in senior secondary students in Gippsland, a large regional area of Victoria, Australia. Probability was the mathematical content area of focus. Data from document analysis of the intended curriculum, textbooks as the implemented curriculum, and assessments as the attained curriculum, was combined with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with twenty students and fourteen senior secondary mathematics teachers. These diverse data sources scaffolded each other to identify tensions and possibilities influencing development of student thinking in senior secondary mathematics. This research demonstrated that the flow of content via the intended-implemented-attained curriculum was not adequate to describe all the influences on student learning. The lens of Activity Theory (Engeström, 2001) came closer to capturing the related complexities whereby the textbooks, calculators, bound reference books and assessments, combined with the balance of agency demonstrated by the teachers and students, were found to both support and cause tensions within the activity system. Probability was found to be a valuable topic to study in relation to the development of thinking skills due to its relevance in decision making, how it linked many areas of mathematics and the uniqueness of the classic, experimental, and subjective views of probability. This study is significant in the contribution it makes to understanding the tensions and possibilities associated with the development of mathematical thinking relating to probability through the lens of Activity Theory. While the intended curriculum encouraged a range of thinking skills, this intended curriculum could be implemented in a way that promotes memorisation rather than the intended higher order thinking. This study concludes with recommendations for the curriculum designers, textbook publishers, teachers, and students which may support the development of mathematical and thinking skills.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Ernst, Heather
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Higher order thinking skills have been identified as desirable although elusive outcomes of many educational curricula. Through a qualitative case study, the alignment between the three levels of the curriculum: intended, implemented, and attained, was examined to determine the tensions and possibilities in the development of mathematical and thinking skills in senior secondary students in Gippsland, a large regional area of Victoria, Australia. Probability was the mathematical content area of focus. Data from document analysis of the intended curriculum, textbooks as the implemented curriculum, and assessments as the attained curriculum, was combined with qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with twenty students and fourteen senior secondary mathematics teachers. These diverse data sources scaffolded each other to identify tensions and possibilities influencing development of student thinking in senior secondary mathematics. This research demonstrated that the flow of content via the intended-implemented-attained curriculum was not adequate to describe all the influences on student learning. The lens of Activity Theory (Engeström, 2001) came closer to capturing the related complexities whereby the textbooks, calculators, bound reference books and assessments, combined with the balance of agency demonstrated by the teachers and students, were found to both support and cause tensions within the activity system. Probability was found to be a valuable topic to study in relation to the development of thinking skills due to its relevance in decision making, how it linked many areas of mathematics and the uniqueness of the classic, experimental, and subjective views of probability. This study is significant in the contribution it makes to understanding the tensions and possibilities associated with the development of mathematical thinking relating to probability through the lens of Activity Theory. While the intended curriculum encouraged a range of thinking skills, this intended curriculum could be implemented in a way that promotes memorisation rather than the intended higher order thinking. This study concludes with recommendations for the curriculum designers, textbook publishers, teachers, and students which may support the development of mathematical and thinking skills.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy