Measuring depression in deaf adults : Adaptation and validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) for Auslan users
- Authors: Lake, Shane
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: There is limited research into the prevalence of depression in the deaf population. Results are inconsistent and research has been hampered by the use of measures not specifically designed for individuals who are deaf. Deaf adults, who use Australian sign language (Auslan) to communicate, may not have the spoken and written language skills in English that are required to understand standard psychological measures. The aim of this research was to adapt and validate a measure of depression, the 9 item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), for deaf Auslan users. Following established guidelines, an Auslan version of the PHQ-9, that was conceptually equivalent to the original measure, was produced. A community sample of 34 deaf adults, who use Auslan to communicate, and 278 hearing adults, were recruited from the Australian population. Deaf participants completed an Auslan online survey that included the Auslan version of the PHQ-9 and a previously adapted measure, an Auslan version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21-Auslan). Hearing participants completed a written English version of the online survey. The Auslan version of the PHQ-9 demonstrated good internal reliability. Concurrent validity was established using the DASS-21-Auslan, with significant correlations found between the two measures. Principal components analysis identified a single factor structure for the Auslan PHQ-9. Differential item functioning was examined using a parametric technique (ordinal logistic regression) and a non-parametric kernel smoothing technique (TestGraf). No evidence of item bias was found. This research has provided promising results for an Auslan version of the PHQ-9 as a culturally appropriate measure for Auslan users. The Auslan PHQ-9 has the potential to provide mental health practitioners and researchers with a more accurate method of assessing and monitoring depression and depressive symptoms in deaf adults who are Auslan users.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Lake, Shane
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: There is limited research into the prevalence of depression in the deaf population. Results are inconsistent and research has been hampered by the use of measures not specifically designed for individuals who are deaf. Deaf adults, who use Australian sign language (Auslan) to communicate, may not have the spoken and written language skills in English that are required to understand standard psychological measures. The aim of this research was to adapt and validate a measure of depression, the 9 item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), for deaf Auslan users. Following established guidelines, an Auslan version of the PHQ-9, that was conceptually equivalent to the original measure, was produced. A community sample of 34 deaf adults, who use Auslan to communicate, and 278 hearing adults, were recruited from the Australian population. Deaf participants completed an Auslan online survey that included the Auslan version of the PHQ-9 and a previously adapted measure, an Auslan version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21-Auslan). Hearing participants completed a written English version of the online survey. The Auslan version of the PHQ-9 demonstrated good internal reliability. Concurrent validity was established using the DASS-21-Auslan, with significant correlations found between the two measures. Principal components analysis identified a single factor structure for the Auslan PHQ-9. Differential item functioning was examined using a parametric technique (ordinal logistic regression) and a non-parametric kernel smoothing technique (TestGraf). No evidence of item bias was found. This research has provided promising results for an Auslan version of the PHQ-9 as a culturally appropriate measure for Auslan users. The Auslan PHQ-9 has the potential to provide mental health practitioners and researchers with a more accurate method of assessing and monitoring depression and depressive symptoms in deaf adults who are Auslan users.
- Description: Masters by Research
Pandemic Influenza at Oodnadatta, 1919 : Aspects of treatment and care in a multiracial community
- Authors: Bullen, Heatheranne
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: On 24 January 1919, a thirty-two-year-old nurse from Sydney, Jean Williamson, disembarked at the railway station at Oodnadatta in the far north of South Australia to commence her new role as sister in charge of the Australian Inland Mission (AIM) hostel. On 18 April that year, Williamson greeted thirty-four-year-old minister from Melbourne, Coledge Harland, who had arrived by train to take up a three-year post as padre for the AIM’s central Australian parish. Just over a month later, an influenza pandemic that had already killed untold numbers of people worldwide reached the isolated township. Drawing on primary documents, including an extensive collection of previously unseen photographs, letter and diaries from Harland and Williamson, this thesis examines the management and care of pandemic influenza at Oodnadatta from May to late July 1919. Intercultural aspects of the management and care of European, Afghan, Chinese and Aboriginal patients are examined in the context of the health and lifestyle of local residents, nursing practices, medicines, foods, accommodation and the contribution of individuals, groups and their roles. This intimate microhistory sheds light on a relatively unknown, yet important group of people in Australia’s frontier history: the missioners and others who cared for seriously ill Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal patients at Oodnadatta, provided culturally sensitive care that afforded respect, dignity and compassion to all. At the time, the gravity of the world wide situation and the sheer need to provide care saw individual efforts go unnoticed; however, in hindsight, it is possible to see and appreciate the significance of what they achieved under the most difficult of circumstances.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Bullen, Heatheranne
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: On 24 January 1919, a thirty-two-year-old nurse from Sydney, Jean Williamson, disembarked at the railway station at Oodnadatta in the far north of South Australia to commence her new role as sister in charge of the Australian Inland Mission (AIM) hostel. On 18 April that year, Williamson greeted thirty-four-year-old minister from Melbourne, Coledge Harland, who had arrived by train to take up a three-year post as padre for the AIM’s central Australian parish. Just over a month later, an influenza pandemic that had already killed untold numbers of people worldwide reached the isolated township. Drawing on primary documents, including an extensive collection of previously unseen photographs, letter and diaries from Harland and Williamson, this thesis examines the management and care of pandemic influenza at Oodnadatta from May to late July 1919. Intercultural aspects of the management and care of European, Afghan, Chinese and Aboriginal patients are examined in the context of the health and lifestyle of local residents, nursing practices, medicines, foods, accommodation and the contribution of individuals, groups and their roles. This intimate microhistory sheds light on a relatively unknown, yet important group of people in Australia’s frontier history: the missioners and others who cared for seriously ill Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal patients at Oodnadatta, provided culturally sensitive care that afforded respect, dignity and compassion to all. At the time, the gravity of the world wide situation and the sheer need to provide care saw individual efforts go unnoticed; however, in hindsight, it is possible to see and appreciate the significance of what they achieved under the most difficult of circumstances.
- Description: Masters by Research
Susceptibility of rehabilitated mine batter surface to mass movement
- Authors: Allen, Tristan
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The goal of the research is to quantify coal properties that may affect the processes and controls governing rehabilitated brown coal mine surface mass movements. The research investigates weathering of coal and assesses the difference in strength characteristics between fresh and weathered coal. In addition to quantifying the mechanical properties of coal surfaces in a rehabilitated slope, permeability changes due to weathering of coal are also investigated. Changes in coal strength influence sliding resistance. Changes in coal permeability impact pore pressures above the coal surface, which may also affect sliding resistance on the coal – cover interface. To assess these issues, direct and residual shear tests were used to investigate the changes in shear strength due to weathering at low normal stresses applicable to shallow cover materials. Testing was undertaken with abrasive surfaces to simulate sliding on the contact coal surface beneath cover materials assuming that the cover material is stronger than the coal. The roughness of the abrasive surface proved to be unimportant for large strain shear strength. The shear strength for coal with different weathering and normal effective stresses was examined. Coal cohesion was found to be low, but some rebinding of coal would occur with time. A coal residual friction angle of 39.1 and 37.0 degrees was found for the unsaturated and saturated tested coal respectively. Permeability tests using oxygenated water were undertaken to investigate changes to brown coal permeability as a result of weathering. Even with low levels of oxidation achievable with the permeability test apparatus, coal permeability dropped over time. While the magnitude of the reduction was not large for low oxidation magnitudes, the impact on permeability was demonstrated. A weathering index was developed as part of the study to provide a quantitative basis for assessing the weathered state of coal samples. The index employed changes to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra to define the state of weathering. To assess the rate and magnitude of weathering of coal through oxidation an autoclave was used to artificially weather brown coal. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatography used to analyse the results. As for the permeability testing the autoclave experiments could not be run for sufficient time to progress to complete weathering by oxidation. Nevertheless the principles of the test and the equipment specifications were developed so that they could be used in future to complete the determination of weathering rates. The research has demonstrated the importance of understanding coal weathering at the upper boundary of a rehabilitated coal surface to the potential for cover mass movements due to sliding at the coal cover interface.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Allen, Tristan
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The goal of the research is to quantify coal properties that may affect the processes and controls governing rehabilitated brown coal mine surface mass movements. The research investigates weathering of coal and assesses the difference in strength characteristics between fresh and weathered coal. In addition to quantifying the mechanical properties of coal surfaces in a rehabilitated slope, permeability changes due to weathering of coal are also investigated. Changes in coal strength influence sliding resistance. Changes in coal permeability impact pore pressures above the coal surface, which may also affect sliding resistance on the coal – cover interface. To assess these issues, direct and residual shear tests were used to investigate the changes in shear strength due to weathering at low normal stresses applicable to shallow cover materials. Testing was undertaken with abrasive surfaces to simulate sliding on the contact coal surface beneath cover materials assuming that the cover material is stronger than the coal. The roughness of the abrasive surface proved to be unimportant for large strain shear strength. The shear strength for coal with different weathering and normal effective stresses was examined. Coal cohesion was found to be low, but some rebinding of coal would occur with time. A coal residual friction angle of 39.1 and 37.0 degrees was found for the unsaturated and saturated tested coal respectively. Permeability tests using oxygenated water were undertaken to investigate changes to brown coal permeability as a result of weathering. Even with low levels of oxidation achievable with the permeability test apparatus, coal permeability dropped over time. While the magnitude of the reduction was not large for low oxidation magnitudes, the impact on permeability was demonstrated. A weathering index was developed as part of the study to provide a quantitative basis for assessing the weathered state of coal samples. The index employed changes to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra to define the state of weathering. To assess the rate and magnitude of weathering of coal through oxidation an autoclave was used to artificially weather brown coal. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatography used to analyse the results. As for the permeability testing the autoclave experiments could not be run for sufficient time to progress to complete weathering by oxidation. Nevertheless the principles of the test and the equipment specifications were developed so that they could be used in future to complete the determination of weathering rates. The research has demonstrated the importance of understanding coal weathering at the upper boundary of a rehabilitated coal surface to the potential for cover mass movements due to sliding at the coal cover interface.
- Description: Masters by Research
The collaborative designer : An investigation into the lived experience of co-design practice
- Authors: Smith, Chrissie
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This enquiry is motivated by a growing recognition of citizen participation by design disciplines and other disciplines outside of design (such as social science, science and business) in solving complex problems across society. Co-design is the approach that this research focuses on in particular. Codesign is a new field of collaborative practice that has emerged from the Scandinavian tradition of Participatory Design. Integral to the philosophy of both these practices is the decentralisation of the individual expert designer and the empowering of the end user as an active participant. Despite many studies that have provided useful frameworks and insights into the practice of co-design, conceptualisations and discussions around implications for participation and design deployment rarely include the voice of the co-design practitioner. This study uses a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the experience of practitioners, some trained in design and some not, facilitating co-design practice. Aligned with this approach, detailed interviews were conducted with six practitioners from Australia and New Zealand to understand what is unique or contingent to them personally, situated within their practices. Through a process of detailed and analytic exploration of these six individual descriptions of the phenomenon under investigation, the core constituents of the experience of co-design practice were distinguished for each participant. From these constituents, general structures representing the essences, or invariants common to all experiences under investigation were identified. Based on the careful analysis of the narrative descriptions from the interviewed practitioners, the core aspects of their practice in collaboration with end-user groups and other stakeholders are described. A visual framework is proposed that capture the complexity of their lived experiences of co-design practice.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Smith, Chrissie
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This enquiry is motivated by a growing recognition of citizen participation by design disciplines and other disciplines outside of design (such as social science, science and business) in solving complex problems across society. Co-design is the approach that this research focuses on in particular. Codesign is a new field of collaborative practice that has emerged from the Scandinavian tradition of Participatory Design. Integral to the philosophy of both these practices is the decentralisation of the individual expert designer and the empowering of the end user as an active participant. Despite many studies that have provided useful frameworks and insights into the practice of co-design, conceptualisations and discussions around implications for participation and design deployment rarely include the voice of the co-design practitioner. This study uses a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the experience of practitioners, some trained in design and some not, facilitating co-design practice. Aligned with this approach, detailed interviews were conducted with six practitioners from Australia and New Zealand to understand what is unique or contingent to them personally, situated within their practices. Through a process of detailed and analytic exploration of these six individual descriptions of the phenomenon under investigation, the core constituents of the experience of co-design practice were distinguished for each participant. From these constituents, general structures representing the essences, or invariants common to all experiences under investigation were identified. Based on the careful analysis of the narrative descriptions from the interviewed practitioners, the core aspects of their practice in collaboration with end-user groups and other stakeholders are described. A visual framework is proposed that capture the complexity of their lived experiences of co-design practice.
- Description: Masters by Research
The contribution of poker machines to reduced community wellbeing : A pre and post study
- Authors: Bell, Diana
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis reports on a study of the impacts of poker machines on community wellbeing, using a pre and post survey method. The study used a variety of indicators to test community wellbeing and gambling attitudes and behaviours before and after a hotel venue with 40 poker machines opened in a new suburb in the designated growth area of Melbourne’s northern fringe. There was a higher proportion of respondents who met the criteria for ‘problem gambling’ after the poker machines were installed, compared to before, particularly when considered as a proportion of people who gambled on poker machines (5.3% compared to 3.6%). A proportion of respondents reported reduced levels of personal happiness, contentment and wellbeing as a result of the introduction of poker machines (16.5%, 12.3% and 16.1% respectively) and 41.5% reported there had been a detrimental impact on the community, in terms of social character. Mean scores on sense of community indexes and social cohesion showed a small decline in the post sample on every measure. Overall, the community reported reduced wellbeing on all measures after the introduction of poker machines. The significance of this study is that measures of community wellbeing and attitudes towards poker machines were measured before their introduction so that this baseline data could be compared with reported wellbeing 18 months after their installation within the suburban area. The substantial proportion of respondents who reported detrimental impact on social character, along with many negatively expressed opinions of poker machines, and a higher rate of problem gambling provide support for the notion that the introduction of poker machines at least contributed to the reduction in community wellbeing. This research provides some suggestions for the use of indicators for measuring the impact of poker machines on community wellbeing.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Bell, Diana
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis reports on a study of the impacts of poker machines on community wellbeing, using a pre and post survey method. The study used a variety of indicators to test community wellbeing and gambling attitudes and behaviours before and after a hotel venue with 40 poker machines opened in a new suburb in the designated growth area of Melbourne’s northern fringe. There was a higher proportion of respondents who met the criteria for ‘problem gambling’ after the poker machines were installed, compared to before, particularly when considered as a proportion of people who gambled on poker machines (5.3% compared to 3.6%). A proportion of respondents reported reduced levels of personal happiness, contentment and wellbeing as a result of the introduction of poker machines (16.5%, 12.3% and 16.1% respectively) and 41.5% reported there had been a detrimental impact on the community, in terms of social character. Mean scores on sense of community indexes and social cohesion showed a small decline in the post sample on every measure. Overall, the community reported reduced wellbeing on all measures after the introduction of poker machines. The significance of this study is that measures of community wellbeing and attitudes towards poker machines were measured before their introduction so that this baseline data could be compared with reported wellbeing 18 months after their installation within the suburban area. The substantial proportion of respondents who reported detrimental impact on social character, along with many negatively expressed opinions of poker machines, and a higher rate of problem gambling provide support for the notion that the introduction of poker machines at least contributed to the reduction in community wellbeing. This research provides some suggestions for the use of indicators for measuring the impact of poker machines on community wellbeing.
- Description: Masters by Research
What is the perceived effectiveness of fully on-the-job training for carpentry apprenticeships?
- Authors: Wright, Barry
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This study examined the training experiences of apprentices and employers who were involved in fully on-the-job training in the building and construction trades, specifically in carpentry. Fully on-the-job training, in apprenticeship, means that all training is delivered at the workplace rather than in an institution or training centre and must include structured training arrangements. The apprentice acquires competence through the performance of normal work duties, with some self-managed or facilitated training, as well as receiving support from the appointed Registered Training Organisation (RTO) trainer or trainers, which is all undertaken on the worksite. In the building and construction trades, carpentry apprentices in Australia must gain skills and knowledge over an extensive range of competencies to achieve their qualification. Traditional construction trade jobs have become more specialised over the past 20 years, which could limit the learning activities in terms of tasks and knowledge, resulting in a restricted range of skills. The project investigates this issue and other possible challenges of this delivery model. This qualitative research project involved individual apprentice and employer interviews together with key stakeholder focus group sessions. The research question was: What is the perceived effectiveness of fully on-the-job training for carpentry apprenticeships? Findings included people’s views regarding the advantages, disadvantages, the learning impacts and the outcomes of fully on-the-job training and ways of compensating for limited job roles.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Wright, Barry
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This study examined the training experiences of apprentices and employers who were involved in fully on-the-job training in the building and construction trades, specifically in carpentry. Fully on-the-job training, in apprenticeship, means that all training is delivered at the workplace rather than in an institution or training centre and must include structured training arrangements. The apprentice acquires competence through the performance of normal work duties, with some self-managed or facilitated training, as well as receiving support from the appointed Registered Training Organisation (RTO) trainer or trainers, which is all undertaken on the worksite. In the building and construction trades, carpentry apprentices in Australia must gain skills and knowledge over an extensive range of competencies to achieve their qualification. Traditional construction trade jobs have become more specialised over the past 20 years, which could limit the learning activities in terms of tasks and knowledge, resulting in a restricted range of skills. The project investigates this issue and other possible challenges of this delivery model. This qualitative research project involved individual apprentice and employer interviews together with key stakeholder focus group sessions. The research question was: What is the perceived effectiveness of fully on-the-job training for carpentry apprenticeships? Findings included people’s views regarding the advantages, disadvantages, the learning impacts and the outcomes of fully on-the-job training and ways of compensating for limited job roles.
- Description: Masters by Research
Analysis of mobile banking malware on the Android operating system
- Xu, Dan
- Authors: Xu, Dan
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The Android platform is the fastest growing smartphone operating system to date. Consequently, malware on Android OS has been increasing at an alarming rate. Similar to Windows-based malware, Android malware also have different families which are responsible for different malicious activities. In this thesis, we focused on one particular group of Android malware which is designed to target banks and financial institutions. These banking malware use different techniques to attack bank clients and banking servers. A coherent framework to analyse the behaviour of these malware needs to be developed, so the impact of theirs attacks could be minimised. This thesis investigates a systematic analysis to understand these malware’s behaviour and distribution method. From public and private sources, 37 samples of banking malware have been collected which represent eight major Android Banking malware families. In addition, we also analysed malware source code by reverse engineering all malware samples. As a result of analysis, a clear overview and better understanding of mobile banking malware on Android OS was established. The results indicated that Android banking malware is evolving in technique and will become more difficult to analyse in the future.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Xu, Dan
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The Android platform is the fastest growing smartphone operating system to date. Consequently, malware on Android OS has been increasing at an alarming rate. Similar to Windows-based malware, Android malware also have different families which are responsible for different malicious activities. In this thesis, we focused on one particular group of Android malware which is designed to target banks and financial institutions. These banking malware use different techniques to attack bank clients and banking servers. A coherent framework to analyse the behaviour of these malware needs to be developed, so the impact of theirs attacks could be minimised. This thesis investigates a systematic analysis to understand these malware’s behaviour and distribution method. From public and private sources, 37 samples of banking malware have been collected which represent eight major Android Banking malware families. In addition, we also analysed malware source code by reverse engineering all malware samples. As a result of analysis, a clear overview and better understanding of mobile banking malware on Android OS was established. The results indicated that Android banking malware is evolving in technique and will become more difficult to analyse in the future.
- Description: Masters by Research
Exploring youth perceptions of school (dis)engagement and absence in Hepburn Shire
- Authors: O'Loughlan, Courtney
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines the educational experiences of some young people living in the Hepburn Shire, a Local Government Area (LGA) in the Central Highlands of Victoria. These young people were in various stages of disengaging from the mainstream education on offer in the shire. The research came about via consultation between the secondary school and Federation University in response to data from the Department of Education and Training (DET) showing that the Hepburn area had the lowest school attendance figures of the eleven LGA’s in the Grampians region. The school was interested in the reasons behind the lower figures and sought to gather some further information which might shed light on the experiences of young people who had difficulty in connecting, or staying connected to, school. It was hoped that the resultant findings would inform the approach taken by the schools in offering appropriate programs to support people to re-engage with school. Thus, the research question underpinning this research is: What are the key reasons that school attendance has been identified as being lower in the Hepburn Shire Local Government Area than in other parts of the Grampians region? A critical ethnographic study was undertaken comprised of participant observation, facilitated by the researcher being situated within the school, and a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with young people (of secondary school age), families, teachers, Principals, support staff including welfare providers and a selection of other professionals working with youth and their families in the Hepburn Shire. The study revealed a complexity within the Hepburn community, where a rich diversity of views about child-raising and education was present. Such views spanned philosophies about ‘unschooling’, the benefits of home-schooling, and a sense of permissiveness about not attending school each day. Further, there seemed to be a tendency within the school (both by teachers and other professionals working with youth) to talk about disengaged students and families of nonattending students in terms of deficit: there was something lacking with them, parenting skills, work ethic, behavioural or emotional regulation, that was viewed as contributing to the students’ poor attendance. Finally, the centrality of the teacher-student relationship to both student engagement and disengagement was evident in the conversations with young people and their families. Building respectful, reciprocal relationships with at least one key member of staff seems to be a major protective factor against disengagement. And further, seems to be a pre-requisite for those students who are entering the school for the first time, or who are re-entering after a significant absence.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: O'Loughlan, Courtney
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines the educational experiences of some young people living in the Hepburn Shire, a Local Government Area (LGA) in the Central Highlands of Victoria. These young people were in various stages of disengaging from the mainstream education on offer in the shire. The research came about via consultation between the secondary school and Federation University in response to data from the Department of Education and Training (DET) showing that the Hepburn area had the lowest school attendance figures of the eleven LGA’s in the Grampians region. The school was interested in the reasons behind the lower figures and sought to gather some further information which might shed light on the experiences of young people who had difficulty in connecting, or staying connected to, school. It was hoped that the resultant findings would inform the approach taken by the schools in offering appropriate programs to support people to re-engage with school. Thus, the research question underpinning this research is: What are the key reasons that school attendance has been identified as being lower in the Hepburn Shire Local Government Area than in other parts of the Grampians region? A critical ethnographic study was undertaken comprised of participant observation, facilitated by the researcher being situated within the school, and a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with young people (of secondary school age), families, teachers, Principals, support staff including welfare providers and a selection of other professionals working with youth and their families in the Hepburn Shire. The study revealed a complexity within the Hepburn community, where a rich diversity of views about child-raising and education was present. Such views spanned philosophies about ‘unschooling’, the benefits of home-schooling, and a sense of permissiveness about not attending school each day. Further, there seemed to be a tendency within the school (both by teachers and other professionals working with youth) to talk about disengaged students and families of nonattending students in terms of deficit: there was something lacking with them, parenting skills, work ethic, behavioural or emotional regulation, that was viewed as contributing to the students’ poor attendance. Finally, the centrality of the teacher-student relationship to both student engagement and disengagement was evident in the conversations with young people and their families. Building respectful, reciprocal relationships with at least one key member of staff seems to be a major protective factor against disengagement. And further, seems to be a pre-requisite for those students who are entering the school for the first time, or who are re-entering after a significant absence.
- Description: Masters by Research
Neurotrophic biomarker change after physical activity and mindfulness interventions
- Authors: England, Gina
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: BACKGROUND AND AIM AND HYPOTHESIS: BDNF, FGF2 and NGF are neurotrophins associated with neuroplasticity, nervous system development and psychiatric disorder in the literature. BDNF in particular is suggested as a useful biomarker of mood disorder. Both mindfulness and physical activity are shown to improve mood, reduce stress and are widely used as part of a multi-component treatment approach, reducing distressing symptoms of mood and affect disorders. The utility of protein level as a biomarker has been controversial in the literature following issues concerning the assessment of peripheral levels as a proxy for central levels. The principal aim of this study was to investigate the gene expression of three neurotrophins BDNF, FGF2 and NGF as potential biomarkers of mood disorder, at an early stage of these disorders, which are now widely recognised as having pathogenesis related to dysregulation in the neuro-immuno-endocrine axis. In addition, the study will explore the effect of both physical activity and mindfulness on neurotrophin expression clarifying the associations between the success of these interventions seen in the literature and their effect on the change of neurotrophin expression. Current literature reports increased levels of BDNF protein both centrally and peripherally following mood disorder treatment and participation in both physical exercise and mindfulness activities. Based on similarity of structure and function amongst the three neurotrophins, this thesis will hypothesize an increase in BDNF and potentially FGF2 and NGF mRNA following participation in the two interventional modules designed to improve wellbeing in clinical and non-clinical communities. METHOD: In this independent measures design, 28 non-clinical volunteers were randomly allocated to an 8 week intervention, comprising digital health tracking modules and participation in an unstructured increase in Physical Activity or Mindfulness program, to assess the effect of these interventions on levels of mRNA expression. RTqPCR was used to compare relative mRNA abundance in peripheral blood at baseline and 8 week time interval. The control group were allocated to a waitlist for the period of the 8 week study, followed by access to the program of their choice. Change in emotional state was measured using the DASS. RESULT: BDNF expression is shown significantly increased (p 0.01, n=5) in the Physical Activity group, and significantly decreased in the Mindfulness group (p 0.01, n=11). FGF2 and waitlisted controls showed no significant change. In the case of NGF no expression was seen in human peripheral blood either before or after the intervention. DASS scores revealed a significant decrease in negative affect in the Mindfulness group p = 0.03. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a significant positive association between physical activity and BDNF mRNA, although no significant reduction in distressing mood symptoms was shown. This was potentially due to the small group size. Mindfulness was significantly associated with decreasing negative affect, despite an unexpected decrease in BDNF mRNA consistent with pathophysiology of depression, likely related to neuro-immunoendocrine axis disturbance as suggested in the published literature. It is suggested decreasing mRNA levels reflect lower numbers of immune activated leucocytes present in the blood following mood improvement, albeit not verified in the study. This study suggests even in a small non-clinical sample there may be potential benefits to well-being by increasing levels of physical activity or becoming mindful, and that BDNF has potential as a biomarker of emotional state.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: England, Gina
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: BACKGROUND AND AIM AND HYPOTHESIS: BDNF, FGF2 and NGF are neurotrophins associated with neuroplasticity, nervous system development and psychiatric disorder in the literature. BDNF in particular is suggested as a useful biomarker of mood disorder. Both mindfulness and physical activity are shown to improve mood, reduce stress and are widely used as part of a multi-component treatment approach, reducing distressing symptoms of mood and affect disorders. The utility of protein level as a biomarker has been controversial in the literature following issues concerning the assessment of peripheral levels as a proxy for central levels. The principal aim of this study was to investigate the gene expression of three neurotrophins BDNF, FGF2 and NGF as potential biomarkers of mood disorder, at an early stage of these disorders, which are now widely recognised as having pathogenesis related to dysregulation in the neuro-immuno-endocrine axis. In addition, the study will explore the effect of both physical activity and mindfulness on neurotrophin expression clarifying the associations between the success of these interventions seen in the literature and their effect on the change of neurotrophin expression. Current literature reports increased levels of BDNF protein both centrally and peripherally following mood disorder treatment and participation in both physical exercise and mindfulness activities. Based on similarity of structure and function amongst the three neurotrophins, this thesis will hypothesize an increase in BDNF and potentially FGF2 and NGF mRNA following participation in the two interventional modules designed to improve wellbeing in clinical and non-clinical communities. METHOD: In this independent measures design, 28 non-clinical volunteers were randomly allocated to an 8 week intervention, comprising digital health tracking modules and participation in an unstructured increase in Physical Activity or Mindfulness program, to assess the effect of these interventions on levels of mRNA expression. RTqPCR was used to compare relative mRNA abundance in peripheral blood at baseline and 8 week time interval. The control group were allocated to a waitlist for the period of the 8 week study, followed by access to the program of their choice. Change in emotional state was measured using the DASS. RESULT: BDNF expression is shown significantly increased (p 0.01, n=5) in the Physical Activity group, and significantly decreased in the Mindfulness group (p 0.01, n=11). FGF2 and waitlisted controls showed no significant change. In the case of NGF no expression was seen in human peripheral blood either before or after the intervention. DASS scores revealed a significant decrease in negative affect in the Mindfulness group p = 0.03. CONCLUSION: This study revealed a significant positive association between physical activity and BDNF mRNA, although no significant reduction in distressing mood symptoms was shown. This was potentially due to the small group size. Mindfulness was significantly associated with decreasing negative affect, despite an unexpected decrease in BDNF mRNA consistent with pathophysiology of depression, likely related to neuro-immunoendocrine axis disturbance as suggested in the published literature. It is suggested decreasing mRNA levels reflect lower numbers of immune activated leucocytes present in the blood following mood improvement, albeit not verified in the study. This study suggests even in a small non-clinical sample there may be potential benefits to well-being by increasing levels of physical activity or becoming mindful, and that BDNF has potential as a biomarker of emotional state.
- Description: Masters by Research
Never give up... : Perceptions of perseverance and its impact on the life and academic success of nine university students
- Authors: Griffiths, Katrina
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Perseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Description: erseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
- Authors: Griffiths, Katrina
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Perseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Description: erseverance is a quality which individuals draw on to achieve their goals, despite any challenges they may face, and so is one of the keys to academic and life success. Perseverance is considered to be a positive attribute that can be learned. In this study, how tertiary students understand perseverance, how they acquired it and its role in their lives and learning are explored. The research sample for the study consists of nine pre-service teachers from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) in regional Victoria, Australia. The researcher uses semi-structured interviews, and draws on educational and salutogenic theory and a qualitative methodology. The data has been analysed within the Ecological framework based on the work of McLeroy and colleagues (1988). In the introductory chapter the aims of the study are outlined, perseverance is defined and its significance as a character strength/ attribute is considered. The second chapter, the literature review, explores the extent to which perseverance, along with associated character strengths, has been identified as a significant factor that influences educational achievement and the ability to meet life’s challenges. The third chapter provides justification for applying a qualitative phenomenological methodology, with particular attention to describing both the salutogenic theoretical perspective and the Ecological Model (EM). The fourth chapter, the data analysis, identifies themes within the data and these are discussed with reference to the relationships between the EM layers. The fifth chapter offers the discussion, implications and conclusion of the study. The research findings indicate that all the participants defined perseverance as an attribute or character strength which they called on to overcome challenges and obstacles as they pursued their goals. They associated it with such qualities as persistence, motivation, commitment, focus, goal-setting and strength, amongst others. They recognized perseverance as integral to their academic success as well as to their ability to manage crises and challenges in their lives. They identified multiple contributors to their acquisition of perseverance, including family members, friends and some teachers. Many of the participants identified instances when they made a conscious decision to persevere, and viewed the experience as definitive in their growth as mature people. However, few of the participants considered the schools they attended to have played a significant role in developing their understanding of perseverance or of helping them acquire it, though they were appreciative of those teachers who gave them general support and encouragement. They recognized the importance of schools and teachers explicitly teaching perseverance and supporting its development through positive critique and feedback, and of students experiencing multiple opportunities for practising perseverance at the individual, family, school and policy levels. In educational practice, these conclusions suggest that further research into how best to implement these approaches across all schools would be invaluable.
The assumed divide : Examining gender, feminism and relationships through visual art
- Authors: Hollis, Sylvia
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text: false
- Description: The Assumed Divide is a visual arts based, practice-led research project which explores expectations of gender within the context of interpersonal relationships, structured through feminist theory. I created a collection of small, figurative sculptures inspired by experiences of animosity and misunderstanding, to locate areas of gendered interpersonal ambivalence. This thesis proposes that feminism might enhance gender relations by deconstructing harmful stereotypes and by encouraging empathy and respect for diversity. Issues such as reproductive choice, intergenerational debate, and uncertainty in aims are discussed as apparent impediments to the unity of feminism, against a patriarchal tradition that grants men categorical universality. I argue that by dismantling the perception of male unification and by elucidating the multitudinous similarities and variances of human experience, feminism makes advances in eliminating sexism. I also examine how binary gender division, with an assumption of distinct difference between male and female, generates conflict and power dynamics advantageous to men, diminishing the quality of heterosexual and social relationships. The observation that overlapping gender traits blur boundaries of male and female, and that rigid categorisations are not indisputably representative of all people, may offer more points of connection to bridge the divide of gender. Each artwork in The Assumed Divide reflects on gendered experience, with sculpted depictions of disintegrated flesh acting as visual manifestations of the psyches and social conditions of the figures. Working realistically on a small scale, and integrating found silver trays as motifs of domesticity and relationships, my intent is to directly stimulate contemplation of the themes in context to viewers’ lives, recognising that the audience is free to find their own meaning in the works. Discussion of these pieces, alongside works by other artists who broach topics of feminism, gender, and relationships, exemplifies the capacity for art to infuse theory with personal insight, inspired and derived from the lives of both artist and viewer.
- Description: Masters by Research
The lost opportunity of Melbourne's outer circle railway
- Authors: McKenna, Trevor
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines a little known railway line in Melbourne, the Outer Circle Railway (OCR) running from Oakleigh in the south-east to Fairfield in the north. There is great significance to its east-north trajectory, because I will argue, it was conceptualised as a major part of the Melbourne system, for the future; a future that ostensibly lasted only two years, before the economic depression of the 1890s caused it to close in stages. It further brought in many more strands to the Melbourne transport nexus, as it circumnavigated the inner suburbs. I ask the key question ‘was the Outer Circle Railway a lost opportunity’? Though considered one of the great public transport cities of the world, Melbourne with its extensive rail and tramway networks succumbed to the winds of change, embodied by the Fordist principles of private car ownership, freeway building and traffic systems. The public transport budget was cut in the second half of the twentieth century – leaving Greater Melbourne in constant gridlock, in the twenty-first century. I use documentary analysis to examine primary and secondary documents, to comprehend whether the almost immediate denigration of the OCR, by newspapers and most historians, was warranted. Certainly I find many contemporaneous champions of the OCR, which was built to the highest British standard, as was the entire Victorian Railways system. My key finding is that the OCR rail line could be utilised in the modern era. The OCR route is pointed squarely towards Tullamarine airport, and could be used as a basis for the long-sought rail link to the airport. The decision of the Andrews Labor Government in 2014 to abandon the contentious East-West road tunnel in favour of rail projects reflects the need for a growing city to privilege public transport, as it did in the nineteenth century.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: McKenna, Trevor
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis examines a little known railway line in Melbourne, the Outer Circle Railway (OCR) running from Oakleigh in the south-east to Fairfield in the north. There is great significance to its east-north trajectory, because I will argue, it was conceptualised as a major part of the Melbourne system, for the future; a future that ostensibly lasted only two years, before the economic depression of the 1890s caused it to close in stages. It further brought in many more strands to the Melbourne transport nexus, as it circumnavigated the inner suburbs. I ask the key question ‘was the Outer Circle Railway a lost opportunity’? Though considered one of the great public transport cities of the world, Melbourne with its extensive rail and tramway networks succumbed to the winds of change, embodied by the Fordist principles of private car ownership, freeway building and traffic systems. The public transport budget was cut in the second half of the twentieth century – leaving Greater Melbourne in constant gridlock, in the twenty-first century. I use documentary analysis to examine primary and secondary documents, to comprehend whether the almost immediate denigration of the OCR, by newspapers and most historians, was warranted. Certainly I find many contemporaneous champions of the OCR, which was built to the highest British standard, as was the entire Victorian Railways system. My key finding is that the OCR rail line could be utilised in the modern era. The OCR route is pointed squarely towards Tullamarine airport, and could be used as a basis for the long-sought rail link to the airport. The decision of the Andrews Labor Government in 2014 to abandon the contentious East-West road tunnel in favour of rail projects reflects the need for a growing city to privilege public transport, as it did in the nineteenth century.
- Description: Masters by Research
The Port Phillip Lime Economy : The vessels, the industry and their decline
- Authors: Taylor, Peter
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The objective of this Master of Arts thesis is to address the previous knowledge gap that existed with regards to the unwritten history of the Port Phillip lime economy. The particular focus of this thesis concerns the participating craft that helped to drive that economy, the types of craft and a number of shipwrecks concerning lime craft.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Taylor, Peter
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The objective of this Master of Arts thesis is to address the previous knowledge gap that existed with regards to the unwritten history of the Port Phillip lime economy. The particular focus of this thesis concerns the participating craft that helped to drive that economy, the types of craft and a number of shipwrecks concerning lime craft.
- Description: Masters by Research
A hand made wood object : Studio investigation into transformed nature
- Authors: Rein, Jeannette
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This research explores the importance of retaining traditional hand skills in terms of their relevance to contemporary and future art practice. I examine the hand made and the process of transforming timber into a wooden sculptural form. I investigate how the artist thinks with the material, and how this process gives the artist the ‘sight’ to identify new and original possibilities. Furthermore, I explore how the transformative approach perpetuates new knowledge, and how skills are modified and adapted to suit the changes. I describe this as a dialogic process. The research examines the correlation between the transformative process and the hand made object, the imprint of the maker and how their memories of the processes used, remain embedded in the object. In addition, this research investigates the transformation processes used in creating an object, to provide individualisation within our highly mechanised world, while providing a bridge connecting the past and the future. Through the examination of traditional hand skills, I demonstrate how such skills provide an anchor, a standard of quality and artisanship that connects artists from traditional wood practice, through contemporary praxis, to hand made digital art. My research focuses on the transformation process and traditional hand skills, the vital role they play in the creation of digital hand made objects; as digital processes utilize new materials, processes and machinery that interfaces with traditional analogue tools.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Rein, Jeannette
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: This research explores the importance of retaining traditional hand skills in terms of their relevance to contemporary and future art practice. I examine the hand made and the process of transforming timber into a wooden sculptural form. I investigate how the artist thinks with the material, and how this process gives the artist the ‘sight’ to identify new and original possibilities. Furthermore, I explore how the transformative approach perpetuates new knowledge, and how skills are modified and adapted to suit the changes. I describe this as a dialogic process. The research examines the correlation between the transformative process and the hand made object, the imprint of the maker and how their memories of the processes used, remain embedded in the object. In addition, this research investigates the transformation processes used in creating an object, to provide individualisation within our highly mechanised world, while providing a bridge connecting the past and the future. Through the examination of traditional hand skills, I demonstrate how such skills provide an anchor, a standard of quality and artisanship that connects artists from traditional wood practice, through contemporary praxis, to hand made digital art. My research focuses on the transformation process and traditional hand skills, the vital role they play in the creation of digital hand made objects; as digital processes utilize new materials, processes and machinery that interfaces with traditional analogue tools.
- Description: Masters by Research
A philosophical analysis of the functions and operation of due process in accounting standard setting in Australia
- Authors: Mehta, Surinder
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The setting of accounting standards in the Australian context has undergone significant change over the past few decades because of both the introduction of international accounting standards and the outcomes of the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (CLERP). One major thrust of these reforms was to widen the breadth of participation and to introduce new voices into the Australian accounting standard setting regime. Though there have been recent changes to Australian accounting standard setting arrangements, due process still remains as the underlying procedure for incorporating stakeholder participation. Standard setting resides within a socio-political and economic realm which lies between a capitalistic economic individualism premised upon self-interest and interest group preferences, and an idealistic paradigm of the public interest (common good). Both notions are espoused within modern civil society and present in the formulation of policy and regulation through participation. Recent times have seen the promulgation of accounting standards given over by delegated legislation to private sector interests who compete for desired outcomes and more recently this has been entrenched within the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) which produces International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This research presents a two-fold investigation of the due process which is applied when developing accounting standards in Australia. Firstly, this study questions whether such standards provide an adequate avenue for incorporating both appropriate attributes of participation and accountability in line with the historical understanding of due process as developed through common law. Secondly, this study questions whether such standards provide an appropriate vehicle for widening participation by introducing new voices into the Australian accounting standard setting process. On the former question, common law due process resonates within a paradigm that supports fair dealing and equity between individuals with themselves and with government. On the latter question, this research identifies low and declining stakeholder participation within the due process of accounting standard setting. This is accompanied by the declining interest of previous major participants. In examining the longitudinal participation trends of submitters to the accounting standard setting regime, this research contends that the due process finds itself embedded within the confines of a procedural construct to the detriment of accommodating natural justice through a more enlightened substantive approach. As such, when considered in light of its common law roots, it fails both to provide an adequate level of openness along with accommodating only a limited opportunity to participate, specifically when taking into account opinions and interests. The very construct of common law due process rests upon its ability both to subsume participation within the decision-making process, and for that participation to be substantive in the outcome of the process. That is, such participation gives meaning to the outcome. Instead the current due process as applied within the accounting standard setting environment resonates such participation through abolitionist type approaches. Here self-interested parties compete for advantages from property rights and private benefits in line with the more modern interpretation of the public interest. The approach taken in this thesis is to consider the due process from a philosophical perspective by assessing the questions of accountability and participation within the due process in terms of civil society, the public good, economic individualism, libertarianism, liberalism, and agency, rather than to embed the discussion within the expansive existing studies concerning due process in the accounting standard setting process. The conclusion from this perspective is that due process is clearly a process past its due date.
- Description: Masters by Research
- Authors: Mehta, Surinder
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The setting of accounting standards in the Australian context has undergone significant change over the past few decades because of both the introduction of international accounting standards and the outcomes of the Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (CLERP). One major thrust of these reforms was to widen the breadth of participation and to introduce new voices into the Australian accounting standard setting regime. Though there have been recent changes to Australian accounting standard setting arrangements, due process still remains as the underlying procedure for incorporating stakeholder participation. Standard setting resides within a socio-political and economic realm which lies between a capitalistic economic individualism premised upon self-interest and interest group preferences, and an idealistic paradigm of the public interest (common good). Both notions are espoused within modern civil society and present in the formulation of policy and regulation through participation. Recent times have seen the promulgation of accounting standards given over by delegated legislation to private sector interests who compete for desired outcomes and more recently this has been entrenched within the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) which produces International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This research presents a two-fold investigation of the due process which is applied when developing accounting standards in Australia. Firstly, this study questions whether such standards provide an adequate avenue for incorporating both appropriate attributes of participation and accountability in line with the historical understanding of due process as developed through common law. Secondly, this study questions whether such standards provide an appropriate vehicle for widening participation by introducing new voices into the Australian accounting standard setting process. On the former question, common law due process resonates within a paradigm that supports fair dealing and equity between individuals with themselves and with government. On the latter question, this research identifies low and declining stakeholder participation within the due process of accounting standard setting. This is accompanied by the declining interest of previous major participants. In examining the longitudinal participation trends of submitters to the accounting standard setting regime, this research contends that the due process finds itself embedded within the confines of a procedural construct to the detriment of accommodating natural justice through a more enlightened substantive approach. As such, when considered in light of its common law roots, it fails both to provide an adequate level of openness along with accommodating only a limited opportunity to participate, specifically when taking into account opinions and interests. The very construct of common law due process rests upon its ability both to subsume participation within the decision-making process, and for that participation to be substantive in the outcome of the process. That is, such participation gives meaning to the outcome. Instead the current due process as applied within the accounting standard setting environment resonates such participation through abolitionist type approaches. Here self-interested parties compete for advantages from property rights and private benefits in line with the more modern interpretation of the public interest. The approach taken in this thesis is to consider the due process from a philosophical perspective by assessing the questions of accountability and participation within the due process in terms of civil society, the public good, economic individualism, libertarianism, liberalism, and agency, rather than to embed the discussion within the expansive existing studies concerning due process in the accounting standard setting process. The conclusion from this perspective is that due process is clearly a process past its due date.
- Description: Masters by Research
Precipitation and evaporative aspects of the terrestrial water balance in Central Victoria and their relationship to large-scale climate drivers during the growing season
- Authors: Marshall, Adam
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Terrestrial Water Balance (TWB) incorporates the combined effects of precipitation and evaporation, and is an important factor influencing agricultural and hydrological processes and management. This study analyses the TWB components at five stations in central Victoria from 1972 - 2013, a region which spans a range of agricultural and hydrological regimes. These stations represent distinct climatic and geographic locations including the dry inland plains, the Great Dividing Range and the southern coastal area. This research focuses on the „Growing Season‟ from March - November; a period where increased availability of moisture is critical for commencing, maintaining and ceasing a variety of agricultural practices. Moisture surplus is known as „Effective Precipitation‟ and is represented by a Precipitation/Evaporation (P-E) ratio >1. Whilst the combined P-E ratio is significant, an emphasis is placed upon examining individual meteorological components which determine the TWB. Hence rainfall and pan evaporation characteristics are analysed on both monthly and seasonal timescales within the 'Growing Season'. Trends in rainfall are fairly consistent across all stations with ongoing declines generally observed in all months except November, most notable in April, May and October. Pan evaporation displays much more variation between stations with both strong positive and negative trends evident throughout the station network in each season. The varying trends in pan evaporation between the stations suggest that the same large scale conditions can result in vastly different effects locally, owing to topographic and geographic factors. The influence of El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) on pan evaporation is widespread and statistically significant during Winter and Spring. The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) displays marked intra-seasonal influence which appears to be highly location dependent. Consistent with the literature, rainfall shows increasing correlations with ENSO and IOD through Winter before peaking in Spring at all stations. Interestingly, despite changes in teleconnection strength over time, these tropical climate drivers display a stronger relationship with pan evaporation than rainfall over the full analysis period. Therefore an opportunity may exist to use such relationships to develop seasonal forecasts of evaporation, similar to what is currently employed for seasonal rainfall forecasting. This is important as Effective Precipitation is significantly influenced by the evaporative component of the TWB. Critically, this study shows that variations in such elements need to be considered on a regional basis, bearing in mind differences in geographic and topographic location, as well as intra-seasonal regimes within the overall Growing Season.
- Description: Master of Applied Science
- Authors: Marshall, Adam
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Terrestrial Water Balance (TWB) incorporates the combined effects of precipitation and evaporation, and is an important factor influencing agricultural and hydrological processes and management. This study analyses the TWB components at five stations in central Victoria from 1972 - 2013, a region which spans a range of agricultural and hydrological regimes. These stations represent distinct climatic and geographic locations including the dry inland plains, the Great Dividing Range and the southern coastal area. This research focuses on the „Growing Season‟ from March - November; a period where increased availability of moisture is critical for commencing, maintaining and ceasing a variety of agricultural practices. Moisture surplus is known as „Effective Precipitation‟ and is represented by a Precipitation/Evaporation (P-E) ratio >1. Whilst the combined P-E ratio is significant, an emphasis is placed upon examining individual meteorological components which determine the TWB. Hence rainfall and pan evaporation characteristics are analysed on both monthly and seasonal timescales within the 'Growing Season'. Trends in rainfall are fairly consistent across all stations with ongoing declines generally observed in all months except November, most notable in April, May and October. Pan evaporation displays much more variation between stations with both strong positive and negative trends evident throughout the station network in each season. The varying trends in pan evaporation between the stations suggest that the same large scale conditions can result in vastly different effects locally, owing to topographic and geographic factors. The influence of El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) on pan evaporation is widespread and statistically significant during Winter and Spring. The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) displays marked intra-seasonal influence which appears to be highly location dependent. Consistent with the literature, rainfall shows increasing correlations with ENSO and IOD through Winter before peaking in Spring at all stations. Interestingly, despite changes in teleconnection strength over time, these tropical climate drivers display a stronger relationship with pan evaporation than rainfall over the full analysis period. Therefore an opportunity may exist to use such relationships to develop seasonal forecasts of evaporation, similar to what is currently employed for seasonal rainfall forecasting. This is important as Effective Precipitation is significantly influenced by the evaporative component of the TWB. Critically, this study shows that variations in such elements need to be considered on a regional basis, bearing in mind differences in geographic and topographic location, as well as intra-seasonal regimes within the overall Growing Season.
- Description: Master of Applied Science
Site, substance and sensation
- Authors: Ryan, Leonie
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The idea that experiencing the world is a straightforward uncomplicated matter is challenged in a contemporary postmodern context. The empirical notion that reality can be experienced firsthand has been mostly abandoned in favour of the view that reality is constructed through language and culture. Indeed, most views of the world carry a bias, whether conscious or unconscious, which affects all that is encountered. It is not possible to separate the observable world from the person observing it nor to report on the world without already having a position on how it functions. As such ‘meaning’, in this body of research, is found in the awareness that the past informs and shapes the experience of the present moment. This is activated through a heightened sensory awareness of various stimuli, set up through the artworks, which draw distant, past associations into the present consciousness. Through practice led research I am creating the conditions within which the visitor can develop a heightened awareness of their associations through sensory experience and discover that those associations are always tethered to the past, shaping the ways in which they encounter the world. It is my objective through this project to open the way for a better understanding of the Self in relation to Being (consciousness), in a phenomenological sense, through this heightened sensory awareness. The practical outcomes of this research have been developed through a creative exploration of the sensorial world. In this project I posit that we do not draw meaning from the physical, material world itself but rather, meaning is located in our understanding that the physical world is brought into being through our consciousness of it.
- Description: Master of Art by Research
- Authors: Ryan, Leonie
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The idea that experiencing the world is a straightforward uncomplicated matter is challenged in a contemporary postmodern context. The empirical notion that reality can be experienced firsthand has been mostly abandoned in favour of the view that reality is constructed through language and culture. Indeed, most views of the world carry a bias, whether conscious or unconscious, which affects all that is encountered. It is not possible to separate the observable world from the person observing it nor to report on the world without already having a position on how it functions. As such ‘meaning’, in this body of research, is found in the awareness that the past informs and shapes the experience of the present moment. This is activated through a heightened sensory awareness of various stimuli, set up through the artworks, which draw distant, past associations into the present consciousness. Through practice led research I am creating the conditions within which the visitor can develop a heightened awareness of their associations through sensory experience and discover that those associations are always tethered to the past, shaping the ways in which they encounter the world. It is my objective through this project to open the way for a better understanding of the Self in relation to Being (consciousness), in a phenomenological sense, through this heightened sensory awareness. The practical outcomes of this research have been developed through a creative exploration of the sensorial world. In this project I posit that we do not draw meaning from the physical, material world itself but rather, meaning is located in our understanding that the physical world is brought into being through our consciousness of it.
- Description: Master of Art by Research
The life and times of Dr Hermann Beckler (1828-1914) : An Australian - Barvarian Odyssey
- Authors: Dodd, David
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The principal aim of this research thesis has been to reconstruct the life and times of Dr Hermann Beckler (1828-1914), a Bavarian-born scientist and adventurer who spent six years in Australia between 1856 and 1862. This study constitutes the first authoritative analysis of Beckler’s life. It focuses on the various turning points that influenced his odyssey-like journey from Bavaria to Australia and back again, as well as his travels within Australia, his interest in the natural environment and the botany of Australia, and his empathy towards the Indigenous people. Beckler was a product of the Age of Romanticism. He was an enigmatic and contemplative person, yet possessed a degree of toughness and resilience to overcome what appeared to be initially a self-imposed exile, replete with self-recriminations, as he tried to establish himself, firstly as a medical doctor and then as a pharmacist in the pioneering Moreton Bay region of colonial New South Wales. His interests in the natural sciences provided a solution to the problem of employment, and his botanical collecting skills ultimately gained him a position with Dr Ferdinand Mueller of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. He worked as a botanical plant collector in northern New South Wales before his medical qualifications and botanical saw him appointed as medical doctor and botanist to the Victorian Exploring Expedition 1860-1861 led by Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills. Beckler recognized this appointment as an opportunity to explore the hitherto unknown parts of the interior of Australia and while he did his best to fulfill his role, he was frustrated by the mismanagement of the whole expedition by Burke’s erratic leadership and by the ineptitude of the Royal Society of Victoria’s Exploration Committee. He remains one of Australia’s and Germany’s forgotten explorer botanists. This thesis aims to bring to life Beckler’s contribution to this important episode in Australian colonial history.
- Description: Master of Business by Research
- Authors: Dodd, David
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: The principal aim of this research thesis has been to reconstruct the life and times of Dr Hermann Beckler (1828-1914), a Bavarian-born scientist and adventurer who spent six years in Australia between 1856 and 1862. This study constitutes the first authoritative analysis of Beckler’s life. It focuses on the various turning points that influenced his odyssey-like journey from Bavaria to Australia and back again, as well as his travels within Australia, his interest in the natural environment and the botany of Australia, and his empathy towards the Indigenous people. Beckler was a product of the Age of Romanticism. He was an enigmatic and contemplative person, yet possessed a degree of toughness and resilience to overcome what appeared to be initially a self-imposed exile, replete with self-recriminations, as he tried to establish himself, firstly as a medical doctor and then as a pharmacist in the pioneering Moreton Bay region of colonial New South Wales. His interests in the natural sciences provided a solution to the problem of employment, and his botanical collecting skills ultimately gained him a position with Dr Ferdinand Mueller of the Melbourne Botanic Gardens. He worked as a botanical plant collector in northern New South Wales before his medical qualifications and botanical saw him appointed as medical doctor and botanist to the Victorian Exploring Expedition 1860-1861 led by Robert O’Hara Burke and William John Wills. Beckler recognized this appointment as an opportunity to explore the hitherto unknown parts of the interior of Australia and while he did his best to fulfill his role, he was frustrated by the mismanagement of the whole expedition by Burke’s erratic leadership and by the ineptitude of the Royal Society of Victoria’s Exploration Committee. He remains one of Australia’s and Germany’s forgotten explorer botanists. This thesis aims to bring to life Beckler’s contribution to this important episode in Australian colonial history.
- Description: Master of Business by Research
The use of on-farm water points and artificial wildlife ponds in providing habitat for fauna in the Wimmera and Southern Mallee, Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Starks, Jonathan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Fauna living in arid environments face strong ecological and physiological constraints. Water is the key requirement and vertebrates exhibit a range of adaptations for survival. Some species obtain water from their diet, but those which require water to drink or as habitat must either live in or near permanent water, or move in search of water. This strongly influences the distribution and abundance of vertebrate species in arid environments. In arid agricultural landscapes, the development of artificial water sources for stock has benefited water-dependant native fauna, particularly frogs. Little is known about the effects of removal of artificial water sources in these environments. In North-western Victoria, completion of the Northern Mallee Pipeline and the proposed construction of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline will ultimately replace over 20,000 farm dams, resulting in the widespread loss of an open water resource currently used by fauna across the Wimmera and southern Mallee. The wildlife values of the different on-farm water points in the Northern Mallee Pipeline region and the remaining Wimmera Mallee Domestic and Stock Channel System were examined. Species richness and abundance of vertebrates were surveyed at farm dams, channels and stock troughs in open paddocks, and at farm dams in Mallee woodlands. Mallee woodlands with no available water were also surveyed. Sites were surveyed once per season to determine which species were utilising the different on-farm water points and Mallee woodlands. Knowledge of their usage by different species allowed the importance of each water point type to be determined and the impact of the closure of the channel system to be assessed. The study recorded 57 vertebrate species in the Northern Mallee Pipeline region, including six reptile, 43 bird, seven mammal and zero frog species. Surveys in the Wimmera Mallee Channel/dam region recorded 74 different species, including three reptile , 57 bird, eight mammal and six frog species. Overall species richness and abundance was highest at sites with a farm dam in a Mallee woodland, and the levels of species richness and abundance were significantly higher than at sites with Mallee woodland and no available water. The differences between the two site types were due mainly to greater abundance of water- dependant species at farm dams in Mallee woodland sites. For water points in open paddocks, species richness and abundance was highest at sites with a farm dam in an open paddock and lowest at sites with a stock trough in an open paddock. The difference between the different open paddock water point types were significant, and like woodland sites, were driven by greater numbers of water-dependant species. The study also examined whether purpose-built artificial wildlife ponds could provide habitat for water-dependant fauna and whether artificial wildlife ponds could potentially maintain fauna populations after de-commissioning of the existing channel system. The results of this study showed that artificial wildlife ponds placed in Mallee woodlands can provide habitat for birds, both in the Northern Mallee Pipeline region and the Wimmera Mallee Channel/dam region. The results also showed that these wildlife ponds can support species assemblages at levels comparable to a farm dam in a Mallee woodland, demonstrating that wildlife ponds can be effective in providing a degree of ‘replacement’ habitat for birds on farms. Frogs were not recorded using wildlife ponds situated in Mallee woodlands and this was considered due to the wildlife ponds being placed at least 900 metres from a nearby water source potentially too far for many frog species to disperse in an arid environment. Given these findings, the position of ponds was adjusted for the ponds installed in Black Box woodlands. Wildlife ponds in Black Box woodlands were also successful in providing habitat for birds and functioned as an important source of water for water-dependant birds in summer. Frogs were recorded using the wildlife ponds situated in Black Box woodlands and this was most likely due to their close proximity (<200 metres) to a nearby water source, as well as being located in a wetland-associated vegetation type. The success of the wildlife ponds concept has been demonstrated both in their ability to function as habitat for water-dependant fauna and through widespread community acceptance and support. With the de-commissioning of the channel and dam system removing open water sources from the farming landscape, artificial wildlife ponds installed on farms across the region could provide not just a vital habitat resource supporting water-dependant fauna, but in many areas, the only source of water for wildlife within the Wimmera and southern Mallee regions.
- Description: Masters of Applied Science
- Authors: Starks, Jonathan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: Fauna living in arid environments face strong ecological and physiological constraints. Water is the key requirement and vertebrates exhibit a range of adaptations for survival. Some species obtain water from their diet, but those which require water to drink or as habitat must either live in or near permanent water, or move in search of water. This strongly influences the distribution and abundance of vertebrate species in arid environments. In arid agricultural landscapes, the development of artificial water sources for stock has benefited water-dependant native fauna, particularly frogs. Little is known about the effects of removal of artificial water sources in these environments. In North-western Victoria, completion of the Northern Mallee Pipeline and the proposed construction of the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline will ultimately replace over 20,000 farm dams, resulting in the widespread loss of an open water resource currently used by fauna across the Wimmera and southern Mallee. The wildlife values of the different on-farm water points in the Northern Mallee Pipeline region and the remaining Wimmera Mallee Domestic and Stock Channel System were examined. Species richness and abundance of vertebrates were surveyed at farm dams, channels and stock troughs in open paddocks, and at farm dams in Mallee woodlands. Mallee woodlands with no available water were also surveyed. Sites were surveyed once per season to determine which species were utilising the different on-farm water points and Mallee woodlands. Knowledge of their usage by different species allowed the importance of each water point type to be determined and the impact of the closure of the channel system to be assessed. The study recorded 57 vertebrate species in the Northern Mallee Pipeline region, including six reptile, 43 bird, seven mammal and zero frog species. Surveys in the Wimmera Mallee Channel/dam region recorded 74 different species, including three reptile , 57 bird, eight mammal and six frog species. Overall species richness and abundance was highest at sites with a farm dam in a Mallee woodland, and the levels of species richness and abundance were significantly higher than at sites with Mallee woodland and no available water. The differences between the two site types were due mainly to greater abundance of water- dependant species at farm dams in Mallee woodland sites. For water points in open paddocks, species richness and abundance was highest at sites with a farm dam in an open paddock and lowest at sites with a stock trough in an open paddock. The difference between the different open paddock water point types were significant, and like woodland sites, were driven by greater numbers of water-dependant species. The study also examined whether purpose-built artificial wildlife ponds could provide habitat for water-dependant fauna and whether artificial wildlife ponds could potentially maintain fauna populations after de-commissioning of the existing channel system. The results of this study showed that artificial wildlife ponds placed in Mallee woodlands can provide habitat for birds, both in the Northern Mallee Pipeline region and the Wimmera Mallee Channel/dam region. The results also showed that these wildlife ponds can support species assemblages at levels comparable to a farm dam in a Mallee woodland, demonstrating that wildlife ponds can be effective in providing a degree of ‘replacement’ habitat for birds on farms. Frogs were not recorded using wildlife ponds situated in Mallee woodlands and this was considered due to the wildlife ponds being placed at least 900 metres from a nearby water source potentially too far for many frog species to disperse in an arid environment. Given these findings, the position of ponds was adjusted for the ponds installed in Black Box woodlands. Wildlife ponds in Black Box woodlands were also successful in providing habitat for birds and functioned as an important source of water for water-dependant birds in summer. Frogs were recorded using the wildlife ponds situated in Black Box woodlands and this was most likely due to their close proximity (<200 metres) to a nearby water source, as well as being located in a wetland-associated vegetation type. The success of the wildlife ponds concept has been demonstrated both in their ability to function as habitat for water-dependant fauna and through widespread community acceptance and support. With the de-commissioning of the channel and dam system removing open water sources from the farming landscape, artificial wildlife ponds installed on farms across the region could provide not just a vital habitat resource supporting water-dependant fauna, but in many areas, the only source of water for wildlife within the Wimmera and southern Mallee regions.
- Description: Masters of Applied Science
"So what I do is bang in the search term and see how I go" The information-seeking approaches of Arts Academy students
- Authors: Claridge, Cheryl
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: In this qualitative research project I investigated the use of library systems by a cohort of students from the University of Ballarat Arts Academy. The purpose of the study was to build a clearer picture of how these students use the library resources for their information-seeking, with a view to improving the provision of library services, resources and training. In particular I aimed to identify whether this cohort had a common approach to information-seeking. In this study I thematically analysed the data from eight think-aloud protocols and semi- structured interviews. Participants were Arts Academy students studying Performing Arts, Visual Arts or a Visual Arts/Education dual-degree who were searching for information to complete an assessment task. With the exception of two second year dual-degree students all participants were first year students. The steps taken by participants in information-seeking were identified and the successes and difficulties they experienced with the library’s systems highlighted. The participants in this cohort did not share one specific ‘information-seeking style’ however I identified some common factors across this group of students. All of the participants engaged in a staged process to source the information they required, although in some cases this process was non-linear. They did not however utilise the full capabilities of the search tools they used or access potentially useful tools and resources which the library provides. A number of participants were reticent about using eResources as they had been instructed not to use internet resources for assessment tasks. As a result of this inquiry I have made recommendations relating to the provision of library training and services, collection maintenance and library record standards. Collaboration between library and academic staff would be required to implement these recommendations to ensure optimum outcomes. Areas highlighted for future research include similar studies with student cohorts from different disciplines and an examination of students’ approaches to choosing a topic or focus for assessment tasks.
- Description: Master of Education (Research)
- Authors: Claridge, Cheryl
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: In this qualitative research project I investigated the use of library systems by a cohort of students from the University of Ballarat Arts Academy. The purpose of the study was to build a clearer picture of how these students use the library resources for their information-seeking, with a view to improving the provision of library services, resources and training. In particular I aimed to identify whether this cohort had a common approach to information-seeking. In this study I thematically analysed the data from eight think-aloud protocols and semi- structured interviews. Participants were Arts Academy students studying Performing Arts, Visual Arts or a Visual Arts/Education dual-degree who were searching for information to complete an assessment task. With the exception of two second year dual-degree students all participants were first year students. The steps taken by participants in information-seeking were identified and the successes and difficulties they experienced with the library’s systems highlighted. The participants in this cohort did not share one specific ‘information-seeking style’ however I identified some common factors across this group of students. All of the participants engaged in a staged process to source the information they required, although in some cases this process was non-linear. They did not however utilise the full capabilities of the search tools they used or access potentially useful tools and resources which the library provides. A number of participants were reticent about using eResources as they had been instructed not to use internet resources for assessment tasks. As a result of this inquiry I have made recommendations relating to the provision of library training and services, collection maintenance and library record standards. Collaboration between library and academic staff would be required to implement these recommendations to ensure optimum outcomes. Areas highlighted for future research include similar studies with student cohorts from different disciplines and an examination of students’ approaches to choosing a topic or focus for assessment tasks.
- Description: Master of Education (Research)