Mapping Australia felix : maps, myths and mitchell
- Authors: Coleridge, Edward
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This investigation into the oeuvre of Thomas Mitchell, the Surveyor-General of New South Wales from 1827 to 1855, intends to reveal the remarkable opus of work he produced and enquire how he achieved it. The feat that won him fame was his discovery of the rich pasturelands and picturesque landscapes in an area that is now western Victoria, which he called Australia Felix. He matched this enthusiastic name with a finely illustrated and densely detailed two-volume journal of his three exploratory journeys - ostensibly to find where the River Darling met the Murray River. Mitchell learnt his trade as a surveyor and mapmaker in Wellington’s army fighting the French in Spain and Portugal, that theatre of the Napoleonic Wars termed the Peninsular War. The objective of this thesis is twofold. The first is the exposition of a rare and remarkable atlas of battlefield plans he was commissioned to survey at the conclusion of the war, a task which took him five years in the field, but was only completed and published 25 years later. There are only two known copies of this immense tome in Australian public libraries. The parallel plan is to relate it to the wealth of imagery with which he illustrated the journal of his expedition in 1836 that discovered Australia Felix. By the artifice of fusing the magnificent maps and landscapes in the atlas with the illustrations in the journals, together with his unpublished artwork, and commissioned structures, a metaphorical map of the new Promised Land can be attempted. Set in a period of revolution and European expansion, it is a study encompassing histories of nationalism, exploration, cartography, colonisation, indigenous relations, warfare, art, and theories of landscape art, architecture, neoclassicism and romanticism, and the aesthetics of the sublime, the beautiful and the picturesque.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Coleridge, Edward
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This investigation into the oeuvre of Thomas Mitchell, the Surveyor-General of New South Wales from 1827 to 1855, intends to reveal the remarkable opus of work he produced and enquire how he achieved it. The feat that won him fame was his discovery of the rich pasturelands and picturesque landscapes in an area that is now western Victoria, which he called Australia Felix. He matched this enthusiastic name with a finely illustrated and densely detailed two-volume journal of his three exploratory journeys - ostensibly to find where the River Darling met the Murray River. Mitchell learnt his trade as a surveyor and mapmaker in Wellington’s army fighting the French in Spain and Portugal, that theatre of the Napoleonic Wars termed the Peninsular War. The objective of this thesis is twofold. The first is the exposition of a rare and remarkable atlas of battlefield plans he was commissioned to survey at the conclusion of the war, a task which took him five years in the field, but was only completed and published 25 years later. There are only two known copies of this immense tome in Australian public libraries. The parallel plan is to relate it to the wealth of imagery with which he illustrated the journal of his expedition in 1836 that discovered Australia Felix. By the artifice of fusing the magnificent maps and landscapes in the atlas with the illustrations in the journals, together with his unpublished artwork, and commissioned structures, a metaphorical map of the new Promised Land can be attempted. Set in a period of revolution and European expansion, it is a study encompassing histories of nationalism, exploration, cartography, colonisation, indigenous relations, warfare, art, and theories of landscape art, architecture, neoclassicism and romanticism, and the aesthetics of the sublime, the beautiful and the picturesque.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Measuring trustworthiness of image data in the internet of things environment
- Authors: Islam, Mohammad
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Internet of Things (IoT) image sensors generate huge volumes of digital images every day. However, easy availability and usability of photo editing tools, the vulnerability in communication channels and malicious software have made forgery attacks on image sensor data effortless and thus expose IoT systems to cyberattacks. In IoT applications such as smart cities and surveillance systems, the smooth operation depends on sensors’ sharing data with other sensors of identical or different types. Therefore, a sensor must be able to rely on the data it receives from other sensors; in other words, data must be trustworthy. Sensors deployed in IoT applications are usually limited to low processing and battery power, which prohibits the use of complex cryptography and security mechanism and the adoption of universal security standards by IoT device manufacturers. Hence, estimating the trust of the image sensor data is a defensive solution as these data are used for critical decision-making processes. To our knowledge, only one published work has estimated the trustworthiness of digital images applied to forensic applications. However, that study’s method depends on machine learning prediction scores returned by existing forensic models, which limits its usage where underlying forensics models require different approaches (e.g., machine learning predictions, statistical methods, digital signature, perceptual image hash). Multi-type sensor data correlation and context awareness can improve the trust measurement, which is absent in that study’s model. To address these issues, novel techniques are introduced to accurately estimate the trustworthiness of IoT image sensor data with the aid of complementary non-imagery (numeric) data-generating sensors monitoring the same environment. The trust estimation models run in edge devices, relieving sensors from computationally intensive tasks. First, to detect local image forgery (splicing and copy-move attacks), an innovative image forgery detection method is proposed based on Discrete Cosine Transformation (DCT), Local Binary Pattern (LBP) and a new feature extraction method using the mean operator. Using Support Vector Machine (SVM), the proposed method is extensively tested on four well-known publicly available greyscale and colour image forgery datasets and on an IoT-based image forgery dataset that we built. Experimental results reveal the superiority of our proposed method over recent state-of-the-art methods in terms of widely used performance metrics and computational time and demonstrate robustness against low availability of forged training samples. Second, a robust trust estimation framework for IoT image data is proposed, leveraging numeric data-generating sensors deployed in the same area of interest (AoI) in an indoor environment. As low-cost sensors allow many IoT applications to use multiple types of sensors to observe the same AoI, the complementary numeric data of one sensor can be exploited to measure the trust value of another image sensor’s data. A theoretical model is developed using Shannon’s entropy to derive the uncertainty associated with an observed event and Dempster-Shafer theory (DST) for decision fusion. The proposed model’s efficacy in estimating the trust score of image sensor data is analysed by observing a fire event using IoT image and temperature sensor data in an indoor residential setup under different scenarios. The proposed model produces highly accurate trust scores in all scenarios with authentic and forged image data. Finally, as the outdoor environment varies dynamically due to different natural factors (e.g., lighting condition variations in day and night, presence of different objects, smoke, fog, rain, shadow in the scene), a novel trust framework is proposed that is suitable for the outdoor environments with these contextual variations. A transfer learning approach is adopted to derive the decision about an observation from image sensor data, while also a statistical approach is used to derive the decision about the same observation from numeric data generated from other sensors deployed in the same AoI. These decisions are then fused using CertainLogic and compared with DST-based fusion. A testbed was set up using Raspberry Pi microprocessor, image sensor, temperature sensor, edge device, LoRa nodes, LoRaWAN gateway and servers to evaluate the proposed techniques. The results show that CertainLogic is more suitable for measuring the trustworthiness of image sensor data in an outdoor environment.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Islam, Mohammad
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Internet of Things (IoT) image sensors generate huge volumes of digital images every day. However, easy availability and usability of photo editing tools, the vulnerability in communication channels and malicious software have made forgery attacks on image sensor data effortless and thus expose IoT systems to cyberattacks. In IoT applications such as smart cities and surveillance systems, the smooth operation depends on sensors’ sharing data with other sensors of identical or different types. Therefore, a sensor must be able to rely on the data it receives from other sensors; in other words, data must be trustworthy. Sensors deployed in IoT applications are usually limited to low processing and battery power, which prohibits the use of complex cryptography and security mechanism and the adoption of universal security standards by IoT device manufacturers. Hence, estimating the trust of the image sensor data is a defensive solution as these data are used for critical decision-making processes. To our knowledge, only one published work has estimated the trustworthiness of digital images applied to forensic applications. However, that study’s method depends on machine learning prediction scores returned by existing forensic models, which limits its usage where underlying forensics models require different approaches (e.g., machine learning predictions, statistical methods, digital signature, perceptual image hash). Multi-type sensor data correlation and context awareness can improve the trust measurement, which is absent in that study’s model. To address these issues, novel techniques are introduced to accurately estimate the trustworthiness of IoT image sensor data with the aid of complementary non-imagery (numeric) data-generating sensors monitoring the same environment. The trust estimation models run in edge devices, relieving sensors from computationally intensive tasks. First, to detect local image forgery (splicing and copy-move attacks), an innovative image forgery detection method is proposed based on Discrete Cosine Transformation (DCT), Local Binary Pattern (LBP) and a new feature extraction method using the mean operator. Using Support Vector Machine (SVM), the proposed method is extensively tested on four well-known publicly available greyscale and colour image forgery datasets and on an IoT-based image forgery dataset that we built. Experimental results reveal the superiority of our proposed method over recent state-of-the-art methods in terms of widely used performance metrics and computational time and demonstrate robustness against low availability of forged training samples. Second, a robust trust estimation framework for IoT image data is proposed, leveraging numeric data-generating sensors deployed in the same area of interest (AoI) in an indoor environment. As low-cost sensors allow many IoT applications to use multiple types of sensors to observe the same AoI, the complementary numeric data of one sensor can be exploited to measure the trust value of another image sensor’s data. A theoretical model is developed using Shannon’s entropy to derive the uncertainty associated with an observed event and Dempster-Shafer theory (DST) for decision fusion. The proposed model’s efficacy in estimating the trust score of image sensor data is analysed by observing a fire event using IoT image and temperature sensor data in an indoor residential setup under different scenarios. The proposed model produces highly accurate trust scores in all scenarios with authentic and forged image data. Finally, as the outdoor environment varies dynamically due to different natural factors (e.g., lighting condition variations in day and night, presence of different objects, smoke, fog, rain, shadow in the scene), a novel trust framework is proposed that is suitable for the outdoor environments with these contextual variations. A transfer learning approach is adopted to derive the decision about an observation from image sensor data, while also a statistical approach is used to derive the decision about the same observation from numeric data generated from other sensors deployed in the same AoI. These decisions are then fused using CertainLogic and compared with DST-based fusion. A testbed was set up using Raspberry Pi microprocessor, image sensor, temperature sensor, edge device, LoRa nodes, LoRaWAN gateway and servers to evaluate the proposed techniques. The results show that CertainLogic is more suitable for measuring the trustworthiness of image sensor data in an outdoor environment.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Open data and interoperability standards : opportunities for animal welfare in extensive livestock systems
- Authors: Bahlo, Christiane
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Extensive livestock farming constitutes a sizeable portion of agriculture, not only in relation to land use, but in contribution to feeding a growing human population. In addition to meat, it contributes other economically valuable commodities such as wool, hides and other products. The livestock industries are adopting technologies under the banner of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) to help meet higher production and efficiency targets as well as help to manage the multiple challenges impacting the industries, such as climate change, environmental concerns, globalisation of markets, increasing rules of governance and societal scrutiny especially in relation to animal welfare. PLF is particularly dependent on the acquisition and management of data and metadata and on the interoperability standards that allow data discovery and federation. A review of interoperability standards and PLF adoption in extensive livestock farming systems identified a lack of domain specific standards and raised questions related to the amount and quality of public data which has potential to inform livestock farming. A systematic review of public datasets, which included an assessment based on the principles that data must be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) was developed. Custom software scripts were used to conduct a dataset search to determine the quantity and quality of domain specific datasets yielded 419 unique Australian datasets directly related to extensive livestock farming. A FAIR assessment of these datasets using a set of non-domain specific, general metrics showed a moderate level of compliance. The results suggest that domain specific FAIR metrics may need to be developed to provide a more accurate data quality assessment, but also that the level of interoperability and reusability is not particularly high which has implications if public data is to be included in decision support tools. To test the usefulness of available public datasets in informing decision support in relation to livestock welfare, a case study was designed and farm animal welfare elements were extracted from Australian welfare standards to guide a dataset search. It was found that with few exceptions, these elements could be supported with public data, although there were gaps in temporal and spatial coverage. The development of a geospatial animal welfare portal including these datasets further explored and confirmed the potential for using public data to enhance livestock welfare.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bahlo, Christiane
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Extensive livestock farming constitutes a sizeable portion of agriculture, not only in relation to land use, but in contribution to feeding a growing human population. In addition to meat, it contributes other economically valuable commodities such as wool, hides and other products. The livestock industries are adopting technologies under the banner of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) to help meet higher production and efficiency targets as well as help to manage the multiple challenges impacting the industries, such as climate change, environmental concerns, globalisation of markets, increasing rules of governance and societal scrutiny especially in relation to animal welfare. PLF is particularly dependent on the acquisition and management of data and metadata and on the interoperability standards that allow data discovery and federation. A review of interoperability standards and PLF adoption in extensive livestock farming systems identified a lack of domain specific standards and raised questions related to the amount and quality of public data which has potential to inform livestock farming. A systematic review of public datasets, which included an assessment based on the principles that data must be findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) was developed. Custom software scripts were used to conduct a dataset search to determine the quantity and quality of domain specific datasets yielded 419 unique Australian datasets directly related to extensive livestock farming. A FAIR assessment of these datasets using a set of non-domain specific, general metrics showed a moderate level of compliance. The results suggest that domain specific FAIR metrics may need to be developed to provide a more accurate data quality assessment, but also that the level of interoperability and reusability is not particularly high which has implications if public data is to be included in decision support tools. To test the usefulness of available public datasets in informing decision support in relation to livestock welfare, a case study was designed and farm animal welfare elements were extracted from Australian welfare standards to guide a dataset search. It was found that with few exceptions, these elements could be supported with public data, although there were gaps in temporal and spatial coverage. The development of a geospatial animal welfare portal including these datasets further explored and confirmed the potential for using public data to enhance livestock welfare.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Participation, retention and dropout of children and adolescents in club-based community tennis
- Authors: Unni, Ambili
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Promoting participation in sport to achieve sporting excellence and health outcomes is a national policy of Australia. Organised, club-based sport at community level is important as it provides a pathway to elite sporting success and contributes to health and wellbeing of participants. Dropout from all forms of club-based sports including tennis occurs specifically during adolescence in Australia and internationally. Little is known about the factors that collectively influence this age group in their choice to continue playing club-sport or to drop out. This PhD program of research investigated the trends and determinants of retention and dropout among children and adolescents playing community level club-based tennis in the Australian state of Victoria. The program of research used the socio-ecological model underpinned by Leisure Constraint Theory and Fun Integration Theory to understand the different factors that influence retention. The mixed-methods explanatory sequential research design comprised of two consecutive phases of quantitative study that involved secondary data analysis of state-wide club-tennis participation and an on-line survey that examined the determinants of retention and dropout with a socio-ecological perspective. This was followed by an informed qualitative study to explore the key findings in depth. Players aged 10-18 years who were or had been registered players at tennis clubs in Victoria were invited to participate. Analysis of survey data and interviews identified a range of factors that influence and impact the decision of young players to continue playing club-based tennis or to drop out. The result from this program of research highlighted the two intrapersonal determinants ‘enjoyment’ and ‘competency’ as ‘core’ determinants of young players’ choice to be retained or to drop out. Many previous studies have listed enjoyment and competency and several other socio-ecological factors as determinants influencing retention. This research created new knowledge by explaining how each individual socio-ecological element influenced retention through enhancing or diminishing the two core determinants. Mapping of the interaction of multiple socio-ecological elements in leading to retention or dropout while presenting enjoyment and competency as core determinants is unique. Improving retention in club-based tennis during adolescence is important for maintaining participation as a habit into adulthood. As a practical way to achieve this, factors that are identified in this study as influencing enjoyment and competency can be targeted through interventions at various levels through policies and strategies in delivering club programs, coaching and competition. Competency and enjoyment are interconnected in promoting retention. Increasing access to affordable and good quality coaching promotes enjoyment through improving competency and hence should be prioritised to sustain children’s interest and passion for the game. The knowledge about interconnectivity of several apparently distinct elements reiterates the importance of a holistic approach in sport retention studies. It provides the theoretical backing for strategies aimed at retaining more children and adolescents in organised sport which is important for carrying regular physical activity habit into adulthood and ensuring sustainability of organised sports.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Unni, Ambili
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Promoting participation in sport to achieve sporting excellence and health outcomes is a national policy of Australia. Organised, club-based sport at community level is important as it provides a pathway to elite sporting success and contributes to health and wellbeing of participants. Dropout from all forms of club-based sports including tennis occurs specifically during adolescence in Australia and internationally. Little is known about the factors that collectively influence this age group in their choice to continue playing club-sport or to drop out. This PhD program of research investigated the trends and determinants of retention and dropout among children and adolescents playing community level club-based tennis in the Australian state of Victoria. The program of research used the socio-ecological model underpinned by Leisure Constraint Theory and Fun Integration Theory to understand the different factors that influence retention. The mixed-methods explanatory sequential research design comprised of two consecutive phases of quantitative study that involved secondary data analysis of state-wide club-tennis participation and an on-line survey that examined the determinants of retention and dropout with a socio-ecological perspective. This was followed by an informed qualitative study to explore the key findings in depth. Players aged 10-18 years who were or had been registered players at tennis clubs in Victoria were invited to participate. Analysis of survey data and interviews identified a range of factors that influence and impact the decision of young players to continue playing club-based tennis or to drop out. The result from this program of research highlighted the two intrapersonal determinants ‘enjoyment’ and ‘competency’ as ‘core’ determinants of young players’ choice to be retained or to drop out. Many previous studies have listed enjoyment and competency and several other socio-ecological factors as determinants influencing retention. This research created new knowledge by explaining how each individual socio-ecological element influenced retention through enhancing or diminishing the two core determinants. Mapping of the interaction of multiple socio-ecological elements in leading to retention or dropout while presenting enjoyment and competency as core determinants is unique. Improving retention in club-based tennis during adolescence is important for maintaining participation as a habit into adulthood. As a practical way to achieve this, factors that are identified in this study as influencing enjoyment and competency can be targeted through interventions at various levels through policies and strategies in delivering club programs, coaching and competition. Competency and enjoyment are interconnected in promoting retention. Increasing access to affordable and good quality coaching promotes enjoyment through improving competency and hence should be prioritised to sustain children’s interest and passion for the game. The knowledge about interconnectivity of several apparently distinct elements reiterates the importance of a holistic approach in sport retention studies. It provides the theoretical backing for strategies aimed at retaining more children and adolescents in organised sport which is important for carrying regular physical activity habit into adulthood and ensuring sustainability of organised sports.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Patients’ experiences of acute deterioration and Medical Emergency Team (MET) encounter : a grounded theory study
- Authors: Chung, Catherine
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Globally, considerable effort has been made to ensure hospital patients whose clinical condition deteriorates receive timely and appropriate care. Research suggests that hospitals have increasing numbers of patients who are more likely to become seriously ill during their admission due to complex problems. Recently, patient experience has been recognised as a means of assessing healthcare delivery with healthcare services across the world gathering patient experience or satisfaction data. Acute deterioration is unique and complex for all involved. However, little is known about this experience from the patient’s perspective. The purpose of this study was to generate theory about processes patients engage in when experiencing acute deterioration and MET encounter. Also, the research aimed to recognise and explain the factors that mediate patients’ experiences. The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of knowledge that will improve patient care and practice guidelines for healthcare professionals. Underpinned by the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism, grounded theory was employed for this study. From it ontological, epistemological, and methodological underpinnings, constructivist grounded theory was considered the most suitable approach. Using purposive sampling, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 patients across three Australian healthcare services. Data were collected over a 12-month period, between May 2018 – May 2019 and analysed using constant comparative analysis. The theoretical model ‘Unravelling a complex experience: contextualising patients’ experiences of acute clinical deterioration and Medical Emergency Team (MET) encounter’ emerged, offering a possible explanation of patients’ actions and processes. Most patients began their journeys feeling something was wrong which triggered emotional changes (experiencing changes-before the encounter). Patient experience was influenced by a combination of physical and psychological changes and a MET response (perceiving the reality - the encounter). After the MET encounter, some patients searched for deeper understandings about their illnesses and the events that occurred, whereas others managed without further reflection (reflecting on the event-after the encounter). Contextual conditions emerged influencing patients’ experiences with three broad mediating factors identified. Some participants identified that their acute deterioration and subsequent MET encounter was unexpected, and they perceived the nature of their illness (before their acute deterioration) as stable, based on what they had been told by medical staff (expectations and illness perception). Many participants acknowledged that their experience was dependent on the health care professionals who were caring for them at the time (relationship with the MET). Past experiences of illness and hospitalisation played an important role in participants’ abilities to conceptualise their experiences of acute deterioration and MET encounter (past experiences). These factors exerted a significant influence on participants’ experiences and helps to explain the differences between them. Unravelling a complex experience: Conceptualising patients’ experiences of acute deterioration and MET encounter offers a possible explanation of patients’ meanings, actions and processes when experiencing acute deterioration and MET encounter. The theory leads to recommendations that healthcare organisations gather data about patients’ experiences of acute deterioration and MET encounters, as these provide insights and opportunity to identify challenges that can be addressed.. Findings provide an explanatory framework for similar phenomena and increase awareness of patients’ experiences to ultimately inform health policy and improve patient care. The findings highlight the need for healthcare services to instigate strategies that support patients who have experienced acute deterioration. Further research could evaluate the effectiveness of implemented strategies.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Chung, Catherine
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Globally, considerable effort has been made to ensure hospital patients whose clinical condition deteriorates receive timely and appropriate care. Research suggests that hospitals have increasing numbers of patients who are more likely to become seriously ill during their admission due to complex problems. Recently, patient experience has been recognised as a means of assessing healthcare delivery with healthcare services across the world gathering patient experience or satisfaction data. Acute deterioration is unique and complex for all involved. However, little is known about this experience from the patient’s perspective. The purpose of this study was to generate theory about processes patients engage in when experiencing acute deterioration and MET encounter. Also, the research aimed to recognise and explain the factors that mediate patients’ experiences. The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of knowledge that will improve patient care and practice guidelines for healthcare professionals. Underpinned by the theoretical framework of symbolic interactionism, grounded theory was employed for this study. From it ontological, epistemological, and methodological underpinnings, constructivist grounded theory was considered the most suitable approach. Using purposive sampling, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 patients across three Australian healthcare services. Data were collected over a 12-month period, between May 2018 – May 2019 and analysed using constant comparative analysis. The theoretical model ‘Unravelling a complex experience: contextualising patients’ experiences of acute clinical deterioration and Medical Emergency Team (MET) encounter’ emerged, offering a possible explanation of patients’ actions and processes. Most patients began their journeys feeling something was wrong which triggered emotional changes (experiencing changes-before the encounter). Patient experience was influenced by a combination of physical and psychological changes and a MET response (perceiving the reality - the encounter). After the MET encounter, some patients searched for deeper understandings about their illnesses and the events that occurred, whereas others managed without further reflection (reflecting on the event-after the encounter). Contextual conditions emerged influencing patients’ experiences with three broad mediating factors identified. Some participants identified that their acute deterioration and subsequent MET encounter was unexpected, and they perceived the nature of their illness (before their acute deterioration) as stable, based on what they had been told by medical staff (expectations and illness perception). Many participants acknowledged that their experience was dependent on the health care professionals who were caring for them at the time (relationship with the MET). Past experiences of illness and hospitalisation played an important role in participants’ abilities to conceptualise their experiences of acute deterioration and MET encounter (past experiences). These factors exerted a significant influence on participants’ experiences and helps to explain the differences between them. Unravelling a complex experience: Conceptualising patients’ experiences of acute deterioration and MET encounter offers a possible explanation of patients’ meanings, actions and processes when experiencing acute deterioration and MET encounter. The theory leads to recommendations that healthcare organisations gather data about patients’ experiences of acute deterioration and MET encounters, as these provide insights and opportunity to identify challenges that can be addressed.. Findings provide an explanatory framework for similar phenomena and increase awareness of patients’ experiences to ultimately inform health policy and improve patient care. The findings highlight the need for healthcare services to instigate strategies that support patients who have experienced acute deterioration. Further research could evaluate the effectiveness of implemented strategies.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Patricia Violet Slater : a remarkable leader in the nursing profession in changing times
- Authors: Hamilton, Helen
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Patricia Slater opposed the entrenched traditional system of educating nurses in hospital programs and, in the years 1960-1983, she was an advocate and activist for tertiary level ducation for nurses in the general education system. Ms Slater’s educational expertise and unique position in nursing affairs, positioned her to progress nursing education at both undergraduate (basic) and graduate (post basic) levels and to take a leading role in the reform of nursing education. In this biographical account of Ms Slater’s professional life, her contribution as a pioneer and key player in the late twentieth century radical reform of nursing education, is distinguished from the collective activity of the nursing profession. The 1950s-1970s, highlighted many shortcomings in nursing practice drawing attention to the inadequacy of the contemporary preparation of nursing students. The traditional nursing education system, couched as it was in the cultural ethos of nineteenth century and rule driven, is identified as a major contributing factor to the apparent stasis in educational growth and development in Nursing. Social, cultural and political ideologies, to which the nursing profession was subject, worked to constrain and contain the profession, contributing to the apparent powerlessness of the profession to readily adjust and rectify its position. Chief among these influences was firstly, the domination and control of the medical profession over the health system and all health matters. Secondly, paternalism, that kept women in society and in the workforce subordinate to men. Thus nurses, being mostly female, were also professionally subordinated in the workplace being subject to medical control and direction. Thirdly, the Nightingale legacy of discipline and obedience in combination with the apprenticeship model of nurse education and the hierarchical organisation of nursing work, combined to encourage passive and conservative traits in nursing students that persisted over time. Ms Slater returned from nursing studies in America in 1960 with a vision as to how the nursing profession in Australia could advance and prepare nurses able to carry the profession forward, to determine the role and function of the nurse and the education required to develop nursing students at all levels. It would not be until the 1970s that sufficient numbers of nurses were ready to support the radical solution that Slater advocated, the transfer of nursing education into the general education system. Achieving this aim drew support from leading nursing organisations and the profession’s collective effort, sustained for over a decade, ultimately proved successful. Ms Slater’s thinking on nursing education, her vision for the nursing profession’s future, her philosophy and values in respect of Nursing, are drawn from her published work and some unpublished papers. Finding little to give insight into her personal reactions to events in her professional life, I approached individuals who had worked with Ms Slater ranging in time from approximately 2-12 years. Sixteen individuals were interviewed to gain their perspectives on events and their views and perceptions of Ms Slater: all but four were former employees. Interviews were taped verbatim, transcribed and reviewed by participants, all of whom agreed to be identified in the study. The official records of the College of Nursing, Australia and the then Royal Australian Nursing Federation, provided further primary source material together with the many reports of inquiries into nursing education. A diverse range of material was used to place Ms Slater’s life and the Nursing profession as a whole, in the social, cultural and political context of the times. Nursing in Australia was compared with like countries in the same time period. It was established that all were facing similar problems for much the same reasons. Patricia Slater’s leadership and expertise, were essential components in the successful achievement of tertiary level education for nurses. As a result, in the years 1984-1994, the nursing profession moved from a skilled craft towards becoming a knowledge based discipline, the equal of other health professions. The change in nurse education at that time, was as radical as that introduced to Australia by the Nightingale nurses in 1860s, in that the position and status of nurses and Nursing was radically changed on both occasions. The story of one of the most important Australian nurse leaders of the twentieth century is related for the first time in this work.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hamilton, Helen
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Patricia Slater opposed the entrenched traditional system of educating nurses in hospital programs and, in the years 1960-1983, she was an advocate and activist for tertiary level ducation for nurses in the general education system. Ms Slater’s educational expertise and unique position in nursing affairs, positioned her to progress nursing education at both undergraduate (basic) and graduate (post basic) levels and to take a leading role in the reform of nursing education. In this biographical account of Ms Slater’s professional life, her contribution as a pioneer and key player in the late twentieth century radical reform of nursing education, is distinguished from the collective activity of the nursing profession. The 1950s-1970s, highlighted many shortcomings in nursing practice drawing attention to the inadequacy of the contemporary preparation of nursing students. The traditional nursing education system, couched as it was in the cultural ethos of nineteenth century and rule driven, is identified as a major contributing factor to the apparent stasis in educational growth and development in Nursing. Social, cultural and political ideologies, to which the nursing profession was subject, worked to constrain and contain the profession, contributing to the apparent powerlessness of the profession to readily adjust and rectify its position. Chief among these influences was firstly, the domination and control of the medical profession over the health system and all health matters. Secondly, paternalism, that kept women in society and in the workforce subordinate to men. Thus nurses, being mostly female, were also professionally subordinated in the workplace being subject to medical control and direction. Thirdly, the Nightingale legacy of discipline and obedience in combination with the apprenticeship model of nurse education and the hierarchical organisation of nursing work, combined to encourage passive and conservative traits in nursing students that persisted over time. Ms Slater returned from nursing studies in America in 1960 with a vision as to how the nursing profession in Australia could advance and prepare nurses able to carry the profession forward, to determine the role and function of the nurse and the education required to develop nursing students at all levels. It would not be until the 1970s that sufficient numbers of nurses were ready to support the radical solution that Slater advocated, the transfer of nursing education into the general education system. Achieving this aim drew support from leading nursing organisations and the profession’s collective effort, sustained for over a decade, ultimately proved successful. Ms Slater’s thinking on nursing education, her vision for the nursing profession’s future, her philosophy and values in respect of Nursing, are drawn from her published work and some unpublished papers. Finding little to give insight into her personal reactions to events in her professional life, I approached individuals who had worked with Ms Slater ranging in time from approximately 2-12 years. Sixteen individuals were interviewed to gain their perspectives on events and their views and perceptions of Ms Slater: all but four were former employees. Interviews were taped verbatim, transcribed and reviewed by participants, all of whom agreed to be identified in the study. The official records of the College of Nursing, Australia and the then Royal Australian Nursing Federation, provided further primary source material together with the many reports of inquiries into nursing education. A diverse range of material was used to place Ms Slater’s life and the Nursing profession as a whole, in the social, cultural and political context of the times. Nursing in Australia was compared with like countries in the same time period. It was established that all were facing similar problems for much the same reasons. Patricia Slater’s leadership and expertise, were essential components in the successful achievement of tertiary level education for nurses. As a result, in the years 1984-1994, the nursing profession moved from a skilled craft towards becoming a knowledge based discipline, the equal of other health professions. The change in nurse education at that time, was as radical as that introduced to Australia by the Nightingale nurses in 1860s, in that the position and status of nurses and Nursing was radically changed on both occasions. The story of one of the most important Australian nurse leaders of the twentieth century is related for the first time in this work.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Shelter From the Storm. Webs of connectedness and entanglement in contemporary painting of the everyday
- Authors: Griffin, Tony
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Considering the often-overlooked objects in a single Australian suburban home through the practice of still life painting, this project examines the everyday as a means to understand our anxious times. By employing phenomenological approaches this project explores the theoretical understandings of the everyday and many recent iterations of “thing theory”. Through the practice of still life, its traditions, language and its contemporary currency, painting is employed as a means to understand this age of anxiety. My research closely observes, documents and presents the everyday objects in a single suburban Australian home in the early part of the twenty-first century. Ian Hodder’s theory of entanglement and the mutual dependency between humans and things that it proposes, is considered as a suitable tool for a contemporary visual art practitioner in creating new understandings of our domestic and broader world. Additionally, my research employs the innovative and challenging approaches to the familiar championed by the French writer Georges Perec. His work in revealing an understanding of our world through the exhaustively comprehensive and meticulous description of everyday things provides a structural basis for this project. Our homes are where we experience the everyday nature of our existence most keenly and my home is not unlike the homes of others. It is a place that shares those broader ideals considered to constitute a home, my shelter and my refuge. It is a worthy place in which to seek an understanding of our complex world. This project reveals in paint my observations of the minor things which, when combined, constitute the major things in my small home. The result of these observations is a series of representations of a familiar environment that enables an audience to recognise their own surroundings and re-evaluate the many hidden entanglements in their world in more complex and evocative ways.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Griffin, Tony
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Considering the often-overlooked objects in a single Australian suburban home through the practice of still life painting, this project examines the everyday as a means to understand our anxious times. By employing phenomenological approaches this project explores the theoretical understandings of the everyday and many recent iterations of “thing theory”. Through the practice of still life, its traditions, language and its contemporary currency, painting is employed as a means to understand this age of anxiety. My research closely observes, documents and presents the everyday objects in a single suburban Australian home in the early part of the twenty-first century. Ian Hodder’s theory of entanglement and the mutual dependency between humans and things that it proposes, is considered as a suitable tool for a contemporary visual art practitioner in creating new understandings of our domestic and broader world. Additionally, my research employs the innovative and challenging approaches to the familiar championed by the French writer Georges Perec. His work in revealing an understanding of our world through the exhaustively comprehensive and meticulous description of everyday things provides a structural basis for this project. Our homes are where we experience the everyday nature of our existence most keenly and my home is not unlike the homes of others. It is a place that shares those broader ideals considered to constitute a home, my shelter and my refuge. It is a worthy place in which to seek an understanding of our complex world. This project reveals in paint my observations of the minor things which, when combined, constitute the major things in my small home. The result of these observations is a series of representations of a familiar environment that enables an audience to recognise their own surroundings and re-evaluate the many hidden entanglements in their world in more complex and evocative ways.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Teacher perceptions of changes in school infrastructure and how these impact on their teaching practice
- Authors: Zivave, Takavada
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The impetus of this study comes from the 2009 Commonwealth Government of Australia’s $16.2 billion investment in school infrastructure under the Building the Education Revolution (BER) program. The BER program was supposed to stimulate the economy through creating construction jobs by building schools and ensuring that workers had jobs during the global financial crisis. Provision of learning spaces and learning space design was secondary to this need to create construction jobs. This thesis aimed to explore the teaching activity using an activity system based on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) (Engestrom, 1987) with the intent of bringing out or exposing the contribution made by the BER school infrastructure program on teaching especially around issues of pedagogy, teamwork, wellbeing, collaboration and interactions with students. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study utilised three sources of data, document analysis, online survey responses and focus group interviews. In the first phase, data were collected using a document analysis, this information guided the design of the online survey instrument, which was used to collect data in the second phase. Data collected using both the document analysis and online survey responses were used in the third phase, which involved focus group interviews. The data analysis involved identifying, grouping together and labelling document analysis, data from the online survey and transcripts of focus group interviews. These were coded and organised into themes, or units of meaning. The quantitative data was presented in frequency tables and descriptive statistics. This quantitative data was corroborated with extracts from focus group interviews and document analysis data where possible. The study’s findings demonstrated that school infrastructure supports teacher collaboration by allowing for team planning and co-teaching. Furthermore, the study revealed a link between teacher collaboration and teacher wellbeing. The study findings indicate that when teachers plan together and co-teach, their workload is reduced contributing positively to teacher wellbeing. The study suggests that a relationship exists between school infrastructure and student-teacher interactions, which serves to reduce negative interactions when dealing with outside classroom behaviour. The present study seeks to generate insights that, while unique to participants and individuals, are anticipated to be of interest to teachers more broadly. Potentially, the findings from this study could inform other educational contexts, for example, school architectural designers. Significantly, this research seeks to contribute to literature on the importance of school infrastructure on teacher performance ultimately improving student-learning outcomes.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Zivave, Takavada
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The impetus of this study comes from the 2009 Commonwealth Government of Australia’s $16.2 billion investment in school infrastructure under the Building the Education Revolution (BER) program. The BER program was supposed to stimulate the economy through creating construction jobs by building schools and ensuring that workers had jobs during the global financial crisis. Provision of learning spaces and learning space design was secondary to this need to create construction jobs. This thesis aimed to explore the teaching activity using an activity system based on Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) (Engestrom, 1987) with the intent of bringing out or exposing the contribution made by the BER school infrastructure program on teaching especially around issues of pedagogy, teamwork, wellbeing, collaboration and interactions with students. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study utilised three sources of data, document analysis, online survey responses and focus group interviews. In the first phase, data were collected using a document analysis, this information guided the design of the online survey instrument, which was used to collect data in the second phase. Data collected using both the document analysis and online survey responses were used in the third phase, which involved focus group interviews. The data analysis involved identifying, grouping together and labelling document analysis, data from the online survey and transcripts of focus group interviews. These were coded and organised into themes, or units of meaning. The quantitative data was presented in frequency tables and descriptive statistics. This quantitative data was corroborated with extracts from focus group interviews and document analysis data where possible. The study’s findings demonstrated that school infrastructure supports teacher collaboration by allowing for team planning and co-teaching. Furthermore, the study revealed a link between teacher collaboration and teacher wellbeing. The study findings indicate that when teachers plan together and co-teach, their workload is reduced contributing positively to teacher wellbeing. The study suggests that a relationship exists between school infrastructure and student-teacher interactions, which serves to reduce negative interactions when dealing with outside classroom behaviour. The present study seeks to generate insights that, while unique to participants and individuals, are anticipated to be of interest to teachers more broadly. Potentially, the findings from this study could inform other educational contexts, for example, school architectural designers. Significantly, this research seeks to contribute to literature on the importance of school infrastructure on teacher performance ultimately improving student-learning outcomes.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The care factor of leadership : identifying and understanding workplace appreciative behaviours in the supervisory relationship
- Authors: Timmerman, Geoffrey
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Most would agree, people like to be appreciated for who they are and for the work they do. Yet, the process resulting in employees feeling appreciated is not well understood. Further, appreciation in the workplace is complex, when considering the concept’s multifaceted nature. Workplace-relevant research supports hypotheses that being appreciated at work is associated with desirable employee outcomes such as enhanced subjective well-being (SWB), higher levels of job satisfaction and performance, creativity while also benefiting organisations through higher employee productivity. Some authors even suggest that being appreciated links to physical well-being. Regardless, empirical evidence supporting a putative relationship between appreciation and key workplace outcomes (SWB, job satisfaction and happiness) is lacking; This represents a knowledge gap in the management literature. An important related question concerns optimal ways that managers can express appreciation to their employees at work, and conversely, employee preferences for the form of appreciation that they receive from their manager. Past studies investigating the influence of appreciation in the workplace, though informative, have failed to apply a rigorous process to identify forms of appreciative behaviour. To advance knowledge on forms of workplace appreciation endowed by supervisors, and how this may influence employees, the first study aim was to identify and appraise the underlying components of appreciation-type behaviours. Hence, the supervisor-employee relationship forms the central component for this study. The second study aim was to identify whether and how supervisor-enacted appreciative behaviours influence selected employee work outcomes. A review of literature pertinent to the research aims provided theoretical foundations for understanding appreciative behaviours in the workplace. These included social relationships, human motivation, workplace sources of support, dispositional versus behavioural approaches to appreciation, selected aspects of leadership and the theorised function of workplace appreciation. From this, a conceptual model of an iterative workplace appreciation cycle was proposed to support the study aims. To meet the research aims, a two-phase study approach was adopted. Firstly, a qualitative study investigated the construct of expressed appreciation (phase 1). Here, expressed supervisor appreciative behaviours were identified through 19 one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with employees from a variety of professions and employment sectors. Through a rigorous thematic analysis, five supervisor appreciative behavioural themes (Interest, Rewards, Acknowledgment, Trust and Endorsement) were established to determine what (forms of appreciative behaviours enacted by supervisors). This first thematic framework was complemented by three outcome-related themes (Cognisance, Confirmation and Commendation) capturing the why (with regard to why employees feel appreciated) as a second thematic framework. Phase 2 of the study employed an online quantitative survey directly informed by phase 1 results. The hypothetical what and why constructs forming workplace appreciative behaviours were each developed as itemised scales (20-item and 12-item, respectively). An online survey instrument gathered employee (N=206) responses for itemised scales plus workplace outcome scales measuring SWB, job satisfaction and job commitment. Factor analysis of the 20-item what scale identified workplace appreciation behaviours endowed by supervisors to comprise a three-factor structure (factors labelled acknowledgement, trust and reward). A 12-item scale representing why employees feel appreciated provided a one-factor solution. Subsequent multiple regressions revealed the factors of acknowledgement and trust to be associated (p<.05) with job satisfaction, job commitment and overall well-being. Reward was not associated with any measured employee workplace outcome. Relationships of workplace appreciation factors with other measured variables including employee age, gender and workplace role were identified. The study findings provide both theoretical and practical contributions concerning the roles of and importance of supervisor appreciative behaviours manifest in the workplace. Supervisor acknowledgment is theorised to provide a foundation for developing a positive supervisor-employee relationship with trust conveyed over time to realise positive employee and organisational outcomes. Building on this, further studies are recommended to confirm this study’s results across a range of workplaces and for other national cultures.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Timmerman, Geoffrey
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Most would agree, people like to be appreciated for who they are and for the work they do. Yet, the process resulting in employees feeling appreciated is not well understood. Further, appreciation in the workplace is complex, when considering the concept’s multifaceted nature. Workplace-relevant research supports hypotheses that being appreciated at work is associated with desirable employee outcomes such as enhanced subjective well-being (SWB), higher levels of job satisfaction and performance, creativity while also benefiting organisations through higher employee productivity. Some authors even suggest that being appreciated links to physical well-being. Regardless, empirical evidence supporting a putative relationship between appreciation and key workplace outcomes (SWB, job satisfaction and happiness) is lacking; This represents a knowledge gap in the management literature. An important related question concerns optimal ways that managers can express appreciation to their employees at work, and conversely, employee preferences for the form of appreciation that they receive from their manager. Past studies investigating the influence of appreciation in the workplace, though informative, have failed to apply a rigorous process to identify forms of appreciative behaviour. To advance knowledge on forms of workplace appreciation endowed by supervisors, and how this may influence employees, the first study aim was to identify and appraise the underlying components of appreciation-type behaviours. Hence, the supervisor-employee relationship forms the central component for this study. The second study aim was to identify whether and how supervisor-enacted appreciative behaviours influence selected employee work outcomes. A review of literature pertinent to the research aims provided theoretical foundations for understanding appreciative behaviours in the workplace. These included social relationships, human motivation, workplace sources of support, dispositional versus behavioural approaches to appreciation, selected aspects of leadership and the theorised function of workplace appreciation. From this, a conceptual model of an iterative workplace appreciation cycle was proposed to support the study aims. To meet the research aims, a two-phase study approach was adopted. Firstly, a qualitative study investigated the construct of expressed appreciation (phase 1). Here, expressed supervisor appreciative behaviours were identified through 19 one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with employees from a variety of professions and employment sectors. Through a rigorous thematic analysis, five supervisor appreciative behavioural themes (Interest, Rewards, Acknowledgment, Trust and Endorsement) were established to determine what (forms of appreciative behaviours enacted by supervisors). This first thematic framework was complemented by three outcome-related themes (Cognisance, Confirmation and Commendation) capturing the why (with regard to why employees feel appreciated) as a second thematic framework. Phase 2 of the study employed an online quantitative survey directly informed by phase 1 results. The hypothetical what and why constructs forming workplace appreciative behaviours were each developed as itemised scales (20-item and 12-item, respectively). An online survey instrument gathered employee (N=206) responses for itemised scales plus workplace outcome scales measuring SWB, job satisfaction and job commitment. Factor analysis of the 20-item what scale identified workplace appreciation behaviours endowed by supervisors to comprise a three-factor structure (factors labelled acknowledgement, trust and reward). A 12-item scale representing why employees feel appreciated provided a one-factor solution. Subsequent multiple regressions revealed the factors of acknowledgement and trust to be associated (p<.05) with job satisfaction, job commitment and overall well-being. Reward was not associated with any measured employee workplace outcome. Relationships of workplace appreciation factors with other measured variables including employee age, gender and workplace role were identified. The study findings provide both theoretical and practical contributions concerning the roles of and importance of supervisor appreciative behaviours manifest in the workplace. Supervisor acknowledgment is theorised to provide a foundation for developing a positive supervisor-employee relationship with trust conveyed over time to realise positive employee and organisational outcomes. Building on this, further studies are recommended to confirm this study’s results across a range of workplaces and for other national cultures.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
The effect of swimming training load on supraspinatus tendon thickness and shoulder pain in elite swimmers
- Authors: Jabornik, Kirsten
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Swimming is one of the top three participant sports in Australia and enjoys a high public profile. Shoulder injuries are commonly sustained by swimmers and are associated with significant morbidity as well as impaired swimming performance. Supraspinatus tendinopathy has been found to be present in a large proportion of competitive swimmers. The use of ultrasound has been found to be a reliable and valid tool in assessing supraspinatus tendon thickness changes. Primarily this thesis investigated the relationship between changes in supraspinatus tendon thickness and shoulder pain among elite Australian swimmers. The thesis investigated how swimming practice load and intensity resulted in supraspinatus tendon thickness changes. Furthermore, retrospective data investigates the link between training related supraspinatus tendon thickness changes and future incidence of shoulder pain. The research ascertained that swimming practice results in significantly greater increases in supraspinatus tendon thickness in swimmer’s shoulders with a history of shoulder pain. The evaluation of volume and intensity demonstrated a greater increase in thickness as a result of high intensity low volume practice compared with that of high volume low intensity practice in swimmer’s shoulders without a history of pain. While retrospective data identified a significant association between the increase in tendon thickness immediately post a swimming practice and the tendon thickness at six hours post practice and the incidence of significant interfering shoulder pain at both three and six months post testing. These findings provide an evidence base for the use of supraspinatus tendon thickness measures to assess a swimmer’s readiness to train when returning from an episode of shoulder pain. Additionally, the shoulder tendon response to varying training loads, including different intensity and volume and how this may be associated with future incidence of pain may guide coaches and clinical staff in the planning of training programs and training periodisation to manage shoulder pain incidence
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Jabornik, Kirsten
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Swimming is one of the top three participant sports in Australia and enjoys a high public profile. Shoulder injuries are commonly sustained by swimmers and are associated with significant morbidity as well as impaired swimming performance. Supraspinatus tendinopathy has been found to be present in a large proportion of competitive swimmers. The use of ultrasound has been found to be a reliable and valid tool in assessing supraspinatus tendon thickness changes. Primarily this thesis investigated the relationship between changes in supraspinatus tendon thickness and shoulder pain among elite Australian swimmers. The thesis investigated how swimming practice load and intensity resulted in supraspinatus tendon thickness changes. Furthermore, retrospective data investigates the link between training related supraspinatus tendon thickness changes and future incidence of shoulder pain. The research ascertained that swimming practice results in significantly greater increases in supraspinatus tendon thickness in swimmer’s shoulders with a history of shoulder pain. The evaluation of volume and intensity demonstrated a greater increase in thickness as a result of high intensity low volume practice compared with that of high volume low intensity practice in swimmer’s shoulders without a history of pain. While retrospective data identified a significant association between the increase in tendon thickness immediately post a swimming practice and the tendon thickness at six hours post practice and the incidence of significant interfering shoulder pain at both three and six months post testing. These findings provide an evidence base for the use of supraspinatus tendon thickness measures to assess a swimmer’s readiness to train when returning from an episode of shoulder pain. Additionally, the shoulder tendon response to varying training loads, including different intensity and volume and how this may be associated with future incidence of pain may guide coaches and clinical staff in the planning of training programs and training periodisation to manage shoulder pain incidence
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Towards robust convolutional neural networks in challenging environments
- Authors: Hossain, Md Tahmid
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Image classification is one of the fundamental tasks in the field of computer vision. Although Artificial Neural Network (ANN) showed a lot of promise in this field, the lack of efficient computer hardware subdued its potential to a great extent. In the early 2000s, advances in hardware coupled with better network design saw the dramatic rise of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Deep CNNs pushed the State-of-The-Art (SOTA) in a number of vision tasks, including image classification, object detection, and segmentation. Presently, CNNs dominate these tasks. Although CNNs exhibit impressive classification performance on clean images, they are vulnerable to distortions, such as noise and blur. Fine-tuning a pre-trained CNN on mutually exclusive or a union set of distortions is a brute-force solution. This iterative fine-tuning process with all known types of distortion is, however, exhaustive and the network struggles to handle unseen distortions. CNNs are also vulnerable to image translation or shift, partly due to common Down-Sampling (DS) layers, e.g., max-pooling and strided convolution. These operations violate the Nyquist sampling rate and cause aliasing. The textbook solution is low-pass filtering (blurring) before down-sampling, which can benefit deep networks as well. Even so, non-linearity units, such as ReLU, often re-introduce the problem, suggesting that blurring alone may not suffice. Another important but under-explored issue for CNNs is unknown or Open Set Recognition (OSR). CNNs are commonly designed for closed set arrangements, where test instances only belong to some ‘Known Known’ (KK) classes used in training. As such, they predict a class label for a test sample based on the distribution of the KK classes. However, when used under the OSR setup (where an input may belong to an ‘Unknown Unknown’ or UU class), such a network will always classify a test instance as one of the KK classes even if it is from a UU class. Historically, CNNs have struggled with detecting objects in images with large difference in scale, especially small objects. This is because the DS layers inside a CNN often progressively wipe out the signal from small objects. As a result, the final layers are left with no signature from these objects leading to degraded performance. In this work, we propose solutions to the above four problems. First, we improve CNN robustness against distortion by proposing DCT based augmentation, adaptive regularisation, and noise suppressing Activation Functions (AF). Second, to ensure further performance gain and robustness to image transformations, we introduce anti-aliasing properties inside the AF and propose a novel DS method called blurpool. Third, to address the OSR problem, we propose a novel training paradigm that ensures detection of UU classes and accurate classification of the KK classes. Finally, we introduce a novel CNN that enables a deep detector to identify small objects with high precision and recall. We evaluate our methods on a number of benchmark datasets and demonstrate that they outperform contemporary methods in the respective problem set-ups.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hossain, Md Tahmid
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Image classification is one of the fundamental tasks in the field of computer vision. Although Artificial Neural Network (ANN) showed a lot of promise in this field, the lack of efficient computer hardware subdued its potential to a great extent. In the early 2000s, advances in hardware coupled with better network design saw the dramatic rise of Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). Deep CNNs pushed the State-of-The-Art (SOTA) in a number of vision tasks, including image classification, object detection, and segmentation. Presently, CNNs dominate these tasks. Although CNNs exhibit impressive classification performance on clean images, they are vulnerable to distortions, such as noise and blur. Fine-tuning a pre-trained CNN on mutually exclusive or a union set of distortions is a brute-force solution. This iterative fine-tuning process with all known types of distortion is, however, exhaustive and the network struggles to handle unseen distortions. CNNs are also vulnerable to image translation or shift, partly due to common Down-Sampling (DS) layers, e.g., max-pooling and strided convolution. These operations violate the Nyquist sampling rate and cause aliasing. The textbook solution is low-pass filtering (blurring) before down-sampling, which can benefit deep networks as well. Even so, non-linearity units, such as ReLU, often re-introduce the problem, suggesting that blurring alone may not suffice. Another important but under-explored issue for CNNs is unknown or Open Set Recognition (OSR). CNNs are commonly designed for closed set arrangements, where test instances only belong to some ‘Known Known’ (KK) classes used in training. As such, they predict a class label for a test sample based on the distribution of the KK classes. However, when used under the OSR setup (where an input may belong to an ‘Unknown Unknown’ or UU class), such a network will always classify a test instance as one of the KK classes even if it is from a UU class. Historically, CNNs have struggled with detecting objects in images with large difference in scale, especially small objects. This is because the DS layers inside a CNN often progressively wipe out the signal from small objects. As a result, the final layers are left with no signature from these objects leading to degraded performance. In this work, we propose solutions to the above four problems. First, we improve CNN robustness against distortion by proposing DCT based augmentation, adaptive regularisation, and noise suppressing Activation Functions (AF). Second, to ensure further performance gain and robustness to image transformations, we introduce anti-aliasing properties inside the AF and propose a novel DS method called blurpool. Third, to address the OSR problem, we propose a novel training paradigm that ensures detection of UU classes and accurate classification of the KK classes. Finally, we introduce a novel CNN that enables a deep detector to identify small objects with high precision and recall. We evaluate our methods on a number of benchmark datasets and demonstrate that they outperform contemporary methods in the respective problem set-ups.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Transversality, regularity and error bounds in variational analysis and optimisation
- Authors: Nguyen, Duy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Transversality properties of collections of sets, regularity properties of set-valued mappings, and error bounds of extended-real-valued functions lie at the core of variational analysis because of their importance for stability analysis, constraint qualifications, qualification conditions in coderivative and subdifferential calculus, and convergence analysis of numerical algorithms. The thesis is devoted to investigation of several research questions related to the aforementioned properties. We develop a general framework for quantitative analysis of nonlinear transversality properties by establishing primal and dual characterizations of the properties in both convex and nonconvex settings. The H¨older case is given special attention. Quantitative relations between transversality properties and the corresponding regularity properties of set-valued mappings as well as nonlinear extensions of the new transversality properties of a set-valued mapping to a set in the range space are also discussed. We study a new property so called semitransversality of collections of set-valued mappings on metric (in particular, normed) spaces. The property is a generalization of the semitransversality of collections of sets and the negation of the corresponding stationarity, a weaker property than the extremality of collections of set-valued mappings. Primal and dual characterizations of the property as well as quantitative relations between the property and semiregularity of set-valued mappings are formulated. As a consequence, we establish dual necessary and sufficient conditions for stationarity of collections of set-valued mappings as well as optimality conditions for efficient solutions with respect to variable ordering structures in multiobjective optimization. We examine a comprehensive (i.e. not assuming the mapping to have any particular structure) view on the regularity theory of set-valued mappings and clarify the relationships between the existing primal and dual quantitative sufficient and necessary conditions including their hierarchy. The typical sequence of regularity assertions, often hidden in the proofs, and the roles of the assumptions involved in the assertions, in particular, on the underlying space: general metric, normed, Banach or Asplund are exposed. As a consequence, we formulate primal and dual conditions for the stability properties of solution mappings to inclusions. We propose a unifying general framework of quantitative primal and dual sufficient and necessary error bound conditions covering linear and nonlinear, local and global settings. The function is not assumed to possess any particular structure apart from the standard assumptions of lower semicontinuity in the case of sufficient conditions and (in some cases) convexity in the case of necessary conditions. We expose the roles of the assumptions involved in the error bound assertions, in particular, on the underlying space: general metric, normed, Banach or Asplund. As a consequence, the error bound theory is applied to characterize subregularity of set-valued mappings, and calmness of the solution mapping in convex semi-infinite optimization problems.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Nguyen, Duy
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Transversality properties of collections of sets, regularity properties of set-valued mappings, and error bounds of extended-real-valued functions lie at the core of variational analysis because of their importance for stability analysis, constraint qualifications, qualification conditions in coderivative and subdifferential calculus, and convergence analysis of numerical algorithms. The thesis is devoted to investigation of several research questions related to the aforementioned properties. We develop a general framework for quantitative analysis of nonlinear transversality properties by establishing primal and dual characterizations of the properties in both convex and nonconvex settings. The H¨older case is given special attention. Quantitative relations between transversality properties and the corresponding regularity properties of set-valued mappings as well as nonlinear extensions of the new transversality properties of a set-valued mapping to a set in the range space are also discussed. We study a new property so called semitransversality of collections of set-valued mappings on metric (in particular, normed) spaces. The property is a generalization of the semitransversality of collections of sets and the negation of the corresponding stationarity, a weaker property than the extremality of collections of set-valued mappings. Primal and dual characterizations of the property as well as quantitative relations between the property and semiregularity of set-valued mappings are formulated. As a consequence, we establish dual necessary and sufficient conditions for stationarity of collections of set-valued mappings as well as optimality conditions for efficient solutions with respect to variable ordering structures in multiobjective optimization. We examine a comprehensive (i.e. not assuming the mapping to have any particular structure) view on the regularity theory of set-valued mappings and clarify the relationships between the existing primal and dual quantitative sufficient and necessary conditions including their hierarchy. The typical sequence of regularity assertions, often hidden in the proofs, and the roles of the assumptions involved in the assertions, in particular, on the underlying space: general metric, normed, Banach or Asplund are exposed. As a consequence, we formulate primal and dual conditions for the stability properties of solution mappings to inclusions. We propose a unifying general framework of quantitative primal and dual sufficient and necessary error bound conditions covering linear and nonlinear, local and global settings. The function is not assumed to possess any particular structure apart from the standard assumptions of lower semicontinuity in the case of sufficient conditions and (in some cases) convexity in the case of necessary conditions. We expose the roles of the assumptions involved in the error bound assertions, in particular, on the underlying space: general metric, normed, Banach or Asplund. As a consequence, the error bound theory is applied to characterize subregularity of set-valued mappings, and calmness of the solution mapping in convex semi-infinite optimization problems.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
True to nature? Fidelity and transformation in Eugene von Guérard’s antipodean landscape paintings
- Authors: Hook, George
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: When the leading mid-nineteenth-century landscape artist in Victoria, Eugene von Guérard, was criticised for failing to illustrate nature sublimely, he replied that his “greatest desire” was to “imitate nature” as far as it was “compatible with the effect of the picture.” Later, he asserted that his aim was “to be true to nature as far as possible” in his art. This empirical, science-informed thesis explores what being “true to nature” meant in Guérard’s practice by examining natural features typically illustrated with fidelity, scrutinising features freely transformed for artistic effect, and assessing whether such transformations compromise his aesthetic ideal. The fieldwork-based study addresses a knowledge gap in Australian art history and environmental history by adopting a multi-disciplinary approach. The findings make a significant contribution to understanding what being “true to nature” meant for Guérard, and to determining whether his landscapes are reliable environmental history records. The investigation uses a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Early in-depth case studies identified faithfully rendered and freely modified features, which informed the development of an innovative survey instrument used to evaluate the fidelity of over a hundred of Guérard’s Antipodean landscapes. The extent to which natural features are faithful or transformed is subjectively assessed by comparing them with his accurate field drawings and modern site photographs taken from his vantage points. The novel reverse use of digital elevation models enabled many of his vantage points at sites to be precisely determined. Statistical analysis of survey data and further case studies leads to the conclusion that Guérard practised selective fidelity to nature. Although no natural feature was totally immune to being modified for artistic effect, many features are typically reproduced with great fidelity to the natural scenery visible at the site. Features significantly altered to create visually engaging or dramatic landscapes are usually found to be true to the natural history of the location, if not necessarily to the view. Exceptions are largely restricted to the composite landscapes that field research uncovered. Finally, the thesis examines whether Guérard’s fidelity practice resonates with particular purported influences, or parallels the practices of international contemporaries who were also renowned for their wilderness paintings.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hook, George
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: When the leading mid-nineteenth-century landscape artist in Victoria, Eugene von Guérard, was criticised for failing to illustrate nature sublimely, he replied that his “greatest desire” was to “imitate nature” as far as it was “compatible with the effect of the picture.” Later, he asserted that his aim was “to be true to nature as far as possible” in his art. This empirical, science-informed thesis explores what being “true to nature” meant in Guérard’s practice by examining natural features typically illustrated with fidelity, scrutinising features freely transformed for artistic effect, and assessing whether such transformations compromise his aesthetic ideal. The fieldwork-based study addresses a knowledge gap in Australian art history and environmental history by adopting a multi-disciplinary approach. The findings make a significant contribution to understanding what being “true to nature” meant for Guérard, and to determining whether his landscapes are reliable environmental history records. The investigation uses a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Early in-depth case studies identified faithfully rendered and freely modified features, which informed the development of an innovative survey instrument used to evaluate the fidelity of over a hundred of Guérard’s Antipodean landscapes. The extent to which natural features are faithful or transformed is subjectively assessed by comparing them with his accurate field drawings and modern site photographs taken from his vantage points. The novel reverse use of digital elevation models enabled many of his vantage points at sites to be precisely determined. Statistical analysis of survey data and further case studies leads to the conclusion that Guérard practised selective fidelity to nature. Although no natural feature was totally immune to being modified for artistic effect, many features are typically reproduced with great fidelity to the natural scenery visible at the site. Features significantly altered to create visually engaging or dramatic landscapes are usually found to be true to the natural history of the location, if not necessarily to the view. Exceptions are largely restricted to the composite landscapes that field research uncovered. Finally, the thesis examines whether Guérard’s fidelity practice resonates with particular purported influences, or parallels the practices of international contemporaries who were also renowned for their wilderness paintings.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
“I’ve got something to say and I need you to listen” : a photovoice study with women who have experienced family violence
- Authors: Hunt, Michelle
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Family violence is recognised as a significant social issue in Australia that is predominantly perpetrated by men against women in intimate partner relationships. Once only of concern to women and feminist activists, family violence is now part of mainstream public policy and community service provision. This research was conducted within an industry, community and university partnership to improve services for women and children who have experienced family violence in the Central Highlands region of Victoria. This research study used photovoice, a feminist participatory research method, to gather the insights and knowledge of some of these women from this region. The participants produced, selected and contextualised photographs to share their vision of “strong families, safe children” as well as providing their insights on what services needed to do to support this vision. Ten women participated in the study and collectively contributed 42 photographs and attended 15 individual interviews and four group workshops over a six-month period. Through their photographs and narratives, the participants detailed their experiences of services, including the systemic abuse of power and coercion that undermined their relationships with their children. The participants described feeling blamed and further victimised when their interactions with services replicated the coercive control that they had experienced in their intimate partner relationships. Systemic racial discrimination and violence further compounded service encounters described by the Aboriginal women who participated in the study. The participants advocated for the transformation of family violence policy and practice from one reliant on patriarchal and colonial knowledge to one grounded in feminist epistemologies and women’s experiential knowledge. Consistent with feminist epistemologies, this research study highlights the importance of relational understandings of family violence, a position that acknowledges the significance of women’s social context and family networks, as well as the interconnectedness of women’s and children’s safety and wellbeing. This research study has implications for the family violence service system grappling with the inclusion of lived experience as being more than voice but encompassing the positioning of women’s experiential knowledge (with all its emotion, complexity and subjectivity) at the heart of policy and practice.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hunt, Michelle
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Family violence is recognised as a significant social issue in Australia that is predominantly perpetrated by men against women in intimate partner relationships. Once only of concern to women and feminist activists, family violence is now part of mainstream public policy and community service provision. This research was conducted within an industry, community and university partnership to improve services for women and children who have experienced family violence in the Central Highlands region of Victoria. This research study used photovoice, a feminist participatory research method, to gather the insights and knowledge of some of these women from this region. The participants produced, selected and contextualised photographs to share their vision of “strong families, safe children” as well as providing their insights on what services needed to do to support this vision. Ten women participated in the study and collectively contributed 42 photographs and attended 15 individual interviews and four group workshops over a six-month period. Through their photographs and narratives, the participants detailed their experiences of services, including the systemic abuse of power and coercion that undermined their relationships with their children. The participants described feeling blamed and further victimised when their interactions with services replicated the coercive control that they had experienced in their intimate partner relationships. Systemic racial discrimination and violence further compounded service encounters described by the Aboriginal women who participated in the study. The participants advocated for the transformation of family violence policy and practice from one reliant on patriarchal and colonial knowledge to one grounded in feminist epistemologies and women’s experiential knowledge. Consistent with feminist epistemologies, this research study highlights the importance of relational understandings of family violence, a position that acknowledges the significance of women’s social context and family networks, as well as the interconnectedness of women’s and children’s safety and wellbeing. This research study has implications for the family violence service system grappling with the inclusion of lived experience as being more than voice but encompassing the positioning of women’s experiential knowledge (with all its emotion, complexity and subjectivity) at the heart of policy and practice.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A Ballarat chinese family biography – an intergenerational study
- Authors: Horsfield, Yvonne
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis addresses the gap that has existed in Ballarat’s historiography regarding the historical neglect and ignorance of Chinese family narratives and their life experiences. In doing so this thesis presents a longitudinal, three generational study of an immigrant Ballarat Chinese family from the early 1860s until the 1950s. It examines how members of each Tong Way generation strove to gain acceptance and establish an enduring sense of cultural belonging in a former regional, Victorian gold mining city. An ancestor, Liu Chou Hock, was a sojourner who arrived on the Haddon goldfield in 1862 and successfully worked a claim. Within three years, he returned to his village, Wang Tung, in Taishan, China. His experience was in sharp contrast to that of his son John Tong Way (Liu’ Zongwei) who permanently settled in Ballarat. The family strived to integrate against a background of migrant adjustment, ethnic discrimination and later a policy of assimilation. These factors represented a challenge for all Chinese who remained until the White Australia Policy was abandoned by the Whitlam Labor government in 1973. Unlike Caucasian immigrants, who could assimilate, whilst retaining certain features of their ethnic identification, the Chinese were culturally alienated and often excluded from everyday cultural life and practice. They represented a demographically significant ethnic minority. The thesis also compares the experiences of the Ballarat and Bendigo Chinese communities in order to examine the similarities and differences. In doing so, it analyses how they were able to establish a sense of belonging in their respective communities. The analysis of the Ballarat family’s experiences, combined with that of other Chinese descent families forms the basis of an extended case study. One that argues that adaptation was necessitated by their individual aspirations for acceptance, respectability and success.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Horsfield, Yvonne
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This thesis addresses the gap that has existed in Ballarat’s historiography regarding the historical neglect and ignorance of Chinese family narratives and their life experiences. In doing so this thesis presents a longitudinal, three generational study of an immigrant Ballarat Chinese family from the early 1860s until the 1950s. It examines how members of each Tong Way generation strove to gain acceptance and establish an enduring sense of cultural belonging in a former regional, Victorian gold mining city. An ancestor, Liu Chou Hock, was a sojourner who arrived on the Haddon goldfield in 1862 and successfully worked a claim. Within three years, he returned to his village, Wang Tung, in Taishan, China. His experience was in sharp contrast to that of his son John Tong Way (Liu’ Zongwei) who permanently settled in Ballarat. The family strived to integrate against a background of migrant adjustment, ethnic discrimination and later a policy of assimilation. These factors represented a challenge for all Chinese who remained until the White Australia Policy was abandoned by the Whitlam Labor government in 1973. Unlike Caucasian immigrants, who could assimilate, whilst retaining certain features of their ethnic identification, the Chinese were culturally alienated and often excluded from everyday cultural life and practice. They represented a demographically significant ethnic minority. The thesis also compares the experiences of the Ballarat and Bendigo Chinese communities in order to examine the similarities and differences. In doing so, it analyses how they were able to establish a sense of belonging in their respective communities. The analysis of the Ballarat family’s experiences, combined with that of other Chinese descent families forms the basis of an extended case study. One that argues that adaptation was necessitated by their individual aspirations for acceptance, respectability and success.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A continuous flow elevator to lift ore vertically for deep mine haulage using a cable disc elevator
- Authors: Webb, Colin
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Vertical continuous ore haulage with elevators in mining for deep haulage is virtually non-existent. In this, research investigations concentrated on a cable disc elevator. The problem of using a cable disc elevator is the friction between the elevator fixed tube and the moving ore on the disc. This research establishes the friction forces existing as the elevator cable and discs are elevated up a stationary tube. Then the focus is to find a way to eliminate that friction. The method involved developing three test rigs: Test Rig 1 measures static friction with the ore placed on a disc in a tube mounted on load cells to measure the resistance with the ore on the disc lifted by a counterweight. This is relevant for an elevator that has stopped under load. Test Rig 2 measures the dynamic friction in an operational 5-inch elevator with the tube on the lifting side held stationary by load cells when the cable discs are lifting the ore. Test Rig 3 eliminates friction in the lifting tube by using a pipe conveyor that travels vertically at the same speed as the cable disc elevator to contain the ore on the cable disc elevator. The cable disc elevator does all the ore lifting. The research generated results for static and dynamic friction for gravel, granite and coal. Cable tension required for ore lift of 1000 metres and the maximum hoisting distance for some existing cables are calculated. Implications of this research are that the cable disc elevator has the potential to haul from depths greater than existing elevators, has a small footprint in a mine, and with some further development could eliminate the need for truck haulage in open cut and underground mining from the mine.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Webb, Colin
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Vertical continuous ore haulage with elevators in mining for deep haulage is virtually non-existent. In this, research investigations concentrated on a cable disc elevator. The problem of using a cable disc elevator is the friction between the elevator fixed tube and the moving ore on the disc. This research establishes the friction forces existing as the elevator cable and discs are elevated up a stationary tube. Then the focus is to find a way to eliminate that friction. The method involved developing three test rigs: Test Rig 1 measures static friction with the ore placed on a disc in a tube mounted on load cells to measure the resistance with the ore on the disc lifted by a counterweight. This is relevant for an elevator that has stopped under load. Test Rig 2 measures the dynamic friction in an operational 5-inch elevator with the tube on the lifting side held stationary by load cells when the cable discs are lifting the ore. Test Rig 3 eliminates friction in the lifting tube by using a pipe conveyor that travels vertically at the same speed as the cable disc elevator to contain the ore on the cable disc elevator. The cable disc elevator does all the ore lifting. The research generated results for static and dynamic friction for gravel, granite and coal. Cable tension required for ore lift of 1000 metres and the maximum hoisting distance for some existing cables are calculated. Implications of this research are that the cable disc elevator has the potential to haul from depths greater than existing elevators, has a small footprint in a mine, and with some further development could eliminate the need for truck haulage in open cut and underground mining from the mine.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
A good sheep run. Letters from New South Wales in Scottish newspapers between 1820 and 1850 with potential to influence decisions on emigration
- Authors: Hannaford, Graham
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary aim of this thesis is to contribute to ongoing historical research into migration to and settlement in Australia by Scots. It achieves this by identifying and examining letters sent from the colonies in New South Wales which were printed in historic Scottish newspapers between 1820 and 1850. In examining the material, this thesis argues that the letters had potential to influence emigration decisions by Scots. The study shows some of the ways in which New South Wales was reported in the Scottish press and compares those reports with conditions in Scotland at the time. The comparisons and analyses of the letters, with consideration of their authors and likely readers as well as the newspapers in which they were printed demonstrate that the letters did have potential to influence emigration decisions. Its particular contribution to knowledge arises from demonstrating how mostly private letters which became publicly available through publication in newspapers had potential to influence emigrants’ decisions about moving to Australia. Rather than claiming direct evidence of the publication of particular letters as having influenced emigration, it shows how reporting of conditions in Australia when set into a context of contemporary events and conditions in Scotland had potential to influence decisions. It is grounded in the body of historical research about colonial Australia and sits within this Australian historiographical context. Given the motivations and attractions of Scots to colonial Australia this thesis also engages with techniques and theoretical approaches associated with Scottish diaspora studies, an area of research that often emphasises other Scottish migration patterns to Canada, New Zealand and the USA. When considered together both of these historiographical approaches lend themselves to primary source material analysis and a methodological approach that this doctoral study uses to examine the motivations of Scots who migrated to colonial Australia.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Hannaford, Graham
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The primary aim of this thesis is to contribute to ongoing historical research into migration to and settlement in Australia by Scots. It achieves this by identifying and examining letters sent from the colonies in New South Wales which were printed in historic Scottish newspapers between 1820 and 1850. In examining the material, this thesis argues that the letters had potential to influence emigration decisions by Scots. The study shows some of the ways in which New South Wales was reported in the Scottish press and compares those reports with conditions in Scotland at the time. The comparisons and analyses of the letters, with consideration of their authors and likely readers as well as the newspapers in which they were printed demonstrate that the letters did have potential to influence emigration decisions. Its particular contribution to knowledge arises from demonstrating how mostly private letters which became publicly available through publication in newspapers had potential to influence emigrants’ decisions about moving to Australia. Rather than claiming direct evidence of the publication of particular letters as having influenced emigration, it shows how reporting of conditions in Australia when set into a context of contemporary events and conditions in Scotland had potential to influence decisions. It is grounded in the body of historical research about colonial Australia and sits within this Australian historiographical context. Given the motivations and attractions of Scots to colonial Australia this thesis also engages with techniques and theoretical approaches associated with Scottish diaspora studies, an area of research that often emphasises other Scottish migration patterns to Canada, New Zealand and the USA. When considered together both of these historiographical approaches lend themselves to primary source material analysis and a methodological approach that this doctoral study uses to examine the motivations of Scots who migrated to colonial Australia.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Adventures in software engineering : plugging HCI & acessibility gaps with open source solutions
- Authors: Lansley, Alastair
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There has been a great deal of research undertaken in the field of Human-Computer Interfaces (HCI), input devices, and output modalities in recent years. From touch-based and voice control input mechanisms such as those found on modern smart-devices to the use of touch-free input through video-stream/image analysis (including depth streams and skeletal mapping) and the inclusion of gaze tracking, head tracking, virtual reality and beyond - the availability and variety of these I/O (Input/Output) mechanisms has increased tremendously and progressed both into our living rooms and into our lives in general. With regard to modern desktop computers and videogame consoles, at present many of these technologies are at a relatively immature stage of development - their use often limited to simple adjuncts to the staple input mechanisms of mouse, keyboard, or joystick / joypad inputs. In effect, we have these new input devices - but we're not quite sure how best to use them yet; that is, where their various strengths and weaknesses lie, and how or if they can be used to conveniently and reliably drive or augment applications in our everyday lives. In addition, much of this technology is provided by proprietary hardware and software, providing limited options for customisation or adaptation to better meet the needs of specific users. Therefore, this project investigated the development of open source software solutions to address various aspects of innovative user I/O in a flexible manner. Towards this end, a number of original software applications have been developed which incorporate functionality aimed at enhancing the current state of the art in these areas and making that software freely available for use by any who may find it beneficial.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Lansley, Alastair
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There has been a great deal of research undertaken in the field of Human-Computer Interfaces (HCI), input devices, and output modalities in recent years. From touch-based and voice control input mechanisms such as those found on modern smart-devices to the use of touch-free input through video-stream/image analysis (including depth streams and skeletal mapping) and the inclusion of gaze tracking, head tracking, virtual reality and beyond - the availability and variety of these I/O (Input/Output) mechanisms has increased tremendously and progressed both into our living rooms and into our lives in general. With regard to modern desktop computers and videogame consoles, at present many of these technologies are at a relatively immature stage of development - their use often limited to simple adjuncts to the staple input mechanisms of mouse, keyboard, or joystick / joypad inputs. In effect, we have these new input devices - but we're not quite sure how best to use them yet; that is, where their various strengths and weaknesses lie, and how or if they can be used to conveniently and reliably drive or augment applications in our everyday lives. In addition, much of this technology is provided by proprietary hardware and software, providing limited options for customisation or adaptation to better meet the needs of specific users. Therefore, this project investigated the development of open source software solutions to address various aspects of innovative user I/O in a flexible manner. Towards this end, a number of original software applications have been developed which incorporate functionality aimed at enhancing the current state of the art in these areas and making that software freely available for use by any who may find it beneficial.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
An examination of physical exercise as an adjunct treatment for depressive symptoms in adults aged 65 years and older
- Authors: Miller, Kyle
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In light of impending demographic shifts and projected strain on healthcare systems, this thesis set out to progress our putative understanding of the benefits of physical exercise on mental health in older adults aged 65 years and over. Herein, four studies of divergent research design interrogated the current knowledge base relating to the potential benefits of exercise in older adults with depressive symptomology. Study 1 set out to establish preliminary experimental evidence that four years of unsupervised aerobic exercise can improve cardiorespiratory function (determined by VO2max) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in lifelong sedentary ageing men compared with lifelong exercising athletes. Results demonstrated preliminary proof of concept for exercise-induced benefits on cardiorespiratory function and HRQL in ageing men. Study 2 surveyed community-dwelling older adults (n = 586) to establish a hierarchy of exercise-associated factors to predict depressive symptomology. Contrary to expectation, exercise behaviour did not confer additional antidepressant effect, but was substantially predicted by exercise-induced mood, exercise self-efficacy, and social support (f2 = 0.993). Study 3 pooled evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to quantitatively compare the treatment effectiveness from aerobic, resistance and mind-body exercise training in older adults with pre-existing clinical depression, whereas Study 4 followed the same methodology in apparently health older adults without pre-existing clinical depression. Using network meta-analytical techniques, both clinical depressed (g = -0.41 to -1.38) and apparently healthy (g = -0.27 to -0.51) older adults demonstrated equivalent effectiveness for aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise interventions, with encouraging levels of study compliance. Taken together, these findings encourage personal exercise preference when prescribing either aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise as a treatment adjunct for clinical depression and older adults with symptoms thereof. The sum of works herein provide new knowledge to guide exercise prescription for stakeholders in mental health and older adults over 65 years.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Miller, Kyle
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In light of impending demographic shifts and projected strain on healthcare systems, this thesis set out to progress our putative understanding of the benefits of physical exercise on mental health in older adults aged 65 years and over. Herein, four studies of divergent research design interrogated the current knowledge base relating to the potential benefits of exercise in older adults with depressive symptomology. Study 1 set out to establish preliminary experimental evidence that four years of unsupervised aerobic exercise can improve cardiorespiratory function (determined by VO2max) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in lifelong sedentary ageing men compared with lifelong exercising athletes. Results demonstrated preliminary proof of concept for exercise-induced benefits on cardiorespiratory function and HRQL in ageing men. Study 2 surveyed community-dwelling older adults (n = 586) to establish a hierarchy of exercise-associated factors to predict depressive symptomology. Contrary to expectation, exercise behaviour did not confer additional antidepressant effect, but was substantially predicted by exercise-induced mood, exercise self-efficacy, and social support (f2 = 0.993). Study 3 pooled evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to quantitatively compare the treatment effectiveness from aerobic, resistance and mind-body exercise training in older adults with pre-existing clinical depression, whereas Study 4 followed the same methodology in apparently health older adults without pre-existing clinical depression. Using network meta-analytical techniques, both clinical depressed (g = -0.41 to -1.38) and apparently healthy (g = -0.27 to -0.51) older adults demonstrated equivalent effectiveness for aerobic, resistance, and mind-body exercise interventions, with encouraging levels of study compliance. Taken together, these findings encourage personal exercise preference when prescribing either aerobic, resistance, or mind-body exercise as a treatment adjunct for clinical depression and older adults with symptoms thereof. The sum of works herein provide new knowledge to guide exercise prescription for stakeholders in mental health and older adults over 65 years.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Audit education in a socialist oriented market economy – the case of Vietnam
- Dang, Ky
- Authors: Dang, Ky
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The objective of the research project is to contribute to the understanding of the auditing profession in Vietnam. In particular, it provides information on the challenges facing auditors in an emerging economy where economic transformation is in progress and where auditing, as a profession, is under development. Auditors operate in an environment of conflicting priorities where they must maintain independence and objectivity in discharging their responsibilities to stakeholders and society. In Vietnam, the audit profession only came into existence in 1986 when the country embarked on its new economic model. Whilst studies have been conducted on the status of current accounting practice in Vietnam, studies regarding the audit profession have been limited. In this research project an examination of the issues affecting audit quality in Vietnam are investigated and suggestions for changes to address the deficiencies are made. In particular, the project focuses on the relevance and appropriateness of the education of auditors. A national survey of accountants, auditors and accounting academics in Vietnam was undertaken. The survey results indicate that in Vietnam there are deficiencies in audit practices over and above those commonly observed in other countries. These deficiencies are the result of the unique history of Vietnam, the current stage of economic development and the education system for auditors. From an auditing perspective, the slow adaptation of the education system to the new economic environment is having negative effects on accounting graduates and their employment prospects. Although inadequate training was identified as the single most important factor affecting audit quality, the ineffective enforcement regime was also a contributing factor. This research project indicates that there is a need for an overhaul of the current education system in Vietnam and for universities to develop an accounting and auditing curriculum that meets the needs of employers while complying with government’s education objectives and international standards of auditing and accounting.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Dang, Ky
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The objective of the research project is to contribute to the understanding of the auditing profession in Vietnam. In particular, it provides information on the challenges facing auditors in an emerging economy where economic transformation is in progress and where auditing, as a profession, is under development. Auditors operate in an environment of conflicting priorities where they must maintain independence and objectivity in discharging their responsibilities to stakeholders and society. In Vietnam, the audit profession only came into existence in 1986 when the country embarked on its new economic model. Whilst studies have been conducted on the status of current accounting practice in Vietnam, studies regarding the audit profession have been limited. In this research project an examination of the issues affecting audit quality in Vietnam are investigated and suggestions for changes to address the deficiencies are made. In particular, the project focuses on the relevance and appropriateness of the education of auditors. A national survey of accountants, auditors and accounting academics in Vietnam was undertaken. The survey results indicate that in Vietnam there are deficiencies in audit practices over and above those commonly observed in other countries. These deficiencies are the result of the unique history of Vietnam, the current stage of economic development and the education system for auditors. From an auditing perspective, the slow adaptation of the education system to the new economic environment is having negative effects on accounting graduates and their employment prospects. Although inadequate training was identified as the single most important factor affecting audit quality, the ineffective enforcement regime was also a contributing factor. This research project indicates that there is a need for an overhaul of the current education system in Vietnam and for universities to develop an accounting and auditing curriculum that meets the needs of employers while complying with government’s education objectives and international standards of auditing and accounting.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy