Description:
The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the experiences of fathers living with their chronically ill children in rural Australia. Data were collected via unstructured interviews with four fathers. Analysis followed the procedural steps for phenomenological data as outlined by Colaizzi (1978). Fathers described their experience of living with their chronically ill child as being filled with progressive losses for themselves and their child, including loss of: 1) pre-conceived expectations of future life; 2) a normal parenting relationship with their child; 3) normal partner relationship; and, 4) control of time and freedom. Findings contribute to knowledge and understanding of the complex nature of fathering a chronically ill child in rural Australia.
Description:
The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into the experiences of fathers living with their chronically ill children in rural Australia. Data were collected via unstructured interviews with four fathers. Analysis followed the procedural steps for phenomenological data as outlined by Colaizzi (1978). Fathers described their experience of living with their chronically ill child as being filled with progressive losses for themselves and their child, including loss of: 1) pre-conceived expectations of future life; 2) a normal parenting relationship with their child; 3) normal partner relationship; and, 4) control of time and freedom. Findings contribute to knowledge and understanding of the complex nature of fathering a chronically ill child in rural Australia.
Description:
This study explored rural welfare practice issues with six welfare professionals working in contentious fields of practice such as child welfare, family violence and the justice system in the western region of Victoria. Participants were selected on the basis of difference to provide a range of experiences. The six participants completed a questionnaire and were subsequently interviewed in depth about their own experiences. The study asked participants about issues of concern to them and strategies that they find useful in their professional practice in small communities. Issues of concern included: risk and experience of violence and harassment, managing confidential information gathered from formal and informal sources, providing services that are non stigmatising, managing dual and multiple roles and lack of anonymity and privacy. Participants were concerned about the dilemmas of personal privacy versus community “right to know” particularly when they had privileged information about perpetrators of violence and child sexual assault within their communities. Participants shared their practical solutions and personal survival strategies, as well as their concerns. Many employing organisations did not recognise these factors effectively in work practices, and supervision was focused on agency accountability rather than professional development and support. On a broader level, workplaces and educators need to recognise the impact of the occupational demands and stressors relevant for rural practitioners, where anonymity and privacy are frequently compromised, and respond sensitively to these issues. This paper includes a number of recommendations for educators and organisations employing welfare staff in rural areas. The author sincerely thanks the six welfare professionals for sharing their stories in such rich detail and with such honesty and frankness. Identifying details have been altered to protect their privacy.
Description:
This study explored rural welfare practice issues with six welfare professionals working in contentious fields of practice such as child welfare, family violence and the justice system in the western region of Victoria. Participants were selected on the basis of difference to provide a range of experiences. The six participants completed a questionnaire and were subsequently interviewed in depth about their own experiences. The study asked participants about issues of concern to them and strategies that they find useful in their professional practice in small communities. Issues of concern included: risk and experience of violence and harassment, managing confidential information gathered from formal and informal sources, providing services that are non stigmatising, managing dual and multiple roles and lack of anonymity and privacy. Participants were concerned about the dilemmas of personal privacy versus community “right to know” particularly when they had privileged information about perpetrators of violence and child sexual assault within their communities. Participants shared their practical solutions and personal survival strategies, as well as their concerns. Many employing organisations did not recognise these factors effectively in work practices, and supervision was focused on agency accountability rather than professional development and support. On a broader level, workplaces and educators need to recognise the impact of the occupational demands and stressors relevant for rural practitioners, where anonymity and privacy are frequently compromised, and respond sensitively to these issues. This paper includes a number of recommendations for educators and organisations employing welfare staff in rural areas. The author sincerely thanks the six welfare professionals for sharing their stories in such rich detail and with such honesty and frankness. Identifying details have been altered to protect their privacy.
Description:
Biological and hormonal theories of same-sex sexuality are usually based upon an assumption of congenital gender inversion, that is, that a lesbian is in some way masculinised and a gay man in some way feminised. Commonly, and also because of the assumption of biology, such evidence of gender inversion is sought in childhood. In this paper I present a challenge to the theory that childhood gender non-conformity is associated with homosexuality, noting in particular that discussions of gender non-conformity and 'homosexuality' do not attempt to explain the experiences of heterosexual women. By demonstrating that childhood gender non-conformity has been wrongly associated with same-sex sexuality and posing an alternative explanation for childhood gender non-conformity, it is my intention to present a challenge to the theory that same-sex sexuality is related to congenital gender inversion.
Description:
Biological and hormonal theories of same-sex sexuality are usually based upon an assumption of congenital gender inversion, that is, that a lesbian is in some way masculinised and a gay man in some way feminised. Commonly, and also because of the assumption of biology, such evidence of gender inversion is sought in childhood. In this paper I present a challenge to the theory that childhood gender non-conformity is associated with homosexuality, noting in particular that discussions of gender non-conformity and 'homosexuality' do not attempt to explain the experiences of heterosexual women. By demonstrating that childhood gender non-conformity has been wrongly associated with same-sex sexuality and posing an alternative explanation for childhood gender non-conformity, it is my intention to present a challenge to the theory that same-sex sexuality is related to congenital gender inversion.
Description:
It is has been recognised that sense of belonging and related concepts are strongly associated with mental and physical health. Research to date, however, has focused on sense of belonging to the community in which one lives. The present research extended the work on sense ofbelonging by assessing the relationship between sense ofbelonging in the workplace and the mental and physical health ofstaff employed in a regional university. It was hypothesised that there would be a significant negative relationship between sense ofbelonging and stress. It was also hypothesised that those staff who indicated a higher sense ofbelonging to their work team and organisation would be less likely to leave their employment and have fewer mental and physical health problems. A sample of 46 male and 49 female staff members completed sense ofbelonging and stress questionnaires. The research found that females showed a higher sense ofbelonging to both the work team and the organisation than males. Also, employees who showed a lower sense ofbelonging to the University had stronger intentions ofleaving their employment. Further, workers who indicated a higher sense ofbelonging to the work team exhibited lower burnout, lower global stress, and better general health. Results suggested that the mental health ofworkers can be improved by encouraging a sense of belonging to the immediate work team and that retention of workers may be increased by facilitating a sense of belonging to the organisation.
Description:
It is has been recognised that sense of belonging and related concepts are strongly associated with mental and physical health. Research to date, however, has focused on sense of belonging to the community in which one lives. The present research extended the work on sense ofbelonging by assessing the relationship between sense ofbelonging in the workplace and the mental and physical health ofstaff employed in a regional university. It was hypothesised that there would be a significant negative relationship between sense ofbelonging and stress. It was also hypothesised that those staff who indicated a higher sense ofbelonging to their work team and organisation would be less likely to leave their employment and have fewer mental and physical health problems. A sample of 46 male and 49 female staff members completed sense ofbelonging and stress questionnaires. The research found that females showed a higher sense ofbelonging to both the work team and the organisation than males. Also, employees who showed a lower sense ofbelonging to the University had stronger intentions ofleaving their employment. Further, workers who indicated a higher sense ofbelonging to the work team exhibited lower burnout, lower global stress, and better general health. Results suggested that the mental health ofworkers can be improved by encouraging a sense of belonging to the immediate work team and that retention of workers may be increased by facilitating a sense of belonging to the organisation.
Description:
Since 1980, national and international research knowledge on carers and care-giving has been accumulating. However, the theoretical bases of this research are usually unstated and implicit. Theory is vital in shaping social work research programs and types of social work intervention. This paper examines and critiques the social work theories influencing published social work research on care-giving. A search of key social work journals from 1980 to 2001 identified a total of 102 research articles about care-giving. The perspectives informing these articles fall into four groupings: positivist; interpretivist; systems; and feminist/radical. Building on the model developed by Howe (1987), which differentiates theories of radical change from those concerned with social regulation, each perspective is critically analysed for its underlying assumptions, level of analysis, research methodology and implications for policy and practice. Our review indicated that research on care-giving is dominated by a positivist approach that focuses on stress-coping and social support theories. These approaches are essentially individualistic, focus on the burden of care and prescribe interventions that assist carers to adjust to or cope with the care-giving role. Future social work research on care-giving should be informed by critical social work theories offering deeper structural analysis. This would be more consistent with our discipline's concern for social change and social justice.
Description:
Since 1980, national and international research knowledge on carers and care-giving has been accumulating. However, the theoretical bases of this research are usually unstated and implicit. Theory is vital in shaping social work research programs and types of social work intervention. This paper examines and critiques the social work theories influencing published social work research on care-giving. A search of key social work journals from 1980 to 2001 identified a total of 102 research articles about care-giving. The perspectives informing these articles fall into four groupings: positivist; interpretivist; systems; and feminist/radical. Building on the model developed by Howe (1987), which differentiates theories of radical change from those concerned with social regulation, each perspective is critically analysed for its underlying assumptions, level of analysis, research methodology and implications for policy and practice. Our review indicated that research on care-giving is dominated by a positivist approach that focuses on stress-coping and social support theories. These approaches are essentially individualistic, focus on the burden of care and prescribe interventions that assist carers to adjust to or cope with the care-giving role. Future social work research on care-giving should be informed by critical social work theories offering deeper structural analysis. This would be more consistent with our discipline's concern for social change and social justice.
Description:
Australians live in diverse areas, city and country, coast and hinterland, desert and rainforest, urban and remote areas. While much social work practice is located in large population centres, the problem of providing a social work service in rural and remote areas is a challenging one. This article examines some of the issues for rural social workers practicing where networks are small and multilayered, anonymity, privacy and safety for the social worker cannot be guaranteed, and a broad range of knowledge and skills are demanded. As a profession, it is important to acknowledge the complexity of delivering an ethical, responsive and appropriate service in rural areas. For rural social workers, this challenge impacts in both their professional and personal roles.
Description:
In Teachers as Researchers (2003: Ch 1), Joe Kincheloe advocates teacher research as a means by which teachers can resist and overcome a trend emanating from the United States toward domination of curriculum and pedagogy by ‘technical standards’ based on ‘expert research’ and imposed in a ‘top-down’ manner by educational administrators and policy makers. This is a trend where curriculum has become highly standardized. Teachers within the same subject areas in the same grades are required to ‘cover the same content, assign the same importance to the content they cover, and evaluate it in the same way’ regardless of the diversity of school communities, school settings, student needs and backgrounds, and so on (Marzano and Kendall 1999; Kincheloe 2003: 4). Teachers are strongly encouraged to teach to the tests that are used to measure student outcomes because schools are compared on the basis of the scores their students achieve. This regime of measuring and reporting outcomes is promoted in the name of ‘accountability,’ and is very difficult for schools to resist. On one hand, if schools do not make an effort to compete they are likely to lose students to other schools whose achievement scores impress parents/caregivers. On the other hand, if schools can show their scores are improving—by teaching more and more rigorously to the content-laden tests and enlisting parents/caregivers in this culture as overseers of student homework and preparation for tests, they can maintain and improve their enrolments.
Description:
In Teachers as Researchers (2003: Ch 1), Joe Kincheloe advocates teacher research as a means by which teachers can resist and overcome a trend emanating from the United States toward domination of curriculum and pedagogy by ‘technical standards’ based on ‘expert research’ and imposed in a ‘top-down’ manner by educational administrators and policy makers. This is a trend where curriculum has become highly standardized. Teachers within the same subject areas in the same grades are required to ‘cover the same content, assign the same importance to the content they cover, and evaluate it in the same way’ regardless of the diversity of school communities, school settings, student needs and backgrounds, and so on (Marzano and Kendall 1999; Kincheloe 2003: 4). Teachers are strongly encouraged to teach to the tests that are used to measure student outcomes because schools are compared on the basis of the scores their students achieve. This regime of measuring and reporting outcomes is promoted in the name of ‘accountability,’ and is very difficult for schools to resist. On one hand, if schools do not make an effort to compete they are likely to lose students to other schools whose achievement scores impress parents/caregivers. On the other hand, if schools can show their scores are improving—by teaching more and more rigorously to the content-laden tests and enlisting parents/caregivers in this culture as overseers of student homework and preparation for tests, they can maintain and improve their enrolments.
Description:
This paper presents the preliminary results of a qualitative study examining the agenda for change being pursued by key influential women in Australia to address male-centred rural general practitioner (GP) workforce policies. Many current recruitment and retention programs do not reflect the needs of female GPs as they are based on the traditional notions of a country GP — that is a full-time, on call doctor with a supporting spouse. As women become the majority in medicine, key women influentials in the rural general practice field are advocating for the restructuring of medicine so that women GPs can be part of the solution to rural health care issues. Previous empirical research and theoretical analyses have suggested that medicine and rural communities are patriarchal. To date data collection for this explorative study consists of 5 in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of key women activists across the spectrum of organised medicine. Preliminary results show how women are pressuring for change but also the sources of resistance they encounter from the dominant medical culture. Key women players use particular collective and individual strategies to advocate for female GP issues. These results reflect some research findings on women leaders and female rural GPs. In conclusion, it is important that women are given equal access to decision-making positions to enable their input into the structure and culture of rural general practice. The recommendation put forward is to build inclusive recruitment and retention rural workforce strategies for female rural GPs.
Description:
This paper presents the preliminary results of a qualitative study examining the agenda for change being pursued by key influential women in Australia to address male-centred rural general practitioner (GP) workforce policies. Many current recruitment and retention programs do not reflect the needs of female GPs as they are based on the traditional notions of a country GP — that is a full-time, on call doctor with a supporting spouse. As women become the majority in medicine, key women influentials in the rural general practice field are advocating for the restructuring of medicine so that women GPs can be part of the solution to rural health care issues. Previous empirical research and theoretical analyses have suggested that medicine and rural communities are patriarchal. To date data collection for this explorative study consists of 5 in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of key women activists across the spectrum of organised medicine. Preliminary results show how women are pressuring for change but also the sources of resistance they encounter from the dominant medical culture. Key women players use particular collective and individual strategies to advocate for female GP issues. These results reflect some research findings on women leaders and female rural GPs. In conclusion, it is important that women are given equal access to decision-making positions to enable their input into the structure and culture of rural general practice. The recommendation put forward is to build inclusive recruitment and retention rural workforce strategies for female rural GPs.
Description:
"This study examined the internal (Study 1) and external (Study 2) validity of DSM-IV ADHD using children with primary ADHD diagnosis." -- abstract.
Description:
"This study examined the internal (Study 1) and external (Study 2) validity of DSM-IV ADHD using children with primary ADHD diagnosis." -- abstract.
Description:
This article examines information and communication technologies (ICTs) practices in the home and school settings of four disadvantaged families. It reports the findings of a year-long study that investigated the nexus between computer-mediated literacy practices at home and at school and whether this inter-connectivity could make a difference in school success. The findings indicate that there was disjunction between home and school use. The ``digital divide'' exists for the families of this study, not in terms of access but in the gap between ICT practices at home and school. Schools in this study did not integrate ICT skills learned and demonstrated in the home environment into ICT practices at school. The study concludes that constructing pedagogical connections between home and school ICT practices may begin to bridge the ``digital divide''.
Description:
This article examines information and communication technologies (ICTs) practices in the home and school settings of four disadvantaged families. It reports the findings of a year-long study that investigated the nexus between computer-mediated literacy practices at home and at school and whether this inter-connectivity could make a difference in school success. The findings indicate that there was disjunction between home and school use. The ``digital divide'' exists for the families of this study, not in terms of access but in the gap between ICT practices at home and school. Schools in this study did not integrate ICT skills learned and demonstrated in the home environment into ICT practices at school. The study concludes that constructing pedagogical connections between home and school ICT practices may begin to bridge the ``digital divide''.
Description:
Global optimization problems continue to be a challenge in computational mathematics. The field is progressing in two streams: deterministic and heuristic approaches. In this paper, we present a hybrid method that uses the discrete gradient method, which is a derivative free local search method, and evolutionary strategies. We show that the hybridization of the two methods is better than each of them in isolation.
Description:
Global optimization problems continue to be a challenge in computational mathematics. The field is progressing in two streams: deterministic and heuristic approaches. In this paper, we present a hybrid method that uses the discrete gradient method, which is a derivative free local search method, and evolutionary strategies. We show that the hybridization of the two methods is better than each of them in isolation.
Description:
"This study enquires into the accounting standard system in Australia and questions the appropriateness of its core democratic participatory vehicle, the due process. In doing so it highlights issues associated with self-regulating authorities and their policy making practices. The study is pertinent to the extent it reviews a major paradigm shift within the Australian public sector and more specifically local government financial reporting. Spanning the course of three decades it examines the reasons for such a paradigm shift, the major actors involved, the actual changes made and the effectiveness of those changes."
Description:
"This study enquires into the accounting standard system in Australia and questions the appropriateness of its core democratic participatory vehicle, the due process. In doing so it highlights issues associated with self-regulating authorities and their policy making practices. The study is pertinent to the extent it reviews a major paradigm shift within the Australian public sector and more specifically local government financial reporting. Spanning the course of three decades it examines the reasons for such a paradigm shift, the major actors involved, the actual changes made and the effectiveness of those changes."
Description:
"This is a creative thesis consisting of two parts; a major creative work in the form of a literary production, accompanied by an exegesis."
Description:
"This is a creative thesis consisting of two parts; a major creative work in the form of a literary production, accompanied by an exegesis."
Description:
The aim of this paper is to outline a conceptual model and research design for measuring trust in inter-organisational networks which has the potential to be a ‘blueprint’ for a large-scale, multilevel study of trust in networks. Inter-organisational networks are increasingly recognised as a means to achieve economic and social exchange yet, how these networks operate is less widely understood. Trust is widely identified as being essential to the functioning of networks forms of organisation. In order to analyse trust in networks the Social Relations Model (Kenny 1994) of interpersonal perception is applied here. Insights from this model are used to specify relevant components of trust; and extended by incorporating measures of trust at the level of the work group.
Description:
The aim of this paper is to outline a conceptual model and research design for measuring trust in inter-organisational networks which has the potential to be a ‘blueprint’ for a large-scale, multilevel study of trust in networks. Inter-organisational networks are increasingly recognised as a means to achieve economic and social exchange yet, how these networks operate is less widely understood. Trust is widely identified as being essential to the functioning of networks forms of organisation. In order to analyse trust in networks the Social Relations Model (Kenny 1994) of interpersonal perception is applied here. Insights from this model are used to specify relevant components of trust; and extended by incorporating measures of trust at the level of the work group.
Description:
This article describes Indigenous Australian languages as having a history of pejoration dating from colonial times, which has masked the richness and complexity of mother tongues (and more recently developed kriols) of large numbers of Indigenous Australians.The paper rejects deficit theory representations of these languages as being inferior to imported dialects of English and explains how language issues embedded in teaching practices have served to restrict Indigenous Australian access to cultural capital most valued in modern socio-economic systems.We go on to describe ways in which alternative perspectives where acknowledgment of rich,complex and challenging features of Indigenous Australian languages may be used by educators as empowering resources for teacher education and teaching in schools. Our paper stresses the urgency of establishing frameworks for language success within which to develop other successful learning outcomes of Indigenous Australians.
Description:
This article describes Indigenous Australian languages as having a history of pejoration dating from colonial times, which has masked the richness and complexity of mother tongues (and more recently developed kriols) of large numbers of Indigenous Australians.The paper rejects deficit theory representations of these languages as being inferior to imported dialects of English and explains how language issues embedded in teaching practices have served to restrict Indigenous Australian access to cultural capital most valued in modern socio-economic systems.We go on to describe ways in which alternative perspectives where acknowledgment of rich,complex and challenging features of Indigenous Australian languages may be used by educators as empowering resources for teacher education and teaching in schools. Our paper stresses the urgency of establishing frameworks for language success within which to develop other successful learning outcomes of Indigenous Australians.
Description:
The High Level Architecture (HLA) offers a dramatic extension of reuse for distributed simulation components. At the same time the HLA represents a significant training and education challenge if adoption of the architecture is to proceed at an adequate pace. In this context it is appropriate to consider tools and techniques that support effective pedagogy for HLA. This paper describes two innovations that have proved useful in short courses for HLA developers. The first supports scripting of basic HLA interactions so that a significant first encounter with HLA can proceed without the cognitive overhead of program development. The second supports an extended HLA software development training exercise in which groups of students work independently on components of a complete HLA simulation. An exercise of this scope becomes problematic when incomplete and possibly incorrect components are tested against each other. The tool described offers an adaptable test harness of correct components, in various states of completion, against which students can initially test their work.
Description:
The High Level Architecture (HLA) offers a dramatic extension of reuse for distributed simulation components. At the same time the HLA represents a significant training and education challenge if adoption of the architecture is to proceed at an adequate pace. In this context it is appropriate to consider tools and techniques that support effective pedagogy for HLA. This paper describes two innovations that have proved useful in short courses for HLA developers. The first supports scripting of basic HLA interactions so that a significant first encounter with HLA can proceed without the cognitive overhead of program development. The second supports an extended HLA software development training exercise in which groups of students work independently on components of a complete HLA simulation. An exercise of this scope becomes problematic when incomplete and possibly incorrect components are tested against each other. The tool described offers an adaptable test harness of correct components, in various states of completion, against which students can initially test their work.
Description:
The effects of altering headways on a high flow freeway are multifarious. Inadequate headways cause flow instability and accidents. Increasing headways can reduce flow and induce jamming, making determining the optimum headway difficult. Using a micro-simulation this article determines the costs of implementing various headway treatment regimes and compares these to the likely benefits resulting from accident reduction. The most beneficial headway regime is then put forward. In order to implement this treatment regime a roadside Intelligent Transport System (ITS) following-distance advisory and enforcement system is suggested. The system takes varying flow and weather conditions into consideration before modifying the headways of drivers.
Description:
The effects of altering headways on a high flow freeway are multifarious. Inadequate headways cause flow instability and accidents. Increasing headways can reduce flow and induce jamming, making determining the optimum headway difficult. Using a micro-simulation this article determines the costs of implementing various headway treatment regimes and compares these to the likely benefits resulting from accident reduction. The most beneficial headway regime is then put forward. In order to implement this treatment regime a roadside Intelligent Transport System (ITS) following-distance advisory and enforcement system is suggested. The system takes varying flow and weather conditions into consideration before modifying the headways of drivers.