Elastoplasticity of Victorian brown coal and its interaction with interseam clay
- Authors: Karami, Mojtaba
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Batter instability is one of the major geotechnical concerns in open-cut mining of recent decades. A key factor in undertaking any stability assessment of batters and determining their Factor of Safety (FoS) against instability is understanding the geotechnical properties of the material comprising the batters. These geotechnical properties usually include stiffness and strength under various loading conditions such as compression, extension and creep. This thesis presents a comprehensive study of the geotechnical properties of materials comprising the batters in the Yallourn open-cut mine in Victoria, Australia, located at one of the largest sources of brown coal in the world. The materials studied in this research are Victorian Brown Coal (VBC) and fine-grained interseam material (containing mainly silt and clay particles). The presented study is based on four key steps undertaken during the research project: 1. Field investigation This step included drilling boreholes at the mine floor and mine crest and recovering samples of VBC and interseam for laboratory testing. Sample trays were logged to provide lithology data required for model generation for numerical modelling undertaken by other PhD students. 2. Laboratory testing This step involved a wide range of laboratory tests on undisturbed samples of VBC and interseam material to investigate soil characteristics, stiffness and strength of tested materials. 3. Data analysis and parameter determination This step included analysing the laboratory test results, preparing stress-strain plots and determining material properties such as pre-consolidation pressure, stiffness and strength. 4. Numerical analysis and model calibration This step included selecting proper constitutive models and determining the models’ parameters based on laboratory tests. The capability of models was then examined by verifying numerical model simulation against laboratory test results. The laboratory tests indicated that VBC shows a hardening feature in compression, leading to brittle failure, while also showing a sharp post-peak softening behaviour. The tests also showed that the interseam material is heavily over-consolidated with a dilative hardening feature. The stiffness and shear strength of the interseam were found to be sensitive to the applied strain rate. The conducted creep tests (applying constant shear stress for a selected period) under triaxial undrained conditions resulted in developing pore water pressure leading to creep failure. Based on the laboratory test results and the obtained geotechnical features of the tested materials, Hardening Soil (HS) and Soft Soil Creep (SSC) models were chosen to describe the geotechnical behaviour of both VBC and interseam material. Both models were calibrated using test results and employed in simulated laboratory tests, including oedometer and triaxial Consolidated Undrained (CU) tests using the Finite Element Method (FEM). This study indicates that, although most of the models’ parameters were determined successfully based on laboratory test results, engineering judgement and back calculating were required to find the best fit for the numerical simulations. The numerical modelling of oedometer and triaxial tests showed that the nonlinear hardening behaviour of VBC and interseam material was captured by the HS model. The stress path in triaxial CU tests and the stress-strain curve in unloading-reloading were simulated well by the HS model. The strain-rate dependency and creep behaviour of interseam material were simulated well by the SSC model, indicating that this model can predict the long-term behaviour of interseam material.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Karami, Mojtaba
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Batter instability is one of the major geotechnical concerns in open-cut mining of recent decades. A key factor in undertaking any stability assessment of batters and determining their Factor of Safety (FoS) against instability is understanding the geotechnical properties of the material comprising the batters. These geotechnical properties usually include stiffness and strength under various loading conditions such as compression, extension and creep. This thesis presents a comprehensive study of the geotechnical properties of materials comprising the batters in the Yallourn open-cut mine in Victoria, Australia, located at one of the largest sources of brown coal in the world. The materials studied in this research are Victorian Brown Coal (VBC) and fine-grained interseam material (containing mainly silt and clay particles). The presented study is based on four key steps undertaken during the research project: 1. Field investigation This step included drilling boreholes at the mine floor and mine crest and recovering samples of VBC and interseam for laboratory testing. Sample trays were logged to provide lithology data required for model generation for numerical modelling undertaken by other PhD students. 2. Laboratory testing This step involved a wide range of laboratory tests on undisturbed samples of VBC and interseam material to investigate soil characteristics, stiffness and strength of tested materials. 3. Data analysis and parameter determination This step included analysing the laboratory test results, preparing stress-strain plots and determining material properties such as pre-consolidation pressure, stiffness and strength. 4. Numerical analysis and model calibration This step included selecting proper constitutive models and determining the models’ parameters based on laboratory tests. The capability of models was then examined by verifying numerical model simulation against laboratory test results. The laboratory tests indicated that VBC shows a hardening feature in compression, leading to brittle failure, while also showing a sharp post-peak softening behaviour. The tests also showed that the interseam material is heavily over-consolidated with a dilative hardening feature. The stiffness and shear strength of the interseam were found to be sensitive to the applied strain rate. The conducted creep tests (applying constant shear stress for a selected period) under triaxial undrained conditions resulted in developing pore water pressure leading to creep failure. Based on the laboratory test results and the obtained geotechnical features of the tested materials, Hardening Soil (HS) and Soft Soil Creep (SSC) models were chosen to describe the geotechnical behaviour of both VBC and interseam material. Both models were calibrated using test results and employed in simulated laboratory tests, including oedometer and triaxial Consolidated Undrained (CU) tests using the Finite Element Method (FEM). This study indicates that, although most of the models’ parameters were determined successfully based on laboratory test results, engineering judgement and back calculating were required to find the best fit for the numerical simulations. The numerical modelling of oedometer and triaxial tests showed that the nonlinear hardening behaviour of VBC and interseam material was captured by the HS model. The stress path in triaxial CU tests and the stress-strain curve in unloading-reloading were simulated well by the HS model. The strain-rate dependency and creep behaviour of interseam material were simulated well by the SSC model, indicating that this model can predict the long-term behaviour of interseam material.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Electro-kinetic treatment of a quartz-illite tailing
- Authors: Huggins, Grant
- Date: 2000
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "The purpose of the study is to determine what use electro-kinetics may have to the minefilling process. It also examines what possible use it may have in other mining areas, where stabilising fine soils can improve the mining process. A review of minefilling methods and the general use of electro-kinetics is performed to support this examination."
- Description: Master of Engineering Science
- Authors: Huggins, Grant
- Date: 2000
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "The purpose of the study is to determine what use electro-kinetics may have to the minefilling process. It also examines what possible use it may have in other mining areas, where stabilising fine soils can improve the mining process. A review of minefilling methods and the general use of electro-kinetics is performed to support this examination."
- Description: Master of Engineering Science
Employee perception on causes and forms of conflict in the Botswana contruction industry : A comparative study between domestic-owned and Chinese-owned companies
- Authors: Moeti-Lysson, Josephine
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The construction industry in Botswana plays a crucial role in the economic development of the nation. While much research in this sector centres on the technical issues, especially the tender/procurement processes as they have evolved over the years, there is limited research on employment relations. This study investigates the lived experiences of employees in the Botswana construction industry in both domestic-owned and Chinese-owned companies and aims to capture „snapshots‟ of their perceptions of the causes and forms of conflict within that sector. Adopting a pragmatism research paradigm, this research employs a mixed methods research protocol to obtain quantitative and qualitative data from a sample of 632 employees. The overall results reveal that there are statistically significant differences between domestic- and Chinese-owned companies, with respect to how employees perceive income distribution, job security and managerial control as causes of conflict. The empirical results show that there is a positive relationship between employees‟ negative workplace perceptions and various forms of workplace deviant behaviours that employees use to retaliate in the event they perceive some form of unfairness, particularly in wages, job security or how managers/supervisors treat them. In domestic-owned companies there is a significant and positive association between disparity of income distribution and personal gain deviant behaviours such as theft as compared to other deviant activities against the production process including sabotage and production deviance; while in Chinese-owned companies there is a significant positive association between all forms of workplace inequities (income distribution, job security, managerial control) and all forms of conflict. This study contributes to the development of a more rigorous approach to the analysis of industrial relations conflicts in the construction industry in developing economies. This type of comparative research between domestic- and Chinese-owned companies could possibly be transferred to similar industries, such as in manufacturing and retail, where there are also a significant number of foreign-owned companies. This thesis concludes by discussing the various contributions made by this study to both academia and practitioners. It also details several recommendations for future research and for ensuring peaceful and productive employee-employer relationships in the workplace.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Moeti-Lysson, Josephine
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The construction industry in Botswana plays a crucial role in the economic development of the nation. While much research in this sector centres on the technical issues, especially the tender/procurement processes as they have evolved over the years, there is limited research on employment relations. This study investigates the lived experiences of employees in the Botswana construction industry in both domestic-owned and Chinese-owned companies and aims to capture „snapshots‟ of their perceptions of the causes and forms of conflict within that sector. Adopting a pragmatism research paradigm, this research employs a mixed methods research protocol to obtain quantitative and qualitative data from a sample of 632 employees. The overall results reveal that there are statistically significant differences between domestic- and Chinese-owned companies, with respect to how employees perceive income distribution, job security and managerial control as causes of conflict. The empirical results show that there is a positive relationship between employees‟ negative workplace perceptions and various forms of workplace deviant behaviours that employees use to retaliate in the event they perceive some form of unfairness, particularly in wages, job security or how managers/supervisors treat them. In domestic-owned companies there is a significant and positive association between disparity of income distribution and personal gain deviant behaviours such as theft as compared to other deviant activities against the production process including sabotage and production deviance; while in Chinese-owned companies there is a significant positive association between all forms of workplace inequities (income distribution, job security, managerial control) and all forms of conflict. This study contributes to the development of a more rigorous approach to the analysis of industrial relations conflicts in the construction industry in developing economies. This type of comparative research between domestic- and Chinese-owned companies could possibly be transferred to similar industries, such as in manufacturing and retail, where there are also a significant number of foreign-owned companies. This thesis concludes by discussing the various contributions made by this study to both academia and practitioners. It also details several recommendations for future research and for ensuring peaceful and productive employee-employer relationships in the workplace.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Employer associations - poised to deliver a much improved OHS performance in Australian workplaces
- Authors: Mannes, Dave
- Date: 1999
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "The broad objective of this study is to explore the role that employer associations can play in delivering an active and sustainable range of OHS services to industry and the potential for greater utilisation of this network by governments in delivering significant improvements in OHS performance in Australian workplaces."
- Description: Masters
- Authors: Mannes, Dave
- Date: 1999
- Type: Text , Thesis , Masters
- Full Text:
- Description: "The broad objective of this study is to explore the role that employer associations can play in delivering an active and sustainable range of OHS services to industry and the potential for greater utilisation of this network by governments in delivering significant improvements in OHS performance in Australian workplaces."
- Description: Masters
Engagement with voluntary family services : views of parents and practitioners
- Authors: Randall, Mary
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This research aimed to understand engagement with voluntary family services, which has implications for service policy and practice. In regions of high social disadvantage, such as the Inner Gippsland region in the state of Victoria (Australia), engagement with voluntary family services is vital to reduce harm for children. However, barriers to engagement need to be understood from the perspectives of parents and practitioners. While the literature is replete with studies and records on engagement of parents and practitioners with statutory child protective services, there are few studies on engagement for families serviced by voluntary family services, which accept a range of referral sources. To address this gap, this study conducted ten qualitative semi-structured interviews with parents referred to Inner Gippsland family services and seven interviews with practitioners. These were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Interview data were supported by quantitative data drawn from voluntary family service system records on service use across the region for 2016–17 and 2017–18. Mixed methods were employed. This study found that these regional and rural practitioners and parents conceived of engagement as open communication, trust, rapport and understanding. Practitioners also discussed engagement occurring at different levels and involving parents’ willingness to change. However, these aspects were not referred to by parents. Practitioners explained that parents may show full or meaningful engagement and set goals to work towards, or they may engage at a superficial level where they consult but do not value change. This indicates that the notion of ‘engagement’ held by parents is dissonant with that of service providers who focus on the documentation of goals and achievements. Factors influencing engagement included parent perceptions, practitioner disposition, power relations, system design and implementation. Parents expected practitioners to clearly explain services that are tailored to meet needs. Some parents were reluctant to engage fully and trust practitioners due to potential harm and the possibility of removal of their children from their care. Parents wanted support without judgement and for practitioners to provide friendly advice and not be authoritarian. Practitioners balanced assessments of child wellbeing with responding to family needs and emphasised empowering clients and relating to them humanely. Many parents did not feel family services were voluntary as they are connected to and mandated to report serious concerns to Child Protection.1 Most parents were reluctant to ask for help and were negatively disposed towards government Child Protection. Parents who self-referred to family services expressed the most willingness to use a service, while those referred by police did not tend to use a service past initial phone calls. Practitioner-documented service hours in the home, an objective indicator of engagement, were highest for families where an early learning or early childhood intervention agency had referred. These findings were consistent with the interview data showing parental reluctance to engage where there was fear of Child Protection intervention. The practices of prioritising cases of complexity or crisis clashed with policy ideals of prevention and early intervention. More complex issues for families in the region increased the likelihood of service availability and use, yet many families did not complete activities negotiated in service plans or engage to make a plan with practitioners. This study demonstrated that for supportive relationships that promote child and family wellbeing to occur in a regional and rural area, family services need to be trusted. Only then, according to parents, will engagement eventuate.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Randall, Mary
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This research aimed to understand engagement with voluntary family services, which has implications for service policy and practice. In regions of high social disadvantage, such as the Inner Gippsland region in the state of Victoria (Australia), engagement with voluntary family services is vital to reduce harm for children. However, barriers to engagement need to be understood from the perspectives of parents and practitioners. While the literature is replete with studies and records on engagement of parents and practitioners with statutory child protective services, there are few studies on engagement for families serviced by voluntary family services, which accept a range of referral sources. To address this gap, this study conducted ten qualitative semi-structured interviews with parents referred to Inner Gippsland family services and seven interviews with practitioners. These were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Interview data were supported by quantitative data drawn from voluntary family service system records on service use across the region for 2016–17 and 2017–18. Mixed methods were employed. This study found that these regional and rural practitioners and parents conceived of engagement as open communication, trust, rapport and understanding. Practitioners also discussed engagement occurring at different levels and involving parents’ willingness to change. However, these aspects were not referred to by parents. Practitioners explained that parents may show full or meaningful engagement and set goals to work towards, or they may engage at a superficial level where they consult but do not value change. This indicates that the notion of ‘engagement’ held by parents is dissonant with that of service providers who focus on the documentation of goals and achievements. Factors influencing engagement included parent perceptions, practitioner disposition, power relations, system design and implementation. Parents expected practitioners to clearly explain services that are tailored to meet needs. Some parents were reluctant to engage fully and trust practitioners due to potential harm and the possibility of removal of their children from their care. Parents wanted support without judgement and for practitioners to provide friendly advice and not be authoritarian. Practitioners balanced assessments of child wellbeing with responding to family needs and emphasised empowering clients and relating to them humanely. Many parents did not feel family services were voluntary as they are connected to and mandated to report serious concerns to Child Protection.1 Most parents were reluctant to ask for help and were negatively disposed towards government Child Protection. Parents who self-referred to family services expressed the most willingness to use a service, while those referred by police did not tend to use a service past initial phone calls. Practitioner-documented service hours in the home, an objective indicator of engagement, were highest for families where an early learning or early childhood intervention agency had referred. These findings were consistent with the interview data showing parental reluctance to engage where there was fear of Child Protection intervention. The practices of prioritising cases of complexity or crisis clashed with policy ideals of prevention and early intervention. More complex issues for families in the region increased the likelihood of service availability and use, yet many families did not complete activities negotiated in service plans or engage to make a plan with practitioners. This study demonstrated that for supportive relationships that promote child and family wellbeing to occur in a regional and rural area, family services need to be trusted. Only then, according to parents, will engagement eventuate.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community understanding and utilisation of mental health services in Victoria
- Authors: Radhamony, Reshmy
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The increase in cultural diversity (CD) in Victoria, Australia, demands healthcare professionals to acquire cultural competence. Literature reveals that people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities can be disadvantaged in terms of mental health service access and utilisation and the appropriateness of the health care they receive following access. Cultural competence has been advocated as a necessary step to alleviate health disparities and reduce bias and prejudices associated with culturally diverse people. Cultural competence has been endorsed in the government and professional bodies’ policies and guidelines for a long time. Whether this has prepared the mental health nursing workforce with sufficient knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to be culturally competent, is still questionable. Evidence shows that significant barriers such as language and communication, cultural differences, and a lack of cultural sensitivity by mental health nurses (MHN) limit the quality of care provided to people from various non-dominant cultures. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether an educational intervention can improve mental health nurses' knowledge, behaviour, and attitude. Hence this multiple-method study focused on the educational needs of a cross-section of MHNs in Victoria, utilising online surveys and semi-structured interviews. This project undertook a gap analysis through telephone interviews with the CALD community members in Victoria regarding their mental health service needs and experiences. Then developed, implemented, and evaluated an online education package – “Acknowledging Diversity”, regarding cultural awareness and responsiveness for mental health nurses working with people from CALD communities. A CIPP (Context, Input, Process and Product) model evaluation of the education package confirmed its effectiveness. Andersen's Behavioural Model of Health service use (ABMHSU) was the underlying theoretical framework for this study. The study's findings were further analysed using the contextual variables of Andersen’s model. The study outcome for mental health nurses was improved knowledge, attitude, and competence about the needs of people from CALD backgrounds, even though the findings were not statistically significant. However, it has been conceded that cultural competence cannot be achieved in a single education session. Therefore, attaining cultural proficiency is a continuous process that requires motivation and persistence from MHNs and ongoing cultural encounters with the CALD population. Examining how educational interventions improved MHNs’ cultural competency to facilitate CALD community understanding and utilisation of mental health services also identified the gaps in knowledge to report future research areas.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Radhamony, Reshmy
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The increase in cultural diversity (CD) in Victoria, Australia, demands healthcare professionals to acquire cultural competence. Literature reveals that people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities can be disadvantaged in terms of mental health service access and utilisation and the appropriateness of the health care they receive following access. Cultural competence has been advocated as a necessary step to alleviate health disparities and reduce bias and prejudices associated with culturally diverse people. Cultural competence has been endorsed in the government and professional bodies’ policies and guidelines for a long time. Whether this has prepared the mental health nursing workforce with sufficient knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to be culturally competent, is still questionable. Evidence shows that significant barriers such as language and communication, cultural differences, and a lack of cultural sensitivity by mental health nurses (MHN) limit the quality of care provided to people from various non-dominant cultures. The primary aim of this study was to examine whether an educational intervention can improve mental health nurses' knowledge, behaviour, and attitude. Hence this multiple-method study focused on the educational needs of a cross-section of MHNs in Victoria, utilising online surveys and semi-structured interviews. This project undertook a gap analysis through telephone interviews with the CALD community members in Victoria regarding their mental health service needs and experiences. Then developed, implemented, and evaluated an online education package – “Acknowledging Diversity”, regarding cultural awareness and responsiveness for mental health nurses working with people from CALD communities. A CIPP (Context, Input, Process and Product) model evaluation of the education package confirmed its effectiveness. Andersen's Behavioural Model of Health service use (ABMHSU) was the underlying theoretical framework for this study. The study's findings were further analysed using the contextual variables of Andersen’s model. The study outcome for mental health nurses was improved knowledge, attitude, and competence about the needs of people from CALD backgrounds, even though the findings were not statistically significant. However, it has been conceded that cultural competence cannot be achieved in a single education session. Therefore, attaining cultural proficiency is a continuous process that requires motivation and persistence from MHNs and ongoing cultural encounters with the CALD population. Examining how educational interventions improved MHNs’ cultural competency to facilitate CALD community understanding and utilisation of mental health services also identified the gaps in knowledge to report future research areas.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing deep transfer learning for image classification
- Authors: Shermin, Tasfia
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Though deep learning models require a large amount of labelled training data for yielding high performance, they are applied to accomplish many computer vision tasks such as image classification. Current models also do not perform well across different domain settings such as illumination, camera angle and real-to-synthetic. Thus the models are more likely to misclassify unknown classes as known classes. These issues challenge the supervised learning paradigm of the models and encourage the study of transfer learning approaches. Transfer learning allows us to utilise the knowledge acquired from related domains to improve performance on a target domain. Existing transfer learning approaches lack proper high-level source domain feature analyses and are prone to negative transfers for not exploring proper discriminative information across domains. Current approaches also lack at discovering necessary visual-semantic linkage and has a bias towards the source domain. In this thesis, to address these issues and improve image classification performance, we make several contributions to three different deep transfer learning scenarios, i.e., the target domain has i) labelled data; no labelled data; and no visual data. Firstly, for improving inductive transfer learning for the first scenario, we analyse the importance of high-level deep features and propose utilising them in sequential transfer learning approaches and investigating the suitable conditions for optimal performance. Secondly, to improve image classification across different domains in an open set setting by reducing negative transfers (second scenario), we propose two novel architectures. The first model has an adaptive weighting module based on underlying domain distinctive information, and the second model has an information-theoretic weighting module to reduce negative transfers. Thirdly, to learn visual classifiers when no visual data is available (third scenario) and reduce source domain bias, we propose two novel models. One model has a new two-step dense attention mechanism to discover semantic attribute-guided local visual features and mutual learning loss. The other model utilises bidirectional mapping and adversarial supervision to learn the joint distribution of source-target domains simultaneously. We propose a new pointwise mutual information dependant loss in the first model and a distance-based loss in the second one for handling source domain bias. We perform extensive evaluations on benchmark datasets and demonstrate the proposed models outperform contemporary works.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Shermin, Tasfia
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Though deep learning models require a large amount of labelled training data for yielding high performance, they are applied to accomplish many computer vision tasks such as image classification. Current models also do not perform well across different domain settings such as illumination, camera angle and real-to-synthetic. Thus the models are more likely to misclassify unknown classes as known classes. These issues challenge the supervised learning paradigm of the models and encourage the study of transfer learning approaches. Transfer learning allows us to utilise the knowledge acquired from related domains to improve performance on a target domain. Existing transfer learning approaches lack proper high-level source domain feature analyses and are prone to negative transfers for not exploring proper discriminative information across domains. Current approaches also lack at discovering necessary visual-semantic linkage and has a bias towards the source domain. In this thesis, to address these issues and improve image classification performance, we make several contributions to three different deep transfer learning scenarios, i.e., the target domain has i) labelled data; no labelled data; and no visual data. Firstly, for improving inductive transfer learning for the first scenario, we analyse the importance of high-level deep features and propose utilising them in sequential transfer learning approaches and investigating the suitable conditions for optimal performance. Secondly, to improve image classification across different domains in an open set setting by reducing negative transfers (second scenario), we propose two novel architectures. The first model has an adaptive weighting module based on underlying domain distinctive information, and the second model has an information-theoretic weighting module to reduce negative transfers. Thirdly, to learn visual classifiers when no visual data is available (third scenario) and reduce source domain bias, we propose two novel models. One model has a new two-step dense attention mechanism to discover semantic attribute-guided local visual features and mutual learning loss. The other model utilises bidirectional mapping and adversarial supervision to learn the joint distribution of source-target domains simultaneously. We propose a new pointwise mutual information dependant loss in the first model and a distance-based loss in the second one for handling source domain bias. We perform extensive evaluations on benchmark datasets and demonstrate the proposed models outperform contemporary works.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing illusionism within the encased contemporary art diorama through the integration of screen-based animated film
- Authors: Kronberger, Kenneth
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In the late nineteen eighties artists started to create a highly illusionistic type of small scaled diorama, which I refer to as the encased contemporary art diorama. Such dioramas are typically presented encased in a box-like structure with a glazed viewing window situated at the front. Artifice such as realistically coloured and shaped miniature forms, strategically positioned mirrors and quantified atmospheric lighting are used to enhance the verisimilitude of the mimetic resemblance to life-sized reality. As a maker of animated films, I became curious about the ways in which illusionism within such dioramas might be enhanced through the integration of screen-based animated film. To pursue this line of enquiry, I first strove to understand how illusionism functions within encased contemporary art dioramas, and I travelled to Lyon, France to view an exhibition of such dioramas at the Musee Miniature et Cinema. As there is an apparent lack of text on how illusionism functions within such dioramas, I modelled my initial research on texts about illusionism in representational pictures, how artists create visual illusions and the role of the viewer in the formation and perception of illusions. I engaged the writing of Michael Fish to assist in identifying different illusion types. To fully view the interior of an encased contemporary art diorama, the viewer must alter the location of their eyes in relation to the diorama and its contents, concurrently the encasement prevents any tactile appraisal of the diorama’s contents. I refer to Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of embodiment to account for the ways the viewer’s embodiment can influence their perception of dioramic illusions. The outcomes of my studio practice include animated films, and dioramas both with and without screen-based animated film integrated within them. The resulting illusions achieved are appraised and discussed, limitations are identified, and future potentials contemplated.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Kronberger, Kenneth
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: In the late nineteen eighties artists started to create a highly illusionistic type of small scaled diorama, which I refer to as the encased contemporary art diorama. Such dioramas are typically presented encased in a box-like structure with a glazed viewing window situated at the front. Artifice such as realistically coloured and shaped miniature forms, strategically positioned mirrors and quantified atmospheric lighting are used to enhance the verisimilitude of the mimetic resemblance to life-sized reality. As a maker of animated films, I became curious about the ways in which illusionism within such dioramas might be enhanced through the integration of screen-based animated film. To pursue this line of enquiry, I first strove to understand how illusionism functions within encased contemporary art dioramas, and I travelled to Lyon, France to view an exhibition of such dioramas at the Musee Miniature et Cinema. As there is an apparent lack of text on how illusionism functions within such dioramas, I modelled my initial research on texts about illusionism in representational pictures, how artists create visual illusions and the role of the viewer in the formation and perception of illusions. I engaged the writing of Michael Fish to assist in identifying different illusion types. To fully view the interior of an encased contemporary art diorama, the viewer must alter the location of their eyes in relation to the diorama and its contents, concurrently the encasement prevents any tactile appraisal of the diorama’s contents. I refer to Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of embodiment to account for the ways the viewer’s embodiment can influence their perception of dioramic illusions. The outcomes of my studio practice include animated films, and dioramas both with and without screen-based animated film integrated within them. The resulting illusions achieved are appraised and discussed, limitations are identified, and future potentials contemplated.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing integration of specialised exercise training into coach practice to prevent lower-limb injury : Using theory and exploring coaches' salient beliefs
- Authors: McGlashan, Angela
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Lower limb injuries (LLIs) are common in community-Australian football (CAF) and specialised exercise training (SET) programs can reduce their incidence. Despite the protection SET programs afford, the use of SET by coaches in CAF contexts, who play a key role in the preparation of players, is largely unknown. The overall purpose of this thesis research was to explore and describe: (1) the contextual and specific nature of CAF coaching practices, and, (2) the factors central to understanding whether or not coaches will make changes in their training practices in the future. Thereby, assisting to devise effective behaviour change and implementation strategies that maximise future integration (adoption and maintainence) of SET programs in CAF contexts to reduce the risk of LLIs for players. This mixed methods research was underpinned by a combination of behavioural and social science theories and models (BSSTM). Coaches’ were sampled from CAF clubs in Victoria and Western Australia. Eligible coaches completed cross-sectional questionnaires pre (n=31) and post (n=28) season in 2007/08. Three coaches engaged in semi-structured, in-depth interviews, 12-18 months later. At preseason, 58% of coaches used injury prevention strategies with their team. Only 69% of them had a formal training plan for the entire season, and most did not explicitly incorporate SET programs, despite their views being favourable towards the latter. Coaches believed their players had a high chance of sustaining a LLI and that LLI could have serious consequences. They believed it was important to have current knowledge of SET programs, but many lacked the behavioural capability and self-efficacy to implement SET programs. They also reported that player attendance at training could also impact on SET program outcomes. Postseason findings were similar with generally positive SET outcome expectancies; many coaches reported they intended to modify SET program implementation in future seasons. Suggested improvements related to collaboration, feedback/reinforcement approaches, education and other sociocultural themes. Coaches reported divergent views about their self-efficacy in relation to SET program implementation but were motivated by what their players thought. Qualitative analysis of the in-depth interviews identified four main themes (and associated coach salient beliefs) that supported and extended quantitative findings. These included: (1) the development of coach behavioural capability/self-efficacy (including informal and formal learning sources), (2) biopsychosocial risk perceptions regarding players’ injury susceptibility, (3) facilitators and hindrances to adopting/maintaining SET, and (4) cues to action/planning. The promotion of SET programs to reduce the susceptibility of LLIs and ensure safe and sustainable participation in AF is important. This thesis has captured a complexity of factors that can be used to enhance and facilitate CAF coaches’ adoption and maintenance of SET, alongside wider-prevention efforts. Future research should continue to use a range of BSSTM and methodological approaches, and devise and evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive taxonomy of cognitive-behavioural strategies, to provide more insight into effective translation of SET programs into practice. Coaches and their players will be safer if such work continues.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: McGlashan, Angela
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Lower limb injuries (LLIs) are common in community-Australian football (CAF) and specialised exercise training (SET) programs can reduce their incidence. Despite the protection SET programs afford, the use of SET by coaches in CAF contexts, who play a key role in the preparation of players, is largely unknown. The overall purpose of this thesis research was to explore and describe: (1) the contextual and specific nature of CAF coaching practices, and, (2) the factors central to understanding whether or not coaches will make changes in their training practices in the future. Thereby, assisting to devise effective behaviour change and implementation strategies that maximise future integration (adoption and maintainence) of SET programs in CAF contexts to reduce the risk of LLIs for players. This mixed methods research was underpinned by a combination of behavioural and social science theories and models (BSSTM). Coaches’ were sampled from CAF clubs in Victoria and Western Australia. Eligible coaches completed cross-sectional questionnaires pre (n=31) and post (n=28) season in 2007/08. Three coaches engaged in semi-structured, in-depth interviews, 12-18 months later. At preseason, 58% of coaches used injury prevention strategies with their team. Only 69% of them had a formal training plan for the entire season, and most did not explicitly incorporate SET programs, despite their views being favourable towards the latter. Coaches believed their players had a high chance of sustaining a LLI and that LLI could have serious consequences. They believed it was important to have current knowledge of SET programs, but many lacked the behavioural capability and self-efficacy to implement SET programs. They also reported that player attendance at training could also impact on SET program outcomes. Postseason findings were similar with generally positive SET outcome expectancies; many coaches reported they intended to modify SET program implementation in future seasons. Suggested improvements related to collaboration, feedback/reinforcement approaches, education and other sociocultural themes. Coaches reported divergent views about their self-efficacy in relation to SET program implementation but were motivated by what their players thought. Qualitative analysis of the in-depth interviews identified four main themes (and associated coach salient beliefs) that supported and extended quantitative findings. These included: (1) the development of coach behavioural capability/self-efficacy (including informal and formal learning sources), (2) biopsychosocial risk perceptions regarding players’ injury susceptibility, (3) facilitators and hindrances to adopting/maintaining SET, and (4) cues to action/planning. The promotion of SET programs to reduce the susceptibility of LLIs and ensure safe and sustainable participation in AF is important. This thesis has captured a complexity of factors that can be used to enhance and facilitate CAF coaches’ adoption and maintenance of SET, alongside wider-prevention efforts. Future research should continue to use a range of BSSTM and methodological approaches, and devise and evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive taxonomy of cognitive-behavioural strategies, to provide more insight into effective translation of SET programs into practice. Coaches and their players will be safer if such work continues.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing service quality and reliability in intelligent traffic system
- Authors: Chowdhury, Abdullahi
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS) can manage on-road traffic efficiently based on real-time traffic conditions, reduce delay at the intersections, and maintain the safety of the road users. However, emergency vehicles still struggle to meet their targeted response time, and an ITS is vulnerable to various types of attacks, including cyberattacks. To address these issues, in this dissertation, we introduce three techniques that enhance the service quality and reliability of an ITS. First, an innovative Emergency Vehicle Priority System (EVPS) is presented to assist an Emergency Vehicle (EV) in attending the incident place faster. Our proposed EVPS determines the proper priority codes of EV based on the type of incidents. After priority code generation, EVPS selects the number of traffic signals needed to be turned green considering the impact on other vehicles gathered in the relevant adjacent cells. Second, for improving reliability, an Intrusion Detection System for traffic signals is proposed for the first time, which leverages traffic and signal characteristics such as the flow rate, vehicle speed, and signal phase time. Shannon’s entropy is used to calculate the uncertainty associated with the likelihood of particular evidence and Dempster-Shafer (DS) decision theory is used to fuse the evidential information. Finally, to improve the reliability of a future ITS, we introduce a model that assesses the trust level of four major On-Board Units (OBU) of a self-driving car along with Global Positioning System (GPS) data and safety messages. Both subjective logic (DS theory) and CertainLogic are used to develop the theoretical underpinning for estimating the trust value of a self-driving car by fusing the trust value of four OBU components, GPS data and safety messages. For evaluation and validation purposes, a popular and widely used traffic simulation package, namely Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO), is used to develop the simulation platform using a real map of Melbourne CBD. The relevant historical real data taken from the VicRoads website were used to inject the traffic flow and density in the simulation model. We evaluated the performance of our proposed techniques considering different traffic and signal characteristics such as occupancy rate, flow rate, phase time, and vehicle speed under many realistic scenarios. The simulation result shows the potential efficacy of our proposed techniques for all selected scenarios.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Chowdhury, Abdullahi
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Intelligent Traffic Systems (ITS) can manage on-road traffic efficiently based on real-time traffic conditions, reduce delay at the intersections, and maintain the safety of the road users. However, emergency vehicles still struggle to meet their targeted response time, and an ITS is vulnerable to various types of attacks, including cyberattacks. To address these issues, in this dissertation, we introduce three techniques that enhance the service quality and reliability of an ITS. First, an innovative Emergency Vehicle Priority System (EVPS) is presented to assist an Emergency Vehicle (EV) in attending the incident place faster. Our proposed EVPS determines the proper priority codes of EV based on the type of incidents. After priority code generation, EVPS selects the number of traffic signals needed to be turned green considering the impact on other vehicles gathered in the relevant adjacent cells. Second, for improving reliability, an Intrusion Detection System for traffic signals is proposed for the first time, which leverages traffic and signal characteristics such as the flow rate, vehicle speed, and signal phase time. Shannon’s entropy is used to calculate the uncertainty associated with the likelihood of particular evidence and Dempster-Shafer (DS) decision theory is used to fuse the evidential information. Finally, to improve the reliability of a future ITS, we introduce a model that assesses the trust level of four major On-Board Units (OBU) of a self-driving car along with Global Positioning System (GPS) data and safety messages. Both subjective logic (DS theory) and CertainLogic are used to develop the theoretical underpinning for estimating the trust value of a self-driving car by fusing the trust value of four OBU components, GPS data and safety messages. For evaluation and validation purposes, a popular and widely used traffic simulation package, namely Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO), is used to develop the simulation platform using a real map of Melbourne CBD. The relevant historical real data taken from the VicRoads website were used to inject the traffic flow and density in the simulation model. We evaluated the performance of our proposed techniques considering different traffic and signal characteristics such as occupancy rate, flow rate, phase time, and vehicle speed under many realistic scenarios. The simulation result shows the potential efficacy of our proposed techniques for all selected scenarios.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enhancing the implementation of injury prevention exercise programs in professional soccer
- Authors: O’Brien, James
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Recently, injury prevention exercise programs (IPEPs) for soccer have received considerable attention and their efficacy has been demonstrated in large-scale trials. However, the ultimate impact of IPEPs will depend not only on their efficacy under controlled conditions, but also on the extent to which they are successfully implemented under real-world conditions. Despite increasing recognition of the challenges involved in successfully implementing IPEPs, there is a paucity of research addressing these challenges. The first aim of this thesis was to systematically review published IPEP trial reports, from an implementation perspective, in both soccer and other team ball sports. To achieve this, an established health-promotion framework, called the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, was employed. The subsequent phases of the thesis aimed to identify IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators in the specific context of professional soccer. Two cross-sectional surveys explored the perceptions of IPEP users in professional teams and a prospective observational study assessed IPEP use, over one playing season, in a professional youth soccer academy. Evaluation of the published literature against the RE-AIM framework revealed major gaps in the reporting of specific IPEP implementation aspects, particularly relating to program adoption and maintenance. In professional soccer teams, multiple IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators were identified. These factors related either to the content and nature of the IPEPs themselves (e.g. variation, progression and soccer-specificity), or the delivery and support of programs (e.g. communication and team work) at different levels of the professional soccer ecology. In summary, there are major gaps in the reporting of implementation aspects in team ball sport trials. To enhance the implementation of IPEPs in professional soccer settings, the content and delivery of programs require significant tailoring to the specific implementation context.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: O’Brien, James
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Recently, injury prevention exercise programs (IPEPs) for soccer have received considerable attention and their efficacy has been demonstrated in large-scale trials. However, the ultimate impact of IPEPs will depend not only on their efficacy under controlled conditions, but also on the extent to which they are successfully implemented under real-world conditions. Despite increasing recognition of the challenges involved in successfully implementing IPEPs, there is a paucity of research addressing these challenges. The first aim of this thesis was to systematically review published IPEP trial reports, from an implementation perspective, in both soccer and other team ball sports. To achieve this, an established health-promotion framework, called the Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, was employed. The subsequent phases of the thesis aimed to identify IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators in the specific context of professional soccer. Two cross-sectional surveys explored the perceptions of IPEP users in professional teams and a prospective observational study assessed IPEP use, over one playing season, in a professional youth soccer academy. Evaluation of the published literature against the RE-AIM framework revealed major gaps in the reporting of specific IPEP implementation aspects, particularly relating to program adoption and maintenance. In professional soccer teams, multiple IPEP implementation barriers and facilitators were identified. These factors related either to the content and nature of the IPEPs themselves (e.g. variation, progression and soccer-specificity), or the delivery and support of programs (e.g. communication and team work) at different levels of the professional soccer ecology. In summary, there are major gaps in the reporting of implementation aspects in team ball sport trials. To enhance the implementation of IPEPs in professional soccer settings, the content and delivery of programs require significant tailoring to the specific implementation context.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Enterprise registered training organisations : research project funded by Australian Research Council and ERTOA : final report : executive summary
- Smith, Erica, Smith, Andy, Walker, Arlene
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Smith, Andy , Walker, Arlene
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: This is an overview of a national research project which set out to evaluate the benefits, challenges and outcomes for all stakeholders of the delivery of vocational education and training (VET) qualifications by Enterprise RTOs (ERTOs). The project had three main research questions: • What are the benefits and challenges for companies associated with training through their own ERTO? • What are the benefits and challenges for workers associated with ERTOs? • What is the equivalence of workplace-delivered qualifications among companies and with qualifications delivered in educational institutions? The project aimed to be of benefit at several levels as described below: • For workers, the research set out to examine whether the availability of qualifications through ERTOs offers the chance of a high-quality qualification and improved career prospects and life chances. • For companies, the research hoped to provide firm evidence about the outcomes for their workers and quality features of their training compared with other companies and with institutional-based qualifications. • For industries and for Australia, the research set out to build an evidence base about the efficacy of this type of training, to assist in the shaping of government policy.
- Authors: Smith, Erica , Smith, Andy , Walker, Arlene
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Technical report , Report
- Full Text:
- Description: This is an overview of a national research project which set out to evaluate the benefits, challenges and outcomes for all stakeholders of the delivery of vocational education and training (VET) qualifications by Enterprise RTOs (ERTOs). The project had three main research questions: • What are the benefits and challenges for companies associated with training through their own ERTO? • What are the benefits and challenges for workers associated with ERTOs? • What is the equivalence of workplace-delivered qualifications among companies and with qualifications delivered in educational institutions? The project aimed to be of benefit at several levels as described below: • For workers, the research set out to examine whether the availability of qualifications through ERTOs offers the chance of a high-quality qualification and improved career prospects and life chances. • For companies, the research hoped to provide firm evidence about the outcomes for their workers and quality features of their training compared with other companies and with institutional-based qualifications. • For industries and for Australia, the research set out to build an evidence base about the efficacy of this type of training, to assist in the shaping of government policy.
Epidemiology, injury and illness prevention in Olympic combat sports
- Authors: Bromley, Sally
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background: Olympic combat sports are commonly considered dangerous, however injury rates for these sports are not well understood. Isolated studies in combat sports have investigated injury, however these are mainly during competition, and therefore are unlikely to include significant or persistent injury which prevents athletes competing and participating in data collection. This thesis was undertaken as a series of linked studies, to provide further detail into the types, mechanisms and aetiology of injuries in combat sports. Methods: Study 1 was a systematic review that utilised the PRISMA guidelines to investigate the current evidence. Study 2 was a repeated measures study to examine the reliability of training load measures. Study 3 employed a longitudinal study design to assess the feasibility of injury, illness and training load monitoring. Finally, Study 4 was a cross-sectional cohort study that gathered perspectives of combat sport coaches and managers before and after an injury and illness prevention workshop. Results: Study 1 found one high-quality epidemiological study with low risk of bias in Judo. Variation in injury and illness definitions prevented cross-sport comparisons, however the injury incidence was comparable to other sports. In Study 2, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was shown to have good stability across sessions (ICC=0.84), and no significant differences were found between coach (observed) and athlete (experienced) RPE (ordered logistic regression coefficient = 0.47 [1.51–0.57 95%CI]). Study 3 found that athlete engagement with the monitoring system was low, with only 13% of athletes entering data across a 12-week period. Irrespective of low engagement, 62 injuries and illnesses were recorded. In Study 4, combat sport coaches and managers were found to be generally well informed of the risk and seriousness of injury and illness, however, illness risk perceptions changed after the workshop (p=0.048). Discussion and Conclusion: Currently, cross-sport comparisons are not possible due to varying data methodology and study quality. Based upon the results presented in this thesis, RPE can be used as a tool to quantify training load in the sport of judo. Longitudinal surveillance of training load, injury and illness in combat sport is not currently feasible within the Australian system, due to low uptake and engagement. However, the collection of data on a large number of injuries and illnesses indicates that athletes are experiencing multiple, repeated health problems. Coaches and managers are well informed about injury and illness risk and seriousness, indicating that injury and illness prevention education alone may not translate to a decrease in injury and illness incidence in combat sport.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Bromley, Sally
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: Background: Olympic combat sports are commonly considered dangerous, however injury rates for these sports are not well understood. Isolated studies in combat sports have investigated injury, however these are mainly during competition, and therefore are unlikely to include significant or persistent injury which prevents athletes competing and participating in data collection. This thesis was undertaken as a series of linked studies, to provide further detail into the types, mechanisms and aetiology of injuries in combat sports. Methods: Study 1 was a systematic review that utilised the PRISMA guidelines to investigate the current evidence. Study 2 was a repeated measures study to examine the reliability of training load measures. Study 3 employed a longitudinal study design to assess the feasibility of injury, illness and training load monitoring. Finally, Study 4 was a cross-sectional cohort study that gathered perspectives of combat sport coaches and managers before and after an injury and illness prevention workshop. Results: Study 1 found one high-quality epidemiological study with low risk of bias in Judo. Variation in injury and illness definitions prevented cross-sport comparisons, however the injury incidence was comparable to other sports. In Study 2, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was shown to have good stability across sessions (ICC=0.84), and no significant differences were found between coach (observed) and athlete (experienced) RPE (ordered logistic regression coefficient = 0.47 [1.51–0.57 95%CI]). Study 3 found that athlete engagement with the monitoring system was low, with only 13% of athletes entering data across a 12-week period. Irrespective of low engagement, 62 injuries and illnesses were recorded. In Study 4, combat sport coaches and managers were found to be generally well informed of the risk and seriousness of injury and illness, however, illness risk perceptions changed after the workshop (p=0.048). Discussion and Conclusion: Currently, cross-sport comparisons are not possible due to varying data methodology and study quality. Based upon the results presented in this thesis, RPE can be used as a tool to quantify training load in the sport of judo. Longitudinal surveillance of training load, injury and illness in combat sport is not currently feasible within the Australian system, due to low uptake and engagement. However, the collection of data on a large number of injuries and illnesses indicates that athletes are experiencing multiple, repeated health problems. Coaches and managers are well informed about injury and illness risk and seriousness, indicating that injury and illness prevention education alone may not translate to a decrease in injury and illness incidence in combat sport.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Ernabella Rules football : Australian Rules football at the Ernabella Mission, 1937-1974
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Beck, Adam
- Date: 2023
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The experience of sport for First Nations peoples on missions and government settlements in Australia, and on comparable missions in other settler colonial societies, has become a growing field of scholarly study. This thesis aims to build on insights from current sports historiography by examining the origins and significance of Australian Rules football to the people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the far northwest of South Australia. In particular, it investigates their historical engagement with the game at the Ernabella mission (now known as Pukatja) during the years of its operation from 1937 to 1974. It traces the spread of the game from Ernabella to other nearby communities in the 1960s and investigates the conception that football originated in the town of Alice Springs during the Second World War and gradually spread outward into the hinterland where most Aboriginal people lived. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted on the APY Lands, this thesis draws on Anangu oral histories, and a careful examination of local historical materials and photographs held in the Ara Irititja Archive to produce detailed descriptions and portrayals of Australian football at the Ernabella mission from the perspectives of those who lived, worked and played the game at the mission. It argues that a focus on the agency of Anangu at Ernabella is crucial to understanding how the game of Australian football took off and became embedded in local society and culture.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Estimating visual quality, a component of culturally-associated ecosystem services in palaeo-lake environments
- Chhetri, Prem, Kattel, Giri, Dong, Xuhui, Yang, Xiangdong, Min, Xu
- Authors: Chhetri, Prem , Kattel, Giri , Dong, Xuhui , Yang, Xiangdong , Min, Xu
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Symposium on Australia-China Wetland Network Research Partnership; Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGLAS) Nanjing, China; 23rd-28th December 2014 p. 23-26
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Evaluation of visual quality is essentially a multi-dimensional and multi-sensory experience of landscape assessment. Visual quality refers to the character, condition and quality of lakes/wetlands. It involves perceiving, preferring and valuing the visual quality by the public. Visual quality is an outcome of the perceptual, cognitive and emotional processes in response to visual stimuli of a lake environment. Visual quality therefore is dependent upon the perceptual and structural aspects of perceived scenes of wetlands. Visual assessment, an evaluating process of gaining non-material or intangible benefits by people from ecosystems, through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, self-reflection, recreation, and aesthetic experiences, has now become one of significant research areas under cultural components of ecosystem services. Public perception in such studies is composed from both the objective and subjective elements of human–landscape interactions. However, it is still a matter of debate whether subjective–objective realities are dichotomous or supplementary to enhancing the quality of human experiences in natural settings. In fact, much research considers them as inseparable and integral parts of landscape perception, despite the tendency for disintegrating landscapes into their constituent components. There is a fundamental theoretical divergence of opinions over the question whether a landscape has an intrinsic or ‘objective’ beauty, which may be in some ways measurable or comparable, or whether beauty is a value that can be only attributed subjectively to an area or a specific landscape.
- Authors: Chhetri, Prem , Kattel, Giri , Dong, Xuhui , Yang, Xiangdong , Min, Xu
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Symposium on Australia-China Wetland Network Research Partnership; Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGLAS) Nanjing, China; 23rd-28th December 2014 p. 23-26
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Evaluation of visual quality is essentially a multi-dimensional and multi-sensory experience of landscape assessment. Visual quality refers to the character, condition and quality of lakes/wetlands. It involves perceiving, preferring and valuing the visual quality by the public. Visual quality is an outcome of the perceptual, cognitive and emotional processes in response to visual stimuli of a lake environment. Visual quality therefore is dependent upon the perceptual and structural aspects of perceived scenes of wetlands. Visual assessment, an evaluating process of gaining non-material or intangible benefits by people from ecosystems, through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, self-reflection, recreation, and aesthetic experiences, has now become one of significant research areas under cultural components of ecosystem services. Public perception in such studies is composed from both the objective and subjective elements of human–landscape interactions. However, it is still a matter of debate whether subjective–objective realities are dichotomous or supplementary to enhancing the quality of human experiences in natural settings. In fact, much research considers them as inseparable and integral parts of landscape perception, despite the tendency for disintegrating landscapes into their constituent components. There is a fundamental theoretical divergence of opinions over the question whether a landscape has an intrinsic or ‘objective’ beauty, which may be in some ways measurable or comparable, or whether beauty is a value that can be only attributed subjectively to an area or a specific landscape.
Eureka Stockade: an interactive history
- Gervasoni, Clare, Gillett, Heath
- Authors: Gervasoni, Clare , Gillett, Heath
- Type: Text , Dataset
- Full Text: false
- Description: The Eureka Stockade: an interactive history portal contains historical overlays and points of interest in the Ballarat area around the time of the Eureka Stockade. This dynamic map is an interactive spatial interface to the underlying information. The data which is displayed on the map can be manipulated. A transparency tool has been provided for each map layer to enable a clear differentiation between the underlying modern map layer and the historical map overlay. The historic maps are located within the Geoffrey Blainey Research Centre, Federation University Australia. The majority of map data covers the period 1850s to 1870s, but later maps include data from the early 20th century. The system is regularly being refined and updated. Sites of specific relevance and interest to the Eureka Stockade history are indicated and have links to more specific information about them. The website is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation(CeRDI) at Federation University Australia (FedUni).
Evaluating explanations of artificial intelligence decisions : the explanation quality rubric and survey
- Authors: Young, Charlotte
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms is growing rapidly (Vilone & Longo, 2020). With this comes an increasing demand for reliable, robust explanations of AI decisions. There is a pressing need for a way to evaluate their quality. This thesis examines these research questions: What would a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations look like? How can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be created? Can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be used to improve explanations? Current Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) research lacks an accepted, widely employed method for evaluating AI explanations. This thesis offers a method for creating a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations. It uses this to create an evaluation methodology, the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey. The XQ Rubric and Survey are then employed to improve explanations of AI decisions. The thesis asks what constitutes a good explanation in the context of XAI. It provides: 1. a model of good explanation for use in XAI research 2. a method of gathering non-expert evaluations of XAI explanations 3. an evaluation scheme for non-experts to employ in assessing XAI explanations (XQ Rubric and XQ Survey). The thesis begins with a literature review, primarily an exploration of previous attempts to evaluate XAI explanations formally. This is followed by an account of the development and iterative refinement of a solution to the problem, the eXplanation Quality Rubric (XQ Rubric). A Design Science methodology was used to guide the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey development. The thesis limits itself to XAI explanations appropriate for non-experts. It proposes and tests an evaluation rubric and survey method that is both stable and robust: that is, readily usable and consistently reliable in a variety of XAI-explanation tasks.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Young, Charlotte
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms is growing rapidly (Vilone & Longo, 2020). With this comes an increasing demand for reliable, robust explanations of AI decisions. There is a pressing need for a way to evaluate their quality. This thesis examines these research questions: What would a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations look like? How can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be created? Can a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations be used to improve explanations? Current Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) research lacks an accepted, widely employed method for evaluating AI explanations. This thesis offers a method for creating a rigorous, empirically justified, human-centred scheme for evaluating AI-decision explanations. It uses this to create an evaluation methodology, the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey. The XQ Rubric and Survey are then employed to improve explanations of AI decisions. The thesis asks what constitutes a good explanation in the context of XAI. It provides: 1. a model of good explanation for use in XAI research 2. a method of gathering non-expert evaluations of XAI explanations 3. an evaluation scheme for non-experts to employ in assessing XAI explanations (XQ Rubric and XQ Survey). The thesis begins with a literature review, primarily an exploration of previous attempts to evaluate XAI explanations formally. This is followed by an account of the development and iterative refinement of a solution to the problem, the eXplanation Quality Rubric (XQ Rubric). A Design Science methodology was used to guide the XQ Rubric and XQ Survey development. The thesis limits itself to XAI explanations appropriate for non-experts. It proposes and tests an evaluation rubric and survey method that is both stable and robust: that is, readily usable and consistently reliable in a variety of XAI-explanation tasks.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Evaluation of knowledge translation and workforce development through targeted exercise for falls prevention education programs for exercise physiologists
- Authors: Pascoe, Deborah
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There is a wealth of evidence supporting the positive effects of exercise for falls prevention. The problem that faces researchers, policy makers, accreditation bodies and higher education providers is how to best translate this information to allied health practitioners to ensure they are providing the best evidence-based practice to their clients. One in three community dwelling older people over the age of 65 years fall every year and this figure increases to one in two people over the age of 80 years. As a profession, exercise physiologists (EPs) are responsible for providing exercise for the prevention, maintenance and treatment of chronic disease and complex medical conditions, including prescribing exercise for falls prevention. The incidence of falls, chronic disease and complex medical conditions increases with age and as Australia moves towards an ever ageing population, the cost burden of health care for older people and falls is exploding. Exercise physiology and exercise science professionals have an opportunity to become champions of exercise for falls prevention and assist in ameliorating the ever increasing burden of falls in Australia. By targeting the exercise physiology profession and providing methods to translate the research evidence, there is great potential to build workforce capacity to deliver falls prevention exercise programs. But how best to target the profession of exercise physiology? Advances can be made by targeting undergraduate and post-graduate university programs or as part of mandated professional continuing education programs which focuses on both the future and current exercise physiology workforce respectively. A scoping study conducted across two States in Australia (New South Wales and Victoria) established that at the time, the current level of knowledge of undergraduate human movement and exercise and sports science students and post graduate exercise rehabilitation/exercise physiology students, was inadequate with regard to falls risk and exercise prescription for fall prevention in older people. These results highlighted the need for the development and widespread implementation of an evidence-based “exercise for falls prevention” curriculum for future exercise professionals. The UniFPEP curriculum was developed to provide evidence-based teaching and learning resource materials to enhance learning beyond current levels by translating the latest research evidence regarding falls risk and exercises for falls prevention to produce a discipline leading curriculum. The curriculum was designed to enhance exercise science and exercise rehabilitation students’ learning outcomes through the provision of online lectures and learning materials to supplement and strengthen the delivery of face-to-face lectures, practical classes and self-directed learning tasks. The UniFPEP curriculum was implemented at the University of Ballarat and following completion students’ knowledge outcomes and self-reported confidence to prescribe exercise for older people and for falls prevention were significantly increased. The results indicated that a significant change in knowledge and confidence can be achieved during a 2-3 week educational period during a normal university semester. More importantly, these changes were retained 13 weeks after completion of the UniFPEP curriculum. Following evaluation of the UniFPEP the curriculum was reviewed and prepared as a workforce continuing education program (CEP) (Fit+Fall=Free). This was implemented and evaluated as a clustered controlled trial to compare two different delivery modes: face-to-face and online, to a control group of exercise physiology professionals. The Fit+Fall=Free CEP showed significant improvements in the knowledge and confidence of EPs in prescribing exercise for older people and exercise prescription for falls prevention for both the face-to-face (F2F) and Online delivery modes. The F2F delivery of the Fit+Fall=Free CEP provided the greatest long-term impact with the increases being maintained at a significant level six months post workshop.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Pascoe, Deborah
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: There is a wealth of evidence supporting the positive effects of exercise for falls prevention. The problem that faces researchers, policy makers, accreditation bodies and higher education providers is how to best translate this information to allied health practitioners to ensure they are providing the best evidence-based practice to their clients. One in three community dwelling older people over the age of 65 years fall every year and this figure increases to one in two people over the age of 80 years. As a profession, exercise physiologists (EPs) are responsible for providing exercise for the prevention, maintenance and treatment of chronic disease and complex medical conditions, including prescribing exercise for falls prevention. The incidence of falls, chronic disease and complex medical conditions increases with age and as Australia moves towards an ever ageing population, the cost burden of health care for older people and falls is exploding. Exercise physiology and exercise science professionals have an opportunity to become champions of exercise for falls prevention and assist in ameliorating the ever increasing burden of falls in Australia. By targeting the exercise physiology profession and providing methods to translate the research evidence, there is great potential to build workforce capacity to deliver falls prevention exercise programs. But how best to target the profession of exercise physiology? Advances can be made by targeting undergraduate and post-graduate university programs or as part of mandated professional continuing education programs which focuses on both the future and current exercise physiology workforce respectively. A scoping study conducted across two States in Australia (New South Wales and Victoria) established that at the time, the current level of knowledge of undergraduate human movement and exercise and sports science students and post graduate exercise rehabilitation/exercise physiology students, was inadequate with regard to falls risk and exercise prescription for fall prevention in older people. These results highlighted the need for the development and widespread implementation of an evidence-based “exercise for falls prevention” curriculum for future exercise professionals. The UniFPEP curriculum was developed to provide evidence-based teaching and learning resource materials to enhance learning beyond current levels by translating the latest research evidence regarding falls risk and exercises for falls prevention to produce a discipline leading curriculum. The curriculum was designed to enhance exercise science and exercise rehabilitation students’ learning outcomes through the provision of online lectures and learning materials to supplement and strengthen the delivery of face-to-face lectures, practical classes and self-directed learning tasks. The UniFPEP curriculum was implemented at the University of Ballarat and following completion students’ knowledge outcomes and self-reported confidence to prescribe exercise for older people and for falls prevention were significantly increased. The results indicated that a significant change in knowledge and confidence can be achieved during a 2-3 week educational period during a normal university semester. More importantly, these changes were retained 13 weeks after completion of the UniFPEP curriculum. Following evaluation of the UniFPEP the curriculum was reviewed and prepared as a workforce continuing education program (CEP) (Fit+Fall=Free). This was implemented and evaluated as a clustered controlled trial to compare two different delivery modes: face-to-face and online, to a control group of exercise physiology professionals. The Fit+Fall=Free CEP showed significant improvements in the knowledge and confidence of EPs in prescribing exercise for older people and exercise prescription for falls prevention for both the face-to-face (F2F) and Online delivery modes. The F2F delivery of the Fit+Fall=Free CEP provided the greatest long-term impact with the increases being maintained at a significant level six months post workshop.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Every crypto breath in the world : the current global position of the cryptocurrency market and future prediction
- Authors: Jayawardhana, Asanga
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study was motivated by the breakthrough of cryptocurrencies in 2018. The other main reasons behind the motivation are the total market capitalisation of one trillion-dollar diversification possibilities and the lack of preceding scientific research to identify the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies from many angles. Four empirical studies were conducted to provide a holistic view of cryptocurrency as an investment tool. The first study investigated the portfolio diversification possibilities between cryptocurrencies and traditional financial markets. A quantitative method was employed with Cointegration, ARDL bound testing approach, causality, and co-movement testing. Applying Modern portfolio theory to identify the diversification possibilities between the aforementioned markets enabled the study to highlight how investors can reap the benefits of cryptocurrencies. The second study extended the investigation of the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrency by including precious metals and cryptocurrencies in the same investment basket. Investors switch from traditional investment assets, such as equity and debt market instruments, to precious metal markets to reap benefits. Therefore, this study investigates how cryptocurrency can be an alternative source of investment to include in an investment portfolio. The daily precious metal and cryptocurrency data from 2017 to 2022 was utilised through an ARDL framework to obtain the Cointegration between cryptocurrency, precious metal and across cryptocurrencies. Modern portfolio theory is used to identify the diversification possibilities in this study with different portfolio diversification strategies. The third study clarified the cryptocurrency stakeholders to identify the global perception of cryptocurrency investments. A qualitative method was employed with sentiment analysis, followed by data extractions from the global databases using machine learning algorithms. The study identified the percentage of stakeholder groups' positive, negative, and neutral perceptions of cryptocurrency. The main obstacles hindering cryptocurrency investment growth are the fear of current scams, lack of definitional issues and the absence of a legal framework in some countries. The fourth study included the findings from the first, second and third studies to develop a cryptocurrency predictive model by factoring in macroeconomic variables. Panel data regression with fixed and dynamic effects was employed to analyse the data from 2017 to 2002. The findings suggest the impact of each macroeconomic variable selected in the study for the cryptocurrency price changes while adding more significance to technological variables. The overall findings provide strong support for the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies. Inclusions of the wide range of investment classes, exploring stakeholder perception and highlighting the macroeconomic variables' influence on the cryptocurrency price prediction generate new insights and valuable comparisons about cryptocurrency markets for academia, crypto issuers, investors, government, policymakers, and fund managers to use as an investment and decision-support tools. Keywords: Cryptocurrency, ARDL, Financial Markets, Cointegration, Causality, Portfolio diversification, Precious Metals, Predictive model.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Jayawardhana, Asanga
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: This study was motivated by the breakthrough of cryptocurrencies in 2018. The other main reasons behind the motivation are the total market capitalisation of one trillion-dollar diversification possibilities and the lack of preceding scientific research to identify the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies from many angles. Four empirical studies were conducted to provide a holistic view of cryptocurrency as an investment tool. The first study investigated the portfolio diversification possibilities between cryptocurrencies and traditional financial markets. A quantitative method was employed with Cointegration, ARDL bound testing approach, causality, and co-movement testing. Applying Modern portfolio theory to identify the diversification possibilities between the aforementioned markets enabled the study to highlight how investors can reap the benefits of cryptocurrencies. The second study extended the investigation of the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrency by including precious metals and cryptocurrencies in the same investment basket. Investors switch from traditional investment assets, such as equity and debt market instruments, to precious metal markets to reap benefits. Therefore, this study investigates how cryptocurrency can be an alternative source of investment to include in an investment portfolio. The daily precious metal and cryptocurrency data from 2017 to 2022 was utilised through an ARDL framework to obtain the Cointegration between cryptocurrency, precious metal and across cryptocurrencies. Modern portfolio theory is used to identify the diversification possibilities in this study with different portfolio diversification strategies. The third study clarified the cryptocurrency stakeholders to identify the global perception of cryptocurrency investments. A qualitative method was employed with sentiment analysis, followed by data extractions from the global databases using machine learning algorithms. The study identified the percentage of stakeholder groups' positive, negative, and neutral perceptions of cryptocurrency. The main obstacles hindering cryptocurrency investment growth are the fear of current scams, lack of definitional issues and the absence of a legal framework in some countries. The fourth study included the findings from the first, second and third studies to develop a cryptocurrency predictive model by factoring in macroeconomic variables. Panel data regression with fixed and dynamic effects was employed to analyse the data from 2017 to 2002. The findings suggest the impact of each macroeconomic variable selected in the study for the cryptocurrency price changes while adding more significance to technological variables. The overall findings provide strong support for the portfolio diversification possibilities of cryptocurrencies. Inclusions of the wide range of investment classes, exploring stakeholder perception and highlighting the macroeconomic variables' influence on the cryptocurrency price prediction generate new insights and valuable comparisons about cryptocurrency markets for academia, crypto issuers, investors, government, policymakers, and fund managers to use as an investment and decision-support tools. Keywords: Cryptocurrency, ARDL, Financial Markets, Cointegration, Causality, Portfolio diversification, Precious Metals, Predictive model.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
Examining the assessment and development of a fundamental motor skill and the efficacy of peer teaching instructional approaches
- Authors: Beseler, Bradley
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The overall purpose of this dissertation was to examine the process of assessing and developing the Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) of overarm throwing. This dissertation involved two foci: qualitative assessment of FMS and the efficacy of peer teaching approaches. The first focus was to contribute to qualitative assessment of FMS research by examining an assessment system commonly used to assess overarm throwing development. The second focus was to examine the efficacy of peer teaching instructional approaches on improving overarm throwing performance of pre-service physical education (PE) teachers to determine whether these approaches could facilitate pre-service PE teachers to efficiently develop FMS proficiency. PE teachers who can proficiently perform FMS are better equipped to teach these skills; their demonstrations provide the learners a “blueprint” of the skill they are trying to acquire. The research includes four separate studies. The first two studies examined Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984), a qualitative assessment system used extensively for over four decades to research overarm throwing development, primarily examining the technique of children and older throwers. Study 1 attempted to validate one of the backswing sequences (Haywood et al., 1991) to authenticate it for assessing the backswing component of university-aged throwers. The findings provided preliminary support that the Haywood et al. backswing sequence, previously only validated for assessing the backswing technique of older throwers, was suitable for assessing the backswing of the university-aged throwers. Study 2 examined the impact of the follow-through on throwing velocity. Findings showed the follow-through had the second largest impact on throwing velocity of all the six components, providing preliminary support for the inclusion of the follow-through component to the existing five components of Roberton’s (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) levels, making this system more accurate and comprehensive. Study 3 and 4 both utilised a quasi-experimenal between-subjects pre-test, intervention, post-test, and retention test designs. The participants were allocated to one of three experimental groups: a Video Analysis Group (VAG), a Verbal Group (VG), and a Control Group (CG). During the interventions the VAG and VG worked in pairs in a Reciprocal style of peer teaching (Mosston & Ashworth, 2002). The VAG and VG interventions were identical except the VAG had access to video analysis technology and the CG completed unrelated course work. Study 3, a single session intervention, and Study 4, a three-session intervention, attempted to ascertain whether video analysis affects throwing technique of participants working in reciprocal peer teaching settings. The findings indicated the impact of video analysis may be dependent on the number of intervention sessions. In Study 3, video analysis in a single session intervention appeared to accelerate the participants throwing improvement. Study 4 revealed video analysis was not vital over the course of the three sessions. The VAG and VG achieved similar throwing improvements that were superior to the CG who did not experience the peer teaching intervention. The findings from this dissertation have identified scope for the Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) to be refined and the two peer teaching instructional approaches examined have been shown to be effective when trying to develop overarm throwing. Furthermore, these findings can inform Physical Education Teacher Education Programs, potentially preparing graduate PE teachers more effectively to develop their students’ FMS, which may increase the involvement of children and adolescents in sport and physical activity because they will have the necessary skills to successfully engage in these activities.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy
- Authors: Beseler, Bradley
- Date: 2022
- Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
- Full Text:
- Description: The overall purpose of this dissertation was to examine the process of assessing and developing the Fundamental Motor Skills (FMS) of overarm throwing. This dissertation involved two foci: qualitative assessment of FMS and the efficacy of peer teaching approaches. The first focus was to contribute to qualitative assessment of FMS research by examining an assessment system commonly used to assess overarm throwing development. The second focus was to examine the efficacy of peer teaching instructional approaches on improving overarm throwing performance of pre-service physical education (PE) teachers to determine whether these approaches could facilitate pre-service PE teachers to efficiently develop FMS proficiency. PE teachers who can proficiently perform FMS are better equipped to teach these skills; their demonstrations provide the learners a “blueprint” of the skill they are trying to acquire. The research includes four separate studies. The first two studies examined Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984), a qualitative assessment system used extensively for over four decades to research overarm throwing development, primarily examining the technique of children and older throwers. Study 1 attempted to validate one of the backswing sequences (Haywood et al., 1991) to authenticate it for assessing the backswing component of university-aged throwers. The findings provided preliminary support that the Haywood et al. backswing sequence, previously only validated for assessing the backswing technique of older throwers, was suitable for assessing the backswing of the university-aged throwers. Study 2 examined the impact of the follow-through on throwing velocity. Findings showed the follow-through had the second largest impact on throwing velocity of all the six components, providing preliminary support for the inclusion of the follow-through component to the existing five components of Roberton’s (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) levels, making this system more accurate and comprehensive. Study 3 and 4 both utilised a quasi-experimenal between-subjects pre-test, intervention, post-test, and retention test designs. The participants were allocated to one of three experimental groups: a Video Analysis Group (VAG), a Verbal Group (VG), and a Control Group (CG). During the interventions the VAG and VG worked in pairs in a Reciprocal style of peer teaching (Mosston & Ashworth, 2002). The VAG and VG interventions were identical except the VAG had access to video analysis technology and the CG completed unrelated course work. Study 3, a single session intervention, and Study 4, a three-session intervention, attempted to ascertain whether video analysis affects throwing technique of participants working in reciprocal peer teaching settings. The findings indicated the impact of video analysis may be dependent on the number of intervention sessions. In Study 3, video analysis in a single session intervention appeared to accelerate the participants throwing improvement. Study 4 revealed video analysis was not vital over the course of the three sessions. The VAG and VG achieved similar throwing improvements that were superior to the CG who did not experience the peer teaching intervention. The findings from this dissertation have identified scope for the Roberton’s levels (Roberton & Halverson, 1984) to be refined and the two peer teaching instructional approaches examined have been shown to be effective when trying to develop overarm throwing. Furthermore, these findings can inform Physical Education Teacher Education Programs, potentially preparing graduate PE teachers more effectively to develop their students’ FMS, which may increase the involvement of children and adolescents in sport and physical activity because they will have the necessary skills to successfully engage in these activities.
- Description: Doctor of Philosophy