Rural nursing unit managers : Education and support for the role
- Authors: Paliadelis, Penny
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rural and remote health Vol. 5, no. 1 (January 2005), p. 325
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- Description: INTRODUCTION: Nursing unit managers (NUMs) occupy the often unenviable position of first-line management in many health services in Australia. As such, their role is complex and multifaceted requiring an intertwining of their clinical and managerial responsibilities. While there is an abundance of studies that explore and describe the various management roles in many professions and industries, little is known about the experiences of nurses as managers, particularly in rural settings. This article focuses on the education and support needs of rural nursing unit managers. METHODS: A qualitative study design was used to explore the stories of a number of nursing unit managers in rural New South Wales, Australia. Data was collected using semi-structured individual interviews. Data was analysed using a voice-relational method as a framework for more clearly hearing the voices of participants. This method of data analysis is particularly useful for hearing from those who do not usually have a 'strong' voice, for gaining an understanding of the context of the interviews, and for acknowledging the role of the researcher in the research process. All NUMs employed in a single regional health authority in rural Australia were invited to participate. RESULTS: Out of 42 NUMs in the region, 20 agreed to be interviewed. Nursing unit managers were asked to reflect on their experiences prior to and during the early days within the position. In summary, all the NUMs: believed they were promoted because of their clinical expertise; felt unprepared for the managerial and administrative aspects of their role; continued to identify as nurses rather than as managers; found the role isolated them from their former peer group. Those employed in small facilities had limited opportunities for education and peer support. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the NUMs' experiences and suggestions, the following information would have helped them to cope with the demands of their new role: information and discussions about the role expectations of first-line manager, from both an employee and employer perspective; human resource and financial management skill development; leadership skills; negotiation and conflict resolution; a clear and realistic role description.
Part-time work of high school students and impact on educational outcomes
- Authors: Patton, Wendy , Smith, Erica
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling Vol. 19, no. 2 (2009), p. 216-224
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- Description: While increasing numbers of young high school students engage in part-time work, there is no consensus about its impact on educational outcomes. Indeed, this field has had a dearth of research. This paper presents a review of recent research, primarily from Australia and the United States, although it is acknowledged that there are considerable contextual differences. Suggestions for school counsellors to harness students' experiences to assist in educational and career decision-making are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling is the property of Australian Academic Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Description: 2003007927
The tin-man and the TAM: A journey into M-learning in the Land of Aus
- Authors: Peck, Blake , Deans, Cecil , Stockhausen, Lynette
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: World Journal on Educational Technology Vol. , no. (2010), p. 16-26
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- Description: Within the past few years the virtues and pitfalls of Podcasting specifically within the higher education environment have been extolled. However, there is little, if any discussion of how academic staff have undergone this period of transformation in an era of technological adoption and sweeping pedagogic change. Using the technology adoption model (Davis 1989) as a theoretical platform and the characters from the classic film the Wizard of Oz as signposts, this paper explores and describes a staff development journey that M-Learning pedagogies. More specifically the way in which Podcast technology was introduced in an undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing program conducted in a regional University in Victoria, Australia. The journey's resultant destination reveals that courage; passion and an openness to try something new are essential for the successful introduction of new electronic pedagies by academics.
- Description: C1
Caution regarding exergames : A skill acquisition perspective
- Authors: Pedersen, Scott , Cooley, Dean , Cruickshank, Vaughan
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy Vol. 22, no. 3 (2017), p. 246-256
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- Description: Background: The advent of technology use in physical education is upon us. But the implications of using exergames as a substitute for traditional physical education instruction for some students raise questions. Although exergames have the potential to increase energy expenditure and motivation in some children, it is less clear whether they can provide skill acquisition benefits that are similar to those found in traditional physical education.Purpose: In a previous experiment from our laboratory, we found that deliberate practice can significantly reduce the planning time required for lateral arm movements. The purpose of this study was to determine if exergames can produce a similar effect, by reducing the processing time required for children to initiate arm movements to the contralateral and ipsilateral space.Participants and setting: Thirty children (boys=15, girls=15), between the ages of 7 and 12 years, participated in a pre- and post-test each taking 30min and one 30min treatment session in a university laboratory.Research design: A repeated measures design was employed to test the effects of deliberate laterality practice on processing speed. Children were randomly assigned (n=10) to either a Nintendo Wii tennis contralateral movement experimental group, Nintendo Wii bowling ipsilateral movement experimental group, or handheld video-game control group. Each child participated in one 30min treatment session.Data collection: Upper extremity choice reaction time (RT) was measured through 27 goal-directed aiming movements for each arm separately, during the pre-test and post-test. The stimulus-response trials occurred in three randomly presented directions (ipsilateral, contralateral, and midline).Data analysis: A 3 (treatment group)x2 (age group)x2 (test)x3 (direction) mixed design analysis of variance with repeated measures on the last two factors was used to test for significant differences, with an alpha level set at 0.05.Findings: There were no significant treatment effects on RT across all groups indicating that a short bout of exergame training was unsuccessful in improving lateral movement processing.Conclusions: Deliberate laterality practice using exergames did not improve the motor processing speed of lateral arm movements in the same manner of traditional physical education as indicated by our previous research. Explanations as to why exergames do not exhibit the same positive transfer for skill acquisition as traditional physical education instruction are discussed within this paper.
Enhancing care for older people living in nursing homes in rural Australia using action learning as a catalyst for change
- Authors: Penney, Wendy , Meyer, Julienne , Cash, Penelope , Clinnick, Lisa , Martin, Louise
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Action Learning: Research and Practice Vol. 14, no. 1 (2017), p. 62-71
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- Description: The implementation of action learning workshops in three nursing homes in rural Victoria, Australia has been critical in the re-visioning of how care can be enhanced for residents. The workshops were designed with the intent of improving quality of care for residents by providing health care staff with opportunities to learn together and effect cultural change. Valuing what was accomplished well in these nursing homes was the starting point. The project was funded by a Commonwealth Government Rural Education Grant and was based on ‘My Home Life’ a popular programme that promotes quality of life and delivers positive change in care homes for older people across the United Kingdom. This paper provides an account of the project including key components of the action learning workshops and subsequent evaluation of the programme conducted in Australia. The lessons learnt throughout this project have provided the impetus to continue using appreciative inquiry and action learning to involve participants in reflecting on their practice, valuing what they do well while identifying areas that require change. Working together in a safe and respectful space provides participants with opportunity to harness their own collective wisdom and as the health professionals in this project experienced, also learn valuable skills that support progressive action that makes a difference to older people’s lives. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
A framework for monitoring progress and planning teaching towards the effective use of computer algebra systems
- Authors: Pierce, Robyn , Stacey, Kaye
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Computers for Mathematical Learning Vol. 9, no. 1 (2004), p. 59-93
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- Description: This article suggests a framework to organise a cluster of variables that are associated with students' effective use of computer algebra systems (CAS) in mathematics learning. Based on a review of the literature and from the authors' own teaching experience, the framework identifies the main characteristics of students' interactions with CAS technology and how these may be used to monitor students' developing use of CAS; from this, the framework may be used to plan teaching in order to gain greater benefit from the availability of CAS. Four case studies describing students' development over a semester are reported. These demonstrate a variety of combinations of technical competencies and personal attributes. They indicate the importance of both the technical and personal aspects but suggest that negative attitudes rather than technical difficulties can limit the effective use of CAS. Finally practical suggestions are given for teaching strategies which may promote effective use of CAS.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000923
Work–family balance : Perspectives from higher education
- Authors: Pillay, Soma , Abhayawansa, Subhash
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Higher Education Vol. 68, no. 5 (2014), p. 669-690
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- Description: The article examines different types of work–family pressures amongst people working within the Australian university sector. We were specifically interested in work–family experiences between domestic and migrant Australians. Among the major findings, domestic Australians experience greater levels of work–family imbalance across most of the measures used. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
Action, an ‘encompassing ethic’ and academics in the midst of the climate crisis
- Authors: Plowright, Susan
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Educational Philosophy and Theory Vol. 48, no. 14 (2016), p. 1442-1451
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- Description: In the midst of a crisis like the climate crisis and calls for ‘all hands on deck’, what do academics, as a microcosm of humanity, see? In Hannah Arendt’s terms, an ‘abyss of freedom’ to act or a paralysing ‘abyss of nothingness’? Some from the academy themselves, including Tamboukou, Apple and Bourdieu, make judgements more akin to the latter and mount arguments to urge action. This paper joins their call and theorises ethical and demonstrably plausible resources as a potentially generative heuristic for political action by academics in the face of ‘dark times’. I develop these resources by initially drawing on Arendt’s ethical, but limited, action process. Then, through interpreting and expanding her unfinished theory of judging and echoing Karl Jaspers' concept The Encompassing, I propose the notion of an ‘encompassing ethic’. This ethic, synthesised with Arendt’s action process, ameliorates action’s limitations and suggests the idea of ‘encompassing action’. The paper concludes by bringing these conceptual resources to life through two inspiring historical examples of such action involving academics. © 2016 Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia.
Re-conceptualizing ability grouping within a social justice framework : A student perspective
- Authors: Plunkett, Margaret
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australasian Journal of Gifted Education Vol. 18, no. 2 (2009), p. 5-16
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- Description: Ability grouping has continued to attract considerable negative press due to a perceived lack of fit within a socially just educational framework. Yet the student perspective on this issue has been notably absent from much of the research. This study investigated the views of Year 12 students reflecting on their educational experience at a disadvantaged rural secondary college, where for the first 3 years they were grouped in two different settings: ability based and mainstream. As year 7s these students had participated in an initial study examining differences in perceptions relating to the academic and social aspects of their first year of secondary education. This research represents part of a longitudinal follow-up study aimed at determining whether the different settings impacted over time on student perceptions of their experience. Initial findings suggested that both student groups viewed their educational experience as both appropriate and positive and that neither considered themselves disadvantaged, a perception that was supported by the longitudinal data. Therefore the question could be posed: if students perceive their educational experience as appropriate, within a framework of awareness of the possible alternatives, could this be considered socially just, and concomitantly, could ability grouping then be re-conceptualised as having a place within a socially just educational framework?
Reframing primary curriculum through concepts of place
- Authors: Power, Kerith , Green, Monica
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education Vol. 42, no. 2 (2014), p. 105-118
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- Description: Australian curricula name "sustainability" as a key priority area with implications for preparing pre-service teachers. In the research that generated this paper, we asked: How can framing teaching through space and place inform pre-service teachers' pedagogical thinking and practice? In new third year Bachelor of Education (primary) subject Understanding Space and Place, Australian teacher education students shared online responses to focus questions and readings framing education through place, designed and taught a unit of study "beyond the classroom" to children in their professional placements and reflected on changes in their theoretical, philosophical, and curriculum goals. Data from these forum posts were analysed through Somerville's three "enabling place pedagogy" categories of embodiment, storylines, and cultural contact zones. Many students came to re-imagine their teaching roles and understand how a place pedagogy framework can operate to expand the possibilities of teaching and learning sustainability through creative and embodied place-making experiences in local places. © 2014 © 2014 Australian Teacher Education Association.
An examination of writing pauses in the handwriting of children with developmental coordination disorder
- Authors: Prunty, Mellissa , Barnett, Anna , Wilmut, Kate , Plumb, Mandy
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research in Developmental Disabilities Vol. 35, no. 11 (2014), p. 2894-2905
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- Description: Difficulties with handwriting are reported as one of the main reasons for the referral of children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) to healthcare professionals. In a recent study we found that children with DCD produced less text than their typically developing (TD) peers and paused for 60% of a free-writing task. However, little is known about the nature of the pausing; whether they are long pauses possibly due to higher level processes of text generation or fatigue, or shorter pauses related to the movements between letters. This gap in the knowledge-base creates barriers to understanding the handwriting difficulties in children with DCD. The aim of this study was to characterise the pauses observed in the handwriting of English children with and without DCD. Twenty-eight 8-14 year-old children with a diagnosis of DCD participated in the study, with 28 TD age and gender matched controls. Participants completed the 10 min free-writing task from the Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH) on a digitising writing tablet. The total overall percentage of pausing during the task was categorised into four pause time-frames, each derived from the literature on writing (250 ms to 2 s; 2-4 s; 4-10 s and >10 s). In addition, the location of the pauses was coded (within word/between word) to examine where the breakdown in the writing process occurred. The results indicated that the main group difference was driven by more pauses above 10 s in the DCD group. In addition, the DCD group paused more within words compared to TD peers, indicating a lack of automaticity in their handwriting. These findings may support the provision of additional time for children with DCD in written examinations. More importantly, they emphasise the need for intervention in children with DCD to promote the acquisition of efficient handwriting skill.
Handwriting speed in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder : Are they really slower?
- Authors: Prunty, Mellissa , Barnett, Anna , Wilmut, Kate , Plumb, Mandy
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Research in Developmental Disabilities Vol. 34, no. 9 (2013), p. 2927-2936
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- Description: Handwriting difficulties are often included in descriptions of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). They are cited as the most common reason for referral to health professionals following parent and teacher concerns about slow and untidy writing. The aim of this study was to compare handwriting performance in English children with and without DCD across a range of writing tasks, to gain a better understanding of the nature of 'slowness' so commonly reported. Twenty-eight 8-14 year-old children with a diagnosis of DCD participated in the study, with 28 typically developing age and gender matched controls. Participants completed the four handwriting tasks from the Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting (DASH) and wrote their own name; all on a digitising writing tablet. The number of words written, speed of pen movements and the time spent pausing during the tasks were calculated. The findings confirmed what many professionals report, that children with DCD produce less text than their peers. However, this was not due to slow movement execution, but rather a higher percentage of time spent pausing. Discussion centres on the understanding of the pausing phenomenon in children with DCD and areas for further research.
Balancing the equation : Mentoring first-year female STEM students at a regional university
- Authors: Reid, Jackie , Smith, Erica , Iamsuk, Nansiri , Miller, Jennifer
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education Vol. 24, no. 4 (2016), p. 18-30
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- Description: Due to changes to Australia's economic landscape (e.g., falling productivity and the end of the mining boom) and the emergence of disruptive digital technologies, the shape of the Australian workforce is rapidly changing and the development of STEM skills is an imperative. There has been a decline, however, in the number of students studying STEM subjects in senior secondary school, and the underrepresentation of females in many STEM disciplines further compounds the problem. The University of New England is a regional Australian university where a large proportion of students are from rural and regional areas, are mature-aged, and come from low SES backgrounds. Many commence their tertiary studies in STEM with diverse backgrounds, often without the necessary assumed knowledge. A mentoring program was designed to assist female students develop STEM-related study and career goals. Important components of the program included: face-to-face and online training and professional development for participants, two mentors (one academic and one industry-based) per student, accessibility for students studying at a distance, guest speakers, and outreach activities promoting STEM to the wider community. This program could be readily adapted for other cohorts of students (e.g., indigenous students) and expanded (e.g., for all students embarking on STEM studies). The program helped students recognise and address potential roadblocks to a sustained and successful STEM-based career, build confidence in pursuing study and career goals, and develop sound decision-making skills in career planning. For mentors, the program offered STEM-related professional development opportunities. Furthermore, academic mentors reported a positive impact on their approach to STEM teaching as a result of participation in the program.
Learning the business of teacher education research: Editorial work as capacity building
- Authors: Reid, Joanne , McDonough, Sharon , Bown, Kathryn , Santoro, Ninetta , Mayer, Diane , Singh, Michael
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education Vol. 41, no. 4 (November 2013), p. 345-349
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- Description: C4
Teaching law to non-law students : The use of problem solving models in legal teaching
- Authors: Richardson, Kristy , Butler, Jennifer , Holm, Eric
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Studies in Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development Vol. 6, no. 2 (2009), p. 29-41
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- Description: The use of problem solving models has been successfully applied and subject to evaluation in law school courses. However, the models have not been evaluated in terms of their application to law courses in which non-law (i.e., business) students are involved. This paper discusses the usefulness of such legal problem solving methods for non-law students from a technology use and acceptance framework, presenting data obtained from a pilot study which was the subject of a teaching and learning grant from CQUniversity Australia.
- Description: 2003007346
From the margins to the mainstream : Facilitating the inclusion of students with disabilities into university nursing courses
- Authors: Ryan, Janette , Struhs, John
- Date: 2003
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Learning Vol. 9, no. (2003), p. 1273-1295
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- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000473
Just for them to understand better : The impact of learning difficulties at university
- Authors: Ryan, Janette , Brown, Maryann
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Learning Disabilities Vol. 10, no. 1 (2005), p. 19-24
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- Description: There has been much attention given to the needs of students with learning disabilities in Australian schools in recent years. The needs and experiences of university students with learning disabilities have received less attention. This article reports on the results of a small study of students who identified as having a range of difficulties with learning at one Australian university. Eight students across a range of discipline areas and year levels were asked about the nature of their difficulties, the kinds of adjustments they receive and their effectiveness, and for their suggestions about how these adjustments could be improved. The results pointed to the need for university lecturers to better understand the kinds of learning difficulties experienced by such students. Such an understanding can assist lecturers in knowing how to adjust their teaching and learning practices so these students can more fully participate and be successful in their university studies.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001321
University education for all? Barriers to full inclusion of students with disabilities in Australian universities
- Authors: Ryan, Janette , Struhs, John
- Date: 2004
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Inclusive Education Vol. 8, no. 1 (2004), p. 73-90
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- Description: In Australia, anti-discrimination legislation and government policies have been introduced which aim to facilitate the inclusion of people with disabilities in employment and education. However in the area of nursing, attitudinal barriers persist that effectively hinder the full participation of people with disabilities in nurse education programs. These attitudinal barriers prevail despite such legislative and policy changes, and run counter to changing community views about disability. Normative assumptions about the ideal attributes of nurses appear to influence these attitudes, especially in the area of admission of students with disabilities to nurse education programs per se, and to their participation in the practicum component of nurse education programs. This paper reports on research conducted in Victoria, Australia, by nurse academics and equity practitioners at three Victorian universities, into the barriers facing such students. The research examined the views of undergraduate student nurses, their lecturers and their clinical educators, nurse clinicians, and university disability practitioners about the participation of people with disabilities in nurse education programs. The research also sought to document their responses to a framework, developed through the research that aims to facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities in undergraduate nursing programs. It did this against a pluralistic and technological milieu that in the researchers' view requires a more diverse mix within the nursing profession.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003000761
University students' perceptions of social networking sites (SNSs) in their educational experiences at a regional Australian university
- Authors: Sadowski, Christina , Pediaditis, Mika , Townsend, Robert
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australasian Journal of Educational Technology Vol. 33, no. 5 (2017), p. 77-90
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- Description: Higher education institutions, and the way education is delivered and supported, are being transformed by digital technologies. Internationally, institutions are increasingly incorporating online technologies into delivery frameworks and administration – both through internal learning management systems (LMS) and external social networking sites (SNSs). This study aims to explore how higher education students in a regional Australian dual-sector institute use and manage SNSs for personal and study-related activities and their perceptions of how this impacts their educational experiences. This mixed-methods study involved a quantitative and qualitative survey of 355 vocational training and higher education students and in-depth focus groups with ten higher education students. Four key themes were identified through thematic analysis: SNSs as a tool for fostering peer connectedness with fellow students; deliberate and distinct variation between personal and educational use of SNSs; resistance to external SNSs within education settings; and, need for a balance between digital and face-to-face learning and connectedness. Implications for curriculum design and delivery, and development of support for students in diverse learning contexts, are considered.
Pathway to success : Using students’ insights and perspectives to improve retention and success for university students from low socioeconomic (LSE) backgrounds
- Authors: Sadowski, Christina , Stewart, Margaret , Pediaditis, Mika
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Inclusive Education Vol. 22, no. 2 (2018), p. 158-175
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- Description: In an increasingly complex landscape of diversification and massification, universities are grappling with challenges of student attrition. This paper presents findings from a project investigating how students from low socio-economic backgrounds at a regional Australian university perceive challenges and supports associated with retention and success. Twenty-seven students received intensive one-to-one support from a Faculty-embedded ‘academic advisor’, and reflected on this support, their overall student experience, and strategies to enhance student success. Students identified a range of challenges that they experienced across an academic year (personal circumstances, lack of preparedness for university study, timely access to support, course/programme difficulties) and what worked well for them (academic advisor, University support services, growing confidence in self as competent student, peer support). A range of strategies for enhancing student success were identified by students, namely consistency across teaching design and delivery, transparency of delivery modes, mandatory orientation, access to a dedicated academic advisor, and increased peer connectedness. The applicability and viability of the proposed strategies within current higher education settings are explored. © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.