List of Titles

Effective teaching and support of students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds : Resources for Australian higher education

- Devlin, Marcia, Kift, Sally, Nelson, Karen, Smith, Liz, McKay, Jade

Authors: Devlin, Marcia , Kift, Sally , Nelson, Karen , Smith, Liz , McKay, Jade
Date: 2012
Type: Text , Journal article , Technical report
Relation: Vol. , no. (2012), p. 1-104
Full Text:
Reviewed:
Description: The project found that the sociocultural incongruity that exists between students from low socioeconomic status (LSES) backgrounds and the institutions in which they study can be bridged through the provision of an empathic institutional context that: - values and respects all students - encompasses an institution-wide approach that is comprehensive, integrated and coordinated through the curriculum - incorporates inclusive learning environments and strategies - empowers students by making the implicit, explicit, and - focuses on student learning outcomes and success. These characteristics were derived through the project’s literature analysis and are supported by the evidence from interviews with 26 experienced staff and 89 successful LSES students conducted as part of this project. Synthesis and analysis of the interview data revealed four key themes to which institutions and staff need to attend to ensure the effective teaching and support of LSES students. The study found that the empathic institutional context: 1. employs inclusive teaching characteristics and strategies 2. enables student agency 3. facilitates life and learning support, and 4. takes into account students’ financial challenges. The project has generated a new integrated national resource, comprising five interrelated sets of materials and exemplars, all of which have been made available to the sector via the project website 1. a conceptual framework relevant to the Australian context 2. advice for policy makers and teaching and learning leaders 3. practical guidelines for academic staff 4. materials to support professional development, and 5. a repository of effective policy, programs and practice.

Quick View

Leading sustainable improvement in university teaching and learning : Lessons from the sector

- Devlin, Marcia, Smeal, Georgia, Cummings, Rick, Mazzolini, Margaret

Authors: Devlin, Marcia , Smeal, Georgia , Cummings, Rick , Mazzolini, Margaret
Date: 2012
Type: Text , Journal article , Technical report
Relation: Vol. , no. (2012), p. 1-64
Full Text:
Reviewed:
Description: Overall, the investigation found that universities that wish to improve the quality of teaching and learning should take an approach that aims to be: collaborative and developmental; embedded; sustainable; and focused on enabling innovation and enhancement. The seven interlinked insights characteristic of sustainable, positive change in teaching and learning in Australian universities are as follows. 1. Efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning are aligned with the strategic direction of the university The evidence indicates that efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning within an institution should be aligned with the strategic direction of the university. While this might seem self evident, the findings indicate that there are sometimes tensions between overall institutional priorities and efforts to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Careful strategic thinking can ensure efforts to enhance teaching and learning provide a means through which universities can enact aspects of their strategic plans. 2. Senior executives support teaching and learning enhancement, and resources for those improvements are allocated as part of the universityʼs planning and budget cycle The study found that embedding and sustaining good teaching and learning practice requires high-level support within an institution. In addition to providing stable representation and championing of teaching and learning, effective support was found to also incorporate institutional investment in the form of funding and resourcing positions and initiatives. It was found that sustainability relies on institutional funding that ensured ongoing impetus for, and successful work in, enhancing teaching and learning. 3. Staff workload allocations allow time for innovation, enhancement and improvement in teaching and learning The project findings indicate that the major factor inhibiting efforts to improve teaching and learning is high staff workloads and the consequent lack of time to engage with, and contribute to, teaching and learning enhancement efforts. This finding mirrors those of several other recent Australian studies of the changing academic profession, although this current project notes the applicability of workload matters to both academic and professional staff. If leaders in Australian universities wish to enhance teaching and learning, fresh thinking, policy and planning is needed around academic and professional staff roles and workload allocation. 4. Effective leadership proactively manages tensions between discipline research endeavours and efforts to improve teaching and learning This research found that a major cultural impediment to enhancing teaching and learning is the privileging of research over teaching and learning within an institution. The findings suggest that effective leadership and management of the tensions that arise between research endeavours and efforts to improve teaching and learning are critical if the latter are to be successful. The findings suggest that the reconciliation of research and teaching and learning can be achieved to some extent through a range of means, including the facilitation of research and scholarship around teaching and learning. Leading sustainable change in university teaching and learning: Lessons from the sector 6 5. Teaching and learning are supported by relevant research and scholarship conducted within the institution and in collaboration with other institutions and relevant bodies The study findings indicate the importance of research and scholarship in the area of teaching and learning. External interface, networking and exchange with stakeholders and bodies outside the institution are critical to ensuring enhancement efforts fit with the broader context in which they are occurring. Some of the benefits of engaging in such research and scholarship were: increased reflection on practice; a heightened awareness of the link between an individualʼs own teaching and their studentsʼ outcomes; increased innovation in teaching; improved morale; enhancing the quality of teaching and learning both within an institution and more broadly; and opportunities to both benchmark and improve teaching performance. The potential for research into teaching and learning to contribute to resolving the tensions between discipline research and teaching and learning was also noted. 6. A distributed teaching and learning support structure exists within the institution and is coordinated from the centre The findings of this research showed that a distributed institutional support structure for teaching and learning enhancement, coordinated from the centre, was perceived to be the most effective approach. Most commonly this involved cooperation between a central teaching and learning centre and one or more of: teaching and learning committees; the associate deans (teaching and learning) or equivalent; educational development and other staff located in the faculties; and a critical mass of people with a commitment to teaching and learning improvement and enhancement who have the capacity to lead. 7. Mechanisms to recognise excellence in teaching and learning and to enable teaching and learning career pathways are in place This study found that professional development, reward and recognition mechanisms and enabling career pathways for those committed to teaching and learning are important components in the successful leadership of teaching and learning enhancement. The project findings indicate the centrality of linking efforts to enhance teaching and learning with promotion opportunities. The research findings indicate that university promotion criteria that incorporate excellence in teaching and learning scholarship and practice allow appropriate recognition, enable the sustainability of excellent practice and help embed enhancement.

Visualising Victoria’s Groundwater

- Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI), Federation University Australia, Dahlhaus, Peter, McKenna, Kirsten, MacLeod, Andrew

Authors: Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation (CeRDI) , Federation University Australia , Dahlhaus, Peter , McKenna, Kirsten , MacLeod, Andrew
Date: 2012-
Type: Text , Technical report
Full Text: false
Description: Visualising Victoria’s Groundwater (VVG) is an interoperative web-GIS maintained by Federation University Australia that federates groundwater data from disparate sources to assist groundwater researchers and help water managers make the correct choices for the sustainable use of a precious resource. The Visualising Victoria's Groundwater web-portal currently displays data for all of Victoria from the following sources: • Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) • Water Measurement Information System (WMIS) - formerly GMS • Victorian Aquifer Framework (VAF) • Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (EcoDev) • Seamless Geology • Geological Exploration and Development Information System (GEDIS) • Salinity bore database from Future Farming Systems Research (FFSR) • Federation University Australia (FedUni) • Groundwater research bores and other bores not recorded elsewhere (UB Spatial/FedUni Spatial) • Victorian Mineral Water Committee (VMWC) • Victorian Mineral Springs database (VMSD) • Environmental Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) • Certificates and statements of environmental audit (EPA audit reports) • Groundwater quality restricted use zones (GQRUZs) in Victoria • Priority Sites Register (PSR) for Victoria The quality of the bore data varies greatly. Note that bore records may be duplicated in the databases or between the databases, the locations may be wrong, data may be missing and sometimes data may be wrong. For this reason, the emphasis in the data collection has been to refer each record to its original source and link to the original source material where available. Over time it is proposed to edit each individual bore in the database to verify and clean the data where possible. As a general rule, bores in the State Observation Bore network (SOBN) within the WMIS, groundwater research bores managed by the University and the Mineral Springs have the most complete and accurate data. Key features of the VVG portal are:

Lower Jinsha Valley bird study

- Wright, Wendy, Federation University Australia

Authors: Wright, Wendy , Federation University Australia
Date: 2011-2013
Type: Text , Technical report
Full Text: false
Description: This study represents a systematic bird survey in part of the Lower Jinsha Valley, in Western China. The intention of the study is to document the bird fauna of the area before it undergoes significant environmental transformation. The study area will be affected by the construction of a series of large hydropower dams along the Jinsha (Yangtze) River. Flooding of the valleys in this area will be to an elevation of 825m and will result in the inundation of substantial areas of farmland and much of the current sparse and poor quality forest habitat in Ningnan County (Sichuan Province) and Qiaojia County (Yunnan Province). Bird searches were conducted at 15 locations (5 in forest, 5 in farmland, 5 in Leucaena plantation) during two survey periods: Winter 2012: Nov-Dec 2012 (six field days: 30/11 – 7/12) (survey period 3) Summer 2013 June 2013 (seven field days 6/6 – 12/6) (survey period 4) Two visits were made to each location during each study period. One visit occurred during the morning and involved a timed transect search plus a list building search. The other visit occurred during the afternoon and involved a list building search only. The timed transect search involved noting birds seen along the 100m transect during a 20min search period. No recorded calls were used to attract birds during the timed transect search, which always occurred prior to the list building search. List building searches were conducted in the interests of maximizing the opportunity to identify species present at each location. Each list building search involved an initial broadcast playback of the call of Collared Owlet (Glaucidium brodiei) followed by identification of birds seen or heard, including birds responding to the call of the owlet. Collared Owlet is a small owl, which sometimes hunts diurnally. It is commonly mobbed by small songbirds (Mackinnon and Phillips, 2010). Where necessary, previously recorded calls of particular bird species were used to encourage birds to respond and therefore confirm identification. In some cases, calling birds were recorded in situ and these calls were immediately played back in order to encourage a response and allow visual identification. All birds clearly identified visually or by their call were recorded, including birds of prey seen flying overhead or in nearby valleys. Birds seen on roadsides during transit between locations were noted separately and are included in the bird list for the survey period, but not included in analyses. The visualisation of the survey data is part of an interoperable web-GIS maintained by the Centre for eResearch and Digital Innovation(CeRDI) at Federation University Australia (FedUni).

Quick View

Ageism and age discrimination in the labour market and employer responses

- Taylor, Philip

Authors: Taylor, Philip
Date: 2011
Type: Text , Technical report
Relation: Older workers: Research readings. p. 46-63
Full Text:
Description: Technical report
Description: This paper reviews what is known about employer attitudes, policies and practices in relation to the employment and retention of older workers. Age discrimination appears to play an important role in the labour market. Older and younger workers may be prevented from working entirely, or from progressing at work because of age-discriminatory policies and practices. These may be based on ageist attitudes and assumptions about an individual’s motivation, experience, abilities, skills or knowledge. Other influences can be transmitted via human resource management policies, company ethos and marketing.
Description: 2014100138

Quick View

Living in a 2.2 World: ERA, Capacity Building and the Topography of Australian Educational Research

- Seddon, Terri, Bennett, Dawn, Bobis, Janette, Bennett, Sue, Harrison, Neil, Shore, Sue, Smith, Erica, Chan, Philip

Authors: Seddon, Terri , Bennett, Dawn , Bobis, Janette , Bennett, Sue , Harrison, Neil , Shore, Sue , Smith, Erica , Chan, Philip
Date: 2011
Type: Text , Technical report
Full Text:
Description: Early in 2011, the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) and the Australian Council of Deans of Education (ACDE) established a joint working party to create a strategic plan for strengthening national research capacity in the field of Education. This proposal followed the publication of Excellence of Research in Australia (ERA) 2010 results, which revealed that the national average weighting of Australian research in Field of Research 13 (FoR 13) - Education was well below the 'world standard' rating of 3.0. Moreover, the 2010 ERA data demonstrated that we had no up-to-date picture of who is involved in educational research, what their strengths are, or how they relate to one another. As an input into strategic research capacity building in Australian educational research, this project begins the process of documenting who 'we' are as educational researchers. The research described within the report used an ecological model to address the project's overarching question, which was: What is the topography of Australian educational research?

Quick View

Understanding the psychological contract in apprenticeships and traineeships to improve retention

- Smith, Erica, Walker, Arlene, Kemmis, Ros Brennan

Authors: Smith, Erica , Walker, Arlene , Kemmis, Ros Brennan
Date: 2011
Type: Text , Technical report
Relation: National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation Program
Full Text:
Description: Attrition in apprenticeships and traineeships is an ongoing concern for employers and government alike, with completion standing at around 50% on average. One possible explanation for this high attrition rate that there is mismatch between the respective expectations of apprentices/trainees and employers. This research use the concept of psychological contract, that is, the perceived mutual obligations betweens employers and employees of themselves and each other, to test this explanation.

Modelling the impact, costs and benefits of falls prevention measures to support policy-makers and program planners

- Day, Lesley, Hoareau, Effie, Finch, Caroline, Harrison, James, Segal, Leonie, Bolton, Tom, Bradley, Clare, Boufous, Soufiane, Ullah, Shahid, National Injury Prevention Injury Working Group

Authors: Day, Lesley , Hoareau, Effie , Finch, Caroline , Harrison, James , Segal, Leonie , Bolton, Tom , Bradley, Clare , Boufous, Soufiane , Ullah, Shahid , National Injury Prevention Injury Working Group
Date: 2009
Type: Text , Technical report
Full Text: false
Description: The ageing of the population is one of the major transformations being experienced in Australia, with falls a significant threat to safety, health and independence. There is now substantial evidence regarding effective interventions for preventing falls among older people living independently in the community. The aim of this project was to develop and apply a framework for epidemiological modelling of the population level impact of proven interventions on future fall rates, providing a powerful policy-setting tool for prevention. We used the Cochrane review to source current best efficacy evidence from randomised controlled trials which have provided evidence of minimising the incidence of falls among older people living in the community. Six interventions defined in that review as most promising for community dwelling older people were modelled. Additionally, one other intervention not in the Cochrane review, expedited cataract removal, was also modelled. Occupational therapy delivered home hazard assessment and modification for those with recent fall history, as modelled here, represents the best falls prevention investment. Cardiac pacing is a good falls prevention investment over the medium term, although is unlikely to have a major impact on population level hospital admission rates. The relative cost-effectiveness of psychotropic medication withdrawal appears high, although some implementation issues would need to be addressed and further costs included. Multi-disciplinary multi-factorial risk management represents good clinical practice for high risk individuals, but is not relatively cost-effective for widespread implementation. Tai chi programs may represent good value for falls prevention resources, if local circumstances allow the cost per participant to be substantially lower than modelled here. Predicted reductions in national fall-related hospital admission rates for people aged 65 years and over ranged from 0.4% to 4.6% for five of the six falls prevention strategies implemented over a one year period. These reductions, however, suggest that substantial investment in falls prevention will be required to have large effects on the fall-related hospitalisation rates. In addition, the costeffectiveness of a number of the modelled interventions could be improved by variations to the implementation processes such as measures to increase uptake, or decrease the cost per participant. The framework developed provides the potential for the research evidence base to better guide policy and practice with respect to reducing falls and future fall-related hospitalisation rates.

Showing items 41 - 60 of 62