What do senior figures in Australian VET think about traineeships?
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 11th Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) Conference
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper reports on the perceptions of key Australian stakeholders who were interviewed about the controversial issue of quality in traineeships. Interviews were carried out with thirteen people holding senior positions in State and national government departments, major employer and employee organisations, and peak bodies of intermediary organisations. The process was the initial phase of a national NCVER-funded project on identifying the features of high-quality traineeships. The interview transcripts were then analysed to draw out key themes. Themes included issues to do with pedagogy both on and off the job, workplace arrangements and work organisation, relationships between employers and training providers, progression to higher level qualifications and within careers, the intended strategic use of trainees by organisations, and the use of traineeships for equity purposes. On the whole, strong support was expressed for the traineeship system although there were some dissenting views. The research provided a useful backdrop for the fieldwork in the remainder of the project.
- Authors: Smith, Erica
- Date: 2008
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: 11th Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association (AVETRA) Conference
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This paper reports on the perceptions of key Australian stakeholders who were interviewed about the controversial issue of quality in traineeships. Interviews were carried out with thirteen people holding senior positions in State and national government departments, major employer and employee organisations, and peak bodies of intermediary organisations. The process was the initial phase of a national NCVER-funded project on identifying the features of high-quality traineeships. The interview transcripts were then analysed to draw out key themes. Themes included issues to do with pedagogy both on and off the job, workplace arrangements and work organisation, relationships between employers and training providers, progression to higher level qualifications and within careers, the intended strategic use of trainees by organisations, and the use of traineeships for equity purposes. On the whole, strong support was expressed for the traineeship system although there were some dissenting views. The research provided a useful backdrop for the fieldwork in the remainder of the project.
Assessing the completeness of coded and narrative data from the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset using injuries sustained during fitness activities as a case study
- Gray, Shannon, Finch, Caroline
- Authors: Gray, Shannon , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Emergency Medicine Vol. 16, no. 1 (2016), p. 1-8
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Injury surveillance systems support the ongoing systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health information vital to the prevention, planning and evaluation of injury prevention strategies. One key measure of the success of such systems is their reliability. Data completeness is a major component of system reliability, and is an indicator of a system's data quality. The Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) is a state-wide record of injury presentations to emergency departments in Victoria, Australia. For each case, it provides information on the injury cause, place of occurrence, activity at time of injury, body region affected and nature of injury, as well as a free-text narrative of the injury event. The aim of this study was to assess the completeness of data in the VEMD using injuries sustained in fitness facilities as a case study. Methods: Analysis of VEMD coded parent injury variables (nature of injury, injured body region, cause of injury, place where injury occurred, activity at time of injury) and detailed narratives were reviewed for completeness over the ten-year period July 2003 to June 2012, inclusive. Narratives were text analysed manually to determine which items of injury information they contained and compared to the parent injury variables. Results: There were 2936 identified cases related to injuries sustained during fitness activities. Two percent of cases had all coded injury variables unspecified. Overall, 95.8 % of narratives had at least one piece of injury information missing. The nature of injury and body region variables were coded in 92.6 and 96.6 % of cases, yet were only mentioned in 27.1 and 75.4 % of narratives, respectively. The cause variable was allocated a specified code in 47.7 % of cases and was mentioned in 45.9 % of narratives. The cause was missing in both in 42.8 % of cases. In approximately half of all cases, the activity and place were specified in both the coded injury variable and narrative; they were missing in both in 7.4 and 13.6 % of cases, respectively. Conclusions: The reliability of the VEMD as an injury surveillance system, varied depending on the injury variable being examined. © 2016 The Author(s).
- Authors: Gray, Shannon , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMC Emergency Medicine Vol. 16, no. 1 (2016), p. 1-8
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Injury surveillance systems support the ongoing systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health information vital to the prevention, planning and evaluation of injury prevention strategies. One key measure of the success of such systems is their reliability. Data completeness is a major component of system reliability, and is an indicator of a system's data quality. The Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) is a state-wide record of injury presentations to emergency departments in Victoria, Australia. For each case, it provides information on the injury cause, place of occurrence, activity at time of injury, body region affected and nature of injury, as well as a free-text narrative of the injury event. The aim of this study was to assess the completeness of data in the VEMD using injuries sustained in fitness facilities as a case study. Methods: Analysis of VEMD coded parent injury variables (nature of injury, injured body region, cause of injury, place where injury occurred, activity at time of injury) and detailed narratives were reviewed for completeness over the ten-year period July 2003 to June 2012, inclusive. Narratives were text analysed manually to determine which items of injury information they contained and compared to the parent injury variables. Results: There were 2936 identified cases related to injuries sustained during fitness activities. Two percent of cases had all coded injury variables unspecified. Overall, 95.8 % of narratives had at least one piece of injury information missing. The nature of injury and body region variables were coded in 92.6 and 96.6 % of cases, yet were only mentioned in 27.1 and 75.4 % of narratives, respectively. The cause variable was allocated a specified code in 47.7 % of cases and was mentioned in 45.9 % of narratives. The cause was missing in both in 42.8 % of cases. In approximately half of all cases, the activity and place were specified in both the coded injury variable and narrative; they were missing in both in 7.4 and 13.6 % of cases, respectively. Conclusions: The reliability of the VEMD as an injury surveillance system, varied depending on the injury variable being examined. © 2016 The Author(s).
Key factors deterring women's engagement with skilled birth attendants in three districts of Timor-Leste. A qualitative descriptive study
- King, Rosemary, Jones, Linda
- Authors: King, Rosemary , Jones, Linda
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Midwifery Vol. 79, no. (Dec 2019), p. 8
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To describe the barriers to women's access to maternity services in three districts of Timor-Leste. Research design/setting: Focused ethnography with data collection methods commensurate with a qualitative research design. Setting and participants: Data was collected in three districts in Timor-Leste. Participants included seventeen stakeholders, health professionals and managers providing skilled birth attendance (SBA) in Timor-Leste and thirty women who have given birth and are competent to give consent. Findings: Access to SBA services is seriously impeded by poor roads and lack of transportation, the poor condition and amenity of services, restricted hours of opening, the lack of availability of skilled SBA professionals and medical resources. Participants also commented upon the lack of privacy and multiple caregivers. Timorese patriarchal family structures, intergenerational decision-making and cultural attitudes towards reproductive health information and services potentially reduce women's access to reproductive health services. Conclusion: This data provides a comprehensive record of the multiple structural barriers to women's access to SBA services. The modified AAAQA framework provides categories and an organisational structure to these barriers to SBA services. Implications for practice: Maternity care in Timor-Leste is extremely poorly resourced. Midwives and other SBA will need to provide innovative low cost solutions if they are to consistently provide respectful culturally safe midwifery care. This includes the provision of privacy and a one to one midwifery relationship 'with woman'. In addition, many women are unable to access SBA, where possible the MoH can consider strategies to improve the provision of SBA services to women birthing in community. Crown Copyright (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Authors: King, Rosemary , Jones, Linda
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Midwifery Vol. 79, no. (Dec 2019), p. 8
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objective: To describe the barriers to women's access to maternity services in three districts of Timor-Leste. Research design/setting: Focused ethnography with data collection methods commensurate with a qualitative research design. Setting and participants: Data was collected in three districts in Timor-Leste. Participants included seventeen stakeholders, health professionals and managers providing skilled birth attendance (SBA) in Timor-Leste and thirty women who have given birth and are competent to give consent. Findings: Access to SBA services is seriously impeded by poor roads and lack of transportation, the poor condition and amenity of services, restricted hours of opening, the lack of availability of skilled SBA professionals and medical resources. Participants also commented upon the lack of privacy and multiple caregivers. Timorese patriarchal family structures, intergenerational decision-making and cultural attitudes towards reproductive health information and services potentially reduce women's access to reproductive health services. Conclusion: This data provides a comprehensive record of the multiple structural barriers to women's access to SBA services. The modified AAAQA framework provides categories and an organisational structure to these barriers to SBA services. Implications for practice: Maternity care in Timor-Leste is extremely poorly resourced. Midwives and other SBA will need to provide innovative low cost solutions if they are to consistently provide respectful culturally safe midwifery care. This includes the provision of privacy and a one to one midwifery relationship 'with woman'. In addition, many women are unable to access SBA, where possible the MoH can consider strategies to improve the provision of SBA services to women birthing in community. Crown Copyright (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Using radar plots for performance benchmarking at patient and hospital levels using an Australian orthopaedics dataset
- Morales-Silva, Daniel, McPherson, Cameron, Pineda-Villavicencio, Guillermo, Atchison, Rory
- Authors: Morales-Silva, Daniel , McPherson, Cameron , Pineda-Villavicencio, Guillermo , Atchison, Rory
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Health Informatics Journal Vol. 26, no. 3 (2020), p. 2119-2137
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This study will highlight the diagnostic potential that radar plots display for reporting on performance benchmarking from patient admissions to hospital for surgical procedures. Two drawbacks of radar plots – the presence of missing information and ordering of indicators – are addressed. Ten different orthopaedic surgery procedures were considered in this study. Moreover, twelve outcome indicators were provided for each of the 10 surgeries of interest. These indicators were displayed using a radar plot, which we call a scorecard. At the hospital level, we propose a facile process by which to consolidate our 10 scorecards into one. We addressed the ordering of indicators in our scorecards by considering the national median of the indicators as a benchmark. Furthermore, our the consolidated scorecard facilitates concise visualisation and dissemination of complex data. It also enables the classification of providers into potential low and high performers that warrant further investigation. In conclusion, radar plots provide a clear and effective comparative tool for discerning multiple outcome indicators against the benchmarks of patient admission. A case study between two top and bottom performers on a consolidated scorecard (at hospital level) showed that medical provider charges varied more than other outcome indicators. © The Author(s) 2020.
- Authors: Morales-Silva, Daniel , McPherson, Cameron , Pineda-Villavicencio, Guillermo , Atchison, Rory
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Health Informatics Journal Vol. 26, no. 3 (2020), p. 2119-2137
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: This study will highlight the diagnostic potential that radar plots display for reporting on performance benchmarking from patient admissions to hospital for surgical procedures. Two drawbacks of radar plots – the presence of missing information and ordering of indicators – are addressed. Ten different orthopaedic surgery procedures were considered in this study. Moreover, twelve outcome indicators were provided for each of the 10 surgeries of interest. These indicators were displayed using a radar plot, which we call a scorecard. At the hospital level, we propose a facile process by which to consolidate our 10 scorecards into one. We addressed the ordering of indicators in our scorecards by considering the national median of the indicators as a benchmark. Furthermore, our the consolidated scorecard facilitates concise visualisation and dissemination of complex data. It also enables the classification of providers into potential low and high performers that warrant further investigation. In conclusion, radar plots provide a clear and effective comparative tool for discerning multiple outcome indicators against the benchmarks of patient admission. A case study between two top and bottom performers on a consolidated scorecard (at hospital level) showed that medical provider charges varied more than other outcome indicators. © The Author(s) 2020.
Mapping geographical inequalities in access to drinking water and sanitation facilities in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000-17
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Lancet Global Health Vol. 8, no. 9 (2020), p. E1162-E1185
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background Universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities is an essential human right, recognised in the Sustainable Development Goals as crucial for preventing disease and improving human wellbeing. Comprehensive, high-resolution estimates are important to inform progress towards achieving this goal. We aimed to produce high-resolution geospatial estimates of access to drinking water and sanitation facilities. Methods We used a Bayesian geostatistical model and data from 600 sources across more than 88 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) to estimate access to drinking water and sanitation facilities on continuous continent-wide surfaces from 2000 to 2017, and aggregated results to policy-relevant administrative units. We estimated mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive subcategories of facilities for drinking water (piped water on or off premises, other improved facilities, unimproved, and surface water) and sanitation facilities (septic or sewer sanitation, other improved, unimproved, and open defecation) with use of ordinal regression. We also estimated the number of diarrhoeal deaths in children younger than 5 years attributed to unsafe facilities and estimated deaths that were averted by increased access to safe facilities in 2017, and analysed geographical inequality in access within LMICs. Findings Across LMICs, access to both piped water and improved water overall increased between 2000 and 2017, with progress varying spatially. For piped water, the safest water facility type, access increased from 40.0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 39.4-40.7) to 50.3% (50.0-50.5), but was lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to piped water was mostly concentrated in urban centres. Access to both sewer or septic sanitation and improved sanitation overall also increased across all LMICs during the study period. For sewer or septic sanitation, access was 46.3% (95% UI 46.1-46.5) in 2017, compared with 28.7% (28.5-29.0) in 2000. Although some units improved access to the safest drinking water or sanitation facilities since 2000, a large absolute number of people continued to not have access in several units with high access to such facilities (>80%) in 2017. More than 253 000 people did not have access to sewer or septic sanitation facilities in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe, despite 88.6% (95% UI 87.2-89.7) access overall. Many units were able to transition from the least safe facilities in 2000 to safe facilities by 2017; for units in which populations primarily practised open defecation in 2000, 686 (95% UI 664-711) of the 1830 (1797-1863) units transitioned to the use of improved sanitation. Geographical disparities in access to improved water across units decreased in 76.1% (95% UI 71.6-80.7) of countries from 2000 to 2017, and in 53.9% (50.6-59.6) of countries for access to improved sanitation, but remained evident subnationally in most countries in 2017. Interpretation Our estimates, combined with geospatial trends in diarrhoeal burden, identify where efforts to increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities are most needed. By highlighting areas with successful approaches or in need of targeted interventions, our estimates can enable precision public health to effectively progress towards universal access to safe water and sanitation. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the Federation University Australia affiliate is provided in this record**
- Description: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CGIAR
- Authors: Rahman, Muhammad Aziz
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Lancet Global Health Vol. 8, no. 9 (2020), p. E1162-E1185
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background Universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities is an essential human right, recognised in the Sustainable Development Goals as crucial for preventing disease and improving human wellbeing. Comprehensive, high-resolution estimates are important to inform progress towards achieving this goal. We aimed to produce high-resolution geospatial estimates of access to drinking water and sanitation facilities. Methods We used a Bayesian geostatistical model and data from 600 sources across more than 88 low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) to estimate access to drinking water and sanitation facilities on continuous continent-wide surfaces from 2000 to 2017, and aggregated results to policy-relevant administrative units. We estimated mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive subcategories of facilities for drinking water (piped water on or off premises, other improved facilities, unimproved, and surface water) and sanitation facilities (septic or sewer sanitation, other improved, unimproved, and open defecation) with use of ordinal regression. We also estimated the number of diarrhoeal deaths in children younger than 5 years attributed to unsafe facilities and estimated deaths that were averted by increased access to safe facilities in 2017, and analysed geographical inequality in access within LMICs. Findings Across LMICs, access to both piped water and improved water overall increased between 2000 and 2017, with progress varying spatially. For piped water, the safest water facility type, access increased from 40.0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 39.4-40.7) to 50.3% (50.0-50.5), but was lowest in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to piped water was mostly concentrated in urban centres. Access to both sewer or septic sanitation and improved sanitation overall also increased across all LMICs during the study period. For sewer or septic sanitation, access was 46.3% (95% UI 46.1-46.5) in 2017, compared with 28.7% (28.5-29.0) in 2000. Although some units improved access to the safest drinking water or sanitation facilities since 2000, a large absolute number of people continued to not have access in several units with high access to such facilities (>80%) in 2017. More than 253 000 people did not have access to sewer or septic sanitation facilities in the city of Harare, Zimbabwe, despite 88.6% (95% UI 87.2-89.7) access overall. Many units were able to transition from the least safe facilities in 2000 to safe facilities by 2017; for units in which populations primarily practised open defecation in 2000, 686 (95% UI 664-711) of the 1830 (1797-1863) units transitioned to the use of improved sanitation. Geographical disparities in access to improved water across units decreased in 76.1% (95% UI 71.6-80.7) of countries from 2000 to 2017, and in 53.9% (50.6-59.6) of countries for access to improved sanitation, but remained evident subnationally in most countries in 2017. Interpretation Our estimates, combined with geospatial trends in diarrhoeal burden, identify where efforts to increase access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities are most needed. By highlighting areas with successful approaches or in need of targeted interventions, our estimates can enable precision public health to effectively progress towards universal access to safe water and sanitation. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the Federation University Australia affiliate is provided in this record**
- Description: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CGIAR
A DNA toolbox for non-invasive genetic studies of sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)
- Davies, Chris, Wright, Wendy, Wedrowicz, Faye, Hogan, Fiona
- Authors: Davies, Chris , Wright, Wendy , Wedrowicz, Faye , Hogan, Fiona
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Mammalogy Vol. 42, no. 1 (2020), p. 58-66
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Invasive sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) are having significant detrimental impacts on natural environments in south-eastern Australia. Little, however, is known about their ecology, limiting evidence-based management strategies directed at reducing deer impacts. Genetic data, generated from DNA isolated from deer scats, can be used to fill ecological knowledge gaps. This study outlines a non-invasive genetic sampling strategy by which good-quality DNA from a single deer scat can be used to determine (1) species of origin, (2) sex and (3) a unique DNA profile. DNA from deer tissue and sambar deer scat samples were used to develop and optimise molecular methods to collect reliable genetic information. A DNA toolbox is presented that describes how to find, collect and store scat samples, isolate DNA and use molecular markers to generate informative genetic data. Generating genetic data using this approach will support studies aimed at acquiring ecological knowledge about sambar deer. Such knowledge will be critical for developing evidence-based recommendations to improve on-ground management decisions for sambar deer.
- Authors: Davies, Chris , Wright, Wendy , Wedrowicz, Faye , Hogan, Fiona
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Mammalogy Vol. 42, no. 1 (2020), p. 58-66
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Invasive sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) are having significant detrimental impacts on natural environments in south-eastern Australia. Little, however, is known about their ecology, limiting evidence-based management strategies directed at reducing deer impacts. Genetic data, generated from DNA isolated from deer scats, can be used to fill ecological knowledge gaps. This study outlines a non-invasive genetic sampling strategy by which good-quality DNA from a single deer scat can be used to determine (1) species of origin, (2) sex and (3) a unique DNA profile. DNA from deer tissue and sambar deer scat samples were used to develop and optimise molecular methods to collect reliable genetic information. A DNA toolbox is presented that describes how to find, collect and store scat samples, isolate DNA and use molecular markers to generate informative genetic data. Generating genetic data using this approach will support studies aimed at acquiring ecological knowledge about sambar deer. Such knowledge will be critical for developing evidence-based recommendations to improve on-ground management decisions for sambar deer.
Underpinning practice-based creative research with quality supervision
- Mann, Allan, Button, Loris, Sillitoe, Jim
- Authors: Mann, Allan , Button, Loris , Sillitoe, Jim
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at Thinking the future: Art, design and creativity Conference, Melbourne : 26th - 29th September, 2006
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: In the past few years, there has been some interestingdebate on the notion of postgraduate research by the exegesis route, which is currently the most favoured approach to higher degree qualification in the creative arts arena. The production of an artwork, which is accompanied by scholarly written exposition, has become a well-accepted way in which cultural and social knowledge is generated within the creative disciplines. Some problems, however, still remain with the quality supervision of creative arts postgraduate students because of the concurrent requirements of having a supervisor with a significant reputation in the student's field of creative endeavour and the skills to advise on the preparation of the scholarly document that expounds on the creative work. In addition, because of the recent history of the exegesis route to higher degrees, there are relatively few experienced research staff in creative arts departments. At the University of Ballarat's Arts Academy, we have been developing an approachto the supervisionof creative Masters and Doctoral exegeses in the context of small staff numbers, a wide variety of practice areas, and a relatively large number of enrolled students. Results to date have been encouraging, and this paper will report on the way in which we are attempting to provide each studnet with the best educational experience possible and produce world-class creative higher degree graduates within a school that has a limited financial and personnel resource base
- Description: E1
- Description: 2003002054
- Authors: Mann, Allan , Button, Loris , Sillitoe, Jim
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Paper presented at Thinking the future: Art, design and creativity Conference, Melbourne : 26th - 29th September, 2006
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: In the past few years, there has been some interestingdebate on the notion of postgraduate research by the exegesis route, which is currently the most favoured approach to higher degree qualification in the creative arts arena. The production of an artwork, which is accompanied by scholarly written exposition, has become a well-accepted way in which cultural and social knowledge is generated within the creative disciplines. Some problems, however, still remain with the quality supervision of creative arts postgraduate students because of the concurrent requirements of having a supervisor with a significant reputation in the student's field of creative endeavour and the skills to advise on the preparation of the scholarly document that expounds on the creative work. In addition, because of the recent history of the exegesis route to higher degrees, there are relatively few experienced research staff in creative arts departments. At the University of Ballarat's Arts Academy, we have been developing an approachto the supervisionof creative Masters and Doctoral exegeses in the context of small staff numbers, a wide variety of practice areas, and a relatively large number of enrolled students. Results to date have been encouraging, and this paper will report on the way in which we are attempting to provide each studnet with the best educational experience possible and produce world-class creative higher degree graduates within a school that has a limited financial and personnel resource base
- Description: E1
- Description: 2003002054
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