Digital Commons Network^™

Rhetorics Of Species Revivalism And Biotechnology – A Roundtable Dialogue, Eva Kasprzycka, Charlotte Wrigley, Adam Searle, Richard Twine

Animal Studies Journal

This informal dialogue contextualises and explores contemporary practices of nonhuman animal gene-modification in de-extinction projects. Looking at recent developments in biotechnology’s role in de-extinction sciences and industries, these interdisciplinary scholars scrutinise the neoliberal impetus driving ‘species revivalism’ in the wake of the Capitalocene. Critical examinations of species integrity, cryo-preservation, techno-optimism, rewilding initiatives and projects aimed at restoring extinct animals such as the woolly mammoth and bucardo are used to map some of the necessary restructuring of conservation policies and enterprises that could secure viably sustainable – and just – futures for nonhuman animals at risk of extinction. The authors question …

Progress In Piezoelectric Material Based Oceanic Wave Energy Conversion Technology, Mahbubur Kiran, Omar Farrok, Md Abdullah-Al-Mamun, Md Rabiul Islam, Wei Xu

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

Recently, electrical engineers are paying great attention to develop oceanic wave energy conversion technologies based on the piezoelectric materials because of their excellent conveniences. Piezoelectric oceanic wave energy converters (OWECs) have several benefits over the others such as its small size, lightweight, no requirement of using intermediate device as well as having less negative impacts on the oceanic environment. Various review and research papers focus on the piezoelectric devices, their operation and application for oceanic energy conversion. But, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, none of the existing research or review papers present detailed scheme of piezoelectric device based …

Reproduction And Transformation Of Students' Technology Practice: The Tale Of Two Distinctive Secondary Student Cases, Karley A. Beckman, Sue Bennett, Lori Lockyer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Disparities in the technology practices, skills and knowledge of school students still exist, despite widespread investment, and use in schools. In order to understand why inequalities remain, we first need a more nuanced understanding of students' technology practice, including understanding how their backgrounds, circumstances and experiences shape their perceptions of and engagement with technology. This paper proposes that research in the field of educational technology would benefit from a sociological framing in order to highlight how and why students use technology at school and in their everyday lives. The paper reports on a qualitative embedded case study of 13-16‐year‐old students …

Advancement In Track Technology - Composite Foundations For Increased Speed And Axle Loads, Buddhima Indraratna, Ngoc Trung Ngo, Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

The increasing demand for fast heavy haul services with greater axle loads, as well as high speed commuter trains, poses a serious challenge for the stability of tracks on the problematic ground. The use of artificial inclusions such as polymeric geosynthetics for enhanced soil-structure interaction and rubber mats made from recycled rubber tyres to absorb the strain energy and reduce ballast breakage and track damage is described in this paper as a cost-effective option. In this study, a series of large-scale laboratory tests took place to determine how well these geogrids could attenuate the impact, cyclic stress, and corresponding mitigation …

Conceptualising Technology Practice In Education Using Bourdieu's Sociology, Karley A. Beckman, Tiffani L. Apps, Sue Bennett, Lori Lockyer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Evidence from large-scale studies of primary and secondary students' technology practices at school over the last decade show disparities in student practices and suggest that schools need to do more to cater for all students. Research that explores the influence of social and cultural factors may be useful for understanding such inequality in student practice. Bourdieu's theory of practice [(1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. London: Cambridge University Press] is proposed as an example of a sociological theory that can be adopted in educational technology research to move towards understanding the wider complexities of technology practice. To encourage discourse …

‘Machine Milking Is More Manly Than Hand Milking’: Multispecies Agencies And Gendered Practices In Finnish Cattle Tending From The 1950s To The 1970s, Taija Kaarlenkaski

Animal Studies Journal

During the last hundred years, mechanization has significantly changed the working circumstances of both humans and animals in cattle husbandry. In Finland, cattle tending was regarded as women’s work up until the mid-20th century. According to a common view, the proliferation of milking machines, starting from the 1950s, caused men to start working in the cowsheds. In this paper, I will examine how the agencies of cattle tenders, cows, and milking machines were constructed during the mechanization process from the 1950s to the 1970s. Special attention will be paid to gendered representations, and changes in the gendered division of work. …

How Technology Shapes Assessment Design: Findings From A Study Of University Teachers, Sue Bennett, Phillip Dawson, Margaret Bearman, Elizabeth K. Molloy, David J. Boud

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A wide range of technologies has been developed to enhance assessment, but adoption has been inconsistent. This is despite assessment being critical to student learning and certification. To understand why this is the case and how it can be addressed, we need to explore the perspectives of academics responsible for designing and implementing technology-supported assessment strategies. This paper reports on the experience of designing technology-supported assessment based on interviews with 33 Australian university teachers. The findings reveal the desire to achieve greater efficiencies and to be contemporary and innovative as key drivers of technology adoption for assessment. Participants sought to …

Patients' Acceptance Of Smartphone Health Technology For Chronic Disease Management: A Theoretical Model And Empirical Test, Kaili Dou, Ping Yu, Ning Deng, Fang Liu, Yingping Guan, Zhenye Li, Yumeng Ji, Ningkai Du, Xudong Lu, Huilong Duan

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

No abstract provided.

Toward A Sociomaterial Understanding Of Writing Experiences Incorporating Digital Technology In An Early Childhood Classroom, Lisa K. Kervin, Barbara Comber, Annette Woods

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article examines the resources, tools, and opportunities children enact as they engage with teacher-devised writing experiences within their classroom space. We begin with discussion about classroom writing time from the perspective of both the teacher and children of one Grade 1/2 composite class. We also reveal resources within the classroom space to consider the expertise available during writing times. We then examine a 5-week unit that focused on multimodal text construction. Using optical flow computer vision analysis to examine the movement of children during four video-recorded independent writing instances, we provide commentary about how the classroom writing experiences have …

Cultural Relativism, Emergent Technology And Aboriginal Health Discourse, Kishan A. Kariippanon

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The incorporation of mobile phones and social media by Indigenous youth (Senior and Chenhall, 2016; Carlson, Farelli, Frazer & Brothwick, 2015; Kral, 2014) has prompted a migration of online engagement and social marketing interventions in health promotion programs according to Brusse, Gardner, MacAulley & Dowden (2014). According to Kral (2014 p. 4) “the rapid development of new information and communication technologies, an increase in affordable, small mobile technologies” including research by Taylor (2012) on the increase in Telstra’s Internet enabled ‘Next G’ connections over the vast remote regions in the Northern Territory of Australia, has created “an explosion of new …

An Integrated Model Of Staff Education And Service Support To Strengthen The Efficacy Of Technology-Based Crisis Services, Taneile Kitchingman, Peter Caputi, Ian G. Wilson, Alan Woodward

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Paper presented at the National Suicide Prevention Conference, 24-27 July 2016, Canberra, Australia.

Within Australia, non-clinical telephone and online crisis support services provide readily accessible support without the requirement of referral. Research shows that up to one third of callers to crisis lines and half of all visitors to crisis chat services may be suicidal at the time of contact. Research also shows that contact with these services reduces caller suicidality and facilitates engagement with necessary intervention. The number of contacts to crisis support services in Australia is increasing. An increase in contacts to technology-based crisis services highlights the need …

A School-Based Intervention Incorporating Smartphone Technology To Improve Health-Related Fitness Among Adolescents: Rationale And Study Protocol For The Neat And Atlas 2.0 Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial And Dissemination Study, David R. Lubans, Jordan J. Smith, Louisa Peralta, Ronald Plotnikoff, Anthony D. Okely, Jo Salmon, Narelle Eather, Deborah Dewar, Sarah G. Kennedy, Chris Lonsdale, Toni A. Hilland, Paul Estabrooks, Tara Finn, Emma Pollock, Philip J. Morgan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction Physical inactivity has been described as a global pandemic. Interventions aimed at developing skills in lifelong physical activities may provide the foundation for an active lifestyle into adulthood. In general, school-based physical activity interventions targeting adolescents have produced modest results and few have been designed to be 'scaled-up' and disseminated. This study aims to: (1) assess the effectiveness of two physical activity promotion programmes (ie, NEAT and ATLAS) that have been modified for scalability; and (2) evaluate the dissemination of these programmes throughout government funded secondary schools. Methods and analysis The study will be conducted in two phases. In …

Implementation Of Health Technology Assessment Work In A Hospital In Kazakhstan, Lyazzat Kosherbayeva, David M. Hailey, Kural Kurakbaev, Aleksey Tsoy, Ormanbek Zhuzzhanov, Abilay Donbay, Ainur Kumar, Kamalzhan Nadyrov

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Objectives: The aim of this study was to implement health technology assessment (HA) in the First General City Hospital in Astana, Kazakhstan. Methods: We organized trainings to familiarize hospital staff with the purpose and details of HTA. An HTA committee was established, with representation from hospital physicians and managers, and criteria for prioritization of health technologies determined. Clinical departments of the hospital were asked to prepare applications for new technologies for their services. Results: The HTA committee reviewed five applications and selected a technology from one of these, on single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS), for assessment. A short HTA report …

A Process Of Prioritizing Topics For Health Technology Assessment In Kazakhstan, Lyazzat Kosherbayeva, David M. Hailey, Kural Kurakbaev, Adlet Tabarov, Ainur Kumar, Gulnara Gutzskaya, Elena Stepkina

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Objectives: The aim of this study was to develop criteria for the prioritization of topics for health technology assessment (HTA) in the healthcare system of Kazakhstan. Methods: Initial proposals for criteria were suggested through consultation with Ministry of Health (MoH) policy areas. These were refined through a workshop attended by HTA department staff, persons from medical universities and research institutes, and MoH policy makers. The workshop included discussion on methods used in international HTA practice. Opinions of participants on selection of criteria from those specified in a review of prioritization processes were used to define a list for inclusion in …

Commentary On "The Influence Of Hospital-Based Hta On Technology Acquisition Decision", David M. Hailey

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The article by Dupouy and Gagnon presents a case study on the structure and operation of an HB-HTA unit with reference to an assessment of a diagnostic technology. It gives interesting details on the organization of an HB-HTA program, and of the approaches that were taken in the assessment. It also notes the demands on a small unit and some limits to its activities. Semi-structured interviews were held with informants from three groups in the hospital. Excerpts from the interviews provide further insight. Projects of the HTA Unit are assisted by a stakeholders working group; information is included on its …

Persuasive Technology In Mobile Applications Promoting Physical Activity: A Systematic Review, John Matthews, Khin Than Win, Harri Oinas-Kukkonen, Mark Freeman

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Persuasive technology in mobile applications can be used to influence the behaviour of users. A framework known as the Persuasive Systems Design model has been developed for designing and evaluating systems that influence the attitudes or behaviours of users. This paper reviews the current state of mobile applications for health behavioural change with an emphasis on applications that promote physical activity. The inbuilt persuasive features of mobile applications were evaluated using the Persuasive Systems Design model. A database search was conducted to identify relevant articles. Articles were then reviewed using the Persuasive Systems Design model as a framework for analysis. …

Development Of Intermediate Cooling Technology And Its Control For Two-Stand Plate Rolling, Fei Zhang, Wei Yu, Tao Liu

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In a plate rolling production line, thermomechanically controlled processing is critical for plate quality. In this paper, a set of intermediate cooling equipment of a two-stand plate mill with super density nozzles, medium pressure, and small flow is developed. Based on a simplified dynamic model, a cooling control scheme with combined feedforward, feedback, and adaptive algorithms is put forward. The new controlled rolling process and the highly efficient control system improve the controlled rolling efficiency by an average of 17.66%. The proposed intermediate cooling system can also effectively inhibit the growth of austenite grain, improve the impact toughness and yield …

Fibre Bragg Grating Sensing Technology For The Evaluation Of Physical Properties Of Dental Resin Composites, Ginu Rajan, Paul Shouha, Ayman Ellakwa, Jiangtao Xi, Gangadhara B. Prusty

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The characterization of the physical properties of dental resin composites is fraught with difficulties relating to significant intra and inter test parameter variabilities and is relatively time consuming and expensive. The main aim of this study was to evaluate whether optical fibre Brag grating (FBG) sensing system may become a viable tool to study dental material characteristics. Of particular focus was the potential for the system to demonstrate a multi parameter all-in-one feature. A miniature FBG was embedded in six different dental resin composites and employed as a sensor to evaluate linear polymerization shrinkage, thermal expansion and water sorption. This …

Influence Of Health Technology Assessment And Its Measurement, David M. Hailey, Sophie Werko, Mans Rosen, Karen Macpherson, Susan Myles, Veronica Gallegos Rivera, Cecilia Hipolito-Olivares, Sinnika Sihvo, Jasmine Pwu, Wen-Wen Yang, Yong-Chen Chen, Ana Perez Galan, Alicia Aleman, Elena Villamil

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to obtain information on methods used to measure health technology assessment (HTA) influence, decisions that were influenced, and outcomes linked to HTA. METHODS: Electronic databases were used to locate studies in which HTA influence had been demonstrated. Inclusion criteria were studies that reliably reported consideration by decision makers of HTA findings; comparative studies of technology use before and after HTA; and details of changes in policy, health outcomes, or research that could be credibly linked to an HTA. RESULTS: Fifty-one studies were selected for review. Settings were national (24), regional (12), both national …

Teachers: Technology, Change And Resistance, Sarah Katherine Howard, Adrian Mozejko

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This chapter explores the way in which a culture of educational technology-related policy and curriculum change has arguably resulted in minimal improvement in teaching and learning. Moreover, it is argued that such a culture of change has instead simply increased teacher disengagement and thereby resulted in teachers being erroneously labelled by polichy actors, administrators and technology enthusiasts as 'resistant' to change, 'luddites' and 'risk averse'. Accordingly, this chapter challenges these simplistic labels, and offers a more critical perspective of how and why teachers (dis)engage with technology.

Public Preferences For Engagement In Health Technology Assessment Decision-Making: Protocol Of A Mixed Methods Study, Sally Wortley, Allison Tong, Emily Lancsar, Glenn P. Salkeld, Kirsten Howard

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Much attention in recent years has been given to the topic of public engagement in health technology assessment (HTA) decision-making. HTA organizations spend substantial resources and time on undertaking public engagement, and numerous studies have examined challenges and barriers to engagement in the decision-making process however uncertainty remains as to optimal methods to incorporate the views of the public in HTA decision-making. Little research has been done to ascertain whether current engagement processes align with public preferences and to what extent their desire for engagement is dependent on the question being asked by decision-makers or the characteristics of the …

Technology Tools To Support Learning Design: Implications Derived From An Investigation Of University Teachers' Design Practices, Sue Bennett, Shirley Agostinho, Lori Lockyer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The need to improve the quality of higher education has fostered an interest in technology tools to support effective design for teaching and learning. Over the past decade this interest has led to the development of tools to support the creation of online learning experiences, specifications to underpin design systems, and repositories to share examples. Despite this significant activity, there remain unanswered questions about what shapes university teachers' design decisions and how tools can best support their design processes. This paper presents findings from a study of university teachers'; design practices that identified teachers' perceptions of student characteristics, their own …

Information Technology And Open Innovation: A Strategic Alignment Perspective, Tingru Cui, Hua Ye, Hock Hai Teo, Jizhen Li

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Advances in information technology (IT) have enabled firms to increasingly rely on open innovation. Although researchers and practitioners are interested in this phenomenon, there is a lack of theoretically driven research on how IT impacts organizational open innovation performance. Drawing on the strategic IT alignment perspective and related literature, we proposed a model to explain the performance of organizational open innovation; i.e., the alignment between IT strategies and the openness of open innovation strategies results in different outcomes for open innovation. Through the analysis of data from 225 firms in China, we found that the alignment between IT flexibility and …

Applications Of Magnetorheological Technology To Semiactive Vibration Control Systems, Miao Yu, Seung-Bok Choi, Norman M. Wereley, Weihua Li, Jeong-Hoi Koo, Xinchun Guan

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Semiactive vibration control systems possess both the simplicity and inherent reliability of passive systems while maintaining the adaptability of active vibration control systems integrated with an appropriate control algorithm. One of the recent and promising technologies in semiactive vibration control is to utilize magnetorheological (MR) fluids (MRFs) and MR elastomers (MREs). The well-known remarkable feature of MR materials is the continuous controllability of stiffness and damping properties under external magnetic field. The unique controllable characteristic of MR materials has catalyzed comprehensive research and development focusing on vibration control systems including vehicle dampers, engine mounts, adaptive tuned vibration absorber, and seismic …

Health And Development Of Children Born After Assisted Reproductive Technology And Sub-Fertility Compared To Naturally Conceived Children: Data From A National Study, Alastair G. Sutcliffe, Edward Melhuish, Jacqueline Barnes, Julian Gardiner

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In a non-matched case-control study using data from two large national cohort studies, we investigated whether indicators of child health and development up to 7 years of age differ between children conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART), children born after sub-fertility (more than 24 months of trying for conception) and other children. Information on ART use/sub-fertility was available for 23,649 children. There were 227 cases (children conceived through ART) and two control groups: 783 children born to sub-fertile couples, and 22,639 children born to couples with no fertility issues. In models adjusted for social and demographic factors there were significant …

Conceptualising Technology Use As Social Practice To Research Student Experiences Of Technology In Higher Education, Sue Bennett

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this paper is to argue for the importance of sociological approaches to educational technology research which can make new advances in the field that complement the existing research base. Such research can address questions of how individuals use technology across different spheres of their lives, including education, and asks what role technology plays in educational institutions and how it interacts academic practices. Research of this kind can tells us much about how we might adopt and adapt technologies from outside education to support teaching and learning. By conceptualising technology use as social practice, rather than as attributes …

Generation Alpha At The Intersection Of Technology, Play And Motivation, Holly Tootell, Mark Freeman, Alison E. Freeman

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

This paper considers the intersection of technology and play through the novel approach of gamification and its application to early years education. The intrinsic connection between play and technology is becoming increasingly significant in early years education. By creating an awareness of the early years adoption of technology into guiding frameworks, and then exploring the makeup of gaming elements, this paper draws connections for guiding principles in adopting more technology-focused play opportunities for Generation Alpha.

Virtual Communities Of Practice: Overcoming Barriers Of Time And Technology, Kieran Walsh, Stephen Barnett

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Letter to the Editor.

Pilot Testing A Self-Administered Dietary Assessment Website With School-Age Children And Adolescents Under Laboratory And Free-Living Conditions, Yasmine Probst, Sarah Cufer, Shannon Lin

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Aim: To evaluate the experiences and data of children using the DietAdvice website in a controlled and a free-living environment.

Methods: Observational pilot study under laboratory conditions with face-to-face interviews and a communitybased nutrition and exercise intervention program. The laboratory trial consisted of n = 17 children (aged 9-16 years) and the intervention program consisted of n = 34 adolescents (aged 12-16 years). Thematic analysis of observation/interview notes and χ2 tests and independent samples t-tests (P < 0.05) to compare responses and mean times, respectively, between age groups (group 1 (primary school): 9-12 years; group 2 (secondary school/ adolescent): 13-16 years). Frequency and time of use analyses for the intervention group with comparisons to group 2 of the laboratory observation.

Results: Children had an intermediate (41.2%) or advanced level (58.8%) of computer knowledge and used computers 5.29 ± 2.31 days. There were no significant …

Agile Enterprise Architecture: A Case Of A Cloud Technology-Enabled Government Enterprise Transformation, Asif Qumer Gill, Steven Smith, Ghassan Beydoun, Vijayan Sugumaran

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Australian government enterprises have shown a significant interest in the cloud technology-enabled enterprise transformation. Australian government suggests the whole-of-a-government strategy to cloud adoption. The challenge is how best to realise this cloud adoption strategy for the cloud technology-enabled enterprise transformation? The cloud adoption strategy realisation requires concrete guidelines and a comprehensive practical framework. This paper proposes the use of an agile enterprise architecture framework to developing and implementing the adaptive cloud technology-enabled enterprise architecture in the Australian government context. The results of this paper indicate that a holistic strategic agile enterprise architecture approach seems appropriate to support the strategic whole-of-a-government …