Digital Commons Network^™

Uow Outlook, University Of Wollongong

Wollongong Outlook: The University Alumni Magazine

No abstract provided.

Heterogeneous Treatment Effects? An Examination Of Australian Non-Government Primary Schools, Joan Rodgers, Frank Neri, Ian Moran

Faculty of Business - Economics Working Papers

On average, students in Australian non-government schools consistently outperform their counterparts in government schools on standardized tests of literacy and numeracy. However, when differences across school sectors in student characteristics are taken into account there is no evidence that this performance differential is attributable to the nature of the schools. Nevertheless, non-government schools may have heterogeneous effects, that is, they may benefit particular groups of students. This study investigates the extent of non-government school advantage for specific primary school student groups. Test scores from the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy for a nationally representative sample of students from the …

Modelling The Impact Of Perceived Connectivity On The Intention To Use Social Media: Discovering Mediating Effects And Unobserved Heterogeneity, Samuel Fosso Wamba, Shahriar Akter, Eric W. T Ngai, Imed Boughzala

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Early research examined the direct effect of perceived connectivity (PC) on intention to adopt information systems. In this study, we extend that research stream by examining the mediating effects of perceived enjoyment (PE) and perceived playfulness (PP) on the relationship between PC and the intention to use social media within the workplace. To test our proposed model, we collected data from 2,556 social media users from Australia, Canada, India, the UK, and the US. We applied the REBUS-PLS algorithm, a response-based method for detecting unit segments in PLS path modelling and assessing the unobserved heterogeneity in the data sample. Based …

Tales Of It Consultants: Understanding Psychological Contract Maintenance And Employment Termination, Karlheinz Kautz, Gro Bjerknes

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

This research investigates the question why dedicated Information Technology (IT) consultants quit their jobs and voluntarily terminate their employment contracts. A research approach inspired by grounded theory is used and as a theoretical contribution a novel, cyclic process model for the maintenance or neglect of the psychological contract between employees and employers is derived from the empirical data. The model is subsequently substantiated through the integration of various concepts and theories identified in the literature, combining the concept of psychological contract with social influence theory and a theory of the relation between intrinsic motivation and management practices. The research is …

Employer Perceptions Of Migrant Candidates' Suitability: The Influence Of Decision-Maker And Organisational Characteristics, Mario Fernando, Shamika Almeida, Shyamali Dharmage

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

This paper reports on how decision-makers' personal characteristics and organisational characteristics can influence the screening of immigrant professionals during the recruitment and selection process. The sample consisted of 220 decision-makers in the engineering industry working in New South Wales, Australia. The results show White/Anglo Australian decision-makers had more suitability concerns of ethnic migrant candidates during the recruitment and selection process than decision-makers of other ethnicities. However, this was moderated by organisational characteristics of size and clientele. Decision-makers in larger organisations and a diverse ethnic client base showed less suitability concerns of migrant candidates during the recruitment and selection process.

Corporate Social Responsibility Attitudes Of Board Directors In Australian Firms: The Role Of Gender And Spiritual Wellbeing, Bita Najafi, Mario Fernando, Alan A. Pomering

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important element in portraying corporate identity and building a positive reputation for firms (Cornelius et al. 2007). While at the overall board level, there have been several studies examining the effect of boardlevel attributes on CSR (Dalton et al. 2003; Bonn 2004; McWilliams and Siegel 2000, Bear, Rahman, and Post 2010), at the individual, director level, there has been little research conducted. This study examines individual characteristics of Australian company directors to identify the contributing factors that shape their attitudes to CSR. In particular, in this study, we examine the impact of spiritual wellbeing, …

Back To The Future: Using The Ethical Climate Questionnaire To Understand Ethical Behaviour In Not For Profits, Donna Dark, Mark Rix

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

The ethical climate of an organisation can be described as the lens by which employees determine what comprises 'correct' behaviour within that organisation. As an outcome of the organisation's culture, many factors influence an ethical climate's design and configuration, including the organisation's history, its structure and management systems, the external environment and the individuals working within it. In order to work out the best ethical structure or ethical framework to support ethical behaviour, ethical climate must first be understood. The ethical climate questionnaire, (ECQ) a tool developed more than 25 years ago, has been applied and refined in empirical research …

Reflecting On Ethics In Netnographic Research, Namita Roy, Ulrike Gretzel, Venkata K. Yanamandram, Gordon R. Waitt

Faculty of Business - Papers (Archive)

Netnography uses a mix of unobtrusive as well as interactive methods of research to study consumer behaviour online. The evolving technology has created greater avenues for researchers to apply different ethnographic methods online. However, it has also posed a number of ethical debates. This paper provides a reflective account of ethical dilemmas that were faced by me (researcher) while working on an ethics application using the methods of Netnography. It uses the context of the researcher's PhD research ethics application, to highlight the issues of domain, consent and privacy encountered while working on the ethics application. This paper contributes through …

"Are We There Yet?": Making Sense Of Transition In Higher Education, Jeannette Stirling, Louise C. Rossetto

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

This paper reviews a first year transition program first implemented in 2011 and designed for students commencing higher education at the regional campuses of an Australian university. A significant proportion of students attending these campuses are mature age, the first in family to attempt university study, Indigenous, and/or from low socio-economic backgrounds. Our project aims were to facilitate academic participation and hence retention in a higher education environment that relies on various multimedia technologies and blended learning models. Ongoing evaluations of the project clearly indicate its efficacy. Even so, longitudinal analyses raise questions about how current social inclusion policy shapes …

New Learning Opportunities In A Networked World: Developing A Research Agenda On Innovative Uses Of Icts For Learning And Teaching., P A. Krischner, M J J P M Boon, P Janssen, Fleur Prinsen, Susan Mckenney, L Kester, S Stoyanov

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

No abstract provided.

Apolipoprotein D Modulates Amyloid Pathology In App/Ps1 Alzheimer's Disease Mice, Hongyun Li, Kalani R. Ruberu, Sonia Sanz Munoz, Andrew M. Jenner, Adena S. Spiro, Hua Zhao, Eric Rassart, Diego Sanchez, Maria D. Ganfornina, Tim Karl, Brett Garner

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Apolipoprotein D (apoD) is expressed in the brain and levels are increased in affected brain regions in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The role that apoD may play in regulating AD pathology has not been addressed. Here, we crossed both apoD-null mice and Thy-1 human apoD transgenic mice with APP-PS1 amyloidogenic AD mice. Loss of apoD resulted in a nearly 2-fold increase in hippocampal amyloid plaque load, as assessed by immunohistochemical staining. Conversely, transgenic expression of neuronal apoD reduced hippocampal plaque load by approximately 35%. This latter finding was associated with a 60% decrease in amyloid β 1-40 peptide levels, and a …

Development And Evaluation Of The Telephone Crisis Support Skills Scale, Taneile Kitchingman, Coralie J. Wilson, Peter Caputi, Alan Woodward, Tara Hunt

Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute

Background: Although telephone services continue to play an important role in the delivery of front-line crisis support, published evidence of the standardized assessment of such services does not exist to date. Aims: To describe the development of the Telephone Crisis Support Skills Scale (TCSSS), an instrument to assess workers' intentions to use recommended skills with callers, and to evaluate its factor structure and reliability. Method: TCSSS items were mapped to a national telephone crisis support practice model. A national sample of workers (n = 210) completed the TCSSS as part of a larger online survey. Principal axis factoring was used …

Reading Through The Mirror Stage, Luke M. Johnson

Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Doctors' Approaches To Psa Testing And Overdiagnosis In Primary Healthcare: A Qualitative Study, Kristen Pickles, Stacy M. Carter, Lucie Rychetnik

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives (1) To explain general practitioners' (GPs') approaches to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and overdiagnosis; (2) to explain how GPs reason about their PSA testing routines and (3) to explain how these routines influence GPs' personal experience as clinicians. Setting Primary care practices in Australia including men's health clinics and rural practices with variable access to urology services. Participants 32 urban and rural GPs within Australia. We included GPs of varying ages, gender (11 female), clinical experience and patient populations. All GPs interested in participating in the study were included. Primary and secondary outcome measure(s) Data were analysed using grounded …

Relational Conceptions Of Paternalism: A Way To Rebut Nanny-State Accusations And Evaluate Public Health Interventions, Stacy M. Carter, Vikki A. Entwistle, Miles Little

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives 'Nanny-state' accusations can function as powerful rhetorical weapons against interventions intended to promote public health. Public health advocates often lack effective rebuttals to these criticisms. Nanny-state accusations are largely accusations of paternalism. They conjure up emotive concern about undue governmental interference undermining peoples' autonomy. But autonomy can be understood in various ways. We outline three main conceptions of autonomy, argue that these that can underpin three different conceptions of paternalism, and consider implications for responses to nanny-state accusations and the assessment of public health interventions. Study design and methods Detailed conceptual analysis. Results The conceptions of paternalism implicit in …

Which Public And Why Deliberate? - A Scoping Review Of Public Deliberation In Public Health And Health Policy Research, Christopher J. Degeling, Stacy M. Carter, Lucie Rychetnik

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Deliberative methods are of increasing interest to public health researchers and policymakers. We systematically searched the peer-reviewed literature to identify public health and health policy research involving deliberative methods and report how deliberative methods have been used. We applied a taxonomy developed with reference to health policy and science and technology studies literatures to distinguish how deliberative methods engage different publics: citizens (ordinary people who are unfamiliar with the issues), consumers (those with relevant personal experience e.g. of illness) and advocates (those with technical expertise or partisan interests). We searched four databases for empirical studies in English published 1996-2013. This …

Citizens' Perspectives On Disinvestment From Publicly Funded Pathology Tests: A Deliberative Forum, Jackie M. Street, Peta Callaghan, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer, Janet E. Hiller

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

Deliberative forums can be useful tools in policy decision making for balancing citizen voice and community values against dominant interests.

Objective

To describe the use of a deliberative forum to explore community perspectives on a complex health problem—disinvestment.

Methods

A deliberative forum of citizens was convened in Adelaide, South Australia, to develop criteria to support disinvestment from public funding of ineffective pathology tests. The case study of potential disinvestment from vitamin B₁₂/folate pathology testing was used to shape the debate. The forum was informed by a systematic review of B₁₂/folate pathology test effectiveness and expert …

Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Reconnection Project Evaluation Report, Jioji Ravulo

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The Australian Museum, in partnership with The Street University Mount Druitt, Fairfield Museum, Juvenile Justice (Cobham and Juniperina centres) and ICE (Information and Cultural Exchange) Parramatta, facilitated the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reconnection Project from 2014 to 2015, which sought to address the potential link between the overrepresentation of Aboriginal young people in Juvenile Justice alongside the possible cultural dislocation which may lead to a compromised sense of self identity. The project, which took place within the Museum and as outreach programs at Juvenile Justice centres, community centres and events, were held as one-day workshops/events or as a series …

Introduction, Madeleine Boyd, Matthew Chrulew, Christopher J. Degeling, Agata Mrva-Montoya, Fiona S. Probyn-Rapsey, Nikki Savvides, Dinesh J. Wadiwel

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Much of the focus of discussion on the Anthropocene has centred upon anthropogenic global warming and climate change and the urgency of political and social responses to this problem. However, we argue that there is an equally important challenge in thinking about our relationships with non-human animals.

C-Reactive Protein, Physical Activity And Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Portuguese Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study, Cesar A. Agostinis-Sobrinho, Carla Moreira, Jorge Mota, Rute Santos

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The goal of this study was to investigate the association of physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in adolescents. The sample included 386 Portuguese adolescents (n = 207, female), age 12-18 years, assessed in the year 2012. The PA was assessed with the use of accelerometers, and the cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the Fitnessgram Pacer test. Blood samples were collected after a 10-hour fasting, and high-sensitivity PCR concentration was further assessed. Significant associations between CRP and cardiorespiratory fitness were found for females (r = -0.313; p < 0.001) and males (r = -0.163; p < 0.05); however, when adjusted by the BMI, the associations remained significant only for females (r = -0.215; p < 0.001). Regarding the association between CRP and PA, no significant associations were found for both genders. Therefore, CRP is apparently negatively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness, with differences between males and females; for females it seems less dependent than BMI.

Beyond The Spectacle Of Suffering: Representations Of Rape In Online Anti-Rape Activism, Rachel E. Loney-Howes

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

From vigilante street politics, to consciousness raising, speak outs, and now online spaces, the mediums through which representations of rape are transmitted by anti-rape activists have transformed over time. Although activists have made concerted efforts to broaden the representation of rape, narratives about women's sexual suffering and vulnerability continue to dominate popular assumptions about rape. The internet purportedly offers a more complex and networked platform for activists to engage with and challenge these representations propagated by a culture which condones sexual violence, due to a proliferation of fluid public and counter-public spaces. By examining the ways in which rape is …

Factors Associated With The Development Of Depression In Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Patients Following The Onset Of Opioid Treatment For Pain, Kimberley Smith, Richard P. Mattick, Raimondo Bruno, Suzanne Nielsen, Milton Cohen, Gabrielle Campbell, Briony K. Larance, Michael P. Farrell, Louisa Degenhardt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background and aims Pharmaceutical opioid prescription rates are increasing globally, however knowledge of their long-term effects on mental health, in particular depression remains limited. This study aimed to identify factors associated with the onset of depression post-opioid use that differ to factors associated with depression post-pain. Method Participants (N=1 418) were a national sample prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Age at onset of depression, pain and commencement of opioid medications were collected via structured interview. Results Six in 10 (61%) reported lifetime depression; of those, almost half developed depression after pain and after they started opioid medications (48%). Variables …

Benzodiazepine Use Among Chronic Pain Patients Prescribed Opioids: Associations With Pain, Physical And Mental Health, And Health Service Utilization, Suzanne Nielsen, Nicholas Lintzeris, Raimondo Bruno, Gabrielle Campbell, Briony K. Larance, Wayne Hall, Bianca Hoban, Milton Cohen, Louisa Degenhardt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are commonly used by chronic pain patients, despite limited evidence of any long-term benefits and concerns regarding adverse events and drug interactions, particularly in older patients. This article aims to: describe patterns of BZDs use; the demographic, physical, and mental health correlates of BZD use; and examine if negative health outcomes are associated with BZD use after controlling for confounders. Subjects

A national sample of 1,220 chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) patients prescribed long-term opioids. Methods

We report on baseline data from a prospective cohort study comparing four groups based on their current BZD use patterns. General demographics, …

Prevalence And Risks Of Fascioliasis Among Adult Cohorts In Binh Dinh And Quang Ngai Provinces-Central Viet Nam, T M. Quy, Heather Yeatman, Victoria M. Flood, N C. Chuong, B V. Tuan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Fascioliasis (liver fluke disease) has raised significant public health concerns in the 15 regional provinces of Central Vietnam, accounting for 93% of the national incidence of the disease. No control measures to date have proven effective. Annual reports show increasing incidence of fascioliasis but they are incomplete. This cross-sectional study was conducted to identify the prevalence of fascioliasis and to describe its associated risks in three communes in Central Vietnam. 500 human blood samples were examined (ELISA); and a survey of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) was conducted for 600 randomly selected adults per commune. The findings suggest that overall …

Colonisation And Fire: Gendered Dimensions Of Indigenous Fire Knowledge Retention And Revival, Christine Eriksen, Don L. Hankins

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This chapter elucidates how gender is entwined in the spatial and temporal knowledge trajectories through which indigenous fire knowledge is retained and revived using a case study of eastern Australia and California, USA. Fire extends its roots far into the past of indigenous cultures worldwide, extending beyond basic domestic needs to responsible environmental stewardship. Fire has played a key role in the land stewardship practices of Aboriginal Australian and Native American women and men for millennia (Stewart et al. 2002; Gammage 2011). This includes cultural and gendered landscapes, such as indigenous sacred and ceremonial sites off-limits to women or men. …

Knowledge Of, Beliefs About, And Perceived Barriers To Organ And Tissue Donation In Serbian, Macedonian, And Greek Orthodox Communities In Australia, Lyn Phillipson, Karen M. Larsen-Truong, Leissa Pitts, Miriam Nonu

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Context-Despite the lifesaving benefits of organ and tissue donation, a worldwide shortage of suitable and registered donors exists. Although the reasons for this shortage are multifactorial, it has been recognized that distinct barriers to registration, family discussion, and consent that require targeted intervention and action are present among minority cultural, religious, and immigrant communities. Objective-To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of 3 orthodox religious communities in Australia (Macedonian, Greek, and Serbian Orthodox) and determine the implications for engaging with these communities to improve knowledge, attitudes, family discussion, and the ability to make an informed decision about donation. …

Dementia Attitudes And Help-Seeking Intentions: An Investigation Of Responses To Two Scenarios Of An Experience Of The Early Signs Of Dementia, Lyn Phillipson, Christopher A. Magee, Sandra C. Jones, Samantha L. Reis, Ellen Skladzien

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives: To investigate associations between dementia-attitudes and help-seeking intentions. Method: An online survey of 611 Australian adults (45-60 years) assessed dementia-related attitudes and help-seeking intentions in response to two scenarios of an experience of early dementia: for themselves (Scenario 1); and for a significant other (proxy help-seeking) (Scenario 2). Logistic regression models examined the relationship between four dementia-related attitudes (labelled Personal Avoidance, Fear of Labelling, Fear of Discrimination and Person Centredness) and help-seeking intentions. Results: Most participants indicated they would seek help from a general practitioner (GP) for themselves (82.2%) or for a proxy (78.7%) in response to the scenarios. …

Using Facebook As A Space For Storytelling In Geographical Research, Anna De Jong

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Geographers have long been alert to the ways space matters to knowledge production and the stories participants choose to share. Despite such understandings, however, geographers remain surprisingly absent from discussions regarding the ways these concerns play out across online spaces. This article reflects on the employment of one online space, Facebook, as a site for storytelling in research exploring return journeys to two Australian festivals - the Big Day Out and Mardi Gras Parade. This article argues that insight over longer temporalities and shifting spatialities afforded through Facebook facilitates heightened understandings of the nuances, repetitions, differences and paradoxes of identities, …

The Learning Experience: Training Teachers Using Online Synchronous Environments, Stuart Woodcock, Ashley Sisco, Michelle J. Eady

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study examined the effectiveness of an online synchronous platform used for training preservice teachers. A blended learning approach was implemented. Fifty-three students participated in the course. Qualitative interview data and quantitative survey data were collected about students' experiences using the platform, and analyzed via thematic content analysis and statistical analysis, respectively. The findings show that e-learning synchronous technology is an effective learning tool in enhancing preservice teachers' e-learning competency in subject matter and information communication technology skills. However, preservice teachers' competency to learn and implement e-learning for students is dependent on four hierarchal conditions (a) ease of use, (b) …

'University Wasn't Spoken About At Home, It Was Just Assumed That We Would Start Working…': First-In-Family Students, Family Capital And Higher Education Participation, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The increases in the number of students attending higher education, particularly those who are the first in their immediate family to attend university provided the impetus for the study outlined in this article. Whilst previous research has explored the qualitative experience of being a first in family student, very few studies have explicitly focussed on how attending university interacts and impacts upon the immediate family of the learner. Drawing upon in-depth semi-structured interviews, this article will detail the findings from a small-scale study conducted in an Australian university that explored the interaction of the family home place and students' enactment …