Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Policy Into Practice: Using Practice Theory To Implement An English Language Policy, Alisa J. Percy, Leonie G. Watson, Catriona A. Taylor

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

National studies concerned with the assurance of students' language communication within higher education courses have identified several principles for leveraging change, which include an institutional wide strategy, the articulation of clear language communication outcomes at the course and subject level, the identification of subjects within courses from first year to the capstone that have a particular focus on teaching and assessing communication skills, the incorporation of English language and literacy into assessment criteria, and collaboration between discipline staff and academic language and learning staff (Arkoudis, 2012, 2014). These principles have been incorporated into an English Language Policy at one university; …

Transforming Assessment Practice: Evidencing And Benchmarking Student Learning Outcomes In Chemistry, Siegbert Schmid, Simon Bernard Bedford, Adam Bridgeman, Glennys A. O'Brien, Ian Jamie, Gwen Lawrie, Kieran Lim, Samuel Priest, Simon Pyke, Madeleine Schultz, Daniel Southam

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

Higher Education in Australia is in a phase of rapid change due to a number of regulatory changes. Over the past five years the Australian Chemistry community has agreed on a list of Chemistry Threshold Learning Outcomes (CTLOs) that every student graduating from an Australian University will have attained. In addition, the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) has changed its accreditation process for Chemistry degrees and now uses these CTLOs as the basis for accreditation. Therefore, it is now paramount to ensure that our assessment items allow students to demonstrate attainment of the CTLOs during a degree [1]. The "Assessing …

Institutional Wide Implementation Of Key Advice For Socially Inclusive Teaching In Higher Education. A Practice Report, Lisa Thomas, Jennifer Heath

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

Government policy and institutional initiatives have influenced increases in enrolment of non-traditional students to Australian universities. For these students, university culture is often incongruent with their own, making it difficult to understand the tacit requirements for participation and success. Academic teaching staff are important in creating socially inclusive learning experiences, particularly in first year subjects. This paper presents an institution-wide approach to enhancing socially inclusive teaching at one Australian university. Underpinned by a framework of "bridging social-incongruity" the initiative was guided by six principles of socially inclusive teaching to support practice as proposed in the 2012 "Effective support of students …

Social Inclusion As An Unfinished Verb: A Practice-Based Approach, Lynne Keevers, Pamela Abuodha

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

The Australian Government has embarked on a social inclusion agenda that includes ambitious targets to increase and widen participation in higher education. From the evidence to date their approach to social inclusion in higher education focuses attention on statistical indicators of "proportional representation". Most of the available measures of social inclusion and exclusion have an individualistic focus and tend to characterise social exclusion as a "state" in which people are assumed to be "excluded" from access to higher education. Such a perspective focuses attention on the point of entry but backgrounds how the relational experience of under-represented groups in learning …

Dementia And Driving: An Approach For General Practice, John Carmody, Victoria Traynor, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background As our population ages, the proportion of drivers with dementia will continue to rise. Increasingly, health professionals are faced with the clinical dilemma of determining fitness to drive. Unfortunately, the management of drivers with dementia is fraught with hazards.

Objective This article attempts to provide an overview of the complex issue of driving and dementia as it relates to general practitioners in Australia. In addition, an evidence based management strategy is proposed.

Discussion When determining an individual’s fitness to drive, a clinician’s input may have legal, ethical, emotional and social ramifications. At present, a clear consistent national protocol detailing …

Translation Of Tobacco Policy Into Practice In Disadvantaged And Marginalized Subpopulations: A Study Of Challenges And Opportunities In Remote Australian Indigenous Communities, Jan A. Robertson, Katherine M. Conigrave, Rowena Ivers, Kim Usher, Alan R. Clough

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: In Australia generally, smoking prevalence more than halved after 1980 and recently commenced to decline among Australia's disadvantaged Indigenous peoples. However, in some remote Indigenous Australian communities in the Northern Territory (NT), extremely high rates of up to 83% have not changed over the past 25 years. The World Health Organisation has called for public health and political leadership to address a global tobacco epidemic. For Indigenous Australians, unprecedented policies aim to overcome disadvantage and close the 'health gap' with reducing tobacco use the top priority. This study identifies challenges and opportunities to implementing these important new tobacco initiatives …

Elites, Elements And Events: Practice Theory And Scale, Thomas Birtchnell

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

Practice theory appears to be a flat ontology in conventional renderings, but it is unclear why this is so. In attempting to scale socio-technical systems practice theory finds itself needing to think about new possible strategies to both compete with other ontologies and rebrand itself as capable of mapping the world outside of everyday life, the domestic and the home. In pursuit of this goal three unfamiliar new terrains are explored: elites, elements and events. In this paper a method for practice theory to broach scale while retaining its current value is articulated through ideas about the synchronization of elements …

Practice Guidelines Need To Address The 'How' And The 'What' Of Implementation, Kenneth D. Walsh, Jackie Crisp, Ann Mckillop

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the realities of everyday nursing practice associated with the implementation of a guideline for the assessment and management of cardiovascular risk. Background: The use of clinical practice guidelines is pivotal to improving health outcomes. However, the implementation of guidelines into practice is complex, unpredictable and, in spite of much investigation, remains resistant to explanation of what works and why. Exploration of the nature of guideline implementation has the potential to illuminate the complexities of guideline implementation by focussing on the nature of practice. Nurses are well placed at the front line …

Do Australian Adolescent Female Fake Tan (Sunless Tan) Users Practice Better Sun-Protection Behaviors Than Non-Users?, Melinda Williams, Sandra C. Jones, Peter Caputi, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To determine differences in sun-protection behaviours, and incidence of sunburn, between Australian adolescent female fake tan users and non-users. Design: Cross sectional survey. Method: 398 adolescent females aged 12 to 18 years participated in a survey at public venues, schools, and online. The main outcome measures were self-reported fake tan usage in the past 12 months, frequency of sunburns and habitual sun-protection behaviours. Setting: Surveys were completed in New South Wales, Australia. Results: The prevalence of self-reported use of fake tanning products in the past 12 months among Australian adolescent females was 34.5%. Female fake tan users were significantly …

Physical Cinema: Practitioners And Recent Practice, Michael G. Leggett

Faculty of Creative Arts - Papers (Archive)

Physical theatre, Live Art and Cinema have through performer and filmmaker established a vigorous practice in recent years, challenging the confines of more traditional art forms. Practitioners have come together with audiences to create between them a physical cinema converging as a series of spatial modes.This paper will outline some recent developments in this interdisciplinary field.

The Application Of Coach Leadership Models To Coaching Practice: Current State And Future Directions, Stewart Vella, Lindsay G. Oades, Trevor P. Crowe

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Preparing For An Ageing Population: A Survey Of Older Patients' Attitudes To General Practice Registrars, Andrew D. Bonney, Sandra C. Jones, Lyn Phillipson, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The ageing population makes it imperative to provide appropriate training for general practice registrars (GPRs) in the community-based care of older patients. However, data suggest that older patients may be less willing to consult GPRs for chronic/complex care; adversely affecting training opportunities and potentially the satisfaction of older patients in training practices. This cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate this concern in the Australian context and develop models of older patient-GPR interaction that are acceptable to patients.

Calculating Clinically Significant Change: Applications Of The Clinical Global Impressions (Cgi) Scale To Evaluate Client Outcomes In Private Practice, Peter Kelly

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale is a therapist-rated measure of client outcome that has been widely used within the research literature. The current study aimed to develop reliable and clinically significant change indices for the CGI, and to demonstrate its application in private psychological practice. Following the guidelines developed by Clement, a file review was conducted of the authors’ first six years working in private practice. A reliable change on the CGI required the participants score to change by 2-points. Depending on the method used to calculate the clinical change indices, between 23% and 50% of the total participants …

General Practice Registrars: Attitudes Of Older Patients, Andrew D. Bonney, Sandra C. Jones, Lyn Phillipson, Donald C. Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Previous research indicates that older patients may be less willing to consult general practice registrars (GPRs), reducing training opportunities in chronic/complex care. This survey explores older patients’ attitudes in order to inform models of interaction that would be acceptable to patients. METHODS Ten training general practices distributed questionnaires for self completion to 50 patients aged 60 years and over. Chi-square, Spearman’s rho and logistic regression were used for analysis. RESULTS The response rate was 47%. Ninetysix percent wanted ongoing contact with their general practitioner if they saw a GPR. Twenty-four percent were comfortable with GPR chronic/complex care, increasing to 73% …

Patients' Attitudes To General Practice Registrars: A Review Of The Literature, Andrew D. Bonney, Lyn Phillipson, Samantha Reis, Sandra C. Jones, Donald Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction With the population ageing, it is imperative for training practices to provide GP registrars with sound experience in managing the health problems of older persons, especially chronic conditions. However, it is reported that a significant proportion of these patients will be resistant to consulting registrars, with concerns regarding disruption of continuity of care being a significant factor. The challenge for training practices is to identify approaches to engage registrars in the management of older patients whilst maintaining patient satisfaction. This paper presents a review of the literature on patient attitudes to general practice registrars to better understand the nature …

Older Patients' Attitudes To General Practice Registrars: A Qualitative Study, Andrew D. Bonney, Lyn Phillipson, Sandra C. Jones, Donald Iverson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Research suggests that older patients may be reluctant to engage general practice registrars (GPRs) in their care. The authors undertook a qualitative study of the attitudes of older patients to GPRs to investigate this issue. Method Thirty-eight patients aged 60 years and over from three training practices participated in semistructured telephone interviews, which explored patients responses to GPRs. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using a template analysis approach. Results Analysis of the interviews produced five major themes concerning patient attitudes to GPRs: desire for continuity, desire for access, openness, trust and a desire for meaningful communication. Discussion …

Meals In Science And Practice: Interdisciplinary Research And Business Applications, Anthony Worsley

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This is the book for those of us who subscribe to the maxim ‘People don’t eat nutrients, they eat food!’ Underlying all of our nutrition science is the simple fact that people eat combinations of foods at certain times during the day in a multitude of cultural, social and physical contexts. They eat meals. If we are to have any chance of influencing people’s food choices we have to understand meals. This is no mean task and Meiselman and his highly expert fellow authors have spent much of their working lives tormenting themselves trying to make sense of this most …

Transforming The Rhetoric: Making Images As Practice Led Research, Friederike Krishnabhakdi-Vasilakis

Faculty of Creative Arts - Papers (Archive)

The role of photography as documentary practice plays an elementary role in visual culture and - through its story telling qualities - it is evocative of emotions. Photographic imagery helps the individual as well as the body politic to learn and to internalise global events. Over the past eight years, following the events of 9/11 in 2001, western society has undergone significant political, legal and social changes. Images of terror circulated the world almost instantaneously and circulating still. Artists and scholars have addressed the notion of fear as a result of the existing imagery as part of a rhetoric of …

Deferring The 'Main' Point: Teaching 'Narrative Desire' As An Alternative Creative Practice, Joshua M. Lobb

Faculty of Creative Arts - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines the place of twentieth-century literary theory in Creative Writing pedagogy. It suggests that literary theory has become embedded in Creative Writing programs, despite the fact that many theories seem opposed to the concept of the author or to writing practice. It proposes that if we are to use these theories productively, we need to adapt both the theories themselves and our teaching practices. The paper outlines the ways in which I—in my teaching in the School of Journalism and Creative Writing, University of Wollongong—have approached the teaching of two post-structuralist psychoanalytic concepts: Brooks’ notion of ‘narrative desire’ …

Good Practice Guidelines: Leading Teaching Teams, Alisa Percy, Gerry Lefoe, Jeannette Stirling, Rosemary Beaumont, Kathy Rudkin

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

1.The University of Wollongong is committed to providing an excellent teaching and learning experience for its staff and students. The University recognises that: a. the leadership of the Subject Coordinator can facilitate the development of a community of practice; b. an effective community of practice can result in a significant reduction in the overall time required for effective subject coordination; c. communities of practice entail a culture of respect, participatory engagement and collegiality where teaching and teachers are valued; d. teaching teams inspire teachers when they function as communities of practice; and e. the teaching team is a key site …

Considering The Work Of Martin Nakata's "Cultural Interface": A Reflection On Theory And Practice By A Non-Indigenous Academic, Colleen Mcgloin

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

This is a reflective paper that explores Martin Nakata's work as a basis for understanding the possibilities and restrictions of non-Indigenous academics working in Indigenous studies. The paper engages with Nakata's work at the level of praxis. It contends that Nakata's work provides non-Indigenous teachers of Indigenous studies a framework for understanding their role, their potential, and limitations within the power relations that comprise the "cultural interface". The paper also engages with Nakata's approach to Indigenous research through his "Indigenous standpoint theory". This work emerges from the experiential and conceptual, and from a commitment to teaching and learning in Indigenous …

A Best Practice Approach To Cultural Competence Training, Bronwyn L. Lumby, Terri Farrelly

Faculty of Arts - Papers (Archive)

What has been commonly termed ‘Cultural Awareness Training’ has been a popular method utilised by organisations targeting employees, to improve the cultural appropriateness of their service delivery. Policy shifts and evaluation findings have seen the expectations and ideals of such training evolve from mere ‘Awareness’ to more of a ‘Cultural Competence’ focus, addressing not only knowledge, but also behaviour.

Mental Health Education For Nurses In General Practice, Kathryn Godwin

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Over the last seven years practice nurse numbers have grown across Australia to over 7,824 (est.) in 2007, with at least 60% of general practices now employing a practice nurse (APNA 2008). Nurses hav~ helped many GPs with overwhelming workloads which include dealing with complex mental health complaints, such as depression and anxiety related to chronic disease conditions. Practice nurses are a key component in primary health care with one nurse to every 2.3 GPs in 2007 (APNA 2008

Working With Substance Misuse Problems In Private Practice, Peter Kelly

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Individuals experiencing alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems have typically been under represented within private practice. For example, in the general population the prevalence of substance use disorders (7.7%) is comparable to that of anxiety (9.7%) and affective disorders (5.8%; Andrews, Hall, Teesson & Henderson, 1999). However, a recent APS survey showed that while 48 per cent of people treated by psychologists under the Better Access initiative presented with anxiety or depression, only 6 per cent presented for assistance with substance misuse problems (Giese, Littlefield & Mathews, 2008). Recent changes to the Medicare system have largely reduced financial barriers, presenting …

Toward The Science-Informed Practice Of Clinical Supervision: The Australian Context, Craig J. Gonsalvez, Hamish Mcleod

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Although supervision of clinical practice is mandatory for trainee psychologists, surprisingly little is known about the key ingredients of effective supervision and the relationship between supervision and patient outcomes. The purpose of this paper was to review current regulations that shape supervision in Australia and explore the links between these regulations and the components of effective supervision. Although recent developments including supervisor training and other quality control programs are an indication of progress, there are several empirical and conceptual issues in the supervision literature that require resolution. The second part of this paper identifies the gaps in the supervision literature …

Conceptualising The Policy Practice And Behavioural Research Relationship, Mark Lawrence, Heather Yeatman

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Policy is frequently identified in the behavioural nutrition and physical activity research literature as a necessary component of effective research and practice. The purpose of this commentary is to promote a dialogue to contribute towards the further development of conceptual understandings and theories of the relationship between policy practice and behavioural research and how these twoactivities might work synergistically to improve public health outcomes.Methods: Drawing on policy and public health literature, this commentary presents a conceptual model of the interaction and mediation between nutrition and physical activity-relevant policy and behavioural nutrition and physical activity research, environments, behaviours and public …

Non-Advertising Alcohol Promotions In Licensed Premises: Does The Code Of Practice Ensure Responsible Promotion Of Alcohol?, Sandra C. Jones, Melissa Lynch

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction and Aims. Binge drinking is a major public health issue in Australia, particularly among young people. There has been a considerable focus on alcohol advertising, among both researchers and policy makers, resulting in efforts to bring about some level of regulation of unacceptable advertising practices. However - despite the existence of a Code of Practice for Responsible Promotion of Liquor Products which provides 'a framework of practices which are considered acceptable and reasonable' for licensed premises - there are few, if any, data on the nature and extent of promotions which could arguably fall under either 'acceptable' or 'unacceptable' …

Collaborative Goal Technology: Theory & Practice, Samantha Clarke, Lindsay G. Oades, Trevor P. Crowe, Frank P. Deane

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Goal striving promotes hope and enhances motivation, which is important for psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery. The Collaborative Goal Technology (CGn is a new goal striving intervention that is used to support the autonomy and recovery processes of the person with a psychiatric disability. The CGT protocol and its utility are outlined. Theory and research from goal striving, motivation and mental health recovery domains that informed the development of CGT are described. A case example is also provided.

Cognitive Tools Of Classsim: Building Connections Between Theory And Practice, Lisa Carrington, Lisa K. Kervin, Brian Ferry

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

This paper reports on the incorporation of an embedded tool within a virtual classroom environment (ClassSim) and the use of this by pre-service teachers as they engage with the software. The classroom simulation reported on in this research was developed to provide pre-service teachers with a safe virtual environment in which they are able to explore ‘authentic’ and practical classroom scenarios. The embedded tool, referred to as the ‘Thinking Space’, was developed to support pre-service teachers in capturing their reflections about the complex role of a teacher as they move through the experience. Encouraging reflection has long been acknowledged as …

Predictors Of Men's Acceptance Of Modern Contraceptive Practice: Study In Rural Vietnam, Bui Thi Thu Ha, Rohan Jayasuriya, Neville Owen

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Studies have shown family planning adoption is likely to be more effective for women when men are actively involved. The transtheoretical model of behavior change was used to examine mens involvement in general contraception and intrauterine device (IUD) use by their wives. The study was carried out in rural Vietnam with 651 eligible participants. Cons of IUD use for men in precontemplation and contemplation/preparation were significantly higher than those in the action/maintenance stages, whereas the reverse was true for pros of IUD. The self-efficacy for convincing wife to have IUD in precontemplation was significantly lower than for those in higher …