Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Organisational-Level Assessment Of Cloud Computing Adoption: Evidence From The Australian Smes, Salim Al Isma'ili, Mengxiang Li, Jun Shen, Pu Huang, Qiang He, Wu Zhan

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

Cloud Computing (CC) is an emerging technology that can potentially revolutionise the application and delivery of IT. There has been little research, however, into the adoption of CC in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The indicators show that CC has been adopted very slowly. There is also a significant research gap in the investigation of the adoption of this innovation in SMEs. This article explores how the adoption of CC in Australia is related to technological factors, risk factors, and environmental factors. The study provides useful insights that can be utilised practically by SMEs, policymakers, and cloud vendors.

Towards An Assessment Framework Of Reuse: A Knowledge Level Analysis Approach, Ghassan Beydoun, Achim Hoffmann, Rafael Valencia-Garcia, Jun Shen, Asifqumer Gill

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

The process of assessing the suitability of reuse of a software component is complex. Indeed, software systems are typically developed as an assembly of existing components. The complexity of the assessment process is due to lack of clarity on how to compare the cost of adaptation of an existing component versus the cost of developing it from scratch. Indeed, often pursuit of reuse can lead to excessive rework and adaptation, or developing suites of components that often get neglected. This paper is an important step towards modelling the complex reuse assessment process. To assess the success factors that can underpin …

Exploring Approaches To Dietetic Assessment Of A Common Task Across Different Universities Through Assessment Moderation, Claire Palermo, E Volders, S Gibson, Meredith A. Kennedy, A Wray, J Thomas, Mary Hannan-Jones, Danielle Gallegos, Eleanor J. Beck

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

Background: Assessment presents one of the greatest challenges to evaluating health professional trainee performance, as a result of the subjectivity of judgements and variability in assessor standards. The present study aimed to test a moderation procedure for assessment across four independent universities and explore approaches to assessment and the factors that influence assessment decisions. Methods: Assessment tasks designed independently by each of the four universities to assess student readiness for placement were chosen for the present study. Each university provided four student performance recordings for moderation. Eight different academic assessors viewed the student performances and assessed them using the corresponding …

Compressive Behaviour Of Partially Frp Confined Concrete: Experimental Observations And Assessment Of The Stress-Strain Models, Weiqiang Wang, M Neaz Sheikh, Ali Qasim Al-Baali, Muhammad N. S Hadi

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

This study provides new insight on the compressive behaviour of partially fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) confined concrete with either strain-hardening or strain-softening responses. Fully FRP confined concrete, partially FRP confined concrete with different strip gaps, and unconfined concrete were tested under axial compression. Four types of axial load-axial deformation behaviours were observed for specimens with different strip gaps. Even though a high volumetric ratio of FRP was applied, the confinement effectiveness was negligible when the strip gap exceeded the diameter of the specimens. Moreover, the axial stress-axial strain behaviours of wrapped and non-wrapped concrete were observed to be different, and …

Cyberknife® Fixed Cone And Iris™ Defined Small Radiation Fields: Assessment With A High-Resolution Solid-State Detector Array, Giordano Biasi, Marco Petasecca, Susanna Guatelli, Martin A. Ebert, Garry Grogan, Benjamin Hug, Jonathan Lane, Vladimir Perevertaylo, Tomas Kron, Anatoly B. Rosenfeld

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

Purpose

The challenges of accurate dosimetry for stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) with small unflattened radiation fields have been widely reported in the literature. In this case, suitable dosimeters would have to offer a submillimeter spatial resolution. The CyberKnife^® (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) is an SRT‐dedicated linear accelerator (linac), which can deliver treatments with submillimeter positional accuracy using circular fields. Beams are delivered with the desired field size using fixed cones, the InCise™ multileaf collimator or a dynamic variable‐aperture Iris™ collimator. The latter, allowing for field sizes to be varied during treatment delivery, has the potential to decrease treatment time, …

The Development And Testing Of The Dementia Friendly Communities Environment Assessment Tool (Dfc Eat), Richard Fleming, Kirsty A. Bennett, Terri Preece, Lyn Phillipson

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

Background: There is a growing recognition of the need to make the built environment in towns and cities more enabling for people with dementia. This study reports the development of a reliable tool to assess the support provided to people with dementia by public and commercial buildings such as council offices, supermarkets, banks, and medical centers as they approach, use, and leave them.

Methods: A three-step process was carried out to develop and establish the reliability of the tool: (1) a review of principles and available tools informed the development and modification of an environmental audit tool of …

'Involve Me And I Learn': Development Of An Assessment Program For Research And Critical Analysis, Judy Mullan, Kylie J. Mansfield, Kathryn M. Weston, Warren C. Rich, Pippa Burns, Christine A. Brown, Peter L. Mclennan

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

Evidence-based medical practice is best achieved by developing research understanding in medical practitioners. To this end, medical councils worldwide increasingly recognise the importance of medical schools graduating students with well-developed research skills and research capacity. To meet this need, the principles of programmatic assessment were implemented in designing a research and critical analysis curriculum and assessment program that aimed to enhance the research and critical analysis skills of medical students. The program was developed by mapping assessment tasks to a research capabilities framework that was in turn scaffolded to different levels of Miler's pyramid. The curriculum and assessments were integrated …

Is It My Job? The Role Of Rns In The Assessment And Identification Of Delirium In Hospitalized Older Adults: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Miriam Coyle, Pippa Burns, Victoria Traynor

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

Delirium is characterized by acute and fluctuating cognitive decline, which is often missed in older adults who are assumed to be experiencing age-related changes or dementia. Delirium affects up to 50% of hospitalized older adults. The aim of the current study was to (a) explore current practices of RNs in assessing and identifying delirium in hospitalized older adults and (b) inform new educational initiatives. Qualitative methods were adopted using eight semi-structured group interviews with 24 RNs. Thematic analysis revealed a dichotomy in practice where RNs described delirium assessment and identification as (a) It's Not My Job, (b) It is …

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 …

Formative Assessment To Develop Oral Communication Competency Using Youtube: Self- And Peer Assessment In Engineering, Sasha Nikolic, David Stirling, Montserrat Ros

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Obtaining oral communication competency is an important skill for engineering students to prepare them for interacting and working in any professional setting. For engineers, it is also important to be able to present technical information to non-technical audiences. To ensure oral competency, a non-graded formative assessment approach using video with self- and peer assessment was introduced into a final-year engineering thesis course. A low workload approach was used due to growing student numbers and higher pressures on academic staff. A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the differences between traditional delivery, self-assessment and combined self-assessment with peer feedback. The study …

The Method Of Educational Assessment Affects Children's Neural Processing And Performance: Behavioural And Fmri Evidence, Steven J. Howard, H Burianova, Alysha Calleia, Samuel Fynes-Clinton, Lisa K. Kervin, Sahar Bokosmaty

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Standardised educational assessments are now widespread, yet their development has given comparatively more consideration to what to assess than how to optimally assess students' competencies. Existing evidence from behavioural studies with children and neuroscience studies with adults suggest that the method of assessment may affect neural processing and performance, but current evidence remains limited. To investigate the impact of assessment methods on neural processing and performance in young children, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to identify and quantify the neural correlates during performance across a range of current approaches to standardised spelling assessment. Results indicated that children's test performance …

Transforming Practice: Designing Rubrics For Cumulative And Integrative Assessment Of Disciplinary Learning And Development Of Students' Language Communication, Honglin Chen, Emily Rose Purser, Alisa J. Percy

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

While it is widely recognised that university graduates should be good communicators, and that close attention be paid to the development of students' communication skills within their disciplinary learning contexts (Arkoudis, 2014; Johnson, Veitch, & Dewiyanti, 2015), it remains open to debate how an effective and sustained focus on language communication can be achieved within disciplinary curricula. The past few years have seen major efforts to identify good practices in teaching language communication, yet as Arkoudis (2014) notes, these are often fragmented and not explicitly linked to disciplinary assessment. The existing literature on language communication consistently points out that designing …

A Nutrient Profiling Assessment Of Packaged Foods Using Two Star-Based Front-Of-Pack Labels, Amy Carrad, Jimmy Chun Yu Louie, Heather Yeatman, Elizabeth K. Dunford, Bruce Neal, Victoria M. Flood

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: To compare two front-of-pack nutrition labelling systems for the assessment of packaged foods and drinks with Australian Dietary Guidelines. Design: A cross-sectional nutrient profiling assessment. Food and drink products (n 20 225) were categorised into scoring levels using criteria for the Institute of Medicine (IOM) three-star system and the five-star Australian Health Star Rating (HSR). The effectiveness of these systems to categorise foods in accordance with Australian Dietary Guidelines was explored. Setting: The study was conducted in Australia, using a comprehensive food database. Subjects: Packaged food and drink products (n 20 225) available in Australia. Results: Using the IOM …

Toxicological Considerations, Toxicity Assessment, And Risk Management Of Inhaled Nanoparticles, Shahnaz Bakand, Amanda Hayes

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Novel engineered nanoparticles (NPs), nanomaterial (NM) products and composites, are continually emerging worldwide. Many potential benefits are expected from their commercial applications; however, these benefits should always be balanced against risks. Potential toxic effects of NM exposure have been highlighted, but, as there is a lack of understanding about potential interactions of nanomaterials (NMs) with biological systems, these side effects are often ignored. NPs are able to translocate to the bloodstream, cross body membrane barriers effectively, and affect organs and tissues at cellular and molecular levels. NPs may pass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and gain access to the brain. The …

Heat Stress Assessment In Aluminium Smelting: Making It Work In A Challenging And Changing Climate, Jodie Britton, Vinodkumar Gopaldasani, Jane L. Whitelaw

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at AIOH 2016, 3-7 December 2016, Gold Coast, Australia.

Optimizing Distributed Generation Parameters Through Economic Feasibility Assessment, Kashem M. Muttaqi, An D. T Le, Jamshid Aghaei, Esmaeil Mahboubi-Moghaddam, Michael Negnevitsky, Gerard Ledwich

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

To meet the fast growth of electricity demand, the traditional network solution tends to expand existing substations, build more new substations, and build transmission lines. Distributed Generation (DG) is posed as an alternative method for the network providers not only to accommodate the load increase and relieve network overload, but also to offer other additional technical and economic benefits. This paper addresses the issue of DG planning and has proposed a technique for optimizing the DG size and location to minimize the overall investment and operational cost of the system. The proposed optimization methodology assesses the compatibility of different generation …

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 …

Field Assessment Of Ballasted Railroads Using Geosynthetics And Shock Mats, Sanjay Nimbalkar, Buddhima Indraratna

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The ballasted railroads form an integral part of the modern transportation infrastructure in Australia. However, they are subjected to large stresses especially on mixed traffic lines, where heavy freight trains are operated. Under such adverse operational conditions, ballast progressively degrades contributing to overall track deformations and frequent maintenance. Maintaining geometry of ballast embankments is necessary to improve safety and efficiency of railway operations. The use of artificial inclusions (geosynthetics and shock mats) as well as recycled (discarded) ballast in track can be economically viable options. In order to gain more insight, the CGRE has conducted extensive field trials on two …

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 …

Support For Assessment Practice: Developing The Assessment Design Decisions Framework, Margaret Bearman, Phillip Dawson, David J. Boud, Sue Bennett, Matt Hall, Elizabeth K. Molloy

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

There are many excellent publications outlining features of assessment and feedback design in higher education. However, university educators often find these ideas challenging to realise in practice, as much of the literature focuses on institutional change rather than supporting academics. This paper describes the conceptual development of a practical framework designed to stimulate educators' thinking when creating or modifying assessments. We explain the concepts that underpin this practical support, including the notions of 'assessment decisions' and 'assessment design phases', as informed by relevant literature and empirical data. We also present the outcome of this work. The Assessment Design Decisions Framework. …

Consistency Of Supervisor And Peer Ratings Of Assessment Interviews Conducted By Psychology Trainees, Craig J. Gonsalvez, Frank P. Deane, Peter Caputi

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Observation of counsellor skills through a one-way mirror, video or audio recording followed by supervisors and peers feedback is common in counsellor training. The nature and extent of agreement between supervisor-peer dyads is unclear. Using a standard scale, supervisors and peers rated 32 interviews by psychology trainees observed through a one-way mirror. Results indicated that peers and supervisors used similar dimensions to cluster the various competencies. Peers rated counsellor performance more positively for general counselling skills but not for specialised techniques. Analyses revealed good supervisor-peer agreement for some items and poor agreement on others, with some differences being unacceptably large. …

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Moca) Is Sensitive To Head Injury And Cognitive Impairment In A Residential Alcohol And Other Drug Therapeutic Community, Ely Marceau, Jo Lunn, Jamie Berry, Peter Kelly, Nadia Solowij

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction: Retaining clients in residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment is difficult and cognitive impairment has been identified as a significant predictor of treatment dropout. The application of extensive screening for cognitive impairment is cost-prohibitive for most AOD treatment services. The current study aimed to explore cognitive functioning and impairment-associated factors in a typical sample of residential AOD clients using a free brief screening tool that could be utilised by front-line AOD services. Methods: Residents of an AOD therapeutic community (n = 128) and a non-substance using control group (n = 37) were administered a brief cognitive screening measure, …

Assessment Of Interface Shear Behaviour Of Sub-Ballast With Geosynthetics By Large-Scale Direct Shear Test, Mohammad Mahdi Biabani, Buddhima Indraratna, Sanjay Nimbalkar

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

A series of large-scale direct shear test were conducted to study the interface shear strength of subballast reinforced with different types of geomembranes and geogrids. The impact of normal stress (σn), shearing rate (SR), relative density (DR) and open area (OA%) on the behaviour of granular material was investigated in unreinforced and reinforced condition. The results revealed that the performance of material was markedly influenced by σn and OA. The results also showed that geogrids provided a greater value of passive resistance owing to have transverse ribs, but the mobilised passive resistance became smaller with increase in OA. The triaxial …

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 …

Lassi: An Australian Evaluation Of An Enduring Study Skills Assessment Tool, James Gt Marland, Joanne Dearlove, Jennifer Carpenter

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

This study assesses the reliability and validity of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), an American survey instrument, in an Australian context. The results of this study were compared with those generated by a comparison study held at a different Australian university and also against other internationally published research. There was a high degree of similarity between the LASSI scores from the students at the two Australian universities, however these scores were considerably different from norms published in the LASSI manual. The students' scores in this study were also compared with data on their gender and age and the …

Diesel Exhaust Pollution: Chemical Monitoring And Cytotoxicity Assessment, Lucky Joeng, Shahnaz Bakand, Amanda Hayes

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Diesel engines are a significant source of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) which may cause adverse health effects on the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. There is little consistency between many studies to establish which engine parameter is a key factor to determine the toxicity of diesel exhaust. The aim of this study was to correlate engine operating systems with cytotoxicity using human cells. A dynamic direct exposure system containing human cells grown at the air liquid interface (ALI) was employed to expose human derived cells to diesel exhaust emitted under a range of engine loads. To determine correlation …

An Assessment Of Dental Caries Among Young Aboriginal Children In New South Wales, Australia: A Cross-Sectional Study, Leanne Smith, Anthony Blinkhorn, Rachael Moir, Ngiare J. Brown, Fiona Blinkhorn

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Limited research has been undertaken in Australia to assess the dental status of pre-school Aboriginal children. This cross-sectional study records the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth (dmft) and surfaces (dmfs) of pre-school Aboriginal children living in different locations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Methods: A convenience sample of young children from seven Aboriginal communities in rural, remote and metropolitan areas of NSW, was recruited. One calibrated examiner recorded the dmft/s of children with written parental consent. Results: 196 children were invited to participate and 173 children aged two to five years were examined, a response rate …

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 …

Risk Assessment Of Exposure To Needle-Stick Injuries By Healthcare Failure Mode And Effect Analysis Method In A Large Hospital, R Yarahmadi, Mehdi Aligol, Meysam Eyvazlou, Shahnaz Bakand

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Article in Persian Background and Objectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are one of the most important jobs in exposure to Needle Stick (NS) and, therefore, are in risk of infection to diseases such as Hepatitis B (HB) and AIDS. The aim of this study was to identify and assess risk of injuries caused by needle and sharps in healthcare personnel of a hospital in Tehran. Methods: In this study, hazard analysis method of Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (HFMEA) was selected. After several meetings with related experts, by the help of a provided checklist, hazardous processes related to NS injuries …

Bringing Feedback In From The Outback Via A Generic And Preference-Sensitive Instrument For Course Quality Assessment, Mette Kjer Kaltoft, Jesper Bo Nielsen, Glenn P. Salkeld, Jo Lander, Jack Dowie

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background: Much effort and many resources have been put into developing ways of eliciting valid and informative student feedback on courses in medical, nursing, and other health professional schools. Whatever their motivation, items, and setting, the response rates have usually been disappointingly low, and there seems to be an acceptance that the results are potentially biased. Objective: The objective of the study was to look at an innovative approach to course assessment by students in the health professions. This approach was designed to make it an integral part of their educational experience, rather than a marginal, terminal, and optional add-on …