Digital Commons Network^™

The Effectiveness Of Back Belts As A Control Measure For Occupational Low Back Pain In A Retail Hardware Chain, Nick Merdith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of the mandatory introduction of back belts on the incidence, days lost and cost of occupational low back injuries resulting from manual handling in 11 retail hardware chain. The study was of a non-experimental before-and-after design with all retail employees in Western Australia being included in a retrospective cohort. The pre-intervention period extended for 21 months and included 2,265,933 work hours with 647 full-time equivalent positions, while the intervention period was 32 months for 4,411,352 hours worked and 827 full-time equivalent positions. Workers' compensation claims for all occupational injuries occurring …

An Investigation Of The Factors That Influence The Career Aspirations Of Year 12 Science Students, Christina R. Holly

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

What has become apparent in recent years is the lack of upper secondary students choosing science related subjects in their final years of schooling. Even of those students who choose science subjects to study in Years 11 and 12 in Australia, many tend to choose non-science pathways for tertiary education options (department of Education, Science and Training, 2003). This is worrying trend, given the numbers of science professionals and teachers required in the new age of technology. By investigating a sample of Western Australian Year 12 students that study any science related subjects, it is expected that there may be …

Meaning And Emotion In Squaresoft's Final Fantasy X: Re-Theorising Realism And Identification In Video Games, Glen R. Spoors

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis takes the position that traditional theories of "realism" and "identification" misrepresent the relationships between players and videogames, and that a cross·disciplinary approach is needed. It uses Ed Tan's (1997) and Torben Grodal's (1997) analyses of narrative, cognition, and emotion in film as a basis for interrogating existing research on, and providing a working model of, video gameplay. It develops this model through an extended account of Squaresoft's adventure role-playing game Final Fantasy X (FFX) (2001), whose hybrid narrative and game macrostructures foreground many of the problems associated with video games. The chapters respectively address; existing research on video …

Human Levitation, Simon B. Harvey-Wilson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Human levitation occurs when the physical body rises into the air and then hovers or moves around, seemingly in defiance of the force of gravity. Traditionally most levitation reports have originated from seven groups: shamanism, people supposedly possessed by demonic spiritual entities, those subjected to poltergeist activity, Spiritualism, people who believe they have been abducted by aliens, martial arts such as qigong and mysticism. These anecdotal reports generally describe levitation as rare, spontaneous and involuntary, although some people seem able to levitate at will. So far almost no scientific research appears to have been conducted into this phenomenon. In order …

Alteration Of Immune Function In Women Collegiate Soccer Players And College Students, Praveen Putlur, Carl Foster, Jennifer A. Miskowski, Melissa K. Kane, Sara E. Burton, Timothy P. Scheett, Michael R. Mcguigan

Research outputs pre 2011

The purpose of this study was to monitor the stress-induced alteration in concentrations of salivary immunoglobulin (S-IgA) and cortisol and the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) over the course of a 9-week competitive season in college student-athletes and college students. The subjects consisted of 14 NCAA Division III collegiate female soccer athletes (19.8 ± 1.0 years, mean ± SD) and 14 female college students (22.5 ± 2.6 years). Salivary samples were collected for 9 weeks during a competitive soccer season. S-IgA and cortisol concentrations were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A training and performance questionnaire was …

Learning 'Through' Or Learning 'About'? The Ridiculous And Extravagant Medium Of Opera : Gardner's Multiple Intellegences In Pre-Service Teacher Education, Julie White, Mary Dixon, Lynda Smerdon

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

In recent years, pre-service teacher education has attempted to incorporate into programs an understanding of Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences as it applies to schools. In this paper the tension between ‘learning about’ multiple intelligences and ‘learning through’ multiple intelligences supports Gardner’s (1993) distinction between ‘understanding’ and ‘coverage’. This paper examines the use of the performing arts in the professional studies component of our teacher education program. During 2002 at The University of Melbourne, a group of education students were offered the opportunity to develop an opera in order to learn about assessment and curriculum. Thirty-seven of the students volunteered …

Towards Optimal Student Engagement In Teacher Education, Laurie Brady

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This article, written by a teacher educator who won an AUTC National Teaching Award in 2003, focuses on the strategies that might be used in teacher education programs as distinct from addressing subject matter concerns. Endorsing the need for optimal engagement, the article posits a model combining student centred learning (arguing that some strategies by their very nature require greater degrees of student exploration and interaction); problematic and situated learning which finds an ideal expression in case method; and more far reaching expressions of field -based experience including team teaching on site, mentoring and community based professional development

Preservice Teachers' Epistemological Beliefs And Conceptions About Teaching And Learning : Cultural Implications For Research In Teacher Education., Kwok-Wai Chan

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

Four epistemological belief and two teaching/learning conception dimensions were identified from a questionnaire study of a sample of Hong Kong preservice teacher education students. The epistemological belief dimensions were labelled Innate/Fixed Ability, Learning Effort/Process, Authority/Expert Knowledge and Certainty Knowledge. The somewhat different results on epistemological beliefs from Schommer’s findings with North American college students suggested the possible influence of cultural contexts. The teaching/learning conceptions were labeled Traditional and Constructivist Conceptions. MANOVA indicated no significant statistical differences across age, gender and elective groups in their epistemological beliefs and conceptions. Canonical Correlation Analysis showed significant relations between epistemological beliefs and conceptions about …

Is 'Education' Becoming Irrelevant In Our Research?, R, S. Webster

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

It is argued in this paper that in a culture of ‘performativity’ research into ‘education’ is often avoided. It is observed in many research publications that attention is given to techniques of learning, teaching, management, social equity, identity formation, leadership and delivery of the curriculum, without a justification being offered as to why such instrumental approaches should be regarded as being ‘educational’. Often research quite unproblematically adopts rational-economic justifications couched in terms of ‘efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’. Such approaches are however identified as nihilistic and not educational (Blake et al., 2000)

Are Beginning Teachers With A Second Degree At A Higher Risk Of Early Career Burnout., Richard Goddard, Patrick O'Brien

Australian Journal of Teacher Education

This study investigated the impact that holding a second university degree has on levels of burnout that is reported by beginning teachers during their first year of employment. This research formed part of an ongoing investigation that aims to identify important elements relating to teacher well-being during the transition from university to a teaching career. One hundred and twenty three teachers responded to a mail survey six weeks after they commenced full-time teaching (T1) and again six months later (T2). On both occasions the survey included the Educators Survey version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI: Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, …

The Problem Of Objectivity And The Artistic Conception Of The Participant Observer: Thoughts On Using Lacan’S Psychological Model Of Representation In The Documentation Of Creative Arts Practice As Research, Lindsay Vickery

Creative Connections Symposium @ BEAP2004 September 4, 2004

This paper discusses issues relating to suitability of the artist as a participant observer researcher. It considers the fitness of the artist as a dependable witness in the process of production of their work. The Lacanian concepts of Real/Imaginary /Symbolic (RIS) and the matrix of the four discourses are examined as a potential source of validation for the participant observer model. Comparisons between this approach and the ‘gold standard’ of scientific research are made.

Beyond Written Computation, Alistair Mcintosh, Len Sparrow

Research outputs pre 2011

This collection of papers based on research into aspects of number is a result of a writing conference held on Rottnest Island, near Perth, Western Australia. The concept of the conference emanated from Alistair Mcintosh and Len Sparrow and was based on two similar meetings organised by Cal Irons and Bob Reys.

All papers in this book were discussed at the Rottnest conference and subsequent changes were made by the authors based on comments and recommendations from the peer group who attended the conference.

Trans-Adaption Of Successful Cigarette Smoking Intervention To Randomised School-Based Cannabis Intervention Trial, Child Health Promotion Unit, Edith Cowan University

Research outputs pre 2011

Despite the emergence of cannabis use as a public health issue of significance in the 21st Century, no school-based interventions specifically addressing cannabis use have been reported in the literature. The prevalence of adolescent cannabis use has risen during the 1990s while the age of onset has decreased. This three-year trial seeks to trans-adapt a successful school-based cigarette smoking program underpinned by harm minimisation (HM) theory (including abstinence messages), into a school-based cannabis intervention trial. This innovative intervention will be compared to the largely abstinence-based drug use prevention activities currently used in W A. The first and second years of …

The Bead Research Fellow Online - A Pilot Projet, Stephen Quinton, Annie English

Creative Connections Symposium @ BEAP2004 September 4, 2004

This project proposes to model the activities and roles of a visiting Research Fellow and an Artist-in-Residence (AIR) with the intention of applying the key educational features and strategies to the online environment. Where feasible, the aim is to replicate the role of a Research Fellow online by enlisting the services of well-known artists to contribute their expertise and creative input to the teaching activities of a University School of Art. The primary purpose is to support and enhance the delivery of quality learning outcomes for the Curtin BA (Art) Online degree. The project also presents an opportunity to establish …

Will A Rise In Consumption Tax Share Increase The Effectiveness Of Government Spending?, Y H. Cheung

Research outputs pre 2011

The Australian tax reform in July 2000 gave heavier weights to consumption tax in the tax mix at the expense of the income tax. This paper shows that the trade off among the tax-mix policy parameters depends on the structure of the economy. Given that the reform is tax-revenue neutral and no change in monetary stance, a rise in the share of consumption tax in the tax mix may increase the effectiveness of government spending in stabilising the economy if certain contain is fulfilled. A numerical example is included for illustration purpose.

Esplorando La Spiritualita In Australia, Peter Kaldor

Research outputs pre 2011

In questi ultimi anni stanno avvenendo molti cambiamenti nel modo con cui gli australiani danno un senso alla vita, ai propri valori e alla propria fede. La Wellbeing and Security Survey tenta di fissare alcuni paletti sul terreno spirituale dell’Australia contemporanea. Cerca di offrire dei dati di base in vista di un’ampia mappa della spiritualità, permettendo una più dettagliata analisi ed osservazione delle tendenze in atto. Il presente contributo è una presentazione iniziale, tratta da quell’indagine, di alcuni contorni del panorama religioso e spirituale nell’Australia attuale. Esplora le questioni di cosa significhi spiritualità e cerca di porre l’orientamento religioso in …

The Columbus Project In The Family Court Of Western Australia: A Model Of Reflective Practice, Lisbeth Pike, Paul Murphy

Research outputs pre 2011

The Columbus Pilot project conducted in the Family Court of Western Australia during 2001-2003, was established to deal with cases that are characterised by violence. Paul Murphy and Lis Pike of the School of Psychology, Edith Cowan University, discuss how the Columbus process of jointly chaired interdisciplinary conferences in the court has influenced the evolution of a model of reflective practice.

An Investigation Of The Motivational Aspects Of Peer And Self-Assessment Tasks To Enhance Teamwork Outcomes, Catherine Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Promoting Metacognition Through Negotiated Assessment, Joseph Luca, Mark Mcmahon

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

What Is The Impact Of Tram Flap Breast Reconstruction On Self-Esteem And Perceived Body Image For Women With Breast Cancer?, Olivia Hill

Theses : Honours

Breast cancer is the most common of all cancers in women (26%) in Australia (Australian Institute Health Welfare AIHW, 1996; National Breast Cancer Centre NBCC, 1999). It is estimated that the lifetime incidence of one in eleven women in Australia will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of seventy-four (National Health and Medical Research Council NHMRC, 2000). Surgical resection continues to be the mainstay of treatment for early breast cancer, with approximately 50% of women diagnosed with breast cancer undergoing mastectomy (NBCC, 1999). Both the diagnosis of breast cancer and subsequent mastectomy raises a number of psychosocial issues …

Panpsychism As Personal Experience: Resolving A Paradox, Jonathan Cotton

Theses : Honours

The thesis of panpsychism is that throughout the natural universe there is mentality, although I prefer the term "mind". We human beings experience this mentality in everyday consciousness and by analogy we are able to assert that mentality is not confined to the human experience alone. The extent to which this mentality penetrates, or is imbued by, our natural world has been a subject for discussion in western schools of philosophy since the ancient Greeks and in the even more ancient eastern schools of theosophy, such as Buddhism and the Hinduism of the Upanishads. I use the term "theosophy" here …

Perceptions Of Psychological Injury In The Workplace, Richard Merrett

Theses : Honours

Work-related psychological injury has not only increased as a percentage of all injuries but also accounts for the greatest cost, both in duration of lost time and financially (National Occupational Health & Safety Commission [NOHSC], 2001; NOHSC, 2002). There are two major explanations as to why this might be. One explanation is that stigmatisation of psychological injury has reduced, resulting in increased reporting (Manton, 2004). The other major explanation is that workplaces are becoming more stressful environments, resulting in increased levels of psychological injury to employees (Kenny & Cooper, 2003). This review will investigate those potentially influential factors that relate …

Measuring Coping : Evaluating The Psychometric Properties Of The Cope, Kathleen J. Donoghue

Theses : Honours

Research into coping has been hampered by the limited psychometric properties of the available instruments, particularly with respect to the internal validity of multidimensional measures. The purpose of this paper was to review research relevant to the measurement of coping, and to evaluate the COPE based on this literature. The COPE is a widely used multidimensional self-report instrument containing 15 subscales to measure different ways of coping. Claims that the COPE has good factorial validity warrant further examination in light of widespread criticism aimed at coping checklists in general. The present review found mounting evidence that the internal structure of …

'Married' To The Military : The Experiences Of Partners Of Australian Defence Force Members, Ngaere B. Stewart

Theses : Honours

This paper provides a review of the literature in order to understand the experiences of the partners of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. A brief overview of the early research in this area sets the context for a review of the demands of the ADF lifestyle, such as geographic mobility and lengthy operational separations from the ADF member. Military-related injuries and illness is another demand of the ADF that is also discussed. These demands are then examined within a theoretical framework of incorporation theory; the work/family fit and the family life cycle models. The overall satisfaction of ADF partners with …

The Importance Of The Emotional Climate In Schools : Linking Teachers' Sense Of Belonging To School Community With Student Outcomes, Linda Rogerson

Theses : Honours

The way that children feel about school is important to their continued engagement with education. This review examines the issues that impact on the school environment and therefore influence students' school experience. A decline in educational standards in America prompted school reform research which has identified that the emotional climate in schools was impacting on students in that they felt alienated and disenfranchised from the school community. The emotional climate of a school stems from the nature of the relationship that exists between the students and staff of the school. A movement to establish caring community schools that promote the …

Impact Of Extra-Curricular Activities On Adolescents' Connectedness And Cigarette Smoking: Annual Report, Donna Cross, Greg Hamilton, Rob Mcgee, Margaret Hall

Research outputs pre 2011

Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of preventable death in Australia, killing approximately 19,000 people every year.⁸ Up to 90% of smokers begin smoking by 18 years of age.^9,10 In spite of the obvious public health burden, current approaches have led to very modest decreases in adolescent smoking in the past 10 years. ¹¹ The Smoking Cessation for Youth Project (SCYP)⁴ was a cluster randomised control trial that resulted in lower cigarette smoking among Year 10 students who received a harm minimisation intervention over two years. This project also led to the identification of connectedness as a …

Formative Study Of Aggression Prevention And Reduction In Junior Primary School: Final Report Presented To The Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation: Book 1 Of 2, Donna Cross, Greg Hamilton, Clare Roberts, Margaret Hall

Research outputs pre 2011

This one year formative study aimed to conduct a feasibility trial of current evidencebased practice to reduce and prevent aggression among junior primary school age children. The project comprised three stages: assessing the types of direct and indirect aggression among junior primary school students and the current practices of teachers and schools to address this behaviour and linking successful current practices to evidence-based research to inform the development of a classroom teaching and behaviour management intervention.

Aggression is broadly defined as negative acts which are used intentionally to harm others, and may be classified as proactive, reactive or instrumental aggression. …

Using Interactive Multimedia (Imm) To Help Year Four And Five Students Identified As Experiencing Reading Difficulties: A Formative Approach, Grace Oakley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study involved four formative experiments, each of which investigated ways in which IMM (Interactive Multimedia) could be used to help children who experienced reading difficulties. In each of the four contexts, classroom teachers identified a number of students with reading difficulties, selected pedagogical goals for them and worked with the researcher to plan IMM-based activities that targeted the selected goals. The implementations were evaluated formatively and modifications were made accordingly, with the intention of 'fine-tuning' them to facilitate achievement of the pedagogical goals. Facilitative and inhibitive factors were identified during and after each formative experiment, as were unplanned outcomes. …

Child Custody Disputes: Bridging The Gap Between Psychologists And Family Court, Kate Pratsides

Theses : Honours

The number of divorce cases that come before judges and registrars within the Family Court system is steadily increasing, and so is the use of psychologists as expert witnesses. However, little is known about what the judges and registrars think of the psychologist's use of psychometric test results when writing their forensic report, this study attempts to answer that. This thesis is presented in two sections. The first is a literature review of guidelines that are available to psychologists when writing a forensic report. These guidelines include (1) broad guidelines provided by professional associations, such as the American Psychological Association; …

The Albanian And An Accompanying Exegesis : Place And Form In The Albanian, Donna J. Mazza

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis takes the form of a novel titled The Albanian and an exegesis, “Place and Form in The Albanian". The novel spans the period from October 1989 to the end of 1991 and is set against a backdrop of Eastern European change and its effect on a small group of Albanian refugees and Rosa, a young woman from Western Australia. Rosa narrates the tale in first person, present tense. The novel begins with her arrival in Dubrovnik, where she meets a young Albanian man on the verge of exiling himself in order to survive ethnic persecution. He fascinates Rosa, …