Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Edith Cowan University

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 5101 - 5130 of 6038

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Clarifying The Lower Incidence Of Birth Defects In The Midwest Of Western Australia : A Study Using Capture Re-Capture Methodology, Donna Baker Jan 2003

Clarifying The Lower Incidence Of Birth Defects In The Midwest Of Western Australia : A Study Using Capture Re-Capture Methodology, Donna Baker

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In April 2000 the Western Australian Birth Defects Registry held its 20th Anniversary Scientific Symposium to signify the first 20 years of the Birth Defects Registry in Western Australia. At the Symposium, significant trends and occurrences in birth defects within Western Australia over the past 20 years were addressed. One factor highlighted in the Registry's 1980-1999 report was that birth defects were reported less frequently in rural regions compared with metropolitan areas. Data collected from the metropolitan area is considered by the Birth Defects Registry to be the most accurate. Therefore, incidence rates of birth defects in this area arc …

Go to article

Storying The Body : Women's Narratives Through The Lens Of Breast Cancer, Janet A. Griffin Jan 2003

Storying The Body : Women's Narratives Through The Lens Of Breast Cancer, Janet A. Griffin

Theses : Honours

What can women's narratives contribute to our understanding of breast cancer and to feminist theories of the body? This thesis explores the meanings women construct to make sense of embodied experiences of breast cancer, and the profound experience of breast loss. Rich contextual data was elicited from in depth, guided conversations with five premenopausal women who have undergone mastectomy. Adopting feminist methodology, biographic-narrative was used to place the body at the heart of inquiry. This thesis explores the personal and theoretical meanings of mastectomy, embedded in the larger story of how these five women experience their breasts, throughout their lives. …

Go to article

Phonological And Syntactic Processing, And The Role Of Working Memory In Reading Comprehension Among High School Students, John V. Holsgrove Jan 2003

Phonological And Syntactic Processing, And The Role Of Working Memory In Reading Comprehension Among High School Students, John V. Holsgrove

Theses : Honours

The performance of 60 year8 students was examined on tasks measuring phonological processing, syntactic processing, and reading comprehension. The students were also administered several measures of working memory relating to the phonological loop and the central executive. A series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated that phonological processing and syntactic processing were both predictors of reading comprehension, and that the presence or absence of the latter distinguished good and poor comprehenders respectively. The phonological loop was found to play a small but significant role in the processes involved in reading comprehension, but not the central executive. Gender differences suggested that boys …

Go to article

The Effects Of Sleep On The Acquisition Of Skill, Peter G. Croy Jan 2003

The Effects Of Sleep On The Acquisition Of Skill, Peter G. Croy

Theses : Honours

The current research was designed to evaluate the effect of sleep on memory for the declarative and procedural knowledge components of a cognitive skill. In a training phase, 17 participants in a no-sleep control group practised 120 repetitions of a simple algebra equation at Sam and 22 participants in a sleep group practised the task at 8pm. Novel task inputs were introduced withh1 the same task structure in a transfer phase conducted 12 hours after training for each group. Overnight sleep conferred a 29% performance deficit on the transfer tusk compared to no-sleep controls. The results support the hypothesis that …

Go to article

Attributions Of Criminal Responsibility Of Children : An Exploratory Study Of The Role Of Wrongdoer Age, Victim Harm And Perceptions Of Intent And Consequence, James Mccue Jan 2003

Attributions Of Criminal Responsibility Of Children : An Exploratory Study Of The Role Of Wrongdoer Age, Victim Harm And Perceptions Of Intent And Consequence, James Mccue

Theses : Honours

Recent cases, such as that of James Bulger, have provided anecdotal evidence of children's capacities to commit illegal acts. Currently however, the public's attributions of children who engage in antisocial and criminal behaviour, and whether they should be held criminally responsible for their actions, has received little attention in terms of empirical research. The aim of the present study was to examine these attributions and establish whether they concur with the guidelines for criminal responsibility set down by the Western Australian criminal justice system. Two independent variables were manipulated using vignettes and included the age of the wrongdoer (7, 10 …

Go to article

Hepatitis C, Quality Of Life And Cognitive Function : An Exploratory Study, John Caithness Jan 2003

Hepatitis C, Quality Of Life And Cognitive Function : An Exploratory Study, John Caithness

Theses : Honours

Active chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a viral infection that affects approximately 150,000 Austra1ians. It has various quality of life impacts and the literature suggests some cognitive ramifications. In this Western Australian exploratory study, 13 healthy students from Edith Cowan University made up a control group. One experimental group consisted of 11 people with CHC and mild liver damage, and a second experimental group consisted of 8 people with CHC and at least moderate liver damage. The participants were assessed with a health-related quality of life questionnaire, the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36); a test of cognitive functioning, the …

Go to article

Identifying Complex Issues Surrounding The Construction Of Indigeneity In Film And Documentary, Debbie Carmody Jan 2003

Identifying Complex Issues Surrounding The Construction Of Indigeneity In Film And Documentary, Debbie Carmody

Theses : Honours

Indigenous identity can only be located within . a framework of historical dislocation from where white notions of assimilation are shattered. Therefore Indigeneity can only be defined in relation to the black experience within colonialism's hegemonic structures. I will argue this by looking at constructions of Indigenous Australians in the feature film Radiance (1998) directed by Rachel Perkins, and the documentary Sissy (2000) directed by Debbie Carmody (previously known as Debbie Gittins), which was made as part of this thesis. This raises questions: What is the black experience and the process of black survival within colonialism's hegemonic structures? How does …

Go to article

What Reflections Of Eden Do We Find In A Garden?: An Analysis Of Illusionary Constructs That Seek To Establish Identity With The 'Ideal' Garden, Olga Kirov Jan 2003

What Reflections Of Eden Do We Find In A Garden?: An Analysis Of Illusionary Constructs That Seek To Establish Identity With The 'Ideal' Garden, Olga Kirov

Theses : Honours

Gardens are retreats that offer sanctuary from the tensions of modern life, Spiritual needs have stirred the Western psyche the most to embellish myths that account for the inconsistency of life. The original myth of the Garden of Eden has represented the ideal paradigm between imperfect nature and human nature, accounting for human frailty and anxious yearnings for a utopian perspective. In attempt to improve human nature, throughout time humans have aspired to transform or improve the natural environment, thus making every garden an image. As an art form, that draws on the past as it looks to the future, …

Go to article

Tauhid And Tasawwuf: Indonesian Sufism In Search Of Unity, Natasha Ryan Jan 2003

Tauhid And Tasawwuf: Indonesian Sufism In Search Of Unity, Natasha Ryan

Theses : Honours

The Islamic principle of Tauhid (Divine Unity) is foundational to Islam and Tasawwuf, better known to us as Sufism. Within the Indonesian consciousness of Islam, Tauhid can also mirror Indonesia's national motto, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), its understanding of tolerance reverberating with the purity of Islam. The recent renewal of Sufism in Indonesia may provide a Sufi paradigm shift to help relieve some tension surrounding an emergent Islamist intolerance, thereby smoothing the rising waters of uncertainty flowing alongside the current Islamic resurgence. While it is generally rare for Australians to take an interest in Indonesia's mystical Islamic culture, …

Go to article

A Study Of The Use Of Graphic Organiser Software To Support The Development Of Organisational And Problem Solving Skills In A Middle School Curriculum, Suzanne Bursey Jan 2003

A Study Of The Use Of Graphic Organiser Software To Support The Development Of Organisational And Problem Solving Skills In A Middle School Curriculum, Suzanne Bursey

Theses : Honours

Early adolescence, classified from 10-14 years, is an important stage of development where thinking, planning and reasoning skills are evolving. Many young adolescents in this age group encounter problems with these skills in the transition from primary school to high school. Middle school is an educational context which focusses on the provision of support for young adolescents in this transitional period. Graphic organizer software is a program designed to help users visualize problems and organize information into logical structures. This study considered the conditions under which the problem solving and organizational skills of middle school students can be enhanced using …

Go to article

An Exploration Of Psychological Sense Of Community In Western Australian School Children Aged 7-8 Years, Debra K. Roberts Jan 2003

An Exploration Of Psychological Sense Of Community In Western Australian School Children Aged 7-8 Years, Debra K. Roberts

Theses : Honours

The current exploratory study examined Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC) in 16 Western Australian school children, between the ages of seven and eight from two schools in the Perth metropolitan region. The aim was to identify whether young children understand the concept of PSOC, within their school environment. A qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews was employed. Questions were generated based on the Neighbourhood Youth Inventory (NYI) and the Sense of Community Index (SCI), as a measure of children's PSOC in their school environment. A thematic content analysis was performed using a question ordered matrix, to compile common themes and meanings …

Go to article

Is The 'Hierarchy Of Effects' View Of Advertising Evident Amongst Perth Advertising Agencies?, Carolyn Boulden Jan 2003

Is The 'Hierarchy Of Effects' View Of Advertising Evident Amongst Perth Advertising Agencies?, Carolyn Boulden

Theses : Honours

Hierarchy of effects models have underpinned the advertising industry for over 100 years. These models are based on an underlying pattern of cognition => affect=> behaviour, in other words: think=> feel=> do, and suggest that consumers process advertising in a linear fashion, in stages. Recently, however, hierarchy of effects models have begun to be questioned by some authors who claim that there is no actual evidence that advertising is processed by consumers according to a hierarchy of effects. If this is the case, the advertising industry will need to seriously rethink the basis upon which many, if not all, campaigns …

Go to article

Public Street Surveillance: A Psychometric Study On The Perceived Social Risk, David J. Brooks Jan 2003

Public Street Surveillance: A Psychometric Study On The Perceived Social Risk, David J. Brooks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Public street surveillance, a domain of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), has grown enormously and is becoming common place with increasing utilization in society as an all-purpose security tool. Previous authors (Ditton, 1999; Davies, 1998; Horne, 1998; Tomkins, 1998) have raised concern over social, civil and privacy issues, but there has been limited research to quantify these concerns. There are a number of core aspects that could relocate the risk perception and therefore, social support of public street surveillance. This study utilized the psychometric paradigm to quantitatively measure the social risk perception of public street surveillance. The psychometric paradigm is a …

Go to article

Good Life In The Balance: A Cross-National Study Of Dutch And Australian Disability Perspectives On Euthanasia And Physician-Assisted Suicide, Erik A. Leipoldt Jan 2003

Good Life In The Balance: A Cross-National Study Of Dutch And Australian Disability Perspectives On Euthanasia And Physician-Assisted Suicide, Erik A. Leipoldt

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This is a cross-national qualitative study with the purpose of obtaining perspectives held by people with quadriplegia and leading figures in disability movements in the Netherlands and Australia on the issues of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (EPAS). A disability voice is not prominent in public debate on EPAS in Australia or the Netherlands, even though people with disabilities are often thought to be vulnerable in relation to EPAS policies. Disability perspectives are potentially valuable in illuminating issues in relation to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, because issues of dependence, independence, and individual autonomy play important roles in relation to both EPAS …

Go to article

An Ethnographic Investigation Of The Relevance Of Shop Floor Culture To Effective Safety Communication In An Australian Minerals Refinery, David R. Leith Jan 2003

An Ethnographic Investigation Of The Relevance Of Shop Floor Culture To Effective Safety Communication In An Australian Minerals Refinery, David R. Leith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Many organisations which aim to achieve excellent workplace safety choose 'culture change' as the means to achieve this. They make use of employee communication media to help re-form the values, beliefs, norms and behaviours which are generally thought to comprise culture. However, culture is a complex and profound phenomenon. Successful communication between two culturally separate groups requires each to achieve an understanding of the other, no less so in workplaces than in societies composed of different cultures.Yet even employers who believe in communicating fully with their workforces find it difficult to convey viewpoints other than their own. Their communication tends …

Go to article

Moral Autonomy In Organisational Decisions, Eva Evdokia Tsahuridu Jan 2003

Moral Autonomy In Organisational Decisions, Eva Evdokia Tsahuridu

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study to investigate the morality of persons in organisations and especially the effect of organisations on the moral autonomy of persons. In addition to reviewing the literature of moral autonomy in philosophy, psychology, sociology and organisation studies and management, the thesis also examines the ontology of organisations, moral agency and the organisation as a context. Based on this knowledge, a model is developed that addresses the relations of the organisation to society and the person to the organisation in ethical decision making. From this model the thesis develops three moral decision making categories. These are: moral …

Go to article

A Comparison Between Conventional And Holistic Exercise Interventions On Physiological Function In The Elderly, Gavin R. Mccormack Jan 2003

A Comparison Between Conventional And Holistic Exercise Interventions On Physiological Function In The Elderly, Gavin R. Mccormack

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Aging is characterised by a decline in physiological function. The rate of this decline can depend on certain lifestyle factors, genetics, and the environment. Although life expectancy is slowly increasing, there is a need to reduce the time spent in debilitated, and non-independent states by elderly individuals. Preventive measures need to be implemented to reduce dependency and improve the quality of life for elderly individuals. One such preventive and remedial measure is the use of exercise and physical activity. Because limited exercise prescription exists for the elderly population, there is a need to determine the effectiveness of exercise interventions that …

Go to article

Does The Computer Helpdesk Vocational Training Course Change Attitude About Customer Service?, Anthony Wethereld Jan 2003

Does The Computer Helpdesk Vocational Training Course Change Attitude About Customer Service?, Anthony Wethereld

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this research was to determine whether The Computer Helpdesk vocational computing course, in conjunction with The Virtual Workplace simulation computer program, changed attitude about customer service. Thirty-seven adult female students at Fujairah Women's College of the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates took part in the study. To assess possible attitude change, a combination of observation, interview and survey techniques were used. The Likert scale customer service attitude survey, which measured beliefs and perceptions about customer service, fanned the primary data gathering instrument. Qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated, and quantitative results were analysed …

Go to article

Mother What Art Thou? : A Study Of The Depiction Of Mother Figures In Recent Australian And New Zealand Fiction For Teenagers, Jane Siddall Jan 2003

Mother What Art Thou? : A Study Of The Depiction Of Mother Figures In Recent Australian And New Zealand Fiction For Teenagers, Jane Siddall

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis is a study of the representations of mothers and mother figures as found in five contemporary (published between 1984 and 1999) novels for teenagers. The focus is on western constructions of motherhood, as both normalising and universalising discourses. Utilising a variety of critical approaches this thesis examines the socio-cultural issues present in the novels in conjunction with western models of maternity. This study argues the category of mother is interdependent upon the category of child. As children's literature often focuses on the development of the child, the mother figures are often read as the “unconscious” of the texts. …

Go to article

Emergency Vehicle Siren Noise: A Potential For Hearing Loss, Douglas A. Riach Jan 2003

Emergency Vehicle Siren Noise: A Potential For Hearing Loss, Douglas A. Riach

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this thesis was to critically investigate the noise produced by the sirens fitted to South Australian Police general patrol vehicles and calculate if this noise was of an intensity to cause noise induced hearing loss. Previous studies in Western Australia and in South Australia examined noise emissions from emergency vehicle sirens for the purpose of selecting the most suitable siren for emergency vehicles, this being the siren emitting the greatest intensity of sound. This study has researched emergency vehicle sirens from the perspective of employee exposure to siren noise. Noise levels were recorded from inside the police …

Go to article

Covert Violence In Nursing, Susette Bakker Jan 2003

Covert Violence In Nursing, Susette Bakker

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

There is no official avenue in nursing for the reporting of incidences of covert violence to staff and so they remain unrecorded and often stressful. This study sought to collect data from currently employed nurses concerning covert violence in their workplace, and to collate the information to obtain a valid assessment of this hidden problem. A qualitative methodology was used to report on the experiences of nurses in relation to covert violence directed at them by their peers, other health professionals, patients and patients' families. The participants were all registered nurses employed by a suburban health service. Each was given …

Go to article

Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of An Interactive Multimedia Instructional Model : A Teaching And Learning Programming Approach, Kacha Chansilp Jan 2003

Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of An Interactive Multimedia Instructional Model : A Teaching And Learning Programming Approach, Kacha Chansilp

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study sought to explore the outcomes from the use of a dynamic interactive visualisation tool among novice programmers in an introductory computer programming course. The proposed model, Dynamic Interactive Visualisation Tool in Teaching C (DIVTIC), was designed to use multimedia and visual imagery to provide learners with a step-by-step representation of program execution in the C language as a means of enhancing their understanding of programming structures and concepts. DIVTIC was designed to support constructivist learning principles and combined collaborative and visualisation learning strategies with use of the Internet and the World Wide Web to support the learning of …

Go to article

Big Boys Don't Cry : Understanding Barriers To Seeking Support For Mental Health Problems Among Adolescent Males, Amanda Miraudo Jan 2003

Big Boys Don't Cry : Understanding Barriers To Seeking Support For Mental Health Problems Among Adolescent Males, Amanda Miraudo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study explored the possible barriers encountered by adolescents in developing and achieving positive mental health. Male adolescents in Perth, Western Australia were consulted in an attempt to provide insight into the motivating and inhibiting factors influencing help-seeking as a coping strategy. Barriers to seeking help for mental health problems were investigated through the inductive process of grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967) to obtain a more detailed understanding of help-seeking than previous studies have provided; The study found that the coping responses most frequently enacted by the adolescent males sampled included avoidance, diversion, and private resolution. Help-seeking was far …

Go to article

Non-Business Use Of The World Wide Web : A Study Of Selected Western Australian Organisations, Craig Valli Jan 2003

Non-Business Use Of The World Wide Web : A Study Of Selected Western Australian Organisations, Craig Valli

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Employees undertake a wide range of activities when they use the World Wide Web in the work place. Some of these activities may leave the modem Internet connected organisation vulnerable to undue or unknown risk, potential productivity losses and expense us a result of misuse or abuse or the Internet provision. Much of the existing literature on this subject points to a purported epidemic of misuse in the workplace. If this practice is so prevalent and widespread, what can modem Internet connected organisations do to identify the abuse and reduce the risks and losses that these abuses represent? To what …

Go to article

Nature Of Talk And Interaction In The Singapore History Classroom, Pamela Chellappah Thuraisingam Jan 2003

Nature Of Talk And Interaction In The Singapore History Classroom, Pamela Chellappah Thuraisingam

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

History is a complex subject. It is more propositional than procedural in nature (Nichol, 1984), and involves adductive thinking (Booth, 1983), where historical evidence and facts are 'teased out' and a convincing account of the past is then reconstructed through speculation, imagination and empathy (Nichol, 1984; Booth, 1983). The teaching and learning of history should not just be the transmission of knowledge, but rather it should involve a process whereby students and teachers interact in order to analyze evidence, raise questions and hypotheses, synthesize facts, and communicate their ideas, understand others' viewpoints, consider values, reflect and engage in moral reasoning …

Go to article

Measuring Academic Motivation To Achieve For High School Students Using A Rasch Measurement Model, Joseph Njeru Njiru Jan 2003

Measuring Academic Motivation To Achieve For High School Students Using A Rasch Measurement Model, Joseph Njeru Njiru

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Many models have been offered on students' motivation to achieve academically. However, most studies on motivation of students to achieve academically are called into question because they do not use an interval level scale, based on a good theoretical model, where attitude items are connected to behaviour items, even though motivation is defined as linked to behaviour. On the other hand, many researchers do not use qualitative methodologies as a preferred method to validate and triangulate data obtained from the questionnaire so as to add scope and breadth to the study. Most researchers have only used either qualitative or quantitative …

Go to article

Is It 'Too Bloody Late'? : Older People's Attitudes To Physical Activity And To The Recommendations In The National Physical Activity Guidelines, Joan Jackson Jan 2003

Is It 'Too Bloody Late'? : Older People's Attitudes To Physical Activity And To The Recommendations In The National Physical Activity Guidelines, Joan Jackson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Participation in physical activity confers many health benefits by reducing the risk factor for a number of lifestyle related diseases such as diabetes, colon cancer, and heart disease. Other benefits include improved mental and physical well-being. For older people the benefits are even more important; engagement in physical activity extends to such health benefits as reduction in the risk of falls and related potential injuries. However the most significant benefit to older people is that physical activity enables older people to live independently for longer and with a greater sense of well-being. This study explores, through qualitative research, older people's …

Go to article

Children's Attitudes To A Hospital Familiarisation Programme, Lis Mathiasen Jan 2003

Children's Attitudes To A Hospital Familiarisation Programme, Lis Mathiasen

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Many young children are admitted to the emergency departments of our childrens hospitals without the opportunity to receive any preparation in terms of what to expect and what to do or not to do (Health Department of W A, 2000). Surrounded by strange people, environment, smells, sounds and medical equipment, and confronted with possibly painful and invasive procedures, many young children become stressed and anxious. Negative psychological effects may have immediate and/or long lasting psychological consequences (Zuckerberg, 1994; 0 Byrne, Peterson & Saldana, 1997). It is important to protect young childrens rights and to minimise upset and trauma whenever possible. …

Go to article

Reading Comprehension, And Attitude And Behaviour, Of Students Taught Esl By Cooperative Learning In Prathom (Grade)6 Classrooms In Thailand, Sutaporn Chayarathee Jan 2003

Reading Comprehension, And Attitude And Behaviour, Of Students Taught Esl By Cooperative Learning In Prathom (Grade)6 Classrooms In Thailand, Sutaporn Chayarathee

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

A system-wide educational change has been implemented in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Thailand. One major aspect of the change was the requirement for all students from grade I onwards to study English as a second language (ESL). The change requires new methods of teaching and learning, such as cooperative learning, to be introduced in Thai ESL classrooms. This study aims to determine if cooperative learning improves English reading comprehension, and attitude and behaviour to learning ESL, compared to a Thai communicative methodology. The study was conducted in three phases. Phase 1 involved creating a linear scale of English …

Go to article

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Patient's Experience Of The External Application Of Ginger, Tessa C. Therkleson Jan 2003

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Patient's Experience Of The External Application Of Ginger, Tessa C. Therkleson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This Research Study explores the quality of the experience for the patient of the external application of ginger using a Husserllan phenomenological methodology, In this Study the phenomenon Is the patient's experience of the external application of ginger. A group of Anthroposophical Nurses in the Hawkes Bay of New Zealand personally selected seven appropriate consenting adults to receive one external application of ginger. Following their experience, the patients were asked a series of open-ended questions by the researcher, These Interviews were audio taped. The interview data have been transcribed and reduced to themes that have been explored and reflected on …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last