Digital Commons Network^™

A Report On Nurses' Response To Occupational Injuries And Exposures To Hazards In A Californian Community Hospital, Sandra Kilminster-Binder

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study set out to determine the reasons for underreporting of occupational injuries and exposures in the American health care environment. A cross sectional survey was used to report the responses and opinions of nurses who failed to report all occupational injuries and exposures, and the type of injuries that are least likely to be reported. The participants were a random sample of Registered Nurses employed in a California Health Care Center, who responded to a simple self-reporting questionnaire. The study revealed that the majority of occupational injuries, accidents and exposures by this group in the previous twelve month period …

Development Of A Solid Phase Micro-Extraction-Gas Chromatographic Method For The Analysis Of Volatile Components In Vanilla Extracts And Flavourings, Tomislav Sostaric

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Vanilla is a very important flavouring agent, it is used as a major ingredient in a number of food products. The taste and aroma results from a specific blend of components present in the extract. There are over 170 volatile components, which all contribute to the flavour of the extract. These volatile components can be present in trace amounts or in relatively high concentrations. The range and concentration of volatile components is somewhat characteristic of the vanilla extract and its origin. Due to the high cost and low availability of natural extract, nature-identical and synthetic flavourings are often used to …

John Smith: A Charismatic And Transformational Religious Leader, Philip B. Muston

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

John Smith is best known as the charismatic leader and president of God's Squad Motorcycle Club, which seeks to proclaim and incarnate the Christian gospel in Australian outlaw motorcycle subculture. Smith is in fact an evangelist and public figure in his own right. As well he is a teacher and social commentator whose prophetic statements and interpretation of events had an impact in his own culture and abroad. He is also a media spokesman and unofficial 'priest' for thousands who feel themselves alienated from institutional expressions of Christianity, and the pioneering founder of alternative church congregations. This biographical and theoretical …

Monday Morning And The Millennium : Cultural Studies, Scepticism And The Concept Of Power, Mark Gibson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The thesis examines the use or the concept of power in cultural studies, offering a revisionist perspective on the history or this use. The dominant approach to questions or power in the field, it is argued, is a 'rationalist' one: the various phenomena comprehended under the concept are conceived ultimately as instances or the one phenomenon. This approach implies that positions in relation to power share a common referent allowing them to be assessed according to general criteria of 'correctness' or theoretical adequacy. It also allows developments in debates around power to be represented in terms or a narrative or …

Cognitive Apprenticeship In A Building Design Office, Craig A. Baird

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis presents a research study that investigated student learning in a mentor supported design office situation, using a cognitive apprenticeship learning approach that utilised authentic design project tusks. In this study, 29 final year Technical And Further Education (TAFE) building design students undertook authentic building design projects with expert building designers, who acted as mentors, in commercial design office situations. The mentors guided student learning by using a cognitive apprenticeship approach to learning, implemented with authentic design projects designed to replicate the everyday culture of practice activities typical of commercial design office operations. This study follows the progress of …

Can Regional Community Web Portals Become Sustainable? : The Albany Gateway : A Case Study, Gillian Sellar

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Asking the question "can regional and community web portals become sustainable?" demands a foray into many different disciplines. Sociology, education, business, strategic and knowledge management, organisational theory, relationship management and current technological trends and capabilities are some of the areas on which community projects, such us the development of communities on-line, are founded.

Are Bank Deposits And Bank-Affiliated Managed Funds Close Substitutes?, David E. Allen, Jerry T. Parwada

Research outputs pre 2011

This study tests the hypothesis that bank liabilities and managed funds are close substitutes. Some literature associates the alleged decline in banking business with the disintermediation of banks’ traditional deposit-taking business in favour of investment management. A comparative assessment of managed fund and bank deposit qualitative attributes fails to support substitutability. Using data on Australian bank-affiliated funds and a nine-year record of bank liability balances, this study finds that, empirically, managed funds do not displace bank liabilities. Prudential capital adequacy requirements dissuade banks from using in-house managed investments as indirect conduits for raising funds in the same manner as deposit …

The State Of Science In Australian Secondary Schools, Mark W. Hackling, Denis Goodrum, Leonie Rennie

Research outputs pre 2011

Presents research which sets out to establish two pictures: one of the ideal regarding the teaching and learning of science, the other of the reality of what is actually happening in Australian schools. Identifies issues and implications for science teachers and the profession.

Investigating Processes Of Social Knowledge Construction In Online Environments, Catherine Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

On-line forums provide opportunity and potential for collaborative work, dialogue and study that can increase the flexibility of learning while motivating participants. By enabling teacher-learner and learner-learner interaction online systems can support the essential elements of a learning conversation by providing scope for discussion, dialogue and interaction. It is argued that this medium presents a socio-cognitive educational domain, unique in its potential for dialogue, participation and collaboration and a departure from face-to-face didactic paradigms of learning. Often, the types of verbal interactions and the means by which new knowledge is created on-line are not well understood. The paper provides frameworks …

Hiding Behind Nakedness On The Nude Beach, Lelia Rosalind Green

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper draws upon a series of experiences between 1980-85, when I identified as a naturist during my summer holidays in Europe, and in a visit to Wreck Beach in Vancouver (where I felt very much at home). At the time, I was aware that nude beaches were much less threatening to me as a large woman than are conventional 'textile' beaches. This paper draws upon those experiences to theorise why this might be the case, and why I have been absent from beach culture for much of the past decade.

Fostering Higher Order Thinking Through Online Tasks, Joseph Luca, Catherine E Mcloughlin

Research outputs pre 2011

Increasingly higher education institutions are being asked to be more pro-active in delivering instruction through on-line facilities, while at the same time being more effective in fostering higher order thinking skills for students. This action research case study considered the effects of tertiary students working in teams to collaboratively solve ill-defined problems in an on-line environment. The framework adopted for analysis of higher order thinking investigated types of talk that were indicative of reasoning processes. Results indicated that the students' capacity to display higher order thinking increased as a result of the students collaborating and communicating through the custom built …

Qualitative Research Interviews: Identifying Problems In Technique, Gary Partington

Research outputs pre 2011

Interviews that are conducted for qualitative research rely for their quality on the nature of the interactions with the interviewees. In this article, some of the factors that contribute to quality interactions are discussed in relation to a research project based on interviews conducted by a team of researchers. Issues covered include the importance of empathy and rapport, listening and questioning, restatement, clarification and persistence. Researchers should be aware of the powerful influence of these factors on the responses of interviewees. They should take steps to ensure quality data is obtained by using appropriate interview techniques and suitable interviewers.

Does Emotional Intelligence Affect Successful Teamwork?, Joseph Luca, Pina Tarricone

Research outputs pre 2011

There is a growing emphasis in tertiary education that students should develop professional skills as part of their education. Skills such as problem solving, communication, collaboration, interpersonal skills, social skills and time management are actively being targeted by prospective employers as essential requirements for employability especially in team environments. Of these, employment authorities consistently mention collaboration and teamwork as being a critical skill, essential in almost all working environments. How then can students successfully practice teamwork skills in tertiary institutions in order to develop these skills? In this study, a group of final year multimedia students were investigated while completing …

Novel Image Enhancement Technique Using Shunting Inhibitory Cellular Neural Networks, Tarik Hammadou, Abdesselam Bouzerdoum

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper describes a method for improving image quality in a color CMOS image sensor. The technique simultaneously acts to compress the dynamic range, reorganize the signal to improve visibility, suppress noise, identify local features, achieve color constancy, and lightness rendition. An efficient hardware architecture and a rigorous analysis of the different modules are presented to achieve high quality CMOS digital cameras

An E-Learning Solution To Creating Work-Related Skills And Competencies For The Knowledge-Based Economy, Catherine Mcloughlin, Joseph Luca

Research outputs pre 2011

This case study presents a description of Web-based tertiary unit of study developed in collaboration with employer, industry and university stakeholders with a view to fostering skills in interactive multimedia and project management. The course utilised a range of learning approaches, including peer teaching and integrated assessment in which participants provided feedback to colleagues. The paper also discusses how electronic communications and Apple-based technologies can be used effectively to create environments for professional learning. The intention is to describe the design of the learning environment, the curriculum approach adopted, the types of learning activities and assessment tasks that were designed …

The Duration Derby : A Comparison Of Duration Based Strategies In Asset Liability Management, Harry Zheng, David E. Allen, Lyn C. Thomas

Research outputs pre 2011

Macaulay duration matched strategy is a key tool in bond portfolio immunization. It is well known that if term structures are not at or changes are not parallel, then Macaulay duration matched portfolio can not guarantee adequate immunization. In this paper the approximate duration is proposed to measure the bond price sensitivity to changes of interest rates of non- at term structures. Its performance in immunization is compared with those of Macaulay, partial and key rate durations using the US Treasury STRIPS and Bond data. Approximate duration turns out to be a possible contender in asset liability management: it does …

Judith Dinham : Hybrid Space, Judith Dinham

Research outputs pre 2011

Judith Dinham is a mid-career artist who combines an art practice with her position as Senior Lecturer in Visual Art Education at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia. Her art and research interest centres on conceptions of landscape. The desert from a feminine perspective and the role of travel are of particular interest. To this end she has worked in the Australian desert over many years (primarily Meeline Station, near Mt Magnet where her sister and family live) and had residencies in the USA and Italy. She has been the recipient of a number of prizes and awards including …

Treating Internet Users As 'Audiences': Suggesting Some Research Directions, Lelia Rosalind Green

Research outputs pre 2011

Within the last decade the Internet 'has emerged out of nowhere' (Barr 2000, back cover) to monopolise much of the domestic time, intellectual interest, and financial resources that had previously been lavished upon film, television, and (specialist console) game consumption. So far, research on the Internet appears to be following a similar evolutionary pattern to research on broadcast media-displacement studies (what have people 'given up' to make time for the Internet?), effects studies (is it addictive, bad, bankrupting, and why?), ratings data, and response to moral panics (Internet gambling and pornography). Arguably, applied research involving Internet partidpants treats users as …

Assuring The Quality Of Online Learning In Australian Higher Education, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper discusses the major issues confronting the successful adoption and sustained use of online learning in higher education within the Australian context. The paper argues that four main issues which universities must deal with to achieve maximum potential from online learning technologies are: the establishment of cost-effective practices; the achievement and maintenance of quality in online learning delivery; ensuring access and equity in the delivery of programs; and establishing practices which can enable online learning to be sustained and to grow as a mainstream activity in university teaching and learning. While these issues are suggested as discrete entities, it …

Another Look At The Size And Book-To-Market Effects On Stock Returns, Chien-Ting Lin

Research outputs pre 2011

In this study, I test the robustness of size and book-to-market effects on average stock returns reported by Fama and French (FF, 1992, 1993) using a sample that is less subject to survivorship bias and a longer sampling period. Specifically, I exclude NASDAQ stocks in the sample to reduce survivorship bias that has largely been induced by Compustat during an expansion project in 1978. Survivorship bias exists when the sustaining and successful firms are included in the data and those firms that fail or merge with other firms are omitted. Since NASDAQ stocks tend to have relatively smaller stocks than …

Assessing Student's Self-Regulatory Skills, Joseph Luca, Mark Mcmahon

Research outputs pre 2011

Students’ ability to use self-regulatory learning skills is becoming increasingly important with the advent of web-based learning. Online courses delivered through the Web require students to take more ownership over how and when learning takes place, rather than tutors and lecturers making these decisions. This comes at a time when higher education institutions have increasing pressure to develop students’ life long learning and generic skills from both employers and funding authorities. In this paper we will investigate a conceptual framework for identifying students’ self-regulatory skills and consider a testing instrument to identify students strengths and weaknesses. The instrument can be …

Promoting Self-Regulated Learning In An On-Line Environment, Mark Mcmahon, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

Self-Regulation has long been seen as a desirable but difficult to achieve instructional aim. This is particularly true of on-line learning, where users have limited instructional support and where attrition rates tend to be greater than in face-to-face teaching. This paper examines the nature of self-regulation, identifying affective and cognitive skills which make for self-regulated learners. The broad psychological states of metacognition and self-concept are identified as well as the motivational and cognitive processes that underpin them. The volitional, learning, and regulatory strategies which learners use are delineated. These are placed within the context of online learning. Aspects which characterise …

Why A Journal Of Research For Consumers?, Simone Pettigrew

Research outputs pre 2011

This article outlines the rationale behind the introduction of the Journal of Research for Consumers. The potential benefits to be gained from educating consumers are discussed, and arguments are made for the contribution of consumer researchers to the consumer education process. In particular, the deficiencies of the current dependence on research that produces managerial outcomes are discussed in terms of the limitations they place on understanding the relevance of consumption in consumers' lives. The structure of the Journal of Consumer Research is described in terms of the access provided to both academic and consumer audiences.

Developing Generic Tools For Use In Flexible Learning: A Preliminary Progress Report, Ron Oliver, Barry Harper, Shirley Agostinho

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper presents a description of the Australian University Teaching Committee (AUTC) funded project titled: "Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Their Role in Flexible Learning" that aims to provide opportunities for university teachers to create high quality flexible learning experiences for students. This is to be accomplished by the development of a range of software tools and templates based on previously successful ICT-based learning projects in a form that will enable teachers in other settings and subject areas to create similar learning environments for their students. The project is a two-year endeavor and began in November 2000. The purpose …

New Designs For Web Based Learning Environments, Ron Oliver, Barry Harper, John O'Donoghue, N O Name

Research outputs pre 2011

With the continued advances in information and communication technology comes the interconnectivity of education institutions, businesses and industries. Either by default or association, the traditional education system will need to change and adapt to these new demands and opportunities. With these changes we are in danger of losing the focus of the learning process, and not recognising the importance of maintaining a balance between technology and pedagogy. This paper will review these issues, and examine an investigation of new learning designs which take advantage of the affordances of the Web and the opportunities which arise.

Some Statistical Models For Durations And Their Applications In Finance, Harry Zheng, David E. Allen, Lyn C. Thomas

Research outputs pre 2011

We first consider a new class of time series models (introduced by Engle and Russell (1998)) use in statistical applications in finance. These models treat the time between events (durations) as a stochastic process and the corresponding durations are modelled using a theory similar to that of autoregressive processes. This new class of time series models is called Autoregressive Conditional Duration (ACD) models. Various extensions and the statistical properties of this class of ACD models are given. We also suggest some alternative models for durations arising from the market microstructure literature. An estimation procedure is discussed. The theory is illustrated …

Learning Objects: Supporting Flexible Delivery Of Flexible Learning, Ron Oliver

Research outputs pre 2011

There are now many educational organizations and institutions that have decided on flexible delivery and online learning as strategies that they are keen to pursue. While many educators value online delivery of programs for the flexibility and opportunities offered, the environment offers far more than these outcomes alone. Online delivery supports and encourages very powerful learning environments and has the prospect to transform education if approached in the correct fashion. Across the world, conventional approaches to the design and development of online learning environments in higher education frequently result in many lost opportunities for both teachers and learners. These losses …

Quality Guidelines For Online Courses: The Development Of An Instrument To Audit Online Units, Anthony Herrington, Janice Herrington, Ron Oliver, Susan Stoney, Jacqueline Willis

Research outputs pre 2011

Institutional, national and global pressures demand that universities address issues of quality in teaching and learning. The maintenance of existing courses and the imperative to offer new courses online necessitates the development of measures and guidelines that can inform instructional designers and academics. A number of quality guidelines have been produced that reflect different contexts and purposes. Some focus on school learning, some on pedagogy alone and some that reflect the designs of particular courseware management software. This paper sets out to describe a workable set of guidelines for academic and support staff in the development and benchmarking of online …

Working For Excellence In The E-Conomy: 2nd International We-B Conference, Sue Stoney (Ed.)

Research outputs pre 2011

Welcome to Perth, Western Australia, and to the 2nd International We-B Conference 2001 "working for excellence in the e-conomy" hosted by the We-B Centre, School of Management Information Systems at Edith Cowan University.

This is an international conference for academics and industry specialists in e-business, e-government and related fields. The conference has drawn participants from national and international organisations.

All submitted papers were subjected to an anonymous peer review process managed by the Conference Committee.

Gender Differences In Information Resource Usage When Making Retirement Saving Decisions, Marilyn Clark-Murphy, Paul Gerrans

Research outputs pre 2011

Population ageing is raising the profile of retirement incomes policy. In Australia assets of retirement savings funds are growing rapidly and fund members are assuming a greater role in determining funds' investment strategies. The decision processes of fund members have not been extensively researched, however, these decisions are significant not only for members but also for employers and government. This paper provides information on retirement savings in Australia and reports on a survey of members of the Superannuation Scheme for Australian Universities (SSAU). In 1999 members of SSAU were asked to choose between a defined benefit scheme or one of …