Digital Commons Network^™

How We Seem "To Be": English- And Spanish-Speaking Children's Susceptibility To The Fundamental Attribution Error And Actor-Observer Bias, Mary E. Dixon

Senior Independent Study Theses

No abstract provided.

Richmond Law Magazine: Winter 2012

Richmond Law Magazine

Features:

Courage and Independence

How Shall the Constitution be Enforced?

Law Weekend 2011

Justice for All

Posttraumatic Stress And Posttraumatic Growth And Their Relationship To Coping And Self-Efficacy In Northwest Australian Cyclone Communities, Julie Ann Pooley, Lynne Cohen, Moira O'Conner, Myra Taylor

Research outputs 2012

The main focus of disaster research conducted to date has been on providing insights into the negative consequences of experiencing a serious threat or adversity. The present study extends this research endeavor by investigating the positive posttrauma resiliency experiences of 512 survey respondents living in four cyclone-prone communities in Northwest Australia. The findings reveal that disaster stress is often accompanied by disaster growth and, thus, provides an alternative resilience-based way of viewing postdisaster interventions.

The Use Of Naltrexone In Pregnancy In Opiate-Dependent Mothers, Sadie Geraghty, Carly Dixon

Research outputs 2012

There is an absence of sufficient evidence regarding naltrexone use in pregnancy due to the limited range of human studies. Naltrexone implants are being used in Western Australia as a treatment for opioid dependency, and although contraindicated for insertion during pregnancy, there are a number of women who conceive while undergoing treatment. A review of the available data revealed that naltrexone is associated with improved maternal and fetal outcomes. Extensive research into this area in the form of large, multicentre trials is required to confirm the results of the current research.

Digital Games In Journalism Education, Evaluating A Police And Journalism Joint Training Initiative, Kayt Davies

Research outputs 2012

In early 2010, the Edith Cowan University (ECU) journalism programme and the Western Australia Police Academy Detective Training School launched a novel collaboration that involved running joint training days, in which a ‘media pack’ of journalism students interview trainee detectives about mock crimes they have been tasked with investigating. The training improved the trainee journalists’ and detectives’ understanding about the constraints the other parties face. It also made them more confident about their ability to elicit and convey accurate information, and more willing to attempt to do so than before the training.  This article presents a description of the training …

When Is A Bystander Not A Bystander? A Typology Of The Roles Of Bystanders In Workplace Bullying, Megan Paull, Maryam Omari, Peter Standen

Research outputs 2012

The role of the bystander is one which has received only a small portion of the research attention that has been paid to workplace bullying. This paper will argue that bystanders are not just incidental but are an integral part of the context of bullying. Drawing on qualitative data from two separate studies, a typology is presented which outlines thirteen potential roles bystanders can take. This typology can be employed as an awareness-raising tool to encourage individuals to examine their own behaviour in a range of situations, and to acknowledge that their actions, either deliberate or inadvertent, can contribute to …

Moving Beyond Tyrosine Hydroxylase To Define Dopaminergic Neurons For Use In Cell Replacement Therapies For Parkinson's Disease, Robert White, Meghan Thomas

Research outputs 2012

Cell replacement therapies are an attractive mode of treatment for neurodegenerative disorders as they have the potential to alleviate or modify disease symptoms and restore function. In Parkinson's disease, the cell type requiring replacement is dopamine-producing neurons of the midbrain. The source of replacement cells is contentious, with opinion still evolving. Clinical trials have previously used fetal brain tissue; however, this will likely be superseded by the use of embryonic or induced pluripotent stem cells, due to their greater availability and homogeneity. One significant caveat in the use of any cell source for therapy is that cells must first be …

Moving From Contractor To Owner Operator: Impact On Safety Culture; A Case Study, Susanne Bahn

Research outputs 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a change in staffing contractual arrangements, specific training in hazard identification, mentoring of supervisors and the introduction of a robust safety system could improve an organisation's safety culture. How safety conditions change under contracted out labour compared to direct labour and the influence that contracting out has on organisational safety culture is explored.

Design/methodology/approach: The study used a case study methodology to detail how the change occurred over a six month period in 2011. As part of the analysis a model of the change process and push-pull factors is offered. …

A New Wsn Paradigm For Environmental Monitoring And Data Collection, Eric Dines, Hasanain Al-Majeed, Asanka Fernando, Mutaz Abdalla, Jaydeepsinh Gohil

Research outputs 2012

Data collection of environmental phenomena has traditionally been a very manual process. Even the advent of electronic data logging instruments has not significantly reduced the workload for managing instruments in the field. Recently however, low-cost microcontroller systems with wireless connectivity, called wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been developed. With the proliferation of low-cost sensing elements, WSNs should be transforming environmental monitoring, but certain shortcomings in the current WSN paradigm have conspired against widespread field deployment. These are: battery capacity limitations; specialised wireless protocols that exclude WSNs from direct integration into existing data networks; and closed rather than open and extensible …

Modeling Of Low Coherence Interferometry Using Broadband Multi-Gaussian Light Sources, Paul Jansz, Steven Richardson, Graham Wild, Steven Hinckley

Research outputs 2012

Using a low coherence interferometry (LCI) model, a comparison of broadband single-Gaussian and multi-Gaussian light sources has been undertaken. For single-Gaussian sources, the axial resolution improves with the source bandwidth, confirming the coherence length relation that the resolution for single Gaussian sources improves with increasing spectral bandwidth. However, narrow bandwidth light sources result in interferograms with overlapping strata peaks and the loss of individual strata information. For multiple-Gaussian sources with the same bandwidth, spectral side lobes increase, reducing A-scan reliability to show accurate layer information without eliminating the side lobes. The simulations show the conditions needed for the resolution of …

Age And Premorbid Intelligence Suppress Complaint-Performance Congruency In Raw Score Measures Of Memory, Matthew Merema, Craig Speelman, Elizabeth Kaczmarek, Jonathan Foster

Research outputs 2012

Background: We aimed to examine the role of age and premorbid intelligence (IQ) in suppressing the relationship between subjective memory complaints (SMCs) and raw score memory performance. Methods: We used a community sample of older adults aged 66"90 years (N = 121) to test whether the inclusion of age and a premorbid IQ measure in multiple regression analyses increased semipartial correlations of raw score memory performance in predicting SMCs. Rank contrast correlations were also carried out to observe how age and premorbid IQ are related to complaint"performance congruency. Measures utilized in the study included the Memory Functioning Questionnaire (for SMCs), …

A Data Mining Perspective Of The Dual Effect Of Rainfall And Temperature On Wheat Yield, Yunous Vagh, Jitian Xiao

Research outputs 2012

This paper presents the final investigation within the series of qualitative and quantitative investigations carried out for the processing and analysis of geographic land-use data in an agricultural context. The geographic data was made up of crop and cereal production land use profiles. These were linked to previously recorded climatic data from fixed weather stations in Australia that was interpolated using ordinary krigeing to fit a grid surface. In this study, the profiles for the stochastic average monthly temperature and rainfall for a selected study area were used to determine their simultaneous effects on crop production at the shire level. …

A Theory Of The Mind As A Complex System, Craig Speelman, Kim Kirsner, Stephan Halloy

Research outputs 2012

Five principles of skill acquisition are presented based on a review of research on human learning and expertise. Essentially these principles state that practice leads to faster and more efficient uses of knowledge. This enables faster performance and results in less demand on mental resources. In turn these outcomes enable higher level behaviours to be attempted. Ultimately skills are developed through refinement of many component processes. A theory of the mind is proposed that borrows from theories of complex adaptive systems. In this theory, the mind is conceived of as consisting of agents that compete for resources associated with processing …

Evaluation Of The Dampier Peninsula Indigenous Parenting Support Program: Progress Report 1, Andrew Guilfoyle

Research outputs 2012

This is the first progress report of the local evaluation of the Dampier Peninsula Indigenous Parent Support Program (IPS). The evaluative report extends the Participatory Action Research (PAR) based evaluation plan (Guilfoyle, Baker, & Bray, 2011). It includes a theoretical discussion on resilience building, community development, and the role of parenting support for early child development, through links to literature and direct evidence captured through community based observations, notes, and recorded interviews with IPS workers, community members, and key stakeholders on the communities and in Broome, and case studies. The evaluation assessed IPS activities in light of its policy framework …

Patience Is Not The Only Virtue: The Relationship Between Time Preferences, Class Attendance And Final Marks, Margaret Giles, Y H. Cheung, Jacqui Whale

Research outputs 2012

No abstract provided.

Commitment And The 1% Motorcycle Club: Threats To The Brotherhood, Kira Harris

Research outputs 2012

The brotherhood ethos is the founding principle of the 1% motorcycle clubs community. Interviews with former members and partners show how threatening this social bond can reduce satisfaction and lead to doubts over involvement with the club.

A Non-Parametric And Entropy Based Analysis Of The Relationship Between The Vix And S&P 500, David Allen, Michael Mcaleer, Robert J. Powell, Abhay K. Singh

Research outputs 2012

This paper features an analysis of the relationship between the S&P 500 Index and the VIX using daily data obtained from both the CBOE website and SIRCA (The Securities Industry Research Centre of the Asia Pacific). We explore the relationship between the S&P 500 daily continuously compounded return series and a similar series for the VIX in terms of a long sample drawn from the CBOE running from 1990 to mid 2011 and a set of returns from SIRCA's TRTH datasets running from March 2005 to-date. We divide this shorter sample, which captures the behaviour of the new VIX, introduced …

Intelligent Analysis Of Utilization Of Special Purpose Machines For Drilling Operations, Majid Tolouei Rad

Research outputs 2012

Drilling and drilling-related operations constitute more than 60% of all machining processes in manufacturing industries. Consequently, it is important to know how to perform these operations properly. With availability of many machining processes capable of performing drilling operations sometimes it is difficult to decide which process would result in a higher profit or a lower unit cost for a given task. Due to increasing global competition, manufacturing industries are now more concerned with their productivity and are more sensitive than ever to their investments with respect to flexibility and efficiency of production equipment (Boothroyd and Knight, 2005, Wecka and Staimer, …

Biomedical Image Signal Processing For Reflection-Based Imaging, Paul Jansz, Steven Richardson, Graham Wild, Steven Hinckley

Research outputs 2012

Optical coherence tomography (OCT), ultrasound and other reflection based biomedical imaging technologies involve image signal processing that is primarily a filtering, digitizing and summing process so that the tissue cross-section can be visualized. In particular, in OCT, a series of adjacent one dimensional in-vivo axial interferograms (A-scan) are summed to form a two dimensional (B-scan) reflection map or reflectogram. Further graphical combinations can add adjacent B-scan together to form three dimensional C-scans. A physician can make a subjective interpretation and evaluation from the B and/or C-scans that may lead to actions impacting on the patient’s prognosis. More objective information can …

Cloud Security: A Case Study In Telemedicine, Michael Johnstone

Research outputs 2012

Security as part of requirements engineering is now seen as an essential part of systems development in several modern methodologies. Unfortunately, medical systems are one domain where security is seen as an impediment to patient care and not as an essential part of a system. Cloud computing may offer a seamless way to allow medical data to be transferred from patient to medical practitioners, whilst maintaining security requirements. This paper uses a case study to investigate the use of cloud computing in a mobile application for Parkinson Disease. It was found that functionality took precedence over security requirements and standards.

Mobile Device Management For Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records: Effective Selection Of Evaluation Criteria, Murray Brand, Patricia Williams

Research outputs 2012

Enterprises are faced with the task of managing a plethora of mobile computing devices in the workplace that are employed for both business purposes and private use. This integration can contribute to the demands of security protection and add significant threats to the enterprise. The introduction of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) system is a significant step in e-health for Australia and will likely result in sensitive information being accessed from mobile computing devices. Mobile Device Management (MDM) offers a potential solution to manage these devices, however there is a variety of vendors with a range of solutions. …

A Technical Guide To Designing And Implementing Effective Web Surveys, Gregory Baatard

Research outputs 2012

: The Internet is becoming an increasingly prominent medium for the administration of surveys. Although individual findings vary, the major‐ ity of the literature agrees that the appropriateness and response rates of web surveys is expected to rise in the future as we enter a generation of “digital natives” and mail‐based communication becomes increasingly an‐ tiquated. Just about every aspect and tenet of traditional survey metho‐ dology has received attention in academic literature, positioning it as one of the most mature data collection techniques and a mainstay in all areas of research. While much of this accumulated knowledge is applicable …

Web 2.0 Technologies In Remote Community Schools In Western Australia, Philip Bradbury, Mark Mcmahon

Research outputs 2012

Web 2.0 Technologies are increasing in their use, particularly as tools for social networking. Their uptake has been pioneered by Generation Y, also known as the ‘Net’ Generation, or ‘Digital Natives’ as tools to enhance online collaboration and communication but the extent to which educators embracing such technologies to enhance teaching and learning is less evident. The purpose of this paper is to report on the research findings of a survey undertaken by teachers in remote community schools in Western Australia focussing upon their use of Web 2.0 technologies in their teaching and learning programs. The results present a number …

From Autonomous To Performative Control Of Timbral Spatialisation, Stuart James

Research outputs 2012

Timbral spatialisation is one such process that requires the independent control of potentially thousands of parameters (Torchia, et al., 2003). Current research on controlling timbral spatialisation has focussed either on automated generative systems, or suggested that to design trajectories in software is to write every movement line by line (Normandeau, 2009). This research proposes that Wave Terrain Synthesis may be used as an effective bridging control structure for timbral spatialisation, enabling the performative control of large numbers of parameter sets associated with software. This methodology also allows for compact interactive mapping possibilities for a physical controller, and may also be …

Adapting John Cage's Radio Music For A Digital Score Player, Lindsay Vickery

Research outputs 2012

This paper discusses the creation of a digital score reader and installation version of John Cage’s Radio Music. The context surrounding the work’s composition is explored as well as the changing context of the work in light of the evolution of radio broadcasting since the 1950s. The score for the work is explored in detail particularly in regard to the issues its determinate and indeterminate aspects, and their implications upon the performance of the work. The concept of “available indeterminacy” is introduced to describe the real-world limitations that exist as a result of Cage’s specifications for the work. The presence …

Ethical Research In Indigenous Australian Contexts And Its Practical Implementation, Graeme Gower

Research outputs 2012

This paper is based on a three year longitudinal case study involving a number of Indigenous Australian communities in metropolitan, rural and remote settings. It will briefly discuss current ethical guidelines which have been developed by the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for the conduct of research involving Indigenous Australian subjects (2003). These guidelines are in addition to the National Statement on ethical conduct in research involving humans (1999) and are aimed at incorporating values and principles of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander cultures in the conduct of research. In the case of Indigenous communities, research has historically …

Science Or Experience; What Is More Relevant ?, Kenneth Fowle, Hadyn Green

Research outputs 2012

It is very important that when we use science to determine the validity of evidence or information that it is done in a manner that is acceptable to the scientific community and the legal community, but what happens when “experience” is used. The use of forensic practitioners to provide „expert‟ evidence and opinion must meet the Daubert/Frye and now Kumho tests. This paper will endeavour to demonstrate .what is best for a practitioner to have and what does the judiciary require for „expert‟ evidence to be accepted? Science and/or Experience, what is more relevant? Evidence and the Courts depend upon …

Using Contextual Constructs Model To Frame Doctoral Research Methodology, Shirlee-Ann Knight, Donna Cross

Research outputs 2012

This paper presents a novel research model - Contextual Constructs Model (CCM) and the theory that underpins it - Contextual Constructs Theory (CCT). First developed as part of a complex project investigating user perceptions of information quality during Web-based information re-trieval, the CCM is not a single research method per se, but is a modelled research framework providing an over-arching perspective of scientific inquiry, by which a researcher is able to iden-tify multiple possible methods of study and analysis according to the identified research con-structs and their contexts. Central to CCM/CCT is that all research involves the fusion of two …

Remembering Rhetoric: Recalling A Tradition Of Explicit Instruction In Writing, Brian Moon

Research outputs 2012

Modern secondary courses in English differ from classical tradition in their tendency to avoid direct instruction in the content and style of writing. Such avoidance is partly a function of anxieties about the role of English in students' personal development and a fear of limiting their self expression. Neither of the dominant writing pedagogies from the last 50 years wholly escapes this problem. A historical consideration of the issue suggests that fears surrounding explicit instruction arise from a range of misperceptions about writing and English. Modern writing pedagogy may therefore be improved by an acquaintance with traditions of explicit instruction, …

Direct Instruction And Music Literacy: One Approach To Augmenting The Diminishing?, Geoffrey Lowe, Steven Belcher

Research outputs 2012

One of the many challenges facing music educators is diminishing class time in lower secondary school in the face of the increasingly crowded curriculum and the advent of arts 'taster' courses. However, music educators are still expected to be able to produce musically literate students capable of completing high level music courses in upper secondary school. This article reports on an intervention study which set out to accelerate music literacy acquisition among Year 7 students through use of a Direct Instruction (DI) teaching approach. Although controversial, Direct Instruction was chosen because its advocates claim its effectiveness and time efficiency in …