Education Commons^™

'We Are History In The Making And We Are Walking Together To Change Things For The Better': Exploring The Flows And Ripples Of Learning In A Mentoring Program For Indigenous Young People, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Samantha Mcmahon, Amy Priestly, Gawaian Bodkin-Andrews, Valerie Harwood

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article explores the unique mentoring model that the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) has established to assist Australian Indigenous young people succeed educationally. AIME can be described as a structured educational mentoring programme, which recruits university students to mentor Indigenous high school students. The success of the programme is unequivocal, with the AIME Indigenous mentees completing high school and the transition to further education and employment at higher rates than their non-AIME Indigenous counterparts. This article reports on a study that sought to deeply explore the particular approach to mentoring that AIME adopts. The study drew upon interviews, observations …

Young Children's Identity Formation In The Context Of Open Adoption In Nsw: An Examination Of Optimal Conditions For Child Wellbeing, Marc De Rosnay, Betty Luu, Amy Conley Wright

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This working paper was commissioned by Barnardos Australia, through its Centre for Excellence in Open Adoption, to establish how open adoption can support the best interests of children in optimising developmental outcomes and establishing healthy identity formation. This paper focuses on children who are up to 5 years of age in out-of-home care (OOHC) for whom there is no realistic chance of restoration to their birth family or kinship care. Therefore, the options facing such children, according to recent amendments to the NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (hereafter referred to as the Care Act) in …

Transactional Sex Among Young Women In Rural South Africa: Prevalence, Mediators And Association With Hiv Infection, Meghna Ranganathan, Lori Heise, Audrey Pettifor, Richard J. Silverwood, Amanda Selin, Catherine L. Mac Phail, Sinead Delany-Moretlwe, Kathleen Kahn, F Gomez-Olive, James Hughes, Estelle Piwowar-Manning, Oliver Laeyendecker, Charlotte Watts

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

INTRODUCTION: Young adolescent women in sub-Saharan Africa are three to four times more likely to be HIV-positive than boys or men. One of the relationship dynamics that is likely to be associated with young women's increased vulnerability to HIV is transactional sex. There are a range of HIV-related risk behaviours that may drive this vulnerability. However, to date, limited epidemiological data exist on the role of transactional sex in increasing HIV acquisition, especially among young women in sub-Saharan Africa. Our paper presents data on the prevalence of self-reported engagement in transactional sex and explores whether transactional sex is associated with …

Predictive Validity And Classification Accuracy Of Actigraph Energy Expenditure Equations And Cut-Points In Young Children, Xanne Janssen, Dylan P. Cliff, John J. Reilly, Trina Hinkley, Rachel A. Jones, Marijka Batterham, Ulf Ekelund, Soren Brage, Anthony D. Okely

Dr Marijka Batterham

Objectives Evaluate the predictive validity of ActiGraph energy expenditure equations and the classification accuracy of physical activity intensity cut-points in preschoolers. Methods Forty children aged 4–6 years (5.3±1.0 years) completed a ~150-min room calorimeter protocol involving age-appropriate sedentary, light and moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activities. Children wore an ActiGraph GT3X on the right mid-axillary line of the hip. Energy expenditure measured by room calorimetry and physical activity intensity classified using direct observation were the criterion methods. Energy expenditure was predicted using Pate and Puyau equations. Physical activity intensity was classified using Evenson, Sirard, Van Cauwenberghe, Pate, Puyau, and Reilly, ActiGraph cut-points. …

Why Are Young Australian Unis Punching Above Their Weight?, Christopher R. Gibson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The latest Times Higher Education rankings of universities under 50 years old paints a positive picture for the Australian higher education sector. Of the Top 100 Under 50, Australia has more high-ranking universities (16) than any other country. What is it about the Australian higher education system that allows new universities to flourish more so than in the US or UK? What does the THE Top 100 Under 50 result say about our "need" for reform in the higher education sector? To put this result into perspective, the UK, with nearly triple our population (64 million) and well over triple …

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

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

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

The Determinants Of Young Adult Social Well-Being And Health (Dash) Study: Diversity, Psychosocial Determinants And Health, Seeromanie Harding, Ursula M. Read, Oarabile R. Molaodi, Aidan Cassidy, Maria J. Maynard, Erik Lenguerrand, Thomas E. Astell-Burt, Alison Teyhan, Melissa Whitrow, Zinat E. Enayat

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Purpose The Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health longitudinal study draws on life-course models to understand ethnic differences in health. A key hypothesis relates to the role of psychosocial factors in nurturing the health and well-being of ethnic minorities growing up in the UK. We report the effects of culturally patterned exposures in childhood. Methods In 2002/2003, 6643 11-13 year olds in London, ~80 % ethnic minorities, participated in the baseline survey. In 2005/2006, 4782 were followed-up. In 2012-2014, 665 took part in a pilot follow-up aged 21-23 years, including 42 qualitative interviews. Measures of socioeconomic and psychosocial …

Enhancing Self-Regulation In Young Children, Steven J. Howard

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Presentation from The Inaugural Early Start Conference, 28-30 September 2015, Wollongong, Australia

Enhancing Executive Function And Self-Regulation In Young Children, Steven J. Howard

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Presentation made at the American Psychological Association 2015 Convention, 6-9 August 2015, Toronto, Canada

Young And Savvy: Indigenous Hip-Hop As Regional Cultural Asset, Andrew T. Warren, Rob Evitt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This chapter explores how Indigenous youth from two socioeconomically disadvantaged places - one in Australia's tropical north, the other just beyond the outermost edge of the Greater Sydney metropolitan area - marshal resources and find expressive voice through hip-hop music, dance and video production. In these locations, physical distance and poverty are conditions influencing the ability of creative artists to do their work, access opportunities and build careers. Yet remoteness is managed, and marginality negotiated through the expressive medium of hiphop and new recording and distribution technologies. Through their efforts, Indigenous hip-hoppers have built a new kind of network -semi-informal, …

Recognising Aspiration: The Aime Program's Effectiveness In Inspiring Indigenous Young People's Participation In Schooling And Opportunities For Further Education And Employment, Valerie Harwood, Samantha Mcmahon, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Gawaian Bodkin Andrews, Amy Priestly

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

A strong feature of the widening participation agenda is improving the aspirations of groups that are underrepresented in higher education. This paper seeks to reposition the utility of this as a focal point of educational interventions by showcasing the success of a mentoring program that takes a different approach. The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) significantly and positively impacts Australian Indigenous high school students' aspirations to finish school and continue to further study, training or employment. AIME is not read as a classic intervention program for raising aspirations. Instead, AIME builds upon the cultural wealth of participants and adopts an …

Young People's Perspectives, Lynne M. Keevers, Helen Backhouse, Lisa Macleod

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Responses to youth homelessness have undergone significant changes in New South Wales (NSW), through the Going Home Staying Home (GHSH) reform. The stated approach is focused on ensuring service approaches are evidence-based and funding is needs-based.1 In this paper, we argue the search for schematic models and specification of pre-defined measurable outcomes do not give sufficient weight to evidence articulating the importance of practices of social justice, wellbeing and relationships based on care, respect and persistence.

Young Adult Households And Domestic Sustainabilities, Elyse R. Stanes, Natascha Klocker, Christopher R. Gibson

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Young adults in the Global North occupy a contradictory environmental identity: they are purportedly more environmentally concerned than older generations, but are also labelled hedonistic consumers. Most studies have focused on young adults still residing in parental homes, neglecting that Generation Y (born between 1975 and 1991) has 'grown up'. The consumption patterns and environmental implications of their newly established households demand scholarly attention. Through a large-scale household sustainability survey, conducted in Australia, we have uncovered important inter-generational differences in environmental attitudes and everyday domestic practices. We found that generational cohorts hold distinct environmental attitudes. Younger households were most concerned …

Young Children's Affective Responses To Another's Distress: Dynamic And Physiological Features, Elian Fink, James Heathers, Marc De Rosnay

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Two descriptive studies set out a new approach for exploring the dynamic features of children’s affective responses (sadness and interest-worry) to another’s distress. In two samples (N_study1 = 75; N_study2 = 114), Kindergarten children were shown a video-vignette depicting another child in distress and the temporal pattern of spontaneous expressions were examined across the unfolding vignette. Results showed, in both study 1 and 2, that sadness and interest-worry had distinct patterns of elicitation across the events of the vignette narrative and there was little co-occurrence of these affects within a given child. Temporal heart rate changes (study …

Is Something Better Than Nothing? Food Insecurity And Eating Patterns Of Young People Experiencing Homelessness, Belinda Crawford, Rowena Yamazaki, Elise Franke, Sue Amanatidis, Jioji Ravulo, Siranda Torvaldsen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective: Food insecurity is an increasing problem in marginalised groups that affects diet quality. We aimed to examine the extent of food insecurity and the eating patterns of young people accessing support from specialist homelessness services. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a researcher-administered food frequency and food insecurity questionnaire was undertaken with 50 young people experiencing homelessness, aged 14-26 years. Participants were recruited from 11 specialist homelessness services providing support and accommodation for young people in central and south-western Sydney. Results: Food insecurity was a recent experience for 70% of participants. Eighty-five per cent of participants living independently experienced food …

Computer Game Design And The Imaginative Play Of Young Children, Irina M. Verenikina, Jan Herrington

I. Verenikina

This paper discusses preliminary findings of the study of computer game design in relation to current understanding of imaginative play and its developmental value for young children. The crucial role of children's play in their development is well documented. A number of criteria, which are essential in building a foundation for children's cognitive development in play, were identified based on a literature review of the theoretical and empirical studies of child's play. The identified criteria were utilized to observe two young children playing various types of computer games to explore the opportunities that the games provide for imaginative play in …

Mother Convict Cichlids Inflict More Bites Upon An Intruder In Hot Temperatures, Jesse L. Heckendorf

STAR Program Research Presentations

Convict cichlids (Archocentrus nigrofasciatus) have developed to be extremely good parents by protecting their brood. Parental care leads to aggressive biting, chasing, and gill flaring to intimidate known predators. In this experiment, we show that environmental factors, such as the changing of temperature in this case, affect a female convict cichlid’s aggression toward caring for her offspring when an intruder is introduced. Females attack more in warmer water.

'Treats', 'Sometimes Foods', 'Junk': A Qualitative Study Exploring 'Extra Foods' With Parents Of Young Children, Nicholas A. Petrunoff, Rachel L. Wilkenfeld, Lesley King, Victoria Flood

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objective The present study investigated parents' understanding and approaches to providing energy-dense and nutrient-poor 'extra foods' to pre-school children and explored variation between parents of low and high socio-economic status in relation to these issues. Design We conducted thirteen focus groups. Data were subject to framework analysis. Setting Child-care centres in distinctly socially disadvantaged and socially advantaged areas. Subjects Eighty-eight parents of children aged 3-5 years. Results The three most common terms parents identified to describe foods that are not 'everyday foods' were 'treats', 'sometimes foods' and 'junk'. Parents' perceptions regarding what influences them in providing food to their children …

Eyes-Closed Vs. Eyes-Open Eeg In Young And Older Adults, Robert Barry, Frances M. De Blasio, Adele E. Cave

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 17th World Congress of Psychophysiology (IOP2014) of the International Organization of Psychophysiology (IOP) Hiroshima, Japan, September 23rd to 27th, 2014

Advocacy By Parents Of Young Children With Special Needs: Activities, Processes, And Perceived Effectiveness, Amy Conley Wright, Sarah Taylor

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article examines parental advocacy for young children with disabilities using a subset of data drawn from a larger exploratory and descriptive study on parental advocacy for children with disabilities from birth to age 18 with a sample of 400 participants. Because this article focuses on parents of children from birth to age 6, only parents (n = 76) meeting this criterion were selected. Data were collected through an online survey, with a snowball sample generated through e-mail lists and social media groups. The survey included questions on demographics, types of advocacy settings, perceived effectiveness of advocacy efforts, and an …

From Maid To Mother: Transforming Facilities, Staff Training, And Caregiver Dignity In An Institutional Facility For Young Children In Nepal, Amy Conley Wright, Dhirendra Lamsal, Mukunda Ksetree, Aalok Sharma, Kenneth Jaffe

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article provides a case study of a project to improve the health, safety, and development of children birth to 6 years old in a large orphanage in Nepal. Two interventions were conducted: improvement of physical infrastructure and training, mentoring, and support for caregiving staff. As a result of these interventions, positive outcomes in terms of children's health and development have been observed, including reduction of communicable diseases and increased social interactions with caregivers. As part of the new training initiative, the caregivers began to meet regularly to share their ideas and experiences, and came to realize their vital role …

Young And Misunderstood In The Education System: A Case Study Of Giftedness And Specific Learning Disabilities, Catherine M. Wormald, Wilma Vialle, Karen B. Rogers

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

An academically child who is gifted with learning disabilities is not readily recognised within the education system as demonstrating such contradictory traits. While there is a growing body of literature on such twice-exceptional children, effective means of identification and educational interventions still lags behind. To understand how this situation impacts individuals, an intensive case study of a young man, Thomas, with both gifts and learning disabilities was undertaken. Outstanding knowledge but an inability to demonstrate and express that knowledge meant frustration for Thomas. As a consequence, his disability meant that he manifested as a student with behavioural issues in the …

'It Felt Like I Was A Black Dot On White Paper': Examining Young Former Refugees' Experience Of Entering Australian High Schools, Jonnell Uptin, Jan Wright, Valerie Harwood

Valerie Harwood

Schools are often the first point of contact for young refugees resettling in Australia and play a significant role in establishing meaningful connections to Australian society and a sense of belonging in Australia (Olliff in Settling in: How do refugee young people fair within Australia's settlement system? Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues, Melbourne. http://www. cmyi. net. au/ResearchandPolicy. Accessed 21 June 2010, 2007; Gifford et al. in: Good Starts for recently arrived youth with refugee backgrounds: Promoting wellbeing in the first three years of settlement in Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne: La Trobe Refugee Research Centre. http://www. latrobe. edu. au/larrc/documents-larrc/reports/report-good-starts. pdf. Accessed 4 …

Individual And Contextual Factors Shaping Teachers' Attitudes And Responses To Bullying Among Young Children: Is Education Important?, Philippa Small, Cathrine Marguerite Neilsen-Hewett, Naomi Sweller

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This study examined how pre- and post-service early childhood teachers' beliefs and responses to bullying among young children differ by level of qualification, type of bullying and whether or not it was witnessed. Results showed 1st and 4th-year student- and diploma-qualified teachers perceived acts of physical bullying to be more serious than verbal or relational bullying to a greater extent than did degree-qualified teachers. Degree-qualified teachers were less susceptible to bullying type and indicated they would be more likely to intervene than the other three groups. Results are discussed in relation to their implication for teaching practice and the content …

Assessment Of Psychosocial Outcomes In Adolescents And Young Adults With Cancer: A Systematic Review Of Available Instruments, Claire E. Wakefield, Pandora Patterson, Fiona Ej Mcdonald, Helen L. Wilson, Esther L. Davis, Ursula Sansom-Daly

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Given the burgeoning body of research relating to the psychosocial needs of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer, this review aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties and appropriateness of the instruments available for use in this unique population. Specifically, we reviewed published instruments developed to assess psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress, and fear of recurrence), psychological growth (resilience, posttraumatic growth, and benefit finding), unmet needs, coping, quality of life, identity, and mindfulness-based practices and skills in AYAs with cancer. Given the dearth of validated instruments targeting AYAs with cancer, this review also provides a summary of promising measures yet …

Factors That Influence Consumption Of Fish And Omega-3 Enriched Foods: A Survey Of Australian Families With Young Children, Setyaningrum Rahmawaty, Karen Charlton, Philippa Lyons-Wall, Barbara J. Meyer

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Aim: The present study aimed to identify factors that influence the consumption of fish and foods that are enriched with omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA), in order to inform the development of effective nutrition education strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional, 10-item self-administered survey was conducted to 262 parents of children aged 9-13 years from a regional centre in New South Wales. Parents were asked questions related to frequency of consumption, and to identify factors that either encouraged or prevented the provision of fish/seafood and/or n-3 LCPUFAenriched foods for their families. Results: Salmon, canned tuna, prawn and take-away fish were …

Mismatch Negativity (Mmn) And Schizotypy In Nonclinical Young Adults, Samantha Broyd, Patricia Michie, Jason Bruggemann, Kaitlin Saunders, Rodney J. Croft, Juanita Todd, Rhoshel Lenroot, Nadia Solowij

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 23rd Australasian Society for Psychophysiology Conference, 20-22 Nov 2013, Wollongong, Australia

A Hitchhiker's Guide To Assessing Sedentary Behaviour Among Young People: Deciding What Method To Use, Louise L. Hardy, Andrew P. Hills, Anna Timperio, Dylan Cliff, David Lubans, Philip J. Morgan, Barry J. Taylor, Helen Brown

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

To provide a user's guide for selecting an appropriate method to assess sedentary behaviours among children and adolescents. While recommendations regarding specific instruments are not provided, the guide offers information about key attributes and considerations for objective (accelerometry; inclinometers; direct observation; screen monitoring devices) and subjective (self-report; parent report; and time use diaries/logs) approaches to assess sedentary behaviour Attributes of instruments and other factors to be considered in the selection of assessment instruments include: population (age); sample size; respondent burden; method/delivery mode; assessment time frame; physical activity information required (data output); data management; measurement error; cost (instrument and administration) and …

Connection, Challenge, And Change: The Narratives Of University Students Mentoring Young Indigenous Australians, Sarah O'Shea, Valerie Harwood, Lisa Kervin, Nici Humphry

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In this article, we highlighted the stories of university student mentors who are involved in the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME). The AIME program works with young Indigenous school students, at primary and secondary school levels, to encourage continued participation in education and to consider university as a viable life goal. The AIME program is explored from the perspective of the university students who are selected to mentor young Australian Indigenous school students. Adopting a narrative inquiry approach, the article presents richly descriptive insight into the motivations of these mentors and highlights how this experience has impacted upon them. While …

Predictive Validity And Classification Accuracy Of Actigraph Energy Expenditure Equations And Cut-Points In Young Children, Xanne Janssen, Dylan P. Cliff, John J. Reilly, Trina Hinkley, Rachel A. Jones, Marijka Batterham, Ulf Ekelund, Soren Brage, Anthony D. Okely

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Objectives

Evaluate the predictive validity of ActiGraph energy expenditure equations and the classification accuracy of physical activity intensity cut-points in preschoolers.

Methods

Forty children aged 4–6 years (5.3±1.0 years) completed a ~150-min room calorimeter protocol involving age-appropriate sedentary, light and moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activities. Children wore an ActiGraph GT3X on the right mid-axillary line of the hip. Energy expenditure measured by room calorimetry and physical activity intensity classified using direct observation were the criterion methods. Energy expenditure was predicted using Pate and Puyau equations. Physical activity intensity was classified using Evenson, Sirard, Van Cauwenberghe, Pate, Puyau, and Reilly, ActiGraph cut-points. …