Australian Association Research Articles

Resisting research evidence-base deficits: a comprehensive analysis of a leading English association journal over a decade

ABSTRACT This paper considers the research evidence-base informing teaching practice and policy in subject English in schools. We explore the Australian Journal of English Education, the flagship research publication from the Australian Association of Teachers of English, at a time when an evidence-base is in high demand. Our aim is to understand the research outputs that are valued by the authors, editors, reviewers and readers of this association journal. We analyse the research published from the release of the Australian Curriculum English in 2014, until the end of 2022. We deduce the particular topic contributions made in 139 research articles according to the message systems of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. We also consider the theories, methods and recommendations made in the light of increasingly recognised deficits in the research evidence base around knowledge, efficacy and application. Our findings indicate robust engagement with highly contextualised research making visible the transformative work of English teachers.

The relationship between strong-ties weak-ties rationality and COVID-19 public stigma: A cross-cultural study of Malaysia and Australia.

We investigated the relationship between strong-ties versus weak-ties rationality and public stigma (PS) during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also explored the cultural group differences (Malaysians vs. Australians) in this relationship. An online survey was conducted in 2021 with a final sample of 830 eligible Malaysians and 394 eligible Australians. Participants completed the multidimensional strong-ties weak-ties rationality Scale (STWTRS) and an adapted public stigma (PS) scale towards COVID-19 patients. Through multiple regression analysis, we found that the strong-ties rationality, ST-Authoritarian rationality, was positively associated with PS-Blame in both countries. However, the variable Country moderated the relationship between ST-Communal and PS-Rejection, with a negative association found in Malaysia and a positive association in Australia. The findings confirmed the strong-ties weak-ties rationality framework, where ST rationality, especially ST-Authoritarian, could explain the cognitive mechanism behind negative attitudes towards those who pose threat towards the in-group survival. However, ST-Communal could buffer the rejection towards the COVID-19 patients in Malaysia due to its emphasis on social harmony. This study can inform future interventions aimed at mitigating stigma and promoting a more inclusive and supportive society in times of crisis.

School alumni associations in modern Australia as transcultural conduits of migrant identity: the Sri Lankan experience

ABSTRACT The literature illustrates that there has been relatively little specific research undertaken on the ways in which pre-migration school connections might have influenced the individual or group migration experience to Australia. Such influence is evident with migrants from Sri Lanka (Ceylon), a gap that the authors have identified in previous work. This paper attempts to bridge this research space by reporting on a pilot study into how Sri Lankan school alumni associations in Australia have influenced the migration experiences of individuals now living in Australia. Data for the study was generated via surveys and interviews with members of alumni organisations. Findings suggest that Sri Lankan school alumni associations can be important drivers and facilitators of both the act of migration and the process of migrant adjustment. They work as conduits enabling their members to remain connected to their ancestral roots in Sri Lanka whilst embedding themselves in modern Australian society.

What is Religious Studies?

This address was given in-person at the 2023 annual conference of the Australian Association for the Study of Religion, hosted by the Institute for Ethics and Society at the University of Notre Dame, Sydney. The purpose of the address was to raise the question about the fundamental aspects of our thinking about religion, and via this process of inquiry to underline the importance of our relationship to words, ideas, and their meaning. So as not to take for granted our existing relationship to the language we use, but to recognise that we are always and already in such a relationship. Thinking about religion, therefore, becomes not only the process but the nature of our being in relation to what we understand about religion. The talk drew upon my reflection on the philosophy of Martin Heidegger, the mysticism of Meister Eckhart, and Zen Buddhism—the cross section of which was made particularly significant for me in reading Caputo’s The Mystical Element in Heidegger’s Thought. All of this, however, is underpinned by the methodological remarks made by Trompf about religious studies in In Search of Origins; something that has stayed with me since my time studying at the Department of Studies in Religion at the University of Sydney.

Current Practices and Attitudes of Cardiac Nurses Regarding Cognitive Screening in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome

Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) but is often undetected and may affect recovery and secondary prevention uptake. Nurses play a crucial role providing care for patients with ACS and promoting secondary prevention. This study aimed to explore current nursing practices and barriers regarding CI screening in patients with ACS. Cardiac nurses were recruited from three metropolitan teaching hospitals and two professional associations in Australia and undertook a 38-question purpose-built survey. A total of 95 nurses participated (mean age 38±13 years; 78% [n=74] female): 69 were registered nurses, and 48% had received CI training. Only 16% of nurses in our sample reported that they regularly screen for CI, and 23% reported that they never screen; however, 59% believed screening should be part of everyday practice. Nurses mostly screened when ward policy required admission/daily cognitive screening (34%) or when they suspected cognitive problems or decline (39%). Nurses in acute settings (vs non-acute) were nine times more likely to screen when adjusting for confounders. The typically used screening instruments assessed delirium/confusion and dementia but not milder CI. Common barriers to screening included communication difficulties, patients too unstable/unwell, time constraints requiring clinical care prioritisation, and being unaware of patients' normal cognition status. Screening practices for CI in the context of ACS were found to be suboptimal, with only 16% of nurses in our sample reporting regularly screening. The most used methods focus on screening for delirium. Given current practice, many CI cases will be missed, especially mild CI, which will negatively affect secondary prevention efforts. Further research is required to identify appropriate methods to implement routine screening within the nursing clinical workflow and establish a suitable screening tool.

Australian Students’, Educators’, and Practitioners’ Experiences of Modified Field Education Standards During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT Long-standing concerns about the sustainability of social work field education requirements were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) implemented revised Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) during the pandemic as existing standards had become unworkable. The revised ASWEAS (during 2020 and 2021) allowed greater flexibility regarding how placements could be delivered, enabling students, educators, and practitioners to trial modified placements normally considered non-compliant. This article reports the findings of a national qualitative and quantitative survey that used Appreciative Inquiry to examine key stakeholders’ experiences of the modified field placements. The findings demonstrated strong support for the modifications. The findings are discussed in the context of international standards and hold implications for the future development of ASWEAS. IMPLICATIONS A trial of modified field placements under revised ASWEAS due to the COVID-19 pandemic represented a timely opportunity to conduct a nation-wide, empirical study to explore experiences of different field placement models. Emerging empirical evidence confirmed enduring field education problems, and highlighted experiences that could inform more flexible, sustainable field placements.

P52: Gardening for others as meaningful activity for people living with dementia

Objective:Time in nature is increasingly recognised as beneficial for people living with dementia, with research often focusing on the benefits of physical activity, proximity to natural environments and social interactions. However, limited research has investigated the role of purpose while gardening for people living with dementia. Purposeful activities are often lacking in programs for people living with dementia, who are sometimes excluded and have their capabilities underestimated, especially those with younger-onset dementia. Yet, these purposeful activities may be key to supporting people living with dementia to retain a sense of self-worth and connection to their communities.This project documented participants’ experiences of purposeful activity in the form of volunteering at a farm producing food for community members in need.Methods:Individuals living with dementia participated in farming activities over several weeks to help grow food for people in need. During this time, participants completed ‘walking interviews’, discussing the tasks undertaken, their perspectives on these tasks, how these activities fitted in with their own ways of being, and how they felt spending time in nature. Walking interviews provide contextual and environmental cues that may facilitate emotional and sensory connection in a way that traditional interviews do not. Their shorter and more flexible time frame provides additional adaptability for people living with dementia.Results:Walking interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. These analyses describe participants’ experiences at the farm, related to purpose in life. These included participants’ connection to times in their lives when they provided support, assistance or service to others, and their experience of engaging with the natural environment.Conclusion:This research contributes to understanding of benefits of purpose-focused time in nature, including that it provides an opportunity for people living with dementia to connect with different points in their lives when they have held other forms of purpose. Tips on setting up such a safe, enjoyable, inclusive gardening project are provided. Additional research into meaningful engagement in natural settings is warranted for people living with dementia, especially when it involves activities with benefit to communities.This project was supported by the Australian Association of Gerontology’s Hal Kendig Research Development Program.

A commentary on infant mental health knowledge within the training of family therapists

AbstractThis paper considers the role of academic training programs in the integration of family therapy and infant mental health (IMH) curricula. It takes the form of a conversation between senior academic staff of the Bouverie Centre in Australia and the special issue editors. Robyn Elliott and Colleen Cousins are family therapists, trauma specialists, and academics at the Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University. Robyn supervises the development and delivery of the Master of Clinical Family Therapy, accredited by the Australian Association of Family Therapy. Colleen is a psychologist and family therapist and coordinates the Graduate Certificate of Family Therapy program. They are in dialogue here with the special issue co‐editors, Jessica Opie and Jennifer McIntosh. We consider the degree to which current family therapy training holds the infant in mind, and approaches to deepening the future training nexus between IMH and family therapy.

Re-Envisioning Field Education in Australian Social Work to Combat Placement Poverty: Students’, Educators’ and Practitioners’ Perceptions

Abstract In Australia, pressure is mounting from multiple stakeholders for a full review of the national social work education standards for field education as evidence grows about compulsory, unpaid placements exacerbating student poverty and the related adverse consequences for students’ learning and well-being. This article reports on the findings of an Australian nation-wide qualitative and quantitative survey that explored social work students’, educators’ and practitioners’ perceptions of proposed strategies to address the challenges identified with existing field education requirements. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Excel. Qualitative data were coded for thematic analysis. The main finding of the survey involving 1,191 participants was a call for a reimagined model of field education with flexibility in all aspects of how future placements are conceptualised, structured and delivered. The findings provide important and previously unavailable empirical evidence about field education strategies to inform and support the reimagining of existing Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards. Recommendations for change, which have implications for both the Australian Association of Social Workers and the Australian Government, are discussed in the context of international standards for social work education and the social justice goals of the profession.

Evaluating the Use of ePortfolios in Social Work Education: Assessing Student Competency in Meeting Graduate Attributes

ABSTRACT Social work external accrediting bodies are moving towards competency-based models that require educational providers to demonstrate that students meet specific competencies at graduation. It is expected that all social work students at accredited social work programs in Australia will have acquired specific graduate attributes and demonstrated the associated learning outcomes by the completion of their degree. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences and benefits of using an ePortfolio with Master of Social Work students (n = 43) to critically reflect on their own learning and demonstrate how they met the Australian Association of Social Work graduate attributes necessary for accreditation. The findings revealed that students’ perceived level of readiness for practice and identity as a professional social worker increased with the successful completion of the ePortfolio. The study also identified barriers and enablers in implementing the ePortfolio as an assessment piece to document overall program learning outcomes. The conclusion discusses how ePortfolios are a viable assessment tool in the online and blended learning space that has benefit for both the student and the program in demonstrating learning outcomes and compliance with accreditation graduate standards. IMPLICATIONS Academic ePortfolios are an effective tool for student reflection and communication of competence of required graduate outcomes. Student self-assessment of graduate attributes can strengthen professional identity and preparedness for professional practice. The ePortfolios benefit students and social work educators by sharing the accreditation-obligated responsibility of ensuring that AASW graduate competencies are met.

Ethnic Compartmentalisation: Greek Australian (Dis)Associations with White Australia and Indigenous Sovereignty

ABSTRACT Based on Greek diasporic articulations of historical consciousness in Australia, this article introduces an analytical framework called ethnic compartmentalisation. Bringing Australian studies of ethnicity into dialogue with settler colonial scholarship, ethnic compartmentalisation examines how Greek migrants/settlers fragment their sense of belonging to Australia. By compartmentalising their sense of history, race, and migration, the segments of the Greek diaspora in Australia justify their ongoing settlement on Indigenous lands by separating or leveraging the multiple parts of their inherited migrant histories as insiders and outsiders.

Alterations and Preservations: Practices and Perspectives of Speech-Language Pathologists Regarding the Intervention of Thickened Liquids for Swallowing Problems.

The intervention of thickened liquids (TL) is commonly used to reduce aspiration in people with dysphagia. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have traditionally believed it is an effective intervention. Recent articles highlight limited evidence, poor acceptance, and a variety of unintended consequences. This study explores if current debates have been reflected in SLP practices and perspectives. An e-survey was developed. Participants were recruited via professional associations in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to explore the data. Principal component analysis was used to summarize SLP practices and perspectives. The 370 respondents represented mainly experienced, confident, hospital-based clinicians. While 20% of respondents frequently recommend TL, 61% believe it to be a burdensome treatment. "Best treatment" and "It works" beliefs continue to underpin decision making. Those who recommend TL most often are most influenced by penetration, coughing, and their own clinical experience. They are more likely to believe TL is evidence based and effective, reduces aspiration, and improves hydration. Person-centeredness is important among all respondents, although significant numbers would implement TL against patient wishes. Improvements in aspiration status and quality of life rank highly as reasons to discontinue TL. The results of this study suggest that fewer respondents are regularly using TL. Divergent groups are evident with those frequently employing and believing in the efficacy of TL and those who do not. While current debates are influencing practice, there clearly remains a significant number of SLPs continuing to recommend TL. This study's findings highlight both alterations and preservations in the discipline's approach to TL and calls for SLPs to reframe our thinking regarding this intervention as well as consider alternative options in this treatment space. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24317110.

‘Time Is Against Us’: Anti-Communism, Decolonisation, and Papua New Guinean Independence

This article traces the importance of anti-communist organisations to the development of early Papua New Guinean political elites. Focusing on Oala Oala-Rarua (1934–80), it shows how his participation in activities organised by the spiritual group Moral Re-Armament and the Australian Association for Cultural Freedom provided avenues and platforms through which to articulate an increasingly nationalist politics. Both groups feared that radical nationalism in the Australian-administered Territory would serve communist purposes, and as such sought to cultivate a liberal political leadership. Following work on non-communist forms of anti-colonial worldmaking, this article shows how Oala-Rarua and his contemporaries saw much of value in the ideas on display and the connections they facilitated. While initially accepting of Australian tutelage, this article shows that, over time, emerging nationalist elites found the realities of slow progress and ongoing racial discrimination in the Territory to be at odds with even the most conservative post-colonial schema.

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of cardiac health professionals towards cognitive screening in acute coronary syndrome patients

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients but is often undetected and may impact recovery and secondary prevention uptake. Health professionals play a vital role in the early detection of CI through screening and managing CI in ACS patients. Purpose To explore health professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours toward CI screening in ACS patients Methods Cardiac health professionals were recruited via acute and outpatient cardiac wards in three metropolitan teaching hospitals and from emailing members of two cardiac professional associations in Australia. All completed a 38-item survey administered in either paper or electronic format. Results 100 health professionals responded (95 nurses and five allied health workers). Respondents identified the prevalence of CI, dementia, or delirium at 25% post-ACS (50% of respondents), and 74% identified difficulties in recalling recent information as the most common indicator of CI. The cognitive screening was performed at least some of the time in ACS patients by 73%. After accounting for age, receiving training in CI, work experience, and profession, cognitive screening was conducted more than eight times more often by health professionals who work in acute settings (OR=8.78, 95%CI 2.13, 36.25) versus non-acute. Participants identified the main reasons for conducting cognitive screening as early detection of change/establishing a baseline (n=27) and when they suspected any cognitive issue or decline (n=26). The most common barriers to both screening for CI and taking further actions when CI was detected were patients being unable to communicate well (60% and 49%), patients being too unstable/unwell (59% and 42%), and the priority being the patient’s clinical care (53% and 44%). Conclusions Health professionals working in acute settings are most likely to screen for CI regardless of experience or training in CI, leaving CI likely to be undetected in ACS patients receiving care in other settings. Barriers to screening are common and challenging to address due to time shortages and the appropriateness of tools. A standardised screening guideline and more feasible screening tools are needed to overcome the barriers to cognitive screening in ACS patients. Pre-professional education should also be implemented in the future.

‘Caring as a Female Concern’: Social Work Students’ Choices within the Boundaries of care

Abstract Australian social work university cohorts are increasingly made up of female, mature-aged students. The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) mandates a requirement of 1,000 h of unpaid field education across two placements, with full-time attendance as the norm. There is a growing body of research that suggests students experience financial, social, emotional and psychological stress during lengthy unpaid field placements. Yet little is currently known about the impacts specific to female students who have caring responsibilities at the time of their placement. In response, this initial Honours research conducted by a student with this lived experience explored the experiences of fifteen female social work students who had caring responsibilities at the time of their field placements. The analysis was situated in a feminist paradigm and generated five themes from the student responses, and this article focuses on one theme, ‘caring as a female concern’. The findings suggest that mature aged female students who juggle caring responsibilities, unpaid placement and other life responsibilities are particularly disadvantaged at the time of field placement, to the detriment of their own and their families’ financial, social, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. It calls for urgent changes to the AASW accreditation standards.

Factors associated with physical activity participation among children: a systematic review protocol

BackgroundReduced physical activity (PA) is one of the significant health concerns in adults and children alike. Despite the proven benefits of PA, most children, globally, do not meet the weekly criteria of enough PA to maintain health. The proposed systematic review is the review of the factors and will provide information on the factors associated with PA participation in children.MethodsThe proposed systematic review will be conducted based on the methodology from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We will include observational studies (cross-sectional, case–control, and cohort studies), randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and non-randomized study designs for information on factors associated with PA participation among children. Studies with participants in the age range of 5–18 years, indulging in physical activity of 60 min per day for a minimum of 3 days a week, will be included. Studies including differently abled children, children under medical treatment, and those taking medications for illnesses such as neurological, cardiac, and mental health conditions will be excluded from the review. We will search MEDLINE (via PubMed and Web of Science), Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, and PEDro for English language publications published from the inception till October 2022. For additional studies, we will search websites such as the Australian Association for Adolescent Health International Association for Adolescent Health and a reference list of the included publications. Selection of studies, data extraction, and quality assessment of the included studies will be performed in duplicate. Quality assessment of the included studies will be performed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (ROB-II) for RCTs, New-Castle Ottawa, for observational studies, and ROBINS-I (Risk of Bias for Non-Randomized studies of Interventions) for non-randomized study designs.DiscussionThe proposed systematic review and meta-analysis will present a summary of the available evidence on factors associated with PA participation in children. The findings of this review will provide new insights into how exercise providers can improve PA participation among children and can also help healthcare workers, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to plan long-term interventions targeting child health.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42021270057.

Parasites in Imported Edible Fish and a Systematic Review of the Pathophysiology of Infection and the Potential Threat to Australian Native Aquatic Species

Previous research has shown that certain types of edible fish imported into Australia are infected with Euclinostomum/Isoparorchis digenetic trematodes. In the present study, imported Channa fish were examined for parasites which were then morphologically identified to the lowest taxonomic unit possible. Here we provide the first Australian report of Pallisentis sp. Van Cleave, 1928 (Prevalence (P) 35.9%) of family Quadrigyridae; Genarchopsis sp. Ozaki, 1925 (P. 16.5%), family Derogenidae and Senga sp. Dollfus, 1934 (P. 4.8%) in edible imported Channa fish (n = 103). Pallisentis sp. and Senga sp. have invasive hold fast organs which cause significant mechanical damage to fish intestinal structures and Euclinostomum/Isoparorchis cause severe pathology and loss of marketability in infected fish. These exotic parasites, if introduced into Australia, have the potential to negatively impact the health, fecundity, resilience and marketability of native and commercial fish species. Biosecurity is a constant ontogenesis of novel hypothesis based on current scientific discoveries. To further increase understanding of how parasitism impacts fish health, a systematic literature review was conducted and the pathophysiology of infection described. Potential exposure pathways and parasite host associations in Australia are discussed.

Freedom of Association in Australia

Freedom of Association in Australia

Rethinking our protagonists: Absence on screen and meta-narratives of empire

In this article I argue that responsibility for diversity needs to be inbuilt at a much earlier stage in the screen drama production process – from the very moment, indeed, when protagonists and plotlines are first conceived. Genuine diversity is everyone’s responsibility, not just the ‘diversity manager’ or ‘diversity initiative’. This is an issue for screenwriters, for the education of screenwriters and it is something that screenwriting research needs to explore. My focus falls here on historical drama, for which I argue that inbuilt diversity is especially pressing. Populist ideas about the past impact the lives of ethnic minorities today, and are perpetuated by invisibility, which is then treated as evidence of that same invisibility. I explore how Britain’s relationship with colonial Australia is understood – and perpetuated – through the meta-narrative of Empire and culture and how this informs my approach to my own writing practice. This article is based on the papers presented at the 2017 Screenwriting Research Network (SRN) conference, University of Otago, Dunedin; the 2019 European Association of Studies of Australia (EASA) Conference in Toulon, and at the 2019 Australian Association of Writing Programs (AAWP) conference, University of Technology, Sydney.

Secondary pre-service teachers’ voices of becoming mathematics teachers

ABSTRACT This paper captures and reports on mathematics pre-service teacher (PST) voices. Mathematics PSTs, in a tertiary mathematics secondary curriculum teaching subject assessment, were asked to perform a small-scale literature review on an issue they identified as important in mathematics teaching. The assessment, written as an article, required literature-based recommendations, a reflection on how this would impact the PST’s future teaching and guidance for all mathematics teachers. The article was aimed for publication by the Mathematics Association of Victoria—a state-based mathematics professional association in Australia. PSTs were advised that articles would potentially be published, and their voice would reach practicing mathematics teachers. The published articles, which capture pre-career mathematics teacher voices were analysed for insight into what four PSTs said of their future teaching to a mathematics teacher audience. The professional teacher standards were recognised to influence comments given the strong emphasis of standards within initial teacher education courses. Findings speak to what mathematics PSTs expect of their future teaching role prior to being in-service. The paper contributes a snapshot of early established professional voices in a discipline where there is currently a shortage and highlights the messages that emerged.