Australian Association Research Articles

Highways and byways: future directions for Australian public libraries

It is important for libraries to confront and successfully adapt for the future needs of users in a world which is continually and rapidly changing. The Australian Library and Information Association believes that Australian libraries are part of a worldwide network of libraries and that the future success of Australia’s public library networks will be determined in part by the future successes, or failures, of public libraries on a global scale. In order to do the planning required, libraries in Australia and internationally are envisioning their future. This research analysed a range of forecasting reports in order to identify the themes and trends that are most likely to have an impact on how Australian public library services are offered, operated, funded and used into the future, a future which is in flux and uncertain. A range of published documents address the predicted future of libraries. These documents cover various time spans, from 2012 out to 2030, and vary in their predictions. The intent of this research project was to map the themes determined from the individual published documents in varying contexts (date span and geographic location) to produce an overview of convergence and divergence. The reports examined are not an exhaustive coverage of the literature that currently exists on the topic of the future of Australian public libraries, let alone the future of libraries generally on a global scale, but the results of the project indicate both agreement and disagreement, enabling a wider view than might be seen by individual organisations.

History on Trial: Evaluating Learning Outcomes through Audit and Accreditation in a National Standards Environment

This paper uses a trial audit of history programs undertaken in 2011-2012 to explore issues surrounding the attainment of Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLOs) in an emerging Australian national standards environment for the discipline of history. The audit sought to ascertain whether an accreditation process managed by the discipline under the auspices of the Australian Historical Association (AHA) could be based on a limited-intervention, “light-touch” approach to assessing attainment of the TLOs. The results of the audit show that successful proof of TLO attainment would only be possible with more active intervention into existing history majors and courses. Assessments across all levels of history teaching would have to be designed, undertaken, and marked using a rubric matched to the TLOs. It proved unrealistic to expect students to demonstrate acquisition of the TLOs from existing teaching and assessment practices. The failure of the “light-touch” audit process indicates that demonstrating student attainment under a national standards regime would require fundamental redevelopment of the curriculum. With standards-based approaches to teaching and learning emerging as international phenomena, this case study resonates beyond Australia and the discipline under investigation.

Emerging issues in invasive prenatal diagnosis: Safety and competency in the post-NIPT era.

Numbers of invasive prenatal procedures are declining in response to improved aneuploidy screening methods. To assess current practice and attitudes of clinicians performing invasive prenatal diagnosis in regard to patient consent and safety, maintaining procedural competence and uptake of chromosomal microarrays (CMAs). Anonymous online survey of the Australian Association of Obstetrical and Gynaecological Ultrasonologists conducted in March 2015. The survey had a 45% response rate with 59 respondents from Australia. Of these, 34 were subspecialists in maternal fetal medicine or obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound. Fifty-six (95%) currently performed amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. Of these, 14 (25%) performed <25 procedures and 8 (14%) performed >150 annually, with most respondents (60%) proposing 10-25 amniocenteses/year as adequate activity to maintain their skills. The majority neither expected referrers to provide results of hepatitis B and HIV serology, nor followed up missing results. There was uncertainty regarding the procedure-related vertical transmission risk of HBV in women with high viral load, with most respondents stating they were either unsure of the risk (22%) or that the risk was unknown (30%). Fifty per cent of practitioners routinely ordered CMA after invasive testing; all recommended CMA following a diagnosis of structural abnormality. In a period of declining testing, many Australian specialists are performing <25 procedures annually.Consideration of the potential risks of bloodborne viruses is limited. CMAs are rapidly being incorporatedinto clinical practice. These data have implications for patient consent and safety, and workforce training and practice.

ANZCA Australian &amp; New Zealand Communication Association NEWS

ANZCA Australian &amp; New Zealand Communication Association NEWS

Social Justice as Concept and Practice in Australian Social Work: An Analysis of Norma Parker Addresses, 1969–2008

Social justice is central to Australian social work. Principles of social justice underpin the definition of social work as a profession, its code of ethics, and its standards of practice and education. However, there is a dearth of empirical research regarding what social justice has meant to social work over time and how it has been enacted in practice, topical as social inequalities continue to escalate. As a first-stage study, this paper examines how social justice was represented within 19 Norma Parker Addresses delivered by Presidents of the Australian Association of Social Workers at national conferences between 1969 and 2008. Two key themes were evident: social justice as a concept and social justice as social work practice. Social justice was represented conceptually throughout the Addresses as an enduring guiding principle and moral responsibility for social work. How social justice was enacted in practice included themes of: standpoint; practices and strategies; educating social workers; and contested and constrained practice. The meanings and practices of social justice were embedded within the changing contexts within which the Addresses were delivered. Further historical studies can inform social work knowledge, practice, and critical reflection as the profession continues to evolve and confront persistent social justice challenges.

Reflections on the State of the Profession: A Review of the Norma Parker Addresses 1969–2008

This paper provides a thematic analysis of the Presidential Addresses delivered at conferences of the Australian Association of Social Workers from 1969 to 2008. It argues that although each of the Addresses needs to be understood within the context of its time, they are linked thematically by their focus on defining and defending the status of social work as a profession. In the early years, the Presidents, while recognising social work's commitment to social justice, sought to contain the Association’s more radical members in order not to threaten the profession’s respectability. However, as neo-conservative economics and managerial management practices eroded both the autonomy and the distinctiveness of the social worker, there was a call to embrace marginalisation.

The Social Policy Context of the Norma Parker Addresses

Little is currently known about the social policy history and activism of the Australian Association of Social Workers. This paper addresses that gap in knowledge by examining the social policy context and Australian Association of Social Workers policy activism identified in 20 Norma Parker Addresses from 1969 to 2012. A number of key themes are identified including a concern that social workers take a structural or social justice approach to policy debates, a belief that social workers should be more prominent in policy activism, challenges or barriers to social work activism, and a growing engagement with Indigenous issues. Further research on the detail and history of Australian Association of Social Workers policy activism beyond this exploratory study is recommended.

Environmental Sustainability and Social Work: A Rural Australian Evaluation of Incorporating Eco-Social Work in Field Education

Climate change poses significant threat to the wellbeing of global society. Addressing this change has as yet generated no fixed blueprint for social work practice and education. This paper reports on a formative evaluation of one Australian initiative to address this transformative opening in social work field education. Prompted by service users' and workers' experience of the impact of drought, a rurally located social work course team amended the field education curriculum to include a focus on Environment and Sustainability. This learning goal was added to the existing learning goals derived from the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Practice Standards. Students and field supervisors were surveyed on their experience of meeting this new learning goal. While most expressed confidence in understanding the concepts involved, they clearly lacked assurance in interpreting these in practice encounters. Considering their qualitative input suggests that this topic is making a transition from being on the margins of social work to becoming mainstream. Their open-ended responses indicate that the incorporation of environmental sustainability into practice is at a threshold stage of development. Further enactment of eco-social work at the local level is concluded to be supported by using a transformative learning framework in facilitating critical reflection and collaborative dialogue for effective change.

‘Parochial Internationalism’: publication in Australia

This paper serves as an introduction and scene-setter to a series of four papers (including this) that examines the different facets of scholarly publication in the area of media and communication (as well as its various cognate disciplines) in the ‘region’ that comprises Australia and New Zealand. The authors of these papers are active members of the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association (ANZCA), the peak professional and scholarly association of the region, and have all delivered a version of these papers at a plenary panel on ‘Publication in Australia and New Zealand’ at the International Communications Association (ICA) Regional Conference held at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane during 1–3 October 2014. This paper begins by looking at the role ANZCA plays in supporting and mentoring scholars, especially postgraduates or aspiring academics and early-career researchers, towards commencing their publication journey. It then turns its attention towards the globalising strategy of ‘parochial internationalisation’ that has defined much of Australia’s attempt to gain relevance and recognition in the global publications environment. The second part of the paper details the growth trajectory of one of Australia’s oldest and most reputable media and communications journal, Media International Australia, offering insights on how scholars and journal editors might think and operate more strategically in order to thrive in a new and demanding publications era.

The value of conference publications: old challenges and new opportunities

The digital economy has brought both challenges and opportunities to academic publishing, particularly in regard to publication outcomes for international conferences. Although journal publishers have initially suggested that the impact of digital and open access publishing might be problematic to existing business models, conference convenors have largely embraced the possibilities for free digital access to conference proceedings in online environments. Many professional associations and conference convenors have presented the conference ‘publication’ as a way to improve attendance at conferences, to increase the likelihood of university funding to academics to attend conferences and to increase exposure to the bodies that fund conferences. Nonetheless, there are challenges in finding, facilitating and maintaining quality academic publishing in the conference environment. Lack of transparency around processes for ensuring academic quality, the imposition of governmental research rankings on publications and lack of collaboration between conference and journal publications all create barriers to good-quality publication outcomes in the conference environment. Drawing upon my recent experiences as the conference convenor for the Australian and New Zealand Communications Association (ANZCA) annual conference in July 2014, I will discuss the ways in which these challenges could be overcome, and present publication outcomes that are viable for conference environments.

An Interview with Denise Grocke: Discussing GIM and its Adaptations

This interview with Denise Grocke discusses her paths to music therapy and GIM as well as her integral role in the history of the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA) and the Music and Imagery Association of Australia (MIAA). Denise speaks about her interviews with Helen Bonny for her PhD thesis, and her recently published textbook Guided Imagery &amp; Music (GIM) and Music Imagery Methods for Individual and Group Therapy, (co-edited with Torben Moe). Dr. Grocke discusses GIM and its adaptations as well as future directions for GIM research.

R]Evolution in reading cultures: 2020 vision for school libraries

Igniting a passion for reading and research is core business for school libraries. Today, the learning ecology of schools is as complex and changeable as the multiple channels and formats that now shape the reading environment for students. Reading is shaped by a diversity of texts, interfaces, devices and experiences. In response to ALIA's 2013 statement (Australian Library and Information Association [ALIA], 2013a) that book collections would establish 50:50 physical to digital equilibrium by 2020, the authors sought to understand the current context and state of play in school libraries. A survey on ebooks, titled 50:50 by 2020 Ebook Trends in Australian Schools, resulted in 450 responses from schools from all states and territories across government, Catholic and independent sectors. Collections are changing in response to the need to contextualise ereading within the learning and teaching experiences in schools. While the benefits and pedagogical rationale of ebooks are recognised, their adoption and use thus far seem to be less about pedagogical innovation than about the practicalities of collections and services offered by school libraries. Analysis of the survey data and other research supports the conclusion that Australian school libraries will not reach a projected balance of 50:50 in the school library collection by 2020.

Bringing Sexy Back: To What Extent Do Online Television Audiences Contest Fat-Shaming?

Bringing Sexy Back: To What Extent Do Online Television Audiences Contest Fat-Shaming?

Editorial

No accessFULL TEXTAustralasian Journal of Gifted EducationEditorial01 June 2015Editorial Authors: Susen Smith Authors: Susen Smith Senior Lecturer, School of Education, UNSW, GERRIC Senior Research Fellow, email: [email protected] Google Scholar More articles by this author SectionsAboutView PDFExport CitationsAdd to FavouriteAdd to FavouriteCreate a New ListNameCancelCreate ToolsTrack CitationsCreate Clip ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedIn COPY LINK "Editorial." Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 24(1), pp. 4–5 Full Text DOI Previous article Next article RelatedDetails View PUBLICATION DETAILSJournal:Australasian Journal of Gifted EducationISSN:1323-9686Page Range:4-5First Page:4Last Page:5Source:Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vol. 24, No. 1, Jun 2015: 4-5Date of Publication:June 2015Date Last Modified:05 September 2019 12:02Date Last Revised:08 January 2019Volume:24Issue:1Subject METRICS Downloaded 0 times Copyright© Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, 2015Download PDFLoading ...

The cost of high stakes testing for high-ability students

No accessFULL TEXTAustralasian Journal of Gifted EducationOther Journal Article01 June 2015The cost of high stakes testing for high-ability students Authors: Jennifer L Jolly Authors: Jennifer L Jolly University of New South Wales, email: [email protected], tel: +61 2 9385 1977 Google Scholar More articles by this author SectionsAboutView PDFExport CitationsAdd to FavouriteAdd to FavouriteCreate a New ListNameCancelCreate ToolsTrack CitationsCreate Clip ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedIn COPY LINK Abstract Working from an agenda of school improvement, Australia's implementation of National Assessment Program: Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in 2008 and the MySchool website in 2010 appears strongly influenced by the mechanisms that have driven the reform/ accountability movement in the United States and the United Kingdom (Lingard, 2010; Polsel, Dulfer and Turnbull, 2012). While high-stakes tests such as NAPLAN are often executed under the pretence of creating greater equity and raising standards in schools, their unintended consequences often have the potential to impact negatively on students of all abilities, socioeconomic strata, and cultural backgrounds. A group of students often overlooked in this discourse are those with gifts and talents and of high-ability. The United States' 30-year history with high-stakes testing has had a deleterious impact on these students, particularly under the federal legislation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) enacted in 2002. As Australian researcher Lingard has cautioned against such wholesale "policy borrowing" from countries such as the United States and advised that along with policy borrowing, Australian educational policy makers should also heed "policy learning" (Lingard, 2010). This article introduces the difficult lessons learned regarding high stakes testing and gifted learners in the U.S., emerging research regarding NAPLAN, and the implications for gifted learners in the Australian context such a shifting resources away from existing gifted programs, placing arbitrary ceilings on student performance, and the narrowing of curriculum. Full Text DOI Previous article Next article RelatedDetails View PUBLICATION DETAILSJournal:Australasian Journal of Gifted EducationISSN:1323-9686Page Range:30-36First Page:30Last Page:36Source:Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vol. 24, No. 1, Jun 2015: 30-36Date of Publication:June 2015Date Last Modified:05 September 2019 12:02Date Last Revised:08 January 2019Volume:24Issue:1SubjectNo Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (United States)Educational tests and measurementsAcademic achievementEducation and stateGeographic LocationAustralia METRICS Downloaded 9 times Copyright© Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, 2015Download PDFLoading ...

Scenario problem solving: A measure of the quality of gifted students' thinking

No accessFULL TEXTAustralasian Journal of Gifted EducationOther Journal Article01 June 2015Scenario problem solving: A measure of the quality of gifted students' thinking Authors: John K Munro Authors: John K Munro Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, VIC 3011, email: [email protected] Google Scholar More articles by this author SectionsAboutView PDFExport CitationsAdd to FavouriteAdd to FavouriteCreate a New ListNameCancelCreate ToolsTrack CitationsCreate Clip ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedIn COPY LINK Abstract Teachers continue to face the challenge of identifying efficaciously gifted students' learning capacity in its multiple forms. While most educators acknowledge its multidimensional characteristics, the protocols used to identify it are frequently evaluated as unnecessarily restrictive. This study investigates an assessment tool that could potentially assist in responding to this challenge - the use of scenario problem solving tasks. These tasks present solvers with a scenario of a real world situation that has an embedded problem. A cohort of 357 third to sixth graders completed various conventional tasks used to identify verbal and nonverbal gifted students' learning capacity. As well they solved a scenario problem. The gifted students achieved higher problem solving scores than their non-gifted peers. The extent of gifted students' learning capacity influenced their outcomes; those gifted in both the verbal and nonverbal domains achieved the highest problem solving scores. As well, their solutions showed evidence of more elaborated and differentiated conceptual knowledge and a higher level of inferential, divergent thinking. They are consistent with gifted students' learning being characterized as intuitive theory formation, drawing on the ability to engage in analogistic thinking. The problem-solving tasks were shown to have moderate concurrent validity. The implications for the use of scenario problem solving in the future as a tool for identifying multiple forms of gifted students' learning capacity are discussed. Full Text DOI Previous article Next article RelatedDetails View PUBLICATION DETAILSJournal:Australasian Journal of Gifted EducationISSN:1323-9686Page Range:23-29First Page:23Last Page:29Source:Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vol. 24, No. 1, Jun 2015: 23-29Date of Publication:June 2015Date Last Modified:05 September 2019 12:02Date Last Revised:08 January 2019Volume:24Issue:1SubjectProblem solving--MethodologyCreative thinkingGifted children--Education--Psychological aspectsEducational tests and measurements METRICS Downloaded 6 times Copyright© Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, 2015Download PDFLoading ...

Gifted Awareness Week Australia: 13th to the 19th of March 2016

No accessFULL TEXTAustralasian Journal of Gifted EducationOther Journal Article01 June 2015Gifted Awareness Week Australia: 13th to the 19th of March 2016 Authors: Melinda Gindy Authors: Melinda Gindy Vice-President, AAEGT Google Scholar More articles by this author SectionsAboutView PDFExport CitationsAdd to FavouriteAdd to FavouriteCreate a New ListNameCancelCreate ToolsTrack CitationsCreate Clip ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedIn COPY LINK "Gifted Awareness Week Australia: 13th to the 19th of March 2016." Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 24(1), pp. 73–74 Full Text DOI Previous article Next article RelatedDetails View PUBLICATION DETAILSJournal:Australasian Journal of Gifted EducationISSN:1323-9686Page Range:73-74First Page:73Last Page:74Source:Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vol. 24, No. 1, Jun 2015: 73-74Date of Publication:June 2015Date Last Modified:05 September 2019 12:02Date Last Revised:08 January 2019Volume:24Issue:1Subject METRICS Downloaded 3 times Copyright© Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, 2015Download PDFLoading ...

Therapeutic Argentine Tango Dancing for People with Mild Parkinson's Disease: A Feasibility Study.

Individuals living with Parkinson's disease (PD) can experience a range of movement disorders that affect mobility and balance and increase the risk of falls. Low health-related quality of life, depression, and anxiety are more common in people with PD than age-matched comparisons. Therapeutic dance is a form of physical activity believed to facilitate movement and therapy uptake. As well as being enjoyable, dancing is thought to improve mobility, balance, and well-being in some people living with PD. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a 4-week Argentine tango dance program for people with PD. Six community dwelling individuals with mild to moderate PD were recruited from Parkinson's support groups, movement disorder clinics, and the PD association in Australia. To minimize falls risk, participants were required to be <75 years of age and physically independent (Hoehn and Yahr stages I-III). They were also required to speak English. Participants attended a 1-hour dance class at a dance studio twice per week for 4 weeks. A professional dance instructor led and choreographed the Argentine tango dance classes. Physiotherapists were present to assist participants during the class and served as dance partners as necessary. The primary outcome was feasibility, which was determined by measures of recruitment, adherence, attrition, safety (falls, near misses and adverse events), and resource requirements. Secondary measures included the Beck Depression Inventory and the Euroqol-5D, administered at baseline and post intervention. Therapy outcomes pre- and post-intervention were analyzed descriptively as medians and interquartile ranges and using Wilcoxon matched pair signed-rank tests. The Argentine tango dance intervention was shown to be safe, with no adverse events. Adherence to the dance program was 89%. Depression scores improved after intervention (p = 0.04). Some challenges were associated with the need to quickly recruit participants and physiotherapists to act as dance partners during classes and to monitor participants. The 4-week, twice weekly Argentine tango dancing program was shown to be feasible and safe for people with mild-to-moderately severe PD.

The acceptability among health researchers and clinicians of social media to translate research evidence to clinical practice: mixed-methods survey and interview study.

BackgroundEstablishing and promoting connections between health researchers and health professional clinicians may help translate research evidence to clinical practice. Social media may have the capacity to enhance these connections.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore health researchers’ and clinicians’ current use of social media and their beliefs and attitudes towards the use of social media for communicating research evidence.MethodsThis study used a mixed-methods approach to obtain qualitative and quantitative data. Participation was open to health researchers and clinicians. Data regarding demographic details, current use of social media, and beliefs and attitudes towards the use of social media for professional purposes were obtained through an anonymous Web-based survey. The survey was distributed via email to research centers, educational and clinical institutions, and health professional associations in Australia, India, and Malaysia. Consenting participants were stratified by country and role and selected at random for semistructured telephone interviews to explore themes arising from the survey.ResultsA total of 856 participants completed the questionnaire with 125 participants declining to participate, resulting in a response rate of 87.3%. 69 interviews were conducted with participants from Australia, India, and Malaysia. Social media was used for recreation by 89.2% (749/840) of participants and for professional purposes by 80.0% (682/852) of participants. Significant associations were found between frequency of professional social media use and age, gender, country of residence, and graduate status. Over a quarter (26.9%, 229/852) of participants used social media for obtaining research evidence, and 15.0% (128/852) of participants used social media for disseminating research evidence. Most participants (95.9%, 810/845) felt there was a role for social media in disseminating or obtaining research evidence. Over half of the participants (449/842, 53.3%) felt they had a need for training in the use of social media for professional development. A key barrier to the professional use of social media was concerns regarding trustworthiness of information.ConclusionsA large majority of health researchers and clinicians use social media in recreational and professional contexts. Social media is less frequently used for communication of research evidence. Training in the use of social media for professional development and methods to improve the trustworthiness of information obtained via social media may enhance the utility of social media for communicating research evidence. Future studies should investigate the efficacy of social media in translating research evidence to clinical practice.

Ten Years of The Journal of Smoking Cessation

The advent and success of a new Journal seems to be dependent on its originality and a readership that needs and appreciates the content. It still is surprising to me personally that the Journal of Smoking Cessation (JoSC) has succeeded to such a degree since its inception 10 years ago. When I thought about a Journal for our group of the Australian Association of Smoking Cessation Professionals (AASCP), the publishers at Australian Academic Press asked whether there surely was such a journal already and that another might be redundant. When I assured them that there was no such Journal, we embarked upon an enterprise which now has great international interest and credibility. With a small startup grant from the Australian Government I was able to encourage and recruit old friends and colleagues from around the world who were all kind enough to give their names in good faith to an Editorial Board that remains the same today. Their good names and reputations greatly enhanced the credibility of the Journal and I cannot thank them enough for their faith in the Journal and its future. In particular thanks go to Michelle DiGiacomo for volunteering and continuing to volunteer an inordinate amount of time and energy supporting this endeavour.