Australian Association Research Articles

Interrogating and interpreting the mediation of an emerging Australian Aboriginal social movement between 1923 and 1940

The founding of the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA) in 1923 heralded the rise of an organized, motivated Australian Aboriginal rights movement that has continued to fight for improvements to Aboriginal people’s lives. This paper investigates the media framing of this emerging movement through an analysis of print media (mainstream and alternative) coverage relating to the AAPA (1923–1930) and the Aborigines Progressive Association (1937–1940). Key questions consider how media framed each organization, their leaders and activity, who was allowed to speak, and what led to the emergence of the movement in the first place. In addition, this discussion includes an examination of how social movement and journalistic theory connect. It is argued that changes in Australia’s political environment, heightened levels of oppression of Australia’s Aboriginal peoples and the availability of charismatic Aboriginal leadership provided ideal conditions for the successful emergence of the Aboriginal rights movement in Australia.

From Reluctant Online Contributor to Mentor: Facilitating Student Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Online

From Reluctant Online Contributor to Mentor: Facilitating Student Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Online

Migrating Qualifications: The Ethics of Recognition

As a contribution to theorising the field of international social work practice, this article explores the Australian approach to recognition of overseas qualifications for social workers. Recognition of qualifications across borders both enables and is constitutive of internationalised social work practice. Migration of social workers has previously been discussed with reference to portability of values, skills and knowledge across cultural contexts, and the ethical implications of social workers migrating from countries which need their services. Questions of professional recognition through skilled migration have received less scholarly attention, compounded by a lack of empirical data documenting trends and analysing international implications. In this article, information gathered from the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) provides a preliminary picture of recent migration of social workers to Australia. Critical analysis of the assumptions underlying the qualifications assessment process supports the conclusion that the current approach rests on an understanding of social work that risks excluding migrant social workers who ostensibly do not conform to the model of social work practice on which the assessment process is based, potentially excluding valuable contributions to internationalising practice through transnational migration.

Indonesia. Being Malay in Indonesia: Histories, hopes and citizenship in the Riau Archipelago By Nicholas J. Long Singapore: Asian Studies Association of Australia with NUS Press; Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2013. Pp. 298. Maps, Tables, Illustrations, Bibliography, Index.

Being Malay in Indonesia: Histories, hopes and citizenship in the Riau Archipelago By NICHOLAS J. LONG Singapore: Asian Studies Association of Australia with NUS Press; Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2013. Pp. 298. Maps, Tables, Illustrations, Bibliography, Index. On 1 July 2004, Provinsi Kepulauan Riau (Riau Islands province) officially came into being as the thirty-secondth province of the Republic of Indonesia. This legislative proclamation of significant political and economic devolution was part of a larger decentralising wave sweeping post-Suharto Indonesia. Post-New Order central government legislation granted regional governments a bigger share of revenue generated by the province and greater authority over local affairs. This blossoming (pemekaran) of autonomous political units across Indonesia was officially trumpeted as promoting greater democratisation across a culturally diverse and geographically behemothic archipelago. Provinsi Kepulauan Riau came into existence as an autonomous region explicitly created 'for Malays' (p. 3). While provincial autonomy was long coveted by many Riau island leaders and their followers, its achievement thereof set off a multitude of reactions, responses and discussions. The latter took place at manifold levels of society, public and otherwise, with emphasis on the contours and implications of nascent autonomy for its inhabitants. Nicholas Long was an early witness to Tanjung Pinang-based Riau islanders' reception, engagement and negotiation of this newfangled configuration. He conducted fieldwork in Tanjung Pinang, the newly established provincial capital, for about thirty months beginning in July 2005. Being Malay in Indonesia represents Long's epistemologically innovative effort at recording and making sense of a rich variety of phenomena related to incipient decentralisation. In providing historical and contemporary context and engaging several strands of extant social theory in chapter 1, Long is informative, clear and nuanced. The next chapter discusses regional political economy and national politics and provides detailed population statistics along ethnic lines for Tanjung Pinang. It brings to attention how significant changes in these three areas over the last thirty years have disturbed the relative tranquillity of Tanjung Pinang's Malay identity. This structural, political and demographic information helps the reader better grasp the themes and episodes discussed in the following chapters. A minor quibble with the demographic information in chap. 2 is that Long does not explain why reliable population statistics are only available for 2010 (p. 43) and not 2005 to 2007--the bulk of his sojourn in Tanjung Pinang. Chapters 3 to 6 discuss how 'diverse understandings of Malayness play out ... in various aspects of daily life' (p. 28), each respectively dealing with historical consciousness; economic activity and the perception that Malays are bad at commercial activity; domicile in multiethnic urban and suburban centres; and encounters with other-worldly beings and happenings. In relation to notions of Malay backwardness and increased provincial economic autonomy, chap. 7 deals with the role of governmentality in instilling an 'achieving mindset' in the islanders (p. 29) while chap. 8 discusses participant and audience reactions and responses to 'cultural contests' that place Malayness 'at the centre of efforts to promote human resource development'. The concluding chapter articulately summarises how the theoretical and ethnographic dimensions of this work come together to inform discussions of the contested content and ambit of Malay identity, and the privileges such an identity may have in a polity created for Malays. …

The characteristics of oncology social work in Australia: Implications for workforce planning in integrated cancer care.

To describe the demographics, professional characteristics, self-reported professional development needs and research involvement of oncology social workers in Australia and to describe perceived barriers to provision of quality psychosocial care. A cross-sectional online survey was administered to social workers working in the oncology field who were contacted through three professional organizations; the Australian Association of Social Workers, Oncology Social Work Australia and the Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group, the University of Sydney. A snowball recruitment method was adopted to maximize the sample size. Two thirds of respondents had over 10 years professional practice experience but with lesser experience in oncology settings. Twenty-eight percent had post-graduate qualifications. Professional development needs were reported as moderate or high by 68% of respondents. No association between professional needs and work setting was found. Years of experience in oncology practice and living in an urban area increased the likelihood of involvement in research. Barriers to psychosocial care included poor understandings of the social work role, time constraints and an inadequate number of social work positions. In this first Australian study of the social work oncology workforce, the results demonstrated active, well-qualified and experienced social workers providing frontline services to people with cancer and their caregivers in geographically diverse locations across Australia. Inadequate resources and a lack of integrated psychosocial care were identified as barriers to comprehensive cancer care. The need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social workers was identified as an urgent workforce priority.

Assessing the Composition and Diversity of the Australian Interest Group System

Any democratic society requires mechanisms for citizens to have effective political voice. Clearly, political parties provide a key channel for expressing views and preferences. However, organised interests provide another important mechanism for such representation. A crucial question in this regard is whether the interest group system is capable of ensuring the representation of a variety of public and private interests. Resolving these debates requires data that map the terrain and also are attentive to organisational diversity. This article takes up this challenge through exploring the composition and diversity of the Australian system of organised interests, using a new data set based on the Directory of Australian Associations. This system‐level approach delivers important insights into the nature of the Australian interest group system, as well as provides a framework for subsequent work interpreting and contextualising advocacy activities of particular groups, or lobbying dynamics in specific policy domains.

How good is good enough? Exploring social workers’ conceptions of preparedness for practice

This study examined the question: ‘How do social work practitioners construct preparedness for practice?’ The answer to this question was explored through a research conducted in 2013 consisting of a survey based on the Australian Association of Social Workers’ Practice Standards and interviews with social work practitioners who had experience working with graduating social work students in their final field education placements. The responses of 25 survey participants suggest that social work practitioners generally expect new graduates to have ‘moderate’-level skills across the different practice areas, although a small but notable number of supervisors expect new graduates to have general work preparedness at a ‘developed’ level. In addition to having a clear understanding of and identification with professional values, purpose and ethics, the eight interview participants spoke of the importance of empathy and the ability to work within a multidisciplinary organisational environment.

AJEE Special Issue—18th AAEE Biennial Conference, Hobart, Tasmania, November 2–5, 2014 Sustainability: Smart Strategies for the 21st Century

In early November 2014, over 300 delegates met in Hobart, Tasmania for the 18th Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) Biennial Conference. Titled ‘Sustainability: Smart Strategies for the 21st Century’, this conference sought to bring together innovative thinking, practice and research in the field of environmental and sustainability education. This special conference issue of the Australian Journal of Environmental Education captures a snapshot of some of that thinking. While it is by no means a comprehensive account of the many conversation threads that permeated the conference, we hope that readers will find the articles in this special issue a stimulus to your thinking and practice.

Perspectives From Emerging Researchers: What Next in EE/SE Research?

AbstractFollowing the inaugural Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) research symposium in November 2014, we — a group of emerging researchers in Environmental Education/Sustainability Education (EE/SE) — commenced an online collaboration to identify and articulate our responses to the main themes of the symposium. Identifying as #aaeeer, our discussions coalesced into four main areas that we felt captured not only some of our current research interests, but also ‘under-explored’ areas that need further attention and that also held the potential for meaningful and ‘dangerous’ contributions to EE/SE research and practice. These themes were: (1) uncertain futures, (2) traditional knowledges for the future, (3) community EE/SE, and (4) the rise of the digital, explorations of which we present in this article. By no means intended to capture all that is worth researching in this field, these themes, and this article, are deliberately presented by #aaeeer to spark discussions, as well as showcase an example of online collaboration between researchers in a number of countries.

Environmental and Sustainability Education Research, Past and Future: Three Perspectives From Late, Mid, and Early Career Researchers

AbstractThe first research symposium, organised in conjunction with the Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) biennial conference, began with a dialogue between scholars at three different academic career stages. As we all entered the field at different periods in its development, the first part of our presentation and this article provide our perspectives on the context, approaches and issues that characterised the field at the time we became involved in environmental education (EE) and EE research. The second part of this article presents the lessons we have learnt from EE research, and where we see the field headed in the future.

Demographics of the Australian orthotic and prosthetic workforce 2007-12.

Objective Health workforce data are vital to inform initiatives to meet the future healthcare needs of our society, but there are currently no data describing the Australian orthotic and prosthetic workforce. The aim of the present study was to describe demographic changes in the Australian orthotic and prosthetic workforce from 2007 to 2012. Methods In the present retrospective time series study, data from the Australian Orthotic Prosthetic Association member database were analysed for trends from 2007 to 2012. Data describing the absolute number of practitioners, the number of practitioners per 100000 population, age, gender, state or territory of residence and service location (i.e. metropolitan, regional and remote) were analysed for significant changes over time using linear regression models. Results Although the number of orthotist/prosthetists in Australia increased (P=0.013), the number of orthotist/prosthetists per 100000 population remained unchanged (P=0.054). The workforce became younger (P=0.004) and more female (P=0.005). Only Victoria saw an increase in the proportion of orthotist/prosthetists in regional and remote areas. There was considerable state-to-state variation. Only Victoria (P=0.01) and Tasmania (P=0.003) saw an increase in the number of orthotist/prosthetists per 100000 population. Conclusions The orthotic and prosthetic workforce has increased proportionately to Australia's population growth, become younger and more female. The proportion of practitioners in regional and remote areas has remained unchanged. These data can help inform workforce initiatives to increase the number of orthotist/prosthetists relative to the Australian population and make the services of orthotist/prosthetists more accessible to Australians in regional and remote areas. What is known about the topic? Currently, there are no demographic data describing changes in the Australian orthotic and prosthetic workforce over time. These data are vital to inform initiatives to increase the size of the workforce, locate practitioners where health services are most needed and thereby plan to meet the future health care needs of our society. What does this paper add? This paper describes changes in the Australian orthotic and prosthetic workforce, where previously these data have not been available as part of federal initiatives to plan for future workforce needs. What are the implications for practitioners? Demographic data describing changes in the orthotic and prosthetic workforce are needed to inform workforce initiatives that improve access in regional and remote Australia, and retain a younger and more female workforce.

Mechanical contractors: the key for supply chain integration in lifecycle BIM

The research presented here investigates the requirements for specialist trades in the construction industry to increase productivity across their sector when using building information modelling (BIM). Drivers for innovation among specialist trades, and in particular mechanical contractors, get examined in conjunction with the implementation of bespoke policies, documentation standards, and BIM object libraries that enable a whole-of-life approach to project delivery. In order to approach this topic, the authors analysed available literature about BIM dissemination across the supply chain and they studied existing approaches in practice based on the example of the BIM-MEPAUS initiative of the Australian Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors' Association (AMCA). Accounts from BIM-MEPAUS highlight the opportunities and challenges of BIM-use among specialist trades and they illustrate the raise of the BIM-enabled mechanical contractors. The paper acts as a reference for other specialist trade industry groups who may wish to follow their example.

Practice manager expectations of new graduate registered nurses in Australian general practice: a national survey.

Practice managers are often involved in the employment of practice nurses and are likely to have a significant role in future transition programs in general practice. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore practice managers' expectations of new graduate registered nurses working in general practice. A nation-wide web-based electronic survey distributed by the Australian Association of Practice Management was used to collect demographic data and practice managers' expectations of new graduate nurses directly transitioning into general practice in their first year of practice. The sample was broadly representative of the Australian state and territory population numbers. Respondents were predominantly female with postgraduate qualifications. The findings of this study highlight that practice managers who currently work with practice nurses would be supportive of graduate registered nurses in general practice in their first year with preceptor support. The results of this study have important implications for nursing workforce development and it is recommended that such initiatives are widely introduced with appropriate financial support.

Analytical Evaluation of Hemochroma POC Haemoglobin Reader

Background: Good laboratory practice requires that Clinical laboratories verifies the performance claims of a method before results generated by such an instrument can be used for decisions about patient care. Analytical evaluation of a new point of care methods should be done before its introduction into the routine use in order to confirm its declared analytical performance specifications. Objective: To evaluate the degree of analytical accuracy of the Hemochroma POC haemoglobin reader relative to the Coulter AcT hematology analyzer. Study design and setting: A comparative study, conducted at the University of Nairobi, Thematic unit of Clinical Chemistry Laboratory and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Materials and methods: The evaluation was performed according to the guidelines of the European Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (ECCLS) and the guidelines on the evaluation of point of care testing instruments by the Australian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB). The analytical ability of Hemochroma POC reader (Boditech Med Inc.) to determine the levels of hemoglobin (Hb) according to the manufacturers claimed accuracy levels was evaluated using the routine 'comparative' method, Coulter AcT (Beckman Coulter Inc, Fulerton, CA 92835). Results: Hemochroma POC hemoglobin reader yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.976 against the Coulter AcT hematology analyzer. The slope and the y-axis intercept as well as their 95% confidence intervals were 0.990 (95% CI 0.891 to 1.020) and 0.003 (95% CI -0.151 to 1.439), respectively.

RANZCR Celebrates 80 Years.

2015 marks the 80th anniversary of the formation of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Radiology (ANZAR) in 1935. The association underwent several name changes over the following decades, finally becoming The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) in 1998. The following is the text from the speech given by the President of the College, A/Prof Chris Milross, at the 2015 RANZCR Annual Scientific Meeting to mark the anniversary.

Motivating the gifted and talented: Lessons from research and practice

No accessFULL TEXTAustralasian Journal of Gifted EducationOther Journal Article01 December 2015Motivating the gifted and talented: Lessons from research and practice Authors: Andrew J Martin Authors: Andrew J Martin University of Western Sydney, and Professor, Educational Psychology, School of Education (Educational Psychology Research Group), University of New South Wales, 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 The issue of motivation is relevant to all students (Martin, 2001, 2002, in press). However, for some specific groups of students, not only are the fundamental principles of motivation relevant, but there are some additional principles or issues that need to be considered or refined. One case in point is the gifted and talented student, and in particular, the underachieving gifted and talented student. The purpose of this paper is to review the key motivational issues relevant to gifted and talented students, and more specifically, the refinements or adaptations of these issues that are required to more effectively target these students. Following from this, a variety of pedagogical strategies are proposed which educators can use to enhance or sustain gifted and talented students. Full Text DOI Previous article Next article RelatedDetails View PUBLICATION DETAILSDate of Publication:December 2015Volume:24Issue:2Journal:Australasian Journal of Gifted EducationISSN:1323-9686Page Range:52-60First Page:52Last Page:60Source:Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vol. 24, No. 2, Dec 2015: 52-60Date Last Modified:05 September 2019 12:02Date Last Revised:08 January 2019SubjectSelf-perception in adolescenceGifted children--PsychologyFear of failureFear of successPerfectionism (Personality trait)Motivation in education METRICS Downloaded 22 times Copyright© Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, 2015Download PDFLoading ...

Teachers' attitudes towards the gifted: The importance of professional development and school culture

No accessFULL TEXTAustralasian Journal of Gifted EducationOther Journal Article01 December 2015Teachers' attitudes towards the gifted: The importance of professional development and school culture Authors: Carly Lassig Authors: Carly Lassig Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, 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 Given that teachers have one of the most significant influences on the educational development of gifted students, reports of negative attitudes and beliefs in popular myths about giftedness are cause for concern. It is important to understand teachers' attitudes and beliefs to implement effective training and educational practices to improve education for gifted students. This study explored the attitudes of Australian primary school teachers (N = 126) towards intellectually gifted children and their education at eight schools. These schools could be categorised into four different classifications in regards to their involvement in gifted education. Key findings include significant associations between teachers' attitudes and their school classifications (p < .001), and their participation in gifted and talented education inservice training (p < .001). Findings from this study suggest that further teacher training and school-wide involvement in gifted education may assist in improving attitudes towards intellectually gifted children and their education. Full Text DOI Previous article Next article RelatedDetails View PUBLICATION DETAILSDate of Publication:December 2015Volume:24Issue:2Journal:Australasian Journal of Gifted EducationISSN:1323-9686Page Range:6-16First Page:6Last Page:16Source:Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, Vol. 24, No. 2, Dec 2015: 6-16Date Last Modified:05 September 2019 12:02Date Last Revised:08 January 2019SubjectTeachers--AttitudesTeachers of gifted children--Training ofTeachers of gifted children--In-service trainingTeachers of gifted children--AttitudesTeachers of gifted childrenGifted children--Education METRICS Downloaded 85 times Copyright© Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, 2015Download PDFLoading ...

Receiving the news of a diagnosis of motor neuron disease: What does it take to make it better?

Our objectives were to identify the experiences of people with MND in receiving the diagnosis and to determine which aspects of breaking this bad news were associated with greater satisfaction with the way the diagnosis was delivered to them. An anonymous postal survey was facilitated by all MND associations in Australia, in 2014, and centred on the SPIKES protocol for communicating bad news. Of the patients (n = 248, response rate 29%), 36% were dissatisfied with the delivery of the diagnosis and gave low ratings on the ability/skills of their neurologists to deliver the diagnosis. It was evident that the longer the patients spent with their neurologists during breaking such bad news, the more they were satisfied and the higher they rated the neurologists’ abilities/skills. The largest significant differences between neurologists rated as having high or low skills in delivering the diagnosis were in four domains: 1) responding empathically to the feelings of patient/family; 2) sharing the information and suggesting realistic goals; 3) exploring what patient/family are expecting or hoping for; and 4) making a plan and following through. In conclusion, with over one-third of patients dissatisfied with their experience, there is room for improvement in the practice of neurologists in specified areas that could form the basis for changing practice, and the development of standards and protocols likely to have implications at the international level.

BUILDING A WORKFORCE COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING PROGRAM IN INFANT/EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH.

This article describes findings from a project conducted in Western Australia (Mental Health Commission WA, 2015) that investigated the education and training needs of the Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (I/ECMH) workforce. We examined international training programs and models of delivery in infant mental health, including a review of the current training available in Australia. Data collected from over 60 interviews were analyzed, and a staged delivery model for I/ECMH training and supervision that aligned with the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health (2014) Competency Guidelines was recommended. These findings led to the purchase of the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health (2014) for use in Western Australia. In a very short time, use of the Michigan Competency Framework by the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health West Australian Branch Incorporated has begun to change the training and education opportunities for upskilling the infant and early childhood workforce in Western Australia. It has resulted in a map to guide and develop training in the I/ECMH field for individual practitioners and professionals as well as for workplaces that will ultimately benefit Western Australian infants, young children, and their families during the perinatal period and in the early years.

Welcoming and celebrating diversity: The Uniting journey of learning on inclusive practice

Welcoming and celebrating diversity: The Uniting journey of learning on inclusive practice