Australian University Research Articles

Indigenous students' experiences of being taught indigenous health

BackgroundIncreasing the numbers of Indigenous health professionals is an international priority to enhance health outcomes for Indigenous communities. It is also incumbent on academics to ensure all graduates are culturally safe to work with Indigenous Peoples, and that accredited health degrees contain appropriate Indigenous content, improving the cultural competence of the registered health workforce. However, little current research investigates Indigenous tertiary students' experiences of learning about Indigenous health. AimTo explore Indigenous students' experiences of being taught Indigenous health. DesignThis study employed an online survey (16 % response rate) developed to evaluate student's beliefs, attitudes and learning experiences following operationalisation of a university Indigenous Graduate Attribute. An Aboriginal researcher also conducted Yarning Circles with Indigenous students as a culturally appropriate means to deepen insight into their experiences of studying Indigenous health topics alongside non-Indigenous peers. SettingA large urban Australian university. ParticipantsTwelve Indigenous students from four health disciplines completed the anonymous survey. Five Indigenous midwifery students participated in a Yarning Circle. MethodsSurvey data were analysed descriptively using SPSS version 27. Qualitative data from Yarning Circle transcripts were analysed thematically from an inductive Indigenous standpoint. ResultsResults from the survey demonstrated unanimous agreement that all health students should learn about Indigenous Peoples' health and cultures. However, most participants agreed that there needed to be more content on Indigenous knowledges, derived from Indigenous authors, researchers, and community presenters.The Yarning Circle yielded rich discussion of students' experiences, explored across three key themes and associated sub-themes. Themes were: When your culture is content; Being an Indigenous student; and Sources of strength and support as Indigenous students. ConclusionsFindings indicate the importance of framing Indigenous content, incorporating Indigenous knowledge into curricula, ensuring Cultural Safety in classrooms with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, and supporting Indigenous students to excel.

Recognition of Prior Learning in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review

The aims of this research are to describe recent, global, empirical understandings of the recognition of prior learning (RPL) and to synthesise and extant knowledge in a way that assists stakeholders in uplifting the transitions to education, employment, or training. RPL matters are particularly important to current sector policy initiatives as reforms to the Australian government’s approach to widening participation in higher education have helped in the development of the 2021 National Microcredentials Framework to define, standardise and consolidate RPL for Australian citizens. Furthermore, the recent 2024 Australian Universities Accord Final Report highlights the importance of RPL to facilitate lifelong learning. A systematic review guided by the PRISMA and PICO frameworks identified 65 articles published between 2013-2023, that empirically examined RPL. Using manual thematic analysis, 17 core themes were organised into five meta-themes: 1) the benefits of RPL; 2) the challenges of RPL; 3) RPL processes; 4) institutional processes; and 5) national RPL policy. This article provides timely insights to shape the future RPL research agenda as well as RPL practice and policy in Australia and beyond.

Gender quotas are not enough: the need for multiple strategies to address gender equity in Australian universities

ABSTRACT The paper examines a ‘circulatory’ system of gender inequity in Australian universities where gender bias prevents women from accessing senior decision-making roles and stultifies their capacity to act as gender change agents. It has been mooted that equity quotas for senior roles can derail this circuit of male privilege in academia. Yet a plastic reading of the shape of gender equity policy and practice in Australian universities over the last 40 years reveals an increasing acceptance of individualism, which positions women’s liberation as being achievable through self-responsibilisation. If these discourses remain unchallenged, gender quotas for senior roles alone will likely only benefit those entrepreneurial women admitted to senior positions, rendering the causes of gender inequity hidden and exonerated. Using a novel methodology that combines a ‘plastic’ with a complex systems lens of policy manoeuvres, we suggest gender quotas, accompanied by strategy designed to develop leaders’ gender competency and change agency, are required to support more sustainably equitable work structure within the academy.

Interest in science and mathematics teaching among non-science/mathematics initial teacher education candidates

ABSTRACT Many countries are experiencing teacher shortages, with particularly long-standing issues in attraction and retention in secondary science and mathematics. Policy initiatives often focus on science and mathematics undergraduates, with the aim of encouraging them to consider teaching by offering scholarships into teacher education or fast-tracking into employment permanency. However, those who have already chosen to teach in non-science and mathematics teaching specialisations have already shown their interest in teaching and form a pool of candidates that may potentially be recruited into science and mathematics teaching pathways. While these non-science and mathematics teacher candidates could have the capacity to address in part longstanding science and mathematics teacher shortages, there is a lack of research examining their motivations from the perspective of initiatives that may attract them into science and mathematics teaching, and little that examines their science and mathematics backgrounds. We sought to address these gaps by surveying 349 initial teacher education (ITE) students from four Australian universities, examining their career motivations, interest in science and mathematics teaching, and science and mathematics backgrounds. We explored perceived barriers to secondary science and mathematics teaching, and responses to potential policy initiatives. We found that 61% of non-science/mathematics ITE candidates indicated high interest in secondary science or mathematics pathways. Policy options such as support for science and mathematics retraining after several years of teaching in their current subject area or level, were selected as likely to support this choice. Our results suggest considerable capacity for policymakers and tertiary institutions to design initiatives that may attract non-science/mathematics ITE candidates into science and mathematics teaching.

Towards epistemic and linguistic justice in universities: Exploring the Australian university linguascene from student perspectives

Towards epistemic and linguistic justice in universities: Exploring the Australian university linguascene from student perspectives

Censoring Palestine: human rights, academic freedom and the IHRA

ABSTRACT This piece focuses on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism and the campaigns to label Palestine scholarship, teaching, and activism on campuses as antisemitic, and their impact of on academic freedom and the rights of scholars and students. It places Australian universities in a larger transnational context and demonstrates, through a focus on the environment in which academics and students operate—especially in the aftermath of Israel's 2023 War on Gaza—how the IHRA is a political tool used to censor speech on Palestine and shield Israel from criticism by labelling critical perspectives on Palestine as antisemitic.

Investigating Copyright as a Mechanism for Combatting Unauthorised Student Academic file-sharing in Higher Education: Findings from an Explorative Study

AbstractAcademic file-sharing services encourage students to upload materials, sometimes their own study notes for example, but can also include copyrighted university documents, in exchange for access to downloading resources from a common repository. In this process, the lines between legitimate study help and academic misconduct are unclear. Integrity-based strategies to combat these transactions have been limited. Removal by copyright mechanisms has been identified as a potential approach but has been hampered by the enormity of the task and the resource intensity required to make an impact at scale. This explorative study at a large Australian university sought to remove a percentage of copyrighted material from two commonly used academic file-sharing websites and to understand the experience of users in uploading files. Findings from the study were encouraging and informative, resulting in a suite of initiatives being introduced across the institution to prevent uploading in the first instance as well as, where possible, addressing misconduct when it occurred. Limitations included that the study was only undertaken as one university and therefore does not represent the contexts of different institutions. Further, it only investigated two websites out of many available. Future research could explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by academic file-sharing services to retain existing users and attract new ones. This work provides a clearer picture of how an institution’s copyrighted material is hosted on two academic file-sharing websites and offers an effective and potentially scalable copyright approach that could be adapted by other higher education institutions.

How Social Work Education Fosters Professional Resilience: Student and Newly Qualified Practitioner Perspectives

ABSTRACT Navigating complex and evolving practice environments requires resilient social workers. However, education's contribution to professional resilience development is underinvestigated. As part of a longitudinal, qualitative study, this article reports the findings on how social workers as students and then newly qualified practitioners perceived how their education fostered professional resilience. In stage one, interviews were conducted with 23 social work students from eight Australian universities in the final 12 months of their Master of Social Work (Qualifying) degree. In stage two, the sample was reduced to 19, with interviews occurring after approximately six months of practice. Framed by critical theory and social constructionism, narrative inquiry guided the analysis of participants’ perceptions. The results revealed professional resilience is relational and developed through curricula and pedagogy facilitating connection, building knowledge through critical reflection, and preparing students for the realities and complexities of practice. The study extends evidence that transitioning from student to practitioner is a crucial time in social workers’ careers. The findings identify that professional resilience can be fostered by responsive external resources and evidence-based programs offered by universities, practice organisations, and professional bodies. IMPLICATIONS Social workers' resilience relies upon education fostering connection between students, academics, and qualified social workers, incorporating critical reflection and developing knowledge and skills in navigating practice contexts. Field education is integral to this process. Social workers in Australia could benefit from a nationwide program creating a consistent and evidence-informed approach to support newly qualified social workers as they transition into the workforce.

Assessment in community settings: Is there any role for individual competency-based assessment?

Oral forms of assessment remain a common part of competency-based assessment systems, yet their feasibility is being challenged. The focus on individual competence is problematic given the need to prepare health professionals for teamwork. The present study aimed to investigate how the assessment of collective competence compares to individual assessment, and to explore whether there is a need for individual assessment at all in community or population-based practice. A behavioural-based interview assessment was developed and trialled and correlated to performance as a team on placement. Correlation between student performance on individual behavioural-based interview and teamwork artefacts was assessed using Spearman rho. Differences between performance on individual oral assessment and team performance on artefacts at the cohort level was determined using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Bland-Altman analysis was completed to analyse agreement between performance on the individual oral assessment and team performance at the student level. Students were final year nutrition and dietetics students from 2020, 2021 and 2022 years (total sample = 216) from one Australian university. There was a difference in performance between assessment types in each year and as a total cohort (p < 0.001) with students performing better in teamwork. There was no correlation between individual oral interview and team performance across all years. The results of the Bland-Altman analysis showed little agreement between the two assessment tasks. Assessment of teamwork performance as part of a program of assessment is essential. More valid and reliable tools are needed to assess collective competence.

Leading program curriculum reform: reflections on challenges and successes

ABSTRACT Major curriculum review and redesign at the higher education level demand transformative academic leadership and significant time commitment. However, the traditional university culture characterised by change aversion, complex bureaucratic processes, and a research dominated academic workload allocation and promotion system poses significant obstacles to teaching quality enhancement. This article presents the critical reflections of a Program Director (academic middle leader) at an Australian university on the challenges and successes experienced while leading a major accounting curriculum reform project. Conducted between October 2019 and May 2021, this project encountered constant disruptions due to the Global Covid-19 pandemic, organisational restructuring, the new external professional accreditaiton requirements. Academic middle leader’s insights on the positive impacts and obstacles of major curriculum reform at the whole of a program level within a constantly evolving institutional environment provide valuable perspectives for both business education practice and policy reforms. The reflection has policy implications for university management to reassess strategic priorities with more balanced support for teaching and research in practice.

Autistic traits are associated with differences in the perception of genuineness and approachability in emotional facial expressions, independently of alexithymia.

People with autism and higher levels of autistic traits often have difficulty interpreting facial emotion. Research has commonly investigated the association between autistic traits and expression labeling ability. Here, we investigated the association between two relatively understudied abilities, namely, judging whether expressions reflect genuine emotion, and using expressions to make social approach judgements, in a nonclinical sample of undergraduates at an Australian university (N = 149; data collected during 2018). Autistic traits were associated with more difficulty discriminating genuineness and less typical social approach judgements. Importantly, we also investigated whether these associations could be explained by the co-occurring personality trait alexithymia, which describes a difficulty interpreting one's own emotions. Alexithymia is hypothesized to be the source of many emotional difficulties experienced by autistic people and often accounts for expression labeling difficulties associated with autism and autistic traits. In contrast, the current results provided no evidence that alexithymia is associated with differences in genuineness discrimination and social approach judgements. Rather, differences varied as a function of individual differences in specific domains of autistic traits. More autistic-like social skills and communication predicted greater difficulty in genuineness discrimination, and more autistic-like social skills and attention to details and patterns predicted differences in approach judgements. These findings suggest that difficulties in these areas are likely to be better understood as features of the autism phenotype than of alexithymia. Finally, results highlight the importance of considering the authenticity of emotional expressions, with associations between differences in approach judgements being more pronounced for genuine emotional expressions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Place Makes the Perspective! The Context of Unitary HRM Education in Austrian Universities

The Place Makes the Perspective! The Context of Unitary HRM Education in Austrian Universities

Three Shift Simulation: An Interdisciplinary Simulation With a Focus on Communicating for Safety in Managing the Deteriorating Patient

BackgroundSuboptimal communication from one healthcare professional to another can lead to error and patient harm. Effective communication between nurses and other healthcare professionals contributes to a shared understanding of a patient's condition and their management plan. Simulation for health professional education be an effective method to improve communication for patient safety. AimTo implement a simulated communication intervention, as an extracurricular activity among nursing, pharmacy, and medical students from a multicampus Australian university. MethodsA mixed methods questionnaire with open and closed questions was used to evaluate the direct impact of the simulation intervention, utilizing a validated tool: Satisfaction with Simulation Experience (SSE). The tool was adapted to capture experiences related to communication and patient safety. FindingsIt was found that students’ ability to recognize the role of other health professionals in patient safety increased. Participants reported that the intervention enabled them to work together providing routine care and provided experience collaborating within a multidisciplinary team with the deteriorating patient. The results also demonstrated that participants learned to communicate for patient safety. DiscussionThe simulation intervention contributed to better prepare students in communicating with one another in providing safe care for deteriorating patients. However, transfer of learning in practice was not measured and therefore the impact on long -term patient safety outcomes is unknown, and this requires further investigation. ConclusionIncorporating interdisciplinary simulation with a focus on interdisciplinary communication into undergraduate nursing, pharmacy and medicine curricula can support students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes for quality and safe care.

Measuring sustainable development goals (SDGs) in higher education through semantic matching

ABSTRACT Over the past twenty years, higher education institutions (HEIs) including universities, polytechnics, and vocational education providers, have become major conduits for the teaching and dissemination of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The Times Higher Education Impact rankings, other rankings schemes and external accreditation requirements also pressure HEIs to report their progress towards the SDGs periodically. For large HEIs, reporting requirements can equate to significant resource burdens, and these can be insurmountable. In this paper, we develop a novel approach to measuring SDG content in the course descriptions and learning outcomes of 5461 courses offered by a major Australian university. Our method utilises semantic matching, an AI-based technique that assesses similarities between key terms in the dataset (including course descriptions and course learning outcomes) and those in each SDG. Our results achieve a 75% fit to the data and show that Quality Education (SDG 4) and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17) are the most common SDGs covered at the case university and that these reflect course learning outcomes that focus on pedagogy. Where SDGs are more domain-specific, there is a much less consistent coverage across the university, and this is observable at the Faculty and School levels. This highlights that it is not possible or desirable to cover all SDG content in all educational offerings consistently. Our algorithm is a potential solution for larger HEIs that seek to capture and report the SDG contributions of their education offerings holistically using existing textual datasets, without the need for excessive resource investments.

Master of nursing programs in Australia: A desktop analysis

BackgroundMaster of Nursing (MN) programs serve as an important structured pathway to prepare the nursing workforce to develop advanced capabilities. Little research has been done to examine the key characteristics of MN programs in Australia and their responsiveness to meeting the health needs of the community. AimThe aim of this desktop analysis is to provide a detailed overview of the key characteristics of MN programs in Australia. MethodA desktop analysis of MN programs in Australia utilising content analysis of publicly available information gathered from program websites of Australian Universities. ResultsA total of 70 MN programs were analysed from the 28 that offered these programs. Nine categories were developed that describe the key characteristics of these programs: nomenclature and program focus, program outcomes, regulation and professional recognition, structure, work integrated learning, delivery mode, admission, and tuition fees. Inconsistencies were identified across all categories. DiscussionWhile Australian universities offer a diverse range of MN programs, inconsistencies across the programs can impact quality and intent and have implications for students, employees, and universities. ConclusionThere is a pressing need to ensure the quality of MN education is maintained and adequate to meet healthcare needs. The benefits and risks of professional regulation of all MN programs should be considered as a mechanism for enhancing the quality of nursing education.

Critical Discourse Analysis of Pre-enrolment English Program Curriculum Documents: Preparing Students for University Registers

Objectives: Critiques in academic literature and Australian media focus on the English proficiency of international students in Australia, particularly those with EAL (English as an additional language) studying in Australia, raising doubts about their preparedness for university-level English studies (Arkoudis, et al., 2019). These concerns extend to pre-enrolment English program. To address this, the study examines the curriculum handbook of Australian universities' English programs. It reveals that this curriculum not only offers course and program information but also serves as a model for EAL students aspiring to enroll in Western universities. The study extends the analysis using the Verclaff Framework for Action (1989, 1995). Methods: Applying Fairclough’s framework, the study used a three-pronged critical discourse analysis of the English language program curriculum. This involved examining the text, interpreting the creation processes, and understanding the social and historical contexts influencing the text. Results: interestingly, the description reveals a clear and comprehensive structure, providing detailed information not only about the curriculum but also about staff, facilities, and the wider university and city environment students will engage with. Moreover, it delineates assessment tasks, with some fully detailed presentations. Conclusions: The curriculum document has become a comprehensive “book of rules” and a legal representation of the university. This study shows how the document prepares international students by teaching academic norms, complying with regulations, advertising courses, and providing curriculum information, while also addressing the socio-cultural aspects of their future studies at an Australian university.

Employability Discourse in Digital Literacy Frameworks: Analysis in Australian University Libraries

ABSTRACT This paper explores the relationship between digital literacy and employability within Australian university libraries through institutional digital literacy frameworks through the research question: How do Australian university libraries incorporate employability discourse within their digital literacy frameworks? There is an established discourse on the practical application of information and digital literacies in professional contexts, espoused by universities. However, there has not been obvious linkages between employability and digital literacy, but rather implicit linkages that digital literacy is critical in enhancing student employability. The value of information and digital literacy is evident in many Australian university libraries’ initiatives as they respond to the focus on graduate employability by acknowledging changes in workplace skills with the increasing proliferation of digital technologies. Overall, this paper explores what relationships there are among Australian Universities’ digital literacy frameworks within the larger context of universities’ responsibility in enhancing their graduates’ employability and how and to what extent, if any these have been communicated with the content of the frameworks.

Transition as transformation: developing student identities and academic literacies through university enabling pathways in Australia

In response to the global widening participation movement, most Australian universities now offer enabling programmes as pathways to degrees. These programmes play an important role in supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds to access higher education, supporting individuals to develop a sense of belonging and establish student identities alongside academic skills. However, what these students find most beneficial and supportive in transition to university is poorly understood. To investigate student perspectives on what supports their success at university, research was conducted with undergraduates who entered an Australian university through enabling pathways. Student reflections on individual educational trajectories highlight the transformative role of pathway programmes. Interview analysis provided recommendations for supporting new students, which will be useful for educators and widening participation practitioners. A critical pedagogical approach illuminates how confidence and capability are developed through scaffolded learning and constructive feedback, highlighting the educator’s role in supporting students to build learner identities and academic literacies. Students form a sense of belonging through peer networks and time spent in the university environment. Through scaffolded support, students develop individual management strategies for complex contexts and are empowered to contribute new knowledges, which leads to opportunities for individual and broader societal transformation.

Beyond generic support: Contextual influences on careers of gender and sexuality diverse groups in higher education

AbstractDespite the emerging attention to career development for gender and/or sexuality diverse (GSD) students, the literature is largely limited to generic support, missing a specific focus on either careers or being GSD. Such a generic view about contextual influences makes it difficult to guide the design and implementation of concrete, feasible practices for supporting GSD students' careers. Extending the existing body of work, this study employed qualitative methods to explore more specific, nuanced contextual factors within the university setting that influence GSD students' career development. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 25 Australian university students who self‐identified as GSD. Our findings report seven major themes that could explain the influence of university contexts on the career development and experiences of GSD students. These themes include generic mentoring not always being useful, the negative effects of framing diversity as a “risk,” small things that can foster a sense of safety, the importance of designated areas and resources, the importance of advice on safe workplaces and being authentic at work, the importance of the visibility of key people, and the need for intersectional support. In addition to unpacking the influence of unique contextual features, these findings contribute to the extension of existing career frameworks such as the career self‐management model into GSD contexts. Our results also shed light on detailed, implementable practical solutions for universities, career counselors, and psychologists to support the career development of GSD students.

The rapid rise of generative AI and its implications for academic integrity: Students’ perceptions and use of chatbots for assistance with assessments

The rapid adoption of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT by students has the potential to disrupt the higher education sector, with concerns being raised by academics about potential threats to academic integrity. This paper contributes to the pressing discussion about responses to AI tools by examining students' perceptions and the use of generative AI to assist them with assessments. Based on a survey among 337 Australian university students, this study found that more than a third of students have used a chatbot for assistance with an assessment, and do not necessarily perceive this as a breach of academic integrity. The study further investigated to what extent different psychosocial factors such as learning motivations, distress or resilience are associated with students’ use of AI chatbots in order to ascertain environmental conditions or risk factors driving their use. Findings suggest that the higher education sector faces the challenge of not only defining clear policies and guidelines about ethical and academically honest ways to use and integrate generative AI tools into university education and assessments, but also to rethink the design of assessment pieces.