Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driv ....Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driven seasonal forecast system using high density climate data from the 17,000 Grain Growers Association members and climate drivers such as sea surface temperature from the Bureau of Meteorology. After validation against observed data, the forecasts will be delivered via a web-based portal to users.Read moreRead less
The Betaproteobacteria: could they play a key role in nitrogen fixation on infertile soils with legumes adapted to climate change? Microbial biosecurity is often overlooked when introducing agricultural species to Australia. As we research new legume species to make our $44 billion agricultural industries robust in the face of a changing climate, we need to be aware of the implications of the associated introduction of (beneficial) microbes. By exploring the globe for plants from regions that al ....The Betaproteobacteria: could they play a key role in nitrogen fixation on infertile soils with legumes adapted to climate change? Microbial biosecurity is often overlooked when introducing agricultural species to Australia. As we research new legume species to make our $44 billion agricultural industries robust in the face of a changing climate, we need to be aware of the implications of the associated introduction of (beneficial) microbes. By exploring the globe for plants from regions that already have the climate we are transitioning towards, we have discovered new perennial forage legumes from which we can build a robust agriculture in the arid regions of southern Australia. This will have enormous national benefit in rural regions. This project will research the essential microbial inoculants associated with these new plants.Read moreRead less
Peopling educational policy: realising the new Australian English and mathematics curricula. Implementation of Australian curricula in English and mathematics provides an opportunity for school systems to re-examine practice. This project will identify resources and teacher learning opportunities needed to facilitate implementation of these curricula and use findings to develop interventions identified as likely to optimise implementation.
Improving student outcomes: coaching teachers in the power of feedback. This project aims to investigate how student outcomes can be augmented through coaching teachers in effective feedback practice. The project addresses a critical problem of stagnating levels of student achievement in Australian schools with the innovative research design combining evidence-based, pedagogies of feedback, formative assessment and instructional coaching to improve teacher practice and ultimately raise student a ....Improving student outcomes: coaching teachers in the power of feedback. This project aims to investigate how student outcomes can be augmented through coaching teachers in effective feedback practice. The project addresses a critical problem of stagnating levels of student achievement in Australian schools with the innovative research design combining evidence-based, pedagogies of feedback, formative assessment and instructional coaching to improve teacher practice and ultimately raise student achievement levels. The project aims to guide policy implementation in pedagogy to raise the quality of teaching standards and to improve learning outcomes for Australian students. Ultimately, outcomes from the research will help close the gap for low achieving students, and challenge and extend those who may already be meeting required benchmarks. Read moreRead less
Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. This project aims to develop discipline-specific pedagogies in senior physics, chemistry and biology to improve disadvantaged students’ engagement and achievement. Many students from disadvantaged backgrounds fail to develop the linguistic precision and symbolic representational dexterity needed to comprehend and communicate senior school science concepts. T ....Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. Multiliteracies for addressing disadvantage in senior school science. This project aims to develop discipline-specific pedagogies in senior physics, chemistry and biology to improve disadvantaged students’ engagement and achievement. Many students from disadvantaged backgrounds fail to develop the linguistic precision and symbolic representational dexterity needed to comprehend and communicate senior school science concepts. These pedagogies will ‘infuse’ multiliteracies in senior school science to improve access to science-based pathways for these students, and enable them to understand progressively more complex scientific concepts and demonstrate this in examinations. This project is expected to improve student retention, arrest declining enrolments in senior school science, and increase young people working in science.Read moreRead less
Building Durable Responses to Gender Inequality in Indonesia. This project aims to produce the first longitudinal and comparative study of which aspects of gender equity and women’s empowerment interventions prove most durable for addressing gender inequality in Indonesia, despite external shocks such as the pandemic. The project produces an analysis of how women might remain resilient over time and the pathways by which durability is achieved in improving women's wellbeing and gender relations ....Building Durable Responses to Gender Inequality in Indonesia. This project aims to produce the first longitudinal and comparative study of which aspects of gender equity and women’s empowerment interventions prove most durable for addressing gender inequality in Indonesia, despite external shocks such as the pandemic. The project produces an analysis of how women might remain resilient over time and the pathways by which durability is achieved in improving women's wellbeing and gender relations in communities, and inclusive policies and institutions. Analysis will generate, translate and share new knowledge benefiting civil society partners, academics, policy makers and development practitioners in Indonesia, Australia and beyond, so gender equality interventions can better withstand future shocks.Read moreRead less
The endangered swift parrot as a model for managing small migratory birds. Endangered swift parrots use variable locations while breeding in eastern Tasmania and over winter on the Australian mainland. This project aims to develop effective conservation strategies for swift parrots and other migrants using new and long term data and innovative technological solutions to tracking small birds across vast landscapes.
Developing molecular and physiological markers for marker-assisted barley breeding for waterlogging tolerance. The overall loss in crop production due to waterlogging is second largest after drought, and more than 5 million hectares in Australia are prone to waterlogging. This project will develop physiological and molecular markers allowing for the development of waterlogging tolerant crops, thus contributing to the National Goal of ‘Responding to Climate Change and Variability’.
Images, perceptions and resources: enhancing Australias role in China's English language education. Education, being the third largest export industry, plays an extremely important role in Australia's engagement with the Asia region. Chinese students are by far the largest single group of overseas students studying in Australia. However, there is little evidence regarding Australia's presence in the English language market in China, nor of how Chinese language learning businesses draw on Austral ....Images, perceptions and resources: enhancing Australias role in China's English language education. Education, being the third largest export industry, plays an extremely important role in Australia's engagement with the Asia region. Chinese students are by far the largest single group of overseas students studying in Australia. However, there is little evidence regarding Australia's presence in the English language market in China, nor of how Chinese language learning businesses draw on Australian sources and resources. The association with two premier Chinese language learning and publishing houses through this joint research project will promote Australian content for language learners in China and provide information for Australian language resource developers focusing on the Chinese market.Read moreRead less
Resettling Visible Migrants & Refugees in Regional and Rural Victoria. Increasing numbers of visible migrants and refugees are settling in rural and regional Australia. Critical knowledge of how this is working is of national significance as it can improve cohesiveness, sustainability and quality of diverse communities and intergovernmental policies. By working directly with our industry partners in local and state government in Victoria, this project will provide concrete examples of good pract ....Resettling Visible Migrants & Refugees in Regional and Rural Victoria. Increasing numbers of visible migrants and refugees are settling in rural and regional Australia. Critical knowledge of how this is working is of national significance as it can improve cohesiveness, sustainability and quality of diverse communities and intergovernmental policies. By working directly with our industry partners in local and state government in Victoria, this project will provide concrete examples of good practice which will also be of benefit nationally. The project findings will have far-reaching implications for our understanding of migrant and refugee resettlement in Australia; and will consolidate Australia as an important site of international expertise.Read moreRead less