Reducing fire deaths - a new approach to smoke alarms. Disturbingly, those most at risk of dying in residential fires are also least likely to awaken to the current smoke alarm signal, now mandatory in Australian residences. This project will develop a new alarm (using Gibsonian, naturalistic sounds and/or a voice signal) and compare its waking efficacy with the current smoke alarm. Testing will involve three vulnerable groups; sleep deprived young adults, children and alcohol intoxicated. The r ....Reducing fire deaths - a new approach to smoke alarms. Disturbingly, those most at risk of dying in residential fires are also least likely to awaken to the current smoke alarm signal, now mandatory in Australian residences. This project will develop a new alarm (using Gibsonian, naturalistic sounds and/or a voice signal) and compare its waking efficacy with the current smoke alarm. Testing will involve three vulnerable groups; sleep deprived young adults, children and alcohol intoxicated. The research is innovative with important implications for community public safety, the national and international smoke alarm industry, performance based models of building safety and our theoretical understanding of cognitive processing during sleep.Read moreRead less
Waking up to a fire - optimising the smoke alarm signal. On any one night a significant proportion of the population is at risk of sleeping through the current smoke alarm in a fire emergency. Significant risk factors for not awakening include being a child, sleep deprivation, being a heavy sleeper, use of sleeping tablets, alcohol intoxication, and being aged over 60. Yet research suggests that a different alarm signal will awaken these groups more effectively at a lower volume. This innovati ....Waking up to a fire - optimising the smoke alarm signal. On any one night a significant proportion of the population is at risk of sleeping through the current smoke alarm in a fire emergency. Significant risk factors for not awakening include being a child, sleep deprivation, being a heavy sleeper, use of sleeping tablets, alcohol intoxication, and being aged over 60. Yet research suggests that a different alarm signal will awaken these groups more effectively at a lower volume. This innovative project will determine the best signal, with important implications for community public safety, fire safety engineers, the smoke alarm industry and our theoretical understanding of cognitive processing during sleep.Read moreRead less
Site-Level Community Engagement Processes in the Australian Minerals Industry: A Comparative Analysis. A key principle of corporate social responsibility is that companies should endeavour to engage with, and be responsive to, the concerns of affected local communities. With the support of four industry partners, this study will compare how community engagement has been practised at seven Australian minerals operations. The study will assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of existing enga ....Site-Level Community Engagement Processes in the Australian Minerals Industry: A Comparative Analysis. A key principle of corporate social responsibility is that companies should endeavour to engage with, and be responsive to, the concerns of affected local communities. With the support of four industry partners, this study will compare how community engagement has been practised at seven Australian minerals operations. The study will assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of existing engagement processes, account for significant differences between sites, and identify opportunities for improving how companies engage with communities. Social Identity Theory will be utilised to structure the research and inform the development of advice to industry on effective engagement strategies.Read moreRead less
Effective pedagogy for improving critical thinking. Many people reason poorly, by almost any measure of reasoning. Although there is evidence that people can be taught to think critically, educators don't really know how. They don't know what works, what doesn't, and why. This study will systematically examine the effectiveness of different techniques for teaching reasoning and will cross-validate an Australian test of reasoning - the GSA - with an international standard. The expected outcomes o ....Effective pedagogy for improving critical thinking. Many people reason poorly, by almost any measure of reasoning. Although there is evidence that people can be taught to think critically, educators don't really know how. They don't know what works, what doesn't, and why. This study will systematically examine the effectiveness of different techniques for teaching reasoning and will cross-validate an Australian test of reasoning - the GSA - with an international standard. The expected outcomes of the study are data about what improves reasoning and about the success of the GSA. The significance of the study lies in the potential benefits these data will have to students and employers.Read moreRead less
Application of contemporary systems-based methods to reduce trauma at rail level crossings. Crashes at railway level crossings continue to cause significant trauma across Australia. Despite being a longstanding safety problem, the design and operation of level crossings has not changed considerably for decades. This research will provide an in-depth understanding of road user, environmental and infrastructure-related factors that influence safety and performance at rail level crossings. This wil ....Application of contemporary systems-based methods to reduce trauma at rail level crossings. Crashes at railway level crossings continue to cause significant trauma across Australia. Despite being a longstanding safety problem, the design and operation of level crossings has not changed considerably for decades. This research will provide an in-depth understanding of road user, environmental and infrastructure-related factors that influence safety and performance at rail level crossings. This will be used to develop a world-first model of the level crossing system that is needed to support the development of innovative countermeasures that will improve safety. Reductions in the levels of significant trauma at level crossings, and new public policy for level crossing upgrades, are the intended real-world outcomes.Read moreRead less
Engagement with schooling: Influences of motivation processes on the development and application of independent thinking skills. Motivation and flexible thinking skills are critical outcomes of schooling if adolescents are to become life-long learners. This collaborative project employs innovative methodology to investigate students? developing capacity to apply thinking skills to novel problems and how motivational processes contribute to these outcomes. Measurement of real-time sequences of re ....Engagement with schooling: Influences of motivation processes on the development and application of independent thinking skills. Motivation and flexible thinking skills are critical outcomes of schooling if adolescents are to become life-long learners. This collaborative project employs innovative methodology to investigate students? developing capacity to apply thinking skills to novel problems and how motivational processes contribute to these outcomes. Measurement of real-time sequences of reactions and decisions provide direct access to on-task processes not available from existing methods. Problem tasks developed in collaboration with teachers will be used with Year 7, 8 and 9 students in a cohort-sequential design. Findings will inform future innovations designed to engage and challenge educational achievement in adolescents.Read moreRead less
The early communicative environment prior to and following cochlear implants: impact on children's early communicative and cognitive development. This research with children with cochlear implants will examine the effect on language development of being in an oral environment or one that also includes sign language. The outcomes will provide information for parents and professionals enabling informed decision about the management of the children to promote the best possible outcomes.
Understanding and preventing injury in the Australian led outdoor activity domain: a theory driven approach to injury surveillance and prevention. This project will develop, trial and validate an injury surveillance system for the Australian led outdoor activity industry. An in-depth injury incident study will then be conducted and a model of led outdoor activity injury incident causation produced. This will be used to inform future injury prevention efforts and reduce injury in this domain.
A theory-based approach to the design and evaluation of anti-speeding messages to target high risk road users' attitudes and behaviours. The proposed research offers three significant benefits. First, this research will develop an improved approach to aid the design and testing of road safety anti-speeding messages. Second, the research will identify the most effective advertising messages for different groups of drivers at risk of being involved in road-related trauma such as young males. Third ....A theory-based approach to the design and evaluation of anti-speeding messages to target high risk road users' attitudes and behaviours. The proposed research offers three significant benefits. First, this research will develop an improved approach to aid the design and testing of road safety anti-speeding messages. Second, the research will identify the most effective advertising messages for different groups of drivers at risk of being involved in road-related trauma such as young males. Third, through improving the persuasiveness of anti-speeding advertising messages, the research may contribute to a reduction in the extent to which drivers engage in speeding which, in turn, may lessen speeding-related road trauma which would have significant benefits not only for road safety but for public health more broadly. Read moreRead less
Integrated depression management: a trial of a new model of care in a low vision rehabilitation setting. The project will integrate depression management into Vision Australia services and evaluate the impact of this new model of care. We anticipate that this new approach will lead to sustained improvements in clients’ quality of life.