School autonomy reform and Australian public education. This project aims to provide an evidence base for policymakers and practitioners that articulates how Australian public schools at an individual and system level engage with school autonomy reform. The project expects to generate an evidence base and new knowledge in the form of dilemma cases, position papers and a practice framework to support social justice through school autonomy reform. This evidence base will produce national economic ....School autonomy reform and Australian public education. This project aims to provide an evidence base for policymakers and practitioners that articulates how Australian public schools at an individual and system level engage with school autonomy reform. The project expects to generate an evidence base and new knowledge in the form of dilemma cases, position papers and a practice framework to support social justice through school autonomy reform. This evidence base will produce national economic and social benefits for Australian communities by identifying the requisite knowledge and practices that will enable key stakeholders to mobilise school autonomy in ways that produce just outcomes for all students.Read moreRead less
Protect from harm or lead into danger? The influence of peers in leisure activities on adolescent behaviour. When are peers a bad influence? This project will offer answers about the leisure settings that expose young people to risk and those that protect them from harm during the high school years. This research will also help identify those youth who may be especially vulnerable to negative effects of peer influence.
Rethinking higher education persistence. This project aims to address the issue of early departure from university. Many students leave higher education and disproportionate numbers are from educationally disadvantaged groups, including first-in-family learners. Too often, the individual learner is 'blamed' for this departure and perceived as deficit in necessary knowledge. This project extends previous research into how first-in-family students manage and engage with higher education. Expected ....Rethinking higher education persistence. This project aims to address the issue of early departure from university. Many students leave higher education and disproportionate numbers are from educationally disadvantaged groups, including first-in-family learners. Too often, the individual learner is 'blamed' for this departure and perceived as deficit in necessary knowledge. This project extends previous research into how first-in-family students manage and engage with higher education. Expected outcomes include knowledge about university persistence behaviours and a capabilities informed framework to design and implement future retention strategies.Read moreRead less
University curriculum reforms: An international comparative study. The project aims to provide an in-depth historical and contemporary comparative analysis of major developments in higher education curriculum policies and practices across the globe. The focus will be on the undergraduate level in research-intensive universities. The outcomes will enrich comparative understandings of developments for universities, governments and influential international organisations, as well as provide an emp ....University curriculum reforms: An international comparative study. The project aims to provide an in-depth historical and contemporary comparative analysis of major developments in higher education curriculum policies and practices across the globe. The focus will be on the undergraduate level in research-intensive universities. The outcomes will enrich comparative understandings of developments for universities, governments and influential international organisations, as well as provide an empirical evidence-base that will contribute to the fields of comparative education and support curriculum policy development at university level.Read moreRead less
STEM education: Student attitudes, teacher relationships & emotional climate. This project aims to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outcomes in schools, especially among females. This study will develop and validate a questionnaire to assess classroom emotional climate and investigate its mediating influence on teacher-student interactions and students’ effective outcomes. Focus groups will provide input into the interpretation and triangulation of questionnaire f ....STEM education: Student attitudes, teacher relationships & emotional climate. This project aims to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) outcomes in schools, especially among females. This study will develop and validate a questionnaire to assess classroom emotional climate and investigate its mediating influence on teacher-student interactions and students’ effective outcomes. Focus groups will provide input into the interpretation and triangulation of questionnaire findings and permit causal inferences. Expected outcomes include practical, research-based guidance to teachers for enhancing classroom emotional climate and motivating further study in STEM disciplines.Read moreRead less
Designing for uncertainty in conservation auctions. Economic theory and case study evidence show that tenders or auctions are more efficient than grant mechanisms for encouraging landholders to produce environmental outcomes on private land. These studies have ignored the effects of uncertainty of both bidders and administrators about factors such as landholder participation and the level of environmental benefits that will be delivered. This project will test whether distributing environmental ....Designing for uncertainty in conservation auctions. Economic theory and case study evidence show that tenders or auctions are more efficient than grant mechanisms for encouraging landholders to produce environmental outcomes on private land. These studies have ignored the effects of uncertainty of both bidders and administrators about factors such as landholder participation and the level of environmental benefits that will be delivered. This project will test whether distributing environmental funds via tenders is still efficient when uncertainty about various important factors is considered. Results from this research are expected to inform the cost effective design of systems to pay landholders for the provision of environmental benefits even when there is high uncertainty.Read moreRead less
School autonomy and parent engagement in disadvantaged communities. This project aims to examine public secondary schools’ engagements with parents in disadvantaged communities. Through policy analysis and case studies, the project seeks to advance knowledge about how school autonomy reforms are potentially reshaping meanings and practices associated with public schooling. Expected outcomes include enhanced knowledge about the shifting nature of schooling reform in Australia and insights into ev ....School autonomy and parent engagement in disadvantaged communities. This project aims to examine public secondary schools’ engagements with parents in disadvantaged communities. Through policy analysis and case studies, the project seeks to advance knowledge about how school autonomy reforms are potentially reshaping meanings and practices associated with public schooling. Expected outcomes include enhanced knowledge about the shifting nature of schooling reform in Australia and insights into evolving relationships between governments and citizens in public service delivery. Intended benefits include insights to inform future policy design and implementation at school and system levels.Read moreRead less
Redesigning Landcare policy to better coordinate across landholders. This project aims to study how landscape-sensitive economic incentives and social norms can be leveraged to enhance the short- and long-term effectiveness of conservation programs. It will yield new knowledge for innovative designs in conservation contracting that is urgently needed to address worsening environmental threats in Australia and worldwide. In collaboration with Nobel laureate Vernon Smith’s team, new methods and pr ....Redesigning Landcare policy to better coordinate across landholders. This project aims to study how landscape-sensitive economic incentives and social norms can be leveraged to enhance the short- and long-term effectiveness of conservation programs. It will yield new knowledge for innovative designs in conservation contracting that is urgently needed to address worsening environmental threats in Australia and worldwide. In collaboration with Nobel laureate Vernon Smith’s team, new methods and protocols will improve our ability to generate better data and better understand how social and incentive mechanisms can constructively interact to facilitate collaborative environmental action. Results will help make the achievement of environmental targets and the use of public funds more cost-effective. Read moreRead less
Next-generation Navigation by Mega-constellations LEO Satellites. This research will explore a novel positioning approach using new mega-constellations low-earth-orbit satellite communications signals to address a severe limitation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). It will facilitate improved positioning for services that rely on satellite positioning in challenging environments where GNSS signal visibility is limited, and where accurate positioning is needed. Expected outcomes are ....Next-generation Navigation by Mega-constellations LEO Satellites. This research will explore a novel positioning approach using new mega-constellations low-earth-orbit satellite communications signals to address a severe limitation of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). It will facilitate improved positioning for services that rely on satellite positioning in challenging environments where GNSS signal visibility is limited, and where accurate positioning is needed. Expected outcomes are generating new knowledge in using satellite internet signals for navigation, advancing our satellite positioning capability essential for vital applications such as transport, mining and defence, and developing technologies to increase Australia’s satellite innovation capacity with global scalability.Read moreRead less
Mesoporous Metal Scaffolds: Reactive Containment Vessels. The storage of hydrogen is one of the most important issues that remains to be solved before the mass implementation of hydrogen as an energy carrier becomes commercially viable. This project aims to determine the kinetic and thermodynamic benefits of mesoporous metal scaffolds as reactive containment vessels for hydrogen storage materials. Fundamental experimental research into the synthesis, characterisation, and modification of nano-co ....Mesoporous Metal Scaffolds: Reactive Containment Vessels. The storage of hydrogen is one of the most important issues that remains to be solved before the mass implementation of hydrogen as an energy carrier becomes commercially viable. This project aims to determine the kinetic and thermodynamic benefits of mesoporous metal scaffolds as reactive containment vessels for hydrogen storage materials. Fundamental experimental research into the synthesis, characterisation, and modification of nano-confined hydrogen storage materials will be carried out. The results of this research are expected be used to tune hydrogen desorption temperatures and pressures of various light weight hydrogen storage materials to generate new materials attractive to the automobile industry.Read moreRead less