Teaching and Learning Science, Mathematics and Technology in Integrated Middle School Contexts. Integration is proposed as a significant curriculum reform strategy for Australian schools at the beginning of the century, particularly for early adolescents. Despite the claimed advantages for integrating school subjects, there is an absence of substantive empirical research to show if and/or how students learn in integrated settings. The proposed study addresses this research gap directly, by exami ....Teaching and Learning Science, Mathematics and Technology in Integrated Middle School Contexts. Integration is proposed as a significant curriculum reform strategy for Australian schools at the beginning of the century, particularly for early adolescents. Despite the claimed advantages for integrating school subjects, there is an absence of substantive empirical research to show if and/or how students learn in integrated settings. The proposed study addresses this research gap directly, by examining the teaching context and the characteristics of student learning in integrated science, mathematics and technology classrooms. This project employs detailed and elaborated case studies of six middle school classrooms to develop sophisticated understandings about the connection between integrated pedagogy and student learning and motivation.Read moreRead less
Thinking Australia: A cognitive acceleration program to raise high school students' achievement in science. The outcome of the Thinking Australia project will be a cognitive acceleration program consistent with the national science curriculum, contextualised in cutting edge science and delivered with modern technologies. The program will be theory driven, evidence based and consistent with neuroscience research. The national benefit will include improved outcomes on international tests, improved ....Thinking Australia: A cognitive acceleration program to raise high school students' achievement in science. The outcome of the Thinking Australia project will be a cognitive acceleration program consistent with the national science curriculum, contextualised in cutting edge science and delivered with modern technologies. The program will be theory driven, evidence based and consistent with neuroscience research. The national benefit will include improved outcomes on international tests, improved quality of science education and thinking skills for Australia's future scientists and citizens, improved student attitudes, and increased enrolments in school science. Developing and fostering human talent is essential to promoting an innovative culture and economy.Read moreRead less
Beyond the Beaker: Maximising the Impact of a Science Careers Program on High School Students' Attitudes towards Science. The falling numbers of young people choosing to pursue the study of science has become a matter of national debate and societal concern. Australia's international competitiveness is increasingly dependent on high-level, science-based technical skills, knowledge and innovation. This research will inform the national impetus required from government, business and education sect ....Beyond the Beaker: Maximising the Impact of a Science Careers Program on High School Students' Attitudes towards Science. The falling numbers of young people choosing to pursue the study of science has become a matter of national debate and societal concern. Australia's international competitiveness is increasingly dependent on high-level, science-based technical skills, knowledge and innovation. This research will inform the national impetus required from government, business and education sectors to take action by providing research-informed models about how to positively influence students' attitudes towards science and science subject selection. These models will provide critical information about how to secure the next generation of scientists in Australia and a science skilled and knowledgeable workforce and general population.Read moreRead less
Expectations and commitments in the Australia-USA alliance. This project aims to investigate the gap between the high expectations of mutual support and the lack of detailed security commitments in the Australia-US Alliance. The project intends to use a focused approach that captures thematic aspects of the alliance through project frames and historical slices across time. Expected outcomes can advance understanding of how alliances operate as security institutions. The outcomes can help to prom ....Expectations and commitments in the Australia-USA alliance. This project aims to investigate the gap between the high expectations of mutual support and the lack of detailed security commitments in the Australia-US Alliance. The project intends to use a focused approach that captures thematic aspects of the alliance through project frames and historical slices across time. Expected outcomes can advance understanding of how alliances operate as security institutions. The outcomes can help to promote a more informed national conversation about the costs and benefits of Australia's security relationship with the United States of America (USA) and contribute to debates over the future of the Australia-USA Alliance during a period of strategic uncertainty.Read moreRead less
Secular modernisers in the Indonesian media: A biography of Mochtar Lubis (1922 - 2004). Democracy in post-Suharto Indonesia is being challenged by radical religious and communal interests. Precisely what form of polity will emerge remains unclear but, as Indonesia responds to such threats, Australia has a direct stake in the outcomes and needs new ways of understanding this dynamic. Media play a vital role in this. One of the most strained aspects of Australian-Indonesian relations has been the ....Secular modernisers in the Indonesian media: A biography of Mochtar Lubis (1922 - 2004). Democracy in post-Suharto Indonesia is being challenged by radical religious and communal interests. Precisely what form of polity will emerge remains unclear but, as Indonesia responds to such threats, Australia has a direct stake in the outcomes and needs new ways of understanding this dynamic. Media play a vital role in this. One of the most strained aspects of Australian-Indonesian relations has been the vastly differing assumptions on both sides about the relationship, exacerbated by a poor understanding of how the other's media operate. This research, and the biography of Mochtar Lubis, will provide a greater understanding of Indonesia's media, and of the unresolved struggle within it between secular democracy and sectarianism.Read moreRead less
Tracing the impact of urban experimentation in water and energy domains. This proposal aims to investigate how the processes of experimenting with alternative urban infrastructure systems can lead to sustainable urban transformations. Focusing on the urban water and energy sectors, this project expects to generate new cross-sector knowledge regarding the transition dynamics associated with delivering sustainable urban futures. The anticipated outcomes of examining how innovations become mainstre ....Tracing the impact of urban experimentation in water and energy domains. This proposal aims to investigate how the processes of experimenting with alternative urban infrastructure systems can lead to sustainable urban transformations. Focusing on the urban water and energy sectors, this project expects to generate new cross-sector knowledge regarding the transition dynamics associated with delivering sustainable urban futures. The anticipated outcomes of examining how innovations become mainstream include, improved institutional strategies and enhanced policy and program interventions. This work expects to positively impact the value and associated outcomes of government and private investment in innovative urban infrastructures dedicated to advancing sustainable and resilient urban environments.Read moreRead less
Analysing gender in research and policy on alcohol-related violence. This project aims to provide insights into gendered aspects of research and policy on alcohol-related violence among young people. It will produce knowledge through a comparative approach encompassing key alcohol policy contexts in Australia, Canada and Sweden. Project outcomes will improve the capacity of health and policy practitioners to understand the relationships between gender, alcohol and violence; reconceptualise resp ....Analysing gender in research and policy on alcohol-related violence. This project aims to provide insights into gendered aspects of research and policy on alcohol-related violence among young people. It will produce knowledge through a comparative approach encompassing key alcohol policy contexts in Australia, Canada and Sweden. Project outcomes will improve the capacity of health and policy practitioners to understand the relationships between gender, alcohol and violence; reconceptualise responses to alcohol-related problems; inform the development of future alcohol research and policy; increase the capacity to respond more effectively to alcohol use; and reduce alcohol-related harm.Read moreRead less
Performance and image enhancing drug injecting in Australia. This project aims to research the use of performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIED), to understand the associated social practices and to assess what health information PIED injectors need. PIEDs use is increasing in Australia and is associated with serious health issues, including the transmission of blood-borne viruses, especially hepatitis C (HCV). Little is known about PIED injecting and the nation's harm reduction framework is u ....Performance and image enhancing drug injecting in Australia. This project aims to research the use of performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIED), to understand the associated social practices and to assess what health information PIED injectors need. PIEDs use is increasing in Australia and is associated with serious health issues, including the transmission of blood-borne viruses, especially hepatitis C (HCV). Little is known about PIED injecting and the nation's harm reduction framework is unprepared to meet the problems it poses. This project expects to directly inform policy and practice, potentially averting an epidemic of HCV in this population, and aims to minimise HCV transmission among people who inject PIEDs.Read moreRead less
Impediments to uptake and diffusion of take-home naloxone. This project aims to investigate impediments to uptake of ‘take-home’ naloxone (THN), which reverses opioid overdose. Opioid overdose is a major health and social problem in Australia. Programmes to provide opioid consumers with THN to reverse overdose exist in some Australian cities, but uptake in Australia remains minimal. The reasons for this are not well understood. This project will interview opioid consumers, prescribers and pharma ....Impediments to uptake and diffusion of take-home naloxone. This project aims to investigate impediments to uptake of ‘take-home’ naloxone (THN), which reverses opioid overdose. Opioid overdose is a major health and social problem in Australia. Programmes to provide opioid consumers with THN to reverse overdose exist in some Australian cities, but uptake in Australia remains minimal. The reasons for this are not well understood. This project will interview opioid consumers, prescribers and pharmacists to better understand THN, and produce an online resource on experiences of overdose and THN. The aim is to inform those affected by overdose, professionals and the wider Australian community about THN, to support THN distribution, save lives and protect communities.Read moreRead less
Using explanatory frameworks to enhance students' metacognitive capabilities in science. The success and continuation of science programs in secondary schools and universities is dependent on foundational improvements in teaching and learning. This proposal is designed to address this national concern by fostering potential science talent by encouraging more students to study and enjoy science in a meaningful way. Through the development of carefully analysed explanatory frameworks, science teac ....Using explanatory frameworks to enhance students' metacognitive capabilities in science. The success and continuation of science programs in secondary schools and universities is dependent on foundational improvements in teaching and learning. This proposal is designed to address this national concern by fostering potential science talent by encouraging more students to study and enjoy science in a meaningful way. Through the development of carefully analysed explanatory frameworks, science teachers and university lecturers will enable students to develop their metacognitive capabilities so that they are able to think logically about science concepts rather than memorise basic facts which are easily forgotten. Expected practical benefits are students who are better able to learn and communicate, especially in science.Read moreRead less