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
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
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
Media in a Post-Authoritarian State: Crisis and Democratisation in Indonesia. The Indonesian experience since mid-1998 provides the opportunity to contribute to current theoretical debates internationally about the role of the media in the development and maintenance of democratic societies. This project will analyse the articulation of print and broadcast media into post-authoritarian politics in Indonesia since 1998, to address two related questions: (1) how the media is being transformed, bot ....Media in a Post-Authoritarian State: Crisis and Democratisation in Indonesia. The Indonesian experience since mid-1998 provides the opportunity to contribute to current theoretical debates internationally about the role of the media in the development and maintenance of democratic societies. This project will analyse the articulation of print and broadcast media into post-authoritarian politics in Indonesia since 1998, to address two related questions: (1) how the media is being transformed, both in terms of its structure and its texts, by the changed political economy of post-New Order Indonesia; (2) the potential of this media in enabling or hampering the development of a pluralist democracy in Indonesia.Read moreRead less
Is Australian Pay TV Meeting Its Promise? This project aims to explore the emergence of Pay TV in Australia and its cultural and industrial outcomes. Its significance lies in comprehensively researching a new, expanding and evolving communications medium in Australia. The research will be both quantitative (TV ratings and market penetration analyses) and qualitative (audience focus groups). It is anticipated that the research outcomes will inform public policy-making regarding local content legi ....Is Australian Pay TV Meeting Its Promise? This project aims to explore the emergence of Pay TV in Australia and its cultural and industrial outcomes. Its significance lies in comprehensively researching a new, expanding and evolving communications medium in Australia. The research will be both quantitative (TV ratings and market penetration analyses) and qualitative (audience focus groups). It is anticipated that the research outcomes will inform public policy-making regarding local content legislation for drama, documentary and children's programming, leading to public recommendations and published findings.Read moreRead less
The Impact of the Kids' Science State Initiative on Scientific Literacy in the Western Australian Community. This research will investigate how participation in the Kids' Science State initiative in Western Australia (a partnership between Scitech Discovery Centre in Perth and the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund) impacts on children, teachers, parents and other community members in terms of promoting scientific literacy. Working in the Pilbara and Albany regions and the metropolitan area, the research ....The Impact of the Kids' Science State Initiative on Scientific Literacy in the Western Australian Community. This research will investigate how participation in the Kids' Science State initiative in Western Australia (a partnership between Scitech Discovery Centre in Perth and the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund) impacts on children, teachers, parents and other community members in terms of promoting scientific literacy. Working in the Pilbara and Albany regions and the metropolitan area, the research will determine the most effective ways to deliver educational resources that promote primary teachers? confidence and willingness to teach science and engage the community in science-related activities. The outcomes will represent a substantial investment in human capital.Read moreRead less