Mobilising media for sustainable outcomes in the Pacific region. Almost 25 per cent of Australia's total aid budget will be spent in Pacific Island countries this year. In collaboration with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the project will research the use of media and communication for development in the Pacific to increase our understanding of the region and inform practices that will improve the development outcomes from Australia's aid funding.
Australian screen content in primary, secondary and tertiary education: uses and potential. This project will investigate the educational market for Australian screen content and the ways students use and engage with that content. This will inform policy development, stimulate content production and distribution, and increase awareness of the availability and utility of Australian screen content in educational settings.
Transforming Drivers: Driving as Social, Cultural and Gendered Practice. Drawing on cultural studies, social psychology, philosophy and social studies of technology, this interdisciplinary project responds to industry calls for more in-depth alternatives to traditional models of driver psychology that rely on behaviour. A model of driving as a complex cultural practice and social activity will be elaborated through an innovative approach which explores the links between the experience of drivin ....Transforming Drivers: Driving as Social, Cultural and Gendered Practice. Drawing on cultural studies, social psychology, philosophy and social studies of technology, this interdisciplinary project responds to industry calls for more in-depth alternatives to traditional models of driver psychology that rely on behaviour. A model of driving as a complex cultural practice and social activity will be elaborated through an innovative approach which explores the links between the experience of driving, cultural identity and media representations. The focus is on young drivers, with a special emphasis on gender differences. The project will generate new approaches to road safety research and driver education campaigns.Read moreRead less
Investigating, prototyping and trialling interactive online youth counselling tools. This project prototypes and trials interactive online counselling tools and evaluates their effectiveness in partnership with Australia's largest youth counselling service, Kids Help Line. There is a demonstrable need for Internet counselling practice and theory to incorporate opportunities offered by new information and communication technologies, especially to engage with the multimedia literacies of young peo ....Investigating, prototyping and trialling interactive online youth counselling tools. This project prototypes and trials interactive online counselling tools and evaluates their effectiveness in partnership with Australia's largest youth counselling service, Kids Help Line. There is a demonstrable need for Internet counselling practice and theory to incorporate opportunities offered by new information and communication technologies, especially to engage with the multimedia literacies of young people. The project will investigate multi-user graphical interactivity in youth counselling and develop an evidence base for advances in online counselling worldwide. It will research and prototype graphical tools based on traditional counselling methods to improve service delivery, and benefit the wellbeing of young Australians.Read moreRead less
Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem. This project aims to understand how Australia’s main public broadcaster, the ABC, can best support public interest journalism in rural and regional communities, with a specific focus on fragile and underserved areas of the nation’s local news ecosystem. The project will develop new knowledge around media power and how news providers can work together to secure the sustainability of local news. Expected outcomes include a framewor ....Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem. This project aims to understand how Australia’s main public broadcaster, the ABC, can best support public interest journalism in rural and regional communities, with a specific focus on fragile and underserved areas of the nation’s local news ecosystem. The project will develop new knowledge around media power and how news providers can work together to secure the sustainability of local news. Expected outcomes include a framework to identify and define areas of news need, an assessment of existing interventions and road-tested approaches to improve information quality. The project should provide benefits by supporting forms of local journalism that ultimately enhances the demographic health and social fabric of small towns and cities.
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Amplifying Indigenous news: a digital intervention. This project aims to road-test, document and analyse an innovative strategy for amplifying Indigenous voices in news media. The project will deploy and assess the impact of a new digital application designed to enable access to a diverse range of Indigenous voices, stories and agendas. The anticipated outcomes will assist the project’s industry partners meet their strategic goals of increasing the level of Indigenous media representation in Aus ....Amplifying Indigenous news: a digital intervention. This project aims to road-test, document and analyse an innovative strategy for amplifying Indigenous voices in news media. The project will deploy and assess the impact of a new digital application designed to enable access to a diverse range of Indigenous voices, stories and agendas. The anticipated outcomes will assist the project’s industry partners meet their strategic goals of increasing the level of Indigenous media representation in Australia, and consolidate their roles as leading outlets for Indigenous content and coverage. These outcomes are also expected to improve public understanding of issues affecting Indigenous Australians and contribute to more informed and inclusive policy discussions.Read moreRead less
Regional development of audiovisual industries in the digital era: Prospects for the Northern Rivers region of NSW. This project explores drivers and impediments within audiovisualindustries in the global digital era that impact on the industry's develoment in non-metropolitan regions. The project uses the Northern Rivers region of NSW as the major case study. It will evaluate opportunities arising from technological, economic and societal changes associated with the digital media era and iden ....Regional development of audiovisual industries in the digital era: Prospects for the Northern Rivers region of NSW. This project explores drivers and impediments within audiovisualindustries in the global digital era that impact on the industry's develoment in non-metropolitan regions. The project uses the Northern Rivers region of NSW as the major case study. It will evaluate opportunities arising from technological, economic and societal changes associated with the digital media era and identify relevant public policy influences. It will facilitate the development of tools and strategies for regional development practitioners and entrepreneurs in the 'Creative Industries' sector. It will highlight policy instruments for governments wanting to take advantage of benefits from the 'new' services and knowledge-based economies.Read moreRead less
Media innovation and the civic future of Australia's country press . At a time when the future of news and public interest journalism is facing unprecedented crisis, this research will take a participatory approach to developing and road-testing an innovations agenda for Australia’s country press in the digital era. Longstanding partners Deakin and Country Press Australia will provide the first comprehensive assessment of the sector’s civic value and provide urgently needed evidence and strategi ....Media innovation and the civic future of Australia's country press . At a time when the future of news and public interest journalism is facing unprecedented crisis, this research will take a participatory approach to developing and road-testing an innovations agenda for Australia’s country press in the digital era. Longstanding partners Deakin and Country Press Australia will provide the first comprehensive assessment of the sector’s civic value and provide urgently needed evidence and strategies to rethink media innovation, inform industry practice and federal communication policy. Outcomes will include realising the industry's collaborative potential as a driver of innovations that can increase quality news and information flows and ensure the sustainability of newspapers serving rural areas.Read moreRead less
Social media in times of crisis: learning from recent natural disasters to improve future strategies. This project will analyse and evaluate how social media was used by emergency authorities, media organisations and citizens during recent natural disasters, including the January 2011 Queensland floods and Tropical Cyclone Yasi. The project will develop a framework for longer-term strategies for public communication during emergencies.
Assessing the impact of new communication technologies in developing countries and disadvantaged communities. This research will enhance understanding of the role of new technologies in communication with, and education of, disadvantaged groups as well as exploring the social changes they bring. Australia is committed to reducing poverty, to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and measuring the impact of development. Understanding how communication interventions may be better understood i ....Assessing the impact of new communication technologies in developing countries and disadvantaged communities. This research will enhance understanding of the role of new technologies in communication with, and education of, disadvantaged groups as well as exploring the social changes they bring. Australia is committed to reducing poverty, to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and measuring the impact of development. Understanding how communication interventions may be better understood is important to revealing how they support the achievement of better health, wellbeing, education and conflict reduction. This research will strengthen Australia's potential to lead in this field, to develop more effective development assistance and to apply such methods to Australian community development initiatives.Read moreRead less