Driving health care efficiencies and patient care outcomes by improving communication in acute to primary transitions of care. Communication problems are a major contributor to poor outcomes for patients transferring from acute to primary care, accounting for 41 per cent of preventable hospital readmissions. This project aims to identify risk factors for readmission and barriers to successful transitions of care for high-risk patient groups (including the elderly, paediatric and mental health pa ....Driving health care efficiencies and patient care outcomes by improving communication in acute to primary transitions of care. Communication problems are a major contributor to poor outcomes for patients transferring from acute to primary care, accounting for 41 per cent of preventable hospital readmissions. This project aims to identify risk factors for readmission and barriers to successful transitions of care for high-risk patient groups (including the elderly, paediatric and mental health patients), it will then apply these findings to provide effective, measurable and cost-efficient protocols to improve discharge transition outcomes for patients, carers and health service providers. Research outcomes will have general relevance to Australian healthcare settings and include the development of ‘The Safe Transition Communications Tool.’Read moreRead less
Values and ethics in a global world: a semantic perspective. The question: "How are we to live?" is of fundamental importance, on an individual, social and international level. Yet in an increasingly global and pluralist world it remains difficult to articulate any values that are intelligible, let alone acceptable, to everyone. Although the literature on the subject is constantly growing, the very language of the current debate suffers from ethnocentrism, with culture-specific English words lik ....Values and ethics in a global world: a semantic perspective. The question: "How are we to live?" is of fundamental importance, on an individual, social and international level. Yet in an increasingly global and pluralist world it remains difficult to articulate any values that are intelligible, let alone acceptable, to everyone. Although the literature on the subject is constantly growing, the very language of the current debate suffers from ethnocentrism, with culture-specific English words like "fairness", "autonomy" and "tolerance" being widely used as would-be neutral conceptual tools. A framework for discussing ethics and values in a universal, non-ethnocentric perspective is urgently needed. This project aims at providing such a framework and putting it to work.Read moreRead less
Researching the Social Role of Religions in Australia. Most Australians claim allegiance to various religions in the Census. The number of religious denominations has greatly increased in recent years, most notably through immigration, with significant numbers from all world religions. Political and social policies are frequently influenced by religious principles and a detailed analysis of this variety is of crucial national importance. Religions from neighbouring societies are significantly r ....Researching the Social Role of Religions in Australia. Most Australians claim allegiance to various religions in the Census. The number of religious denominations has greatly increased in recent years, most notably through immigration, with significant numbers from all world religions. Political and social policies are frequently influenced by religious principles and a detailed analysis of this variety is of crucial national importance. Religions from neighbouring societies are significantly represented in Australia. Understanding them is of central importance in international political and commercial activity. Current research is essential, based on the most recent Census and other recent socio-economic information.
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What makes for successful numeracy education in remote Indigenous contexts: an ethnographic case study approach. There are many successful teachers and schools who have enabled remote Indigenous learners to engage with, and learn, school mathematics. But what do they do? How do they do it? This project investigates and documents successful practices in 32 schools located in remote communities. The project includes the many aspects of teaching practice.
The endangered swift parrot as a model for managing small migratory birds. Endangered swift parrots use variable locations while breeding in eastern Tasmania and over winter on the Australian mainland. This project aims to develop effective conservation strategies for swift parrots and other migrants using new and long term data and innovative technological solutions to tracking small birds across vast landscapes.
Processing mathematics tasks: the nature and role of visual and non-visual reasoning in digital and non-digital environments. Within the next four years, it is likely that the National Assessment Plan for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will be administered in a digital mode. This project identifies differences between the delivery of mathematics assessment in pencil-and-paper and computer-based modes. Primary students' mathematics reasoning is compared across these modes and to cohorts from Sing ....Processing mathematics tasks: the nature and role of visual and non-visual reasoning in digital and non-digital environments. Within the next four years, it is likely that the National Assessment Plan for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will be administered in a digital mode. This project identifies differences between the delivery of mathematics assessment in pencil-and-paper and computer-based modes. Primary students' mathematics reasoning is compared across these modes and to cohorts from Singapore.Read moreRead less
Processing dynamic graphics: Visuospatial reasoning in mathematics. Increasingly, mathematics competence will be measured in digital and dynamic contexts. Students who possess high visuospatial reasoning are expected to become even better equipped to succeed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related disciplines as technological advances shape how we interpret and decode information. This project explores those aspects of visuospatial reasoning critical for success when s ....Processing dynamic graphics: Visuospatial reasoning in mathematics. Increasingly, mathematics competence will be measured in digital and dynamic contexts. Students who possess high visuospatial reasoning are expected to become even better equipped to succeed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related disciplines as technological advances shape how we interpret and decode information. This project explores those aspects of visuospatial reasoning critical for success when students encounter dynamic mathematics tasks, and attempts to determine whether different forms of visuospatial reasoning are required to decode static and dynamic information. The project aims to better understand how students process mathematics tasks, so the inevitable move toward digital assessment can be managed effectively to promote assessment for learning.Read moreRead less
Social and geographical location and its impact on mathematics teaching and learning. Too many students from poor urban backgrounds or from rural communities are at risk of underperforming in school mathematics. This project identifies the critical factors that contribute to this failure and seeks to develop improved practices to enable greater access to school mathematics.
Towards improving the yield of Canola and other Brassicas during drought. One of the major problems faced by world agriculture is drought; this project should improve the yield of Canola during moderate to severe droughts. Significantly, this project includes both "traditional" non-genetically modified (GM) strategies and GM strategies to maximise the market for our drought-tolerant canola both in Australia and overseas.
Intercultural understanding in primary and secondary schools. What facilitates or impedes intercultural understanding in children, adolescents and schools? How can this be addressed? How can we know what makes a difference? This project answers these questions at the individual, school and national level using a novel cultural systems approach and methodological and technological innovations.