Telling It Straight: narrative research methods and the linear imperative in IS/IT

This paper will investigate the capricious nature of the researcher’s hitherto venerated semiotic armament manifest in concepts such as “reality”, “validity” and “reliability”. Such notions have become heavily contested cultural sites in our (post) postmodern world as we have sought to reinscribe their meanings within a semiosis/ology previously unthinkable prior to the advent of “multimedia” and its accompanying, ever-increasing, technological growth and sophistication. This paper seeks to explore the repercussions implicit in such transformations upon the representational practices previously utilised to demonstrate, and expound upon, our research findings

Learning =Working: Professional Engagement in Academic Curricula

This paper will explore the importance of establishing links between the teaching and learning that takes place within the structure of a University and the realities of professional practice. It will also critically appraise the current opportunities for professional engagement offered to students and surveys possible alternatives. The paper describes and explores the development of a collaborative relationship between the staff and students of the Bachelor of Multimedia at Monash University and a commercial enterprise, mondostudios.com, as an exemplar of the reciprocal benefits offered by such a unique relationship

The realm of the game geek : supporting creativity in an online community

This paper explores the importance of online communities designed to support the creativity of tertiary students enrolled in Computer Science studies. Online discussion forums provide university students with a supportive and nurturing environment and a community where they can share knowledge and ideas. The authors draw on findings derived from a study of first year Computer Science students enrolled in a Games Design and Development unit. Of particular interest is the ways in which the participants develop and control the environment in order to enhance their own creative expression.<br /

Games geeks in context: developing the environment to engage creative expression

This paper explores the importance of purpose built combined technological and social collaborative environments in supporting the development of creativity in a cohort of students not generally associated with creative abilities. A supportive and nurturing environment provides these university students with a community where they can share knowledge and ideas, and subsequently engage in creative activities and behaviours. Such an environment directly impacts on the levels of engagement with which students&iuml;&iquest;&frac12; participate in their learning process. The authors draw on findings derived from a study of first year computer science students enrolled in a games design and development unit at an Australian university. This paper will focus on the ways in which the participants negotiate and regulate the exercise of power and control in the environment in order to enhance their own creative expression.<br /

Game geek&#039;s goss: linguistic creativity in young males within an online university forum

In this paper the authors explore the use and adaptation of a language specifically developed for, and by, a community of young people who play computer games. Leet speak or 1337 5p34k, the language used by the participants in this study, incorporates symbols and numbers as substitutes for the letters contained in words. Described by the group as an \u27elite\u27 language or \u27leet speak\u27, the authors\u27 interest was captured by the derisive and ironic use of the language in an online forum for a tertiary first year unit of study. Rather than merely defining its participants within an elite cultural boundary, \u27leet speak\u27 is utilised ironically to unearth \u27wannabees\u27 (those seeking entrance and acceptance into the game world, generally 12 ?16 year olds). Of particular fascination to the authors was that despite the clear self-demarcation of the group from the users of \u27leet speak\u27, and their insistence on its use solely by \u27newbs and wannabees\u27, the group continued to use the language to communicate with each other online. In this research, language defines the cultural group of games technology students in terms of the group\u27s continual subversion of the language\u27s very foundations whilst still using it to communicate. Perhaps most interesting was the group\u27s nonchalant admission that they perceived this to be the function of all languages \u27all languages are created purely for communication so dont [sic] have a cry about ppl been [sic] lazy\u27

Managing panic disorder in general practice

BACKGROUND: Panic disorder (PD) is common in the community and contributes to significant distress and decreased quality of life for people who suffer from it. Most people with PD will present in the first instance to their general practitioner or hospital emergency department for assistance, often with a focus on somatic symptoms and concerns. OBJECTIVE: This article aims to assist the GP to manage this group of patients by providing an outline of aetiology, approaches to assessment, and common management strategies. DISCUSSION Although GPs have an important role to play in ruling out any causal organic basis for panic symptoms, the diagnosis of PD can usually be made as a positive diagnosis on the basis of careful history taking. Thorough and empathic education is a vital step in management. The prognosis for PD can be improved by lifestyle changes, specific psychological techniques, and the judicious use of pharmacotherapy

Hope, despair and transformation: Climate change and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This article aims to provide an introduction to emerging evidence and debate about the relationship between climate change and mental health.</p> <p>Discussion and Conclusion</p> <p>The authors argue that:</p> <p>i) the direct impacts of climate change such as extreme weather events will have significant mental health implications;</p> <p>ii) climate change is already impacting on the social, economic and environmental determinants of mental health with the most severe consequences being felt by disadvantaged communities and populations;</p> <p>iii) understanding the full extent of the long term social and environmental challenges posed by climate change has the potential to create emotional distress and anxiety; and</p> <p>iv) understanding the psycho-social implications of climate change is also an important starting point for informed action to prevent dangerous climate change at individual, community and societal levels.</p

An evaluation of the effect of an educational intervention for Australian social workers on competence in delivering brief cognitive behavioural strategies: A randomised controlled trial

Background: Broad community access to high quality evidence-based primary mental health care is an ongoing challenge around the world. In Australia one approach has been to broaden access to care by funding psychologists and other allied health care professionals to deliver brief psychological treatments to general practitioners' patients. To date, there has been a scarcity of studies assessing the efficacy of social worker delivered psychological strategies. This study aims to build the evidence base by evaluating the impact of a brief educational intervention on social workers' competence in delivering cognitive behavioural strategies (strategies derived from cognitive behavioural therapy). Methods. A randomised controlled trial design was undertaken with baseline and one-week follow-up measurement of both objective and self-perceived competence. Simulated consultations with standardised depressed patients were recorded on videotape and objective competence was assessed by blinded reviewers using the Cognitive Therapy Scale. Questionnaires completed by participants were used to measure self-perceived competence. The training intervention was a 15 hour face-to-face course involving presentations, video example consultations, written materials and rehearsal of skills in pairs. Results. 40 Melbourne-based (Australia) social workers enrolled and were randomised and 9 of these withdrew from the study before the pre training simulated consultation. 30 of the remaining 31 social workers (97%) completed all phases of the intervention and evaluation protocol (16 from intervention and 14 from control group). The intervention group showed significantly greater improvements than the control group in objective competence (mean improvement of 14.2 (7.38-21.02) on the 66 point Cognitive Therapy Scale) and in subjective confidence (mean improvement of 1.28 (0.84-1.72) on a 5 point Likert scale). On average, the intervention group improved from below to above the base competency threshold on the Cognitive Therapy Scale whilst the control group remained below. Conclusions. Social workers can attain significant improvements in competency in delivering cognitive behavioural strategies from undertaking brief face to face training. This is relevant in the context of health reforms that involve social worker delivery of evidence based psychological care. Further research is required to assess how these improvements in competence translate into performance in practice and clinical outcomes for patients