Agriculture: Integrative learning and a new network of agricultural educators

The core sciences that contribute to agriculture include biology, mathematics, chemistry and physics but our students must integrate and learn to apply their knowledge to agricultural problems in the context of any social, environmental or economic constraints. As such, the Threshold Learning Outcomes (TLOs) for Agriculture, although aligned with the TLOs for Science, also capture the contribution of other disciplines and emphasise transferable and applied skills that will allow graduates to contribute to a successful career in a wide range of roles (please see www.agltas.edu.au). This professional focus is often reflected within the activities and assessment tasks set by teachers. The recently published Good Practice Guide for the Agriculture TLOs highlights student-led inquiry and experiential learning, especially work integrated learning (WIL), in the Agriculture discipline. Currently, there is no forum for our discipline to discuss good teaching practice and the challenges facing agricultural educators. We are therefore establishing a national network to encourage the scholarship of learning and teaching for agricultural educators. The purpose of this workshop is two-fold: 1) To share and discuss examples of activities and assessment that develop integrative, multi-disciplinary knowledge and ability of students to solve complex problems; and; 2) To discuss the nature and purpose of the agriculture network. Academics from other disciplines who have an interest in multidisciplinary teaching are welcome to join the workshop. For more information, please contact either Tina Botwright Acuña ([email protected]) or Amanda Able ([email protected]). Dr Tina Botwright Acuña is a senior Lecturer and coordinator of the undergraduate agriculture degrees at the University of Tasmania. Tina successfully led the OLT-funded ‘A consensus approach to defining standards for learning outcomes and informing curricula design for Agriculture (AgLTAS)’ (see www.agltas.edu.au) and co-edited Good Practice Guide: Threshold Learning Outcomes for Agriculture. Tina was a Science and Mathematics Network of Australian University Educators (SaMnet) Scholar from 2011 to 2012. She was awarded a Vice Chancellor’s Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning in 2014 by the University of Tasmania for leadership in assessment practice that enhances student learning outcomes and the development of national academic learning and teaching standards to inform curriculum design. Professor Amanda Able was a member of the AgLTAS project team and co-edited Good Practice Guide: Threshold Learning Outcomes for Agriculture. Amanda is the Associate Dean (Curriculum) for the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Adelaide and teaches into the Agricultural Sciences and related disciplines. Her educational research is currently exploring the efficacy of small group discovery and WIL in the development of research skills and integrative knowledge. Amanda was awarded the Executive Dean's Excellence in Teaching Award in 2005, and the Australian Society of Plant Scientists Teaching Award in 2009. As the Molecular Plant Breeding CRC Education Program Leader (2003-2008), Amanda also led the team that developed the secondary school educational program Get into Genes (awarded the CRC Excellence and Innovation in Education Award in 2006)

How is uncertainty characterised in policy analysis and which approaches are relevant to health technology assessment (HTA)? A scoping review protocol

Uncertainty is inherent in any policy analysis, arising from natural randomness or variability, imperfect knowledge, and stakeholder interpretation of a system [1–3]. This is no different for health technology assessment (HTA), which is often applied as a tool to optimise the efficiency, equitability, and quality of universal health coverage schemes with constrained resources [4]. In HTA, for instance, uncertainty may arise through variation in outcomes between individuals, poor quality data and imperfect model structure, as well as through interpretation of the evidence by policy bodies and application of decision rules [5–9]. The way in which such uncertainty is analysed, communicated, and managed during the policy process can affect the decisions that are made [10]. Varying tolerance to uncertainty across HTA committees, for example, is thought to partly explain divergent medicine reimbursement decisions between European countrie

Genome Sequencing of Blacklip and Greenlip Abalone for Development and Validation of a SNP Based Genotyping Tool

Abalone breeding in southern Australia often involves the production of interspecies hybrids through crossing blacklip (Haliotos rubra) and greenlip (H. laevigata) parental populations. To assist applied breeding and investigate genetic divergence, this study applied genome sequencing and variant detection to develop and validate a SNP genotyping tool. Skim short read Illumina sequencing was performed using 24 individuals from each of the two parental species and a hybrid population. Raw reads were assembled into three population specific pools (each 12–15 fold coverage), before mapping was performed against a draft greenlip abalone reference genome. Variant detection identified 22.4 M raw variants across the three populations (SNP and indels), suggesting they are highly heterozygous. First stage filtering defined a high quality SNP collection of 2.2 M variants independently called in each of the three populations. Second stage filtering identified a much smaller set of variants for assay design and genotyping using a validation set of 191 abalone of known population and pedigree. Comparison of allele frequency data revealed a high proportion of SNP (43%) had divergent allele frequency (< 0.2) between the two parental populations, suggesting they should have utility for parentage assignment. A maximum likelihood approach was used to successfully assign 105 of 105 progeny to their known true parent amongst a set of 86 candidate parents, confirming the genotyping tool has utility for applied breeding. Analysis of pairwise allele sharing successfully discriminated animals into populations, and PCA of genetic distance grouped the hybrid animals with intermediate values between the two parental populations. The findings present a library of DNA polymorphism of utility to breeding and ecological application, and begins to characterize the divergence separating two economically important aquaculture species

The Full Value of Vaccine Assessments (FVVA) : a framework for assessing and communicating the value of vaccines for investment and introduction decision-making

Background: Several economic obstacles can deter the development and use of vaccines. This can lead to limited product options for some diseases, delays in new product development, and inequitable access to vaccines. Although seemingly distinct, these obstacles are actually interrelated and therefore need to be addressed through a single over-arching strategy encompassing all stakeholders. Methods: To help overcome these obstacles, we propose a new approach, the Full Value of Vaccines Assessments (FVVA) framework, to guide the assessment and communication of the value of a vaccine. The FVVA framework is designed to facilitate alignment across key stakeholders and to enhance decision-making around investment in vaccine development, policy-making, procurement, and introduction, particularly for vaccines intended for use in low- and middle-income countries. Results: The FVVA framework has three key elements. First, to enhance assessment, existing value-assessment methods and tools are adapted to include broader benefits of vaccines as well as opportunity costs borne by stakeholders. Second, to improve decision-making, a deliberative process is required to recognize the agency of stakeholders and to ensure country ownership of decision-making and priority setting. Third, the FVVA framework provides a consistent and evidence-based approach that facilitates communication about the full value of vaccines, helping to enhance alignment and coordination across diverse stakeholders. Conclusions: The FVVA framework provides guidance for stakeholders organizing global-level efforts to promote investment in vaccines that are priorities for LMICs. By providing a more holistic view of the benefits of vaccines, its application also has the potential to encourage greater take-up by countries, thereby leading to more sustainable and equitable impacts of vaccines and immunization programmes

Understanding healthcare demand and supply through causal loop diagrams and system archetypes : policy implications for kidney replacement therapy in Thailand

Background: Systems thinking approaches can determine system interdependencies to guide effective policymaking but have been underutilised in health policymaking, particularly for policies related to access and delivery of health services. In Thailand, a policy changing access to dialysis services for patients with kidney failure in 2022 had resulted in an unexpected surge in patients, mortality rate, and budget overspend. This study applied systems thinking to characterise the dynamics underlying the unforeseen impact of the 2022 policy, in order to propose context-specific policy interventions. Methods: We developed a causal loop diagram through iterative stakeholder engagement, to understand the drivers for supply and demand of dialysis under the 2022 policy in Thailand. Since systems thinking was considered a new tool for policymaking, we used system archetypes as a means by which to collapse down the complexity of causal loop diagrams into simple narratives for policymakers. Confidence-building (validation) was conducted through triangulation across data sources and steps to facilitate stakeholder critique throughout the process. Results: Chronic underinvestment in peritoneal dialysis had failed to capitalise on improvements in expertise and quality of services, while a series of short-term measures to overcome constraints in haemodialysis supply had unintentionally increased haemodialysis demand in the long-term, increasing strain on the healthcare system. By applying generic solution archetypes, we identified a series of measures to balance demand for services with system capacity, including better alignment of incentives with health system goals, proactive planning to anticipate future supply needs, and regulatory mechanisms to moderate demand according to available supply. Conclusions: A major implication of this research is that changes to healthcare access and delivery require multi-stakeholder engagement and whole system thinking, as even small changes can have potentially vast consequences. Applying a systems thinking lens not only communicated the reasons for unintended impact of the 2022 policy, but also identified interventions absent from the literature that were unique to the drivers of demand and supply in Thailand. Graphical Abstract

Balancing patient choice and health system capacity : a system dynamics model of dialysis in Thailand

Background: As universal health coverage schemes mature, governments often seek to improve patient choice, whilst ensuring that services are appropriate, high-quality, and financially sustainable, especially for high-cost interventions like dialysis. Policy levers to manage supply and demand for services have shown mixed results across contexts, highlighting the complex interactions and feedback effects that shape health system behaviours. Following a policy change in Thailand aiming to improve patient choice for dialysis, we developed a system dynamics model of dialysis demand and supply, to explore the impact of proposed policies on dialysis services whilst accounting for considerable uncertainty in how these policies may work. Methods: Model structure was based on a causal loop diagram developed in consultation with stakeholders and iteratively refined through testing, calibration, and validation. The resulting model projected profile of dialysis patients over a 10-year time horizon (2025–2034) under the current policy alongside policy interventions proposed by a working group under the National Health Security Office. We conducted structural and parameter uncertainty analysis to account for uncertainties in the base model and in the mechanisms of action of proposed policy interventions. Results: The model projected that more than one-third of new dialysis patients would inappropriately initiate dialysis under the current policy. None of the proposed policy interventions, either alone or in combination, achieved the defined policy target of 50% new dialysis patients on peritoneal dialysis within 3 years, with a maximum of 45% achieved from combining policies. Performance of all policies decreased over time unless the policy was able to progressively reduce financial incentives paid by private dialysis centres to physicians. Conclusions: Regulating financial incentives in the Thai health system offered the greatest potential to reduce inappropriate dialysis initiation and increase peritoneal dialysis uptake. The system dynamics model showed that coupling policies with complementary mechanisms could address key uncertainties and amplify their impact. We suggest that policymakers incorporate quality of care and time-dependent performance into policy goals to achieve sustainable improvements. Our findings highlight the value of a systems approach to account for unintended consequences of well-intended policy interventions, resulting from delayed responses across organisational boundaries

Academic, industry and student perspectives on the inclusion of “vocational knowledge” in a ‘learning and teaching academic standards statement’ for agriculture

We report on the perspective of academic, student and industry stakeholders in a national project that has developed a Learning and Teaching Academic Standards (LTAS) Statement for the Agriculture discipline. Agricultural research and teaching relies on strong links with industry due to the applied nature of the discipline. Without these links, sustainable and profitable practice change in agricultural systems cannot be achieved. A pilot project, in 2011-2012, with academic staff from three Australian universities identified vocational knowledge as a potential focus for a TLO. The AgLTAS project provided the opportunity to validate or refute this TLO by seeking input from a wider group of stakeholders, including industry. National consensus was sought by a process of iterative consultation with academics, students and industry stakeholders and tested across four Australian universities. We have collected qualitative and quantitative data from industry participants who attended a series of workshops across most Australian States and Territories. We also conducted an online survey. Surprisingly, and contrary to the findings of the pilot project, industry representatives considered vocational knowledge of lesser importance to the need for students to attain highly developed problem solving and communication skills that can generate new opportunities and innovation in agriculture. Industry-specific (vocational) knowledge was generally regarded as attainable during on-the-job training after graduation. This finding prompts the question whether the AgLTAS Statement should be linked to professional accreditation that may be attained either before or after graduation. The next phase of the project aims to trial the Standards Statement for Agriculture by benchmarking the academic standards achieved in four universities that teach Agriculture and related disciplines, using an online Curriculum Mapping Tool

Balancing patient choice and health system capacity: a system dynamics model of dialysis in Thailand

As universal health coverage schemes mature, governments often seek to improve patient choice, whilst ensuring that services are appropriate, high-quality, and financially sustainable, especially for high-cost interventions like dialysis. Policy levers to manage supply and demand for services have shown mixed results across contexts, highlighting the complex interactions and feedback effects that shape health system behaviours. Following a policy change in Thailand aiming to improve patient choice for dialysis, we developed a system dynamics model of dialysis demand and supply, to explore the impact of proposed policies on dialysis services whilst accounting for considerable uncertainty in how these policies may work. Model structure was based on a causal loop diagram developed in consultation with stakeholders and iteratively refined through testing, calibration, and validation. The resulting model projected profile of dialysis patients over a 10-year time horizon (2025–2034) under the current policy alongside policy interventions proposed by a working group under the National Health Security Office. We conducted structural and parameter uncertainty analysis to account for uncertainties in the base model and in the mechanisms of action of proposed policy interventions. The model projected that more than one-third of new dialysis patients would inappropriately initiate dialysis under the current policy. None of the proposed policy interventions, either alone or in combination, achieved the defined policy target of 50% new dialysis patients on peritoneal dialysis within 3 years, with a maximum of 45% achieved from combining policies. Performance of all policies decreased over time unless the policy was able to progressively reduce financial incentives paid by private dialysis centres to physicians. Regulating financial incentives in the Thai health system offered the greatest potential to reduce inappropriate dialysis initiation and increase peritoneal dialysis uptake. The system dynamics model showed that coupling policies with complementary mechanisms could address key uncertainties and amplify their impact. We suggest that policymakers incorporate quality of care and time-dependent performance into policy goals to achieve sustainable improvements. Our findings highlight the value of a systems approach to account for unintended consequences of well-intended policy interventions, resulting from delayed responses across organisational boundaries