Writing Toward Readers\u27 Better Health: A Case Study Examining the Development of Online Health Information

Each year, more people search the Internet for health information. Through a case study conducted at a prominent health information company, I will show that technical communicators are well suited to contribute to the development of online health information. Like other technical communicators, online health information developers must make rhetorical choices based on audience needs, function within specific social contexts, and work through challenges of writing, editing, and project management

Reconnecting with nature for sustainability

Calls for humanity to ‘reconnect to nature’ have grown increasingly louder from both scholars and civil society. Yet, there is relatively little coherence about what reconnecting to nature means, why it should happen and how it can be achieved. We present a conceptual framework to organise existing literature and direct future research on human–nature connections. Five types of connections to nature are identified: material, experiential, cognitive, emotional, and philosophical. These various types have been presented as causes, consequences, or treatments of social and environmental problems. From this conceptual base, we discuss how reconnecting people with nature can function as a treatment for the global environmental crisis. Adopting a social–ecological systems perspective, we draw upon the emerging concept of ‘leverage points’—places in complex systems to intervene to generate change—and explore examples of how actions to reconnect people with nature can help transform society towards sustainability

Building, shaping, forming, researching with metaphor

Ben Whitburn and Lucinda McKnight are two recent Deakin PhD graduates who thought with metaphor in their doctoral research projects, and fou nd this process both exhilarating and frustrating. Ben teaches in incl usive education, and Lucinda is a professional writer who teaches in e ducation; they bring to this workshop their different perspectives on how metaphor can be useful for consciously initiating creative and coh esive research strategies, and also how it can be insidious in restric ting our worldviews. They will introduce participants to theory underp inning metaphor and provide opportunities to explore this theory in th e context of HDR students' own projects, whether in Humanities, Commun ication, Creative Arts or Education. • How might metaphor assist with inspiring a research design? • How might metaphor invite researcher re flexivity? • What kinds of metaphors have other researchers employed? • What can we learn from the ways in which metaphor inevitably fails? These questions and others will be considered; participants should com e prepared to write, talk, draw and think

Songs as a Medium for Embedded Reproductive Messages

Research shows that sensational news stories as well as popular romance novels often feature themes related to important topics in evolutionary psychology. In the first of four studies described in this paper we examined the song lyrics from three Billboard charts: Country, Pop, and R&B. A content analysis of the lyrics revealed 18 reproductive themes that read like an outline for a course in evolutionary psychology. Approximately 92% of the 174 songs that made it into the Top Ten in 2009 contained one or more reproductive messages, with an average of 10.49 reproductive phrases per song. Although differences in the frequency of different themes between charts were found, further analyses showed that the most popular/bestselling songs contained significantly more reproductive messages. An analysis of the lyrics of opera arias and art songs also revealed evidence for many of the same embedded reproductive messages extending back more than 400 years

Quantifying Physical Activity Levels of Survivors of Intensive Care: A Prospective Observational Study

Fulltext embargoed for: 12 months post date of publicationBACKGROUND: Promotion of increased physical activity is advocated for survivors of an intensive care unit (ICU) admission to improve physical function and health-related quality of life. OBJECTIVE: The primary aims of this study were: (1) to measure free-living physical activity levels and (2) to correlate the measurements with scores on a self-reported activity questionnaire. A secondary aim was to explore factors associated with physical activity levels. DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Nested within a larger randomized controlled trial, participants were block randomized to measure free-living physical activity levels. Included participants wore an accelerometer for 7 days during waking hours at 2 months after ICU discharge. At completion of the 7 days of monitoring, participants were interviewed using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) questionnaire. Factors associated with physical activity were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS: The ICU survivors (median age=59 years, interquartile range=49-66; mean Acute Physiologic Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE II] score=18, interquartile range=16-21) were inactive when quantitatively measured at 2 months after hospital discharge. Participants spent an average of 90% of the time inactive and only 3% of the time walking. Only 37% of the sample spent 30 minutes or more per day in the locomotion category (more than 20 steps in a row). Activity reported using the PASE questionnaire was lower than that reported in adults who were healthy. The PASE scores correlated only fairly with activity measured by steps per day. The presence of comorbidities explained one third of the variance in physical activity levels. LIMITATIONS: Accelerometer overreading, patient heterogeneity, selection bias, and sample size not reached were limitations of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Survivors of an ICU admission greater than 5 days demonstrated high levels of inactivity for prolonged periods at 2 months after ICU discharge, and the majority did not meet international recommendations regarding physical activity. Comorbidity appears to be a promising factor associated with activity levels

Developing anatomy demonstrators of the future: The role of team-teaching

ABSTRACT Recent decades have seen cadaveric anatomy teaching decline and shift from traditionally team-taught practicals in large dissection laboratories to sole-taught classes in smaller laboratories. Such changes may alter teaching quality due to loss of peer teacher interactions in class. The current study aimed to compare experiences of team-taught versus sole-taught practicals in the same course across two campuses. This paper presents on the staff experiences. The study utilised educational design research methodology for an iterative approach to solving the problem of optimising cadaveric-based teaching. Classes at the metropolitan campus were team-taught (lead demonstrator, clinical demonstrator and near-peer demonstrator, n=18) and sole-taught at the regional, smaller campus (lead demonstrator only, n=5). Demonstrators completed an anonymous online survey that explored their teaching experiences and thematic analysis of survey data was conducted. Benefits of team-teaching were captured under the themes learn-observe-support, more time with students and catering for student differences. While most team-teaching staff reported no challenges, some noted the need for time to establish effective team dynamics. Sole-teaching staff reported the benefit of consistency in teaching but challenges in providing adequate support to all students. While sole-teaching facilitates consistency in teaching, team-teaching enables staff to develop teaching expertise and anatomical knowledge from interactions with a range of demonstrators during practicals. Team-teaching facilitates knowledge transfer between staff, and this holds important workforce implications for developing anatomy teachers of the future

Team-taught vs sole-taught anatomy practical classes: Enhancing the student learning experience

Practical classes are an integral part of learning human anatomy. The importance of utilising 3-dimensional resources (such as cadavers and skeletons) is only overshadowed by the teacher/student interactions when determining a positive learning experience. As student diversity in Higher Education increases, teaching approaches must also evolve. This study was developed in response to increased student diversity within an anatomy course. It aimed to compare allied health students’ perceptions of anatomy practical classes delivered via two different formats. In 2018, a team-taught format (comprising a lead demonstrator (LD), clinical demonstrator (CD) and near-peer demonstrator (NPD)) was introduced at the large, metropolitan campus, while the smaller regional campus continued the sole-taught format. Student data were collected via anonymous online surveys and interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using ANOVA or appropriate non-parametric testing and qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Satisfaction scores significantly increased at the team-taught metropolitan campus compared with 2017 when all practical classes were sole taught. Four key themes were realised with the team-taught format: Improved student learning experience; Diverse perspectives; Demonstrator characteristics (Nurturing expert (LD); inspiring clinical contextualiser (CD); relatable study advisor (NPD)); Confidence and approachability. Findings demonstrated that both sole- and team-taught anatomy practical classes can provide students with a positive learning experience; however, a team-taught format of practical classes may provide students with a richer learning experience. The multiple perspectives of different demonstrators were highly valued by students and should be considered as an important approach to teaching students with diverse academic credentials, backgrounds and learning experiences. The interaction between students and teachers is key to instilling motivation and active participation, especially during practical sessions. Stressing key pedagogical (andragogical) principles such as introducing clinical examples and sharing personal experiences can be enhanced if the background of the teaching staff is varied