University journeys: alternative entry students and their construction of a means of succeeding in an unfamiliar university culture

This research study takes a multi-disciplinary perspective, using critical discourse theory, transactional communication theory and cross-cultural theory to contribute insight into the experiences of alternative entry students as they strive to access and participate in higher education. The study seeks to determine how these students learn to persevere: how they construct their means of succeeding in the university culture. The methodological structure of the research comprises a collective case study design, encompassing critical ethnography, action research and reflexive approaches to guide a deeper understanding of the experiences of studying at a regional Australian university. The reflexive nature of the research facilitated the development of an original theoretical construct, the ‘deficit-discourse’ shift, which challenges higher education policy and practice, in particular, in relation to academics’ roles in making their discourses explicit and in collaborating with students to facilitate students’ perseverance and success. The research has also generated two models: the Framework for Student Engagement and Mastery and the Model for Student Success at University. The Framework re-conceptualises the university as a dynamic culture made up of a multiplicity of sub-cultures, each with its own literacy or discourse. The Framework recasts the first year experience as a journey, with students’ transition re-conceptualised as the processes of gaining familiarity with and negotiating these new literacies and discourses whereas perseverance is viewed as the processes of mastering and demonstrating them. The Model provides a three step practical strategy (incorporating reflective practice, socio-cultural practice and critical practice) for achieving this engagement: for empowering students to negotiate, master and demonstrate their mastery of the university culture’s multiple discourses. Together, the two models provide students with a means of succeeding in the new university culture

Living comfortably with diversity: international students’ transition practices

Every year, over 30,000 international students study in regional Australia, in urban centres that lack the intercultural resources and cross-cultural literacies of metropolitan cities. The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) supports and brings together over 26,000 students studying both on campus and online, including a diverse international student population of 7,000 students. The university's enrolment of international on-campus students is the second highest in the Regional Universities Network, of which USQ is a member. This article analyses the experiences of international students as they encounter an unfamiliar Australian culture in the context of studying in Toowoomba, the regional city where USQ has its main campus. These students’ experiences of engaging, becoming familiar with and mastering new and unfamiliar cultural practices and academic literacies provides insight into the processes of acculturation that students undergo as they make their transition to life in regional Australia, both at university and in Queensland communities

Persistent Neurobehavioral Traits in a Mouse Model of Prenatal Ethanol Exposure

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) effect an estimated 2% of the population, causing a range of symptoms: from craniofacial defects to inhibited cortical growth (May, et al., 2009; Murawski, et al., 2015). Impaired medial forebrain function apparent in FASD is associated with lifelong cognitive behavioral deficits, but these consequences may be avoided with early diagnosis and intervention (Streissguth, et al., 2004). Our goal is to identify early neurobehavioral abnormalities that persist into adulthood that could potentially serve as early indicators for FASD. Mouse models of prenatal ethanol exposure were developed using a voluntary drinking paradigm that introduced a sweetened ethanol solution to pregnant dams. Impulsive behavior was observed during juvenile and adult testing, where ethanol-exposed mice displayed more risk-taking behavior in situations that induced inhibition in control mice. In contrast, ethanol-exposed mice were over-cautious in scenarios in which control mice experienced less anxiety. Ultimately, we observed what appears to be a persistent failure to accurately gauge and respond to environmental stimuli. This trait is analogous to impaired sensorimotor gating, or the unconscious cognitive ability to filter out irrelevant and attend relevant stimuli, a distinctive symptom of FASD. Future studies are needed to further establish early FASD markers applicable to humans

Designing pedagogical experiences to facilitate first year students' learning progression: a case study

Realising the potential for commencing students to succeed at university depends on designing a pedagogy that not only engages students in learning but also encourages them to actively reflect on that learning. This guiding philosophy underpins a first year undergraduate nursing course conducted at the University of Southern Queensland; a course characterised by a very diverse student cohort, an online teaching mode and an inter-disciplinary program emphasis. This paper documents a research study evaluating the course. The findings reveal that the course’s pedagogical design enables students to reflect on and progress their learning, particularly the learning thresholds related to their digital learning, time management and organisational capabilities as well as their capacities to seek support and learn independently. For a minority of students, however, the course’s online engagement was troublesome and although this can be tracked it remains a concern that needs to be explicitly confronted at the beginning of each course offering

Outdoor recreation in Pietermaritzburg: patterns, needs, and an assessment of standards for the provision of ourdoor recreationsl space.

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Supporting holistic care for patients with tuberculosis in a remote Indigenous community: a case report

Context: Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease with high rates of morbidity and mortality if left untreated. In Australia, TB has been virtually eradicated in non-Indigenous Australian-born populations but in remote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities TB presents a rare but significant public health issue. Remote health services are most likely to encounter patients with suspected and confirmed TB diagnosis but may be unprepared for supporting someone with this disease and the complexities of balancing public health risk with patient autonomy. Issue: This case study will outline the process for diagnosis and treatment of a TB patient in a remote Cape York community. This case involved significant delay in diagnosis and required several strategies to achieve successful disease eradication. The process of treatment, however, had a significant effect on the patient’s physical health, and social and emotional wellbeing. Lessons learned: This case highlights the importance of early collaboration between medical, nursing, Indigenous health worker and allied health services and the importance of technology such as electronic information records to support opportunistic access to diagnostic services and treatment. The enactment of the TB protocol should include discussions about the consequences of any restrictions of movement, employment or social/community roles. Identifying alternative opportunities to engage in meaningful roles may reduce the impact the disease has on a patient’s quality of life

Session 5: Banking, Capital Markets, and The Crypto Revolution - A Look Back and Projection of the Future of FinTech

In Session Five of the SITIE 2023 Symposium: Enabling Innovation in Law and Society, Joseph M. Vincent moderated as the four panelists, Joseph R. Cutler, Lawrence Kaplan, Youssef Sneifer, and Jill Williamson, discussed banking, capital markets, and the crypto revolution by looking back and projecting the future of the financial technology (FinTech) industry. The discussion commenced with a conversation on banking deposits, then moved into a discussion on cryptocurrency companies and the challenges they have faced in recent years in the banking industry. The panelists further discussed artificial intelligence (AI) technology’s impact on FinTech, open banking, and challenges facing cryptocurrency (crypto) going forward

Reframing e-assessment: building professional nursing and academic attributes in a first year nursing course

This paper documents the relationships between pedagogy and e-assessment in two nursing courses offered at the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. The courses are designed to build the academic, numeracy and technological attributes student nurses need if they are to succeed at university and in the nursing profession. The paper first outlines the management systems supporting the two courses and how they intersect with the e-learning and e-assessment components of course design. These pedagogical choices are then reviewed. While there are lessons to be learnt and improvements to be made, preliminary results suggest students and staff are extremely supportive of the courses. The e-assessment is very positively received with students reporting increased confidence and competency in numeracy, as well as IT, academic, research and communication skills