DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE ONLINE ABORIGINAL & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER GARDEN FOR LEARNING IN HEALTH SCIENCES

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) heritage trails are becoming increasingly important in Australia as they can translate intergenerational knowledge, culture and experiential learning for everyone (Muecke & Eadie, 2020). There is a need for virtual tours of gardens and online maps such as those utilised by the national botanical gardens in Victoria so access to natural resources is easier for both education purposes and public enjoyment (Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria, n.d.). At Australian Catholic University (ACU) we plan to digitise the ATSI Brisbane campus garden and create a sustainable and accessible learning environment for everyone by co-creating an online video and interactive ATSI heritage garden map at ACU with students. The project will involve recruitment of students to assist in creation of photos and videos, consultation with local community and Weemala Indigenous Higher Education Unit at ACU. The project celebrates collaborative ATSI knowings in science and sustainability that can be shared nationally and globally for community engagement, and in teaching of health sciences disciplines such as biomedical science, nutrition and nursing. REFERENCES Muecke, S. & Eadie, J. (2020). Ways of life: Knowledge transfer and Aboriginal heritage trails. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 52(11), 1201-1213. Royal Botanical Gardens Victoria (n.d.). https://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/#mai

ECHO360 Active Learning Platform in Health Sciences education: How, when and why to use it?

The ECHO360 Active Learning Platform (ALP) is an online active learning platform allowing the creation of interactive multimedia content for anytime student learning, with the potential for comprehensive analytics. This ALP has previously been shown to enhance student participation and engagement during in-class activities however it can be challenging to use at first. To enhance the uptake of ECHO360 ALP in and out of the classroom a simplified guide with clear instructions on the most useful aspects of the platform was developed and shared with staff, successfully creating a community of instructors. A student guide was also prepared which showcased the methods for gaining the most from its use in and out of lectures. These resources are available in the appendix

Integrating E-portfolios: Guiding Questions and Experiences

This paper presents a case study of the use of an e-portfolio in a human biology distance course that aimed to foster student refl ection on assignment feedback. An academic developer used a guided question approach to help the lecturer consider pedagogy, administration, and student support of the e-portfolio activity. The authors present student feedback of their e-portfolio experience and the summative assessment for the e-portfolio activity. They also consider the challenges of introducing e-portfolios in a single course

Integrating E-portfolios: Guiding Questions and Experiences

This paper presents a case study of the use of an e-portfolio in a human biology distance course that aimed to foster student refl ection on assignment feedback. An academic developer used a guided question approach to help the lecturer consider pedagogy, administration, and student support of the e-portfolio activity. The authors present student feedback of their e-portfolio experience and the summative assessment for the e-portfolio activity. They also consider the challenges of introducing e-portfolios in a single course

Development of a multi-campus online teaching community to foster collaborative work culture, training and knowledge exchange between casual and permanent teaching staff

Rates of casualisation are high in higher education. This study investigates use of an online community for multi-campus science departments to foster cohesive work culture amongst all university staff

Possible hormone predictors of physical performance in adolescent team sport athletes

The research aim of this study was to determine possible hormone predictors of physical performance in adolescent team sport athletes. Saliva samples were collected immediately before performance testing sessions from 114 state squad athletes (77 males, 37 females) participating in either Australian football, basketball, hockey, or netball. Participants completed tests of aerobic and anaerobic capacity, agility, power, and speed. Samples were collected over 22 months at quarterly, six-monthly, and/or yearly intervals depending on the testing schedule of the athlete. Saliva was analyzed for testosterone (T), cortisol (C), estradiol (E), and progesterone (P) levels. A strong negative correlation existed between multistage fitness test performance and T:E ratio (r = −0.76, p = 0.01) in females not taking oral contraceptives, and a strong positive correlation existed between repeat agility total time and estradiol levels (r = −0.71, p = 0.001) in females taking oral contraceptives. In males, strong negative correlations were evident for individual changes in planned agility time and estradiol levels (r = 0.87, p = 0.02), and countermovement jump (CMJ) height and T:C (r = −0.88, p = 0.01). In females taking oral contraceptives, a strong positive correlation was noted between individual change in yo-yo intermittent recovery test performance and T:E (r = 0.74, p = 0.01) and a strong negative correlation was noted between 20-m speed and T:P (r = 0.73, p = 0.01). In females not taking oral contraceptives, a strong negative correlation was found between individual change in CMJ height and T:P (r = −0.72, p = 0.02). The findings show that in adolescent team sport athletes, the P:E, T:E, and the T:P ratios are important predictors of performance in tests of physical capacity. The findings also indicate that estradiol and progesterone have a predictive function in the physical performance of adolescent male team sport athletes

An exploratory analysis of possible hormone predictors of physical performance in male and female adolescent basketball athletes

Steroid hormones regulate physiological functions important to sports performance. There is some evidence of hormone-performance associations though further research is required. Studies investigating concurrent changes in performance and hormone levels in basketball athletes have not identified changes in hormone levels making it difficult to determine if hormone-performance associations exist in this group of athletes. Identification of hormone-performance associations in basketball athletes would provide valuable insights that may assist in the design of training programs and competition strategies