JERAA@40: Towards a history of the professional association of Australian journalism academics

The professional association representing Australian journalism educators was established in 1975. This article, on the occasion of the association's 40th anniversary, traces the history and evaluates the role of the Australian Association for Tertiary Education in Journalism (AATEJ) and its successors, the Journalism Education Association (JEA) and the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia (JERAA). It finds collegiality and a desire to improve standards of journalism teaching have endured as key features of the group's ethos. More recently, the association has taken a leadership role in the contested area of research development and, less consistently, adhered to a founding objective to champion free expression. The authors conclude that this repositioning of the association beyond its capacity as a support group for journalism educators raises the question of whether the time has come to renew the traditional mission statement and rejuvenate JERAA's public profile to account for its newfound disciplinary leadership

The ecology and early life history of the intertidal tubeworm Galeolaria caespitosa

Dissertação de mestrado em Temas de Psicologia do Desenvolvimento, apresentada à Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação da Universidade de Coimbra.Os Slow Learners são alunos com Funcionamento Intelectual Borderline (FIB) que frequentemente se debatem para acompanhar as exigências académicas. O presente estudo teve como objetivo contribuir para aumentar o conhecimento em relação a estes alunos, tendo-se realizado um estudo empírico comparativo e correlacional, com uma amostra constituída por um grupo com FIB, de 40 crianças e adolescentes (7-15 anos), do 2º ao 6º ano, e um grupo de controlo, com QI médio, de 40 alunos, selecionados através de uma metodologia de emparelhamento de pares idênticos. Aplicaram-se os seguintes instrumentos: Escala de Inteligência de Wechsler para Crianças  Terceira Edição; Bateria de Avaliação Neuropsicológica de Coimbra (Lista de Palavras; Memória de Histórias; Figura Complexa de Rey; Memória de Faces; Nomeação Rápida; Fluência Verbal); e Inventário de Identificação de Dificuldades de Aprendizagem (tradução e adaptação portuguesa do "Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Inventory"). Os resultados apontaram para que os Slow Learners têm um défice na memória verbal de curto prazo, na nomeação rápida, na fluência verbal fonémica e na memória visual de curto prazo, especificamente numa tarefa de reconhecimento visual, em comparação com o grupo de controlo. Registou-se, ainda, que os Slow Learners têm dificuldades de aprendizagem generalizadas, nomeadamente no raciocínio, na matemática, escrita e leitura; e algumas destas dificuldades estão associadas, moderadamente, a resultados mais baixos nas notas escolares das disciplinas de Português e Matemática. Conclui-se que os Slow Learners não estão a atingir sucesso académico nas escolas portuguesas, sendo clara a necessidade de desenvolver linhas de atuação científica, legislativa e educativa.Slow Learners are students with Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF) that frequently struggle to keep up academic demands. The purpose of the present study was to contribute to enlarge the knowledge about these students. A cross-sectional, comparison and correlational study was carried out with a sample composed of a group with BIF, of 40 children and adolescents (7-15 years old), in grades two through six; and a control group with average IQ, of 40 students, selected by the method of case matching. The following instruments were used: Portuguese version of third edition of The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children; Portuguese Battery of Neuropsychological Assessment of Coimbra (Words List; Narrative Memory; Rey Complex Figure; Face Memory; Rapid Naming; Verbal Fluency); and Portuguese translation and adaptation of the Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Inventory. The results showed deficits in Slow Learners verbal short-term memory, rapid naming, phonemic verbal fluency and visual short-term memory, specifically on a visual recognition task, in comparison to the control group. Also, Slow Learners showed generalized learning disabilities, namely in reasoning, mathematics, writing and reading; and some of these disabilities are associated, moderately, with lower academic scores in the Portuguese and Mathematics school subjects. Thus, Slow Learners are not getting academic success in Portuguese schools, and there is a clear need to develop scientific, legislative and educational actions

Inclusive education policy: teachers’ efficacy beliefs for Including pupils with special educational needs in Irish mainstream primary schools

Implementing inclusive education policy is a complex issue intrinsically woven into the complex fabric of teaching and learning. This research asks the question: how efficacious do teachers feel in translating inclusive principles into practice? Research supports the view that teacher efficacy - teachers’ perceptions of their own teaching competence - is one of the most important variables related to positive teaching behaviours and student achievement. Using the lens of social cognitive theory, this study examines teacher efficacy and explores: (a) the relationship between personal teacher efficacy (PTE), and general teacher efficacy (GTE), from the scales devised by Hoy and Woolfolk (1993), and (SEN) teacher efficacy from a self-designed scale; (b) the extent to which mainstream teachers’ believe that they have the knowledge, skills and competencies, following pre-service, to successfully include pupils with special educational needs; and (c) the influence of other contextual variables on SEN teacher efficacy. The study employed a quantitative approach to investigate the views of mainstream primary teachers in Ireland (N=244), who had qualified between the years 1998-2007 inclusively. Findings reveal a complex picture in relation to teacher efficacy with regard to pupils with SEN in mainstream schools. Teacher efficacy in relation to special educational needs - SEN efficacy - is unique and different from personal teacher efficacy (PTE) and (GTE) indicating that there are specific and additional knowledge, skills and competencies required to work in inclusive settings. While teacher preparation has a significant impact on efficacy, other contextual factors, such as intrinsic and extrinsic school factors, all serve to impact on teacher efficacy. These findings have implications for teacher educators, school principals, school support services and policy advisors

Mixing formal specifications using ICL (interconnection language)

There is an increasing need and desire to develop systems by combining components that are written in different languages and/or run on different kinds of machines. Success largely depends on the ability of their components to communicate and work together despite their differing backgrounds. This thesis addresses the problem of mixing two formal specification languages, SDL and LOTOS. Various approaches to mixing specification languages are examined including the SPECS approach which is presented in more detail. A unique feature of the SPECS approach is the support of multiple specification languages, including the ability to mix specifications languages within a given system design. This area of research investigates the SPECS specific mixing language ICL (Interconnection Language). The thesis looks at two formal languages, one of an asynchronous nature (SDL) and one of a synchronous nature (LOTOS), which can be combined using the Interconnection Language. Also a set of rules are given to produce this formal mixing specification from less formal descriptions. These rules use a range of informal representations and rigorous models of the required system to produce of the ICL specification. An application of these rules is presented. This research work was carried out as part of DCU’s contribution to the SPECS (Specification and Programming Environment for Communication Software) project, part of the RACE program of the EC. SPECS’s aim was to, as much as possible, automate the software development process by using formal languages. An overview of the SPECS project is presented in chapter 1 of this thesis

Attitudes and characteristics of health professionals working in Aboriginal health

There is an unacceptable gap in health status between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Australia. Linked to social inequalities in health and political and historical marginalisation, this health gap must be urgently addressed. It is important that health professionals, the majority of whom in Australia are non-Aboriginal, are confident and equipped to work in Aboriginal health in order to contribute towards closing the health gap. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and characteristics of non-Aboriginal health professionals working in Aboriginal health. Methods: The research was guided and informed by a social constructionist epistemology and a critical theoretical approach. It was set within a larger healthy eating and physical activity program delivered in one rural and one metropolitan community in South Australia from 2005 to 2010. Non-Aboriginal staff working in the health services where the program was delivered and who had some experience or an interest working in Aboriginal health were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Dietitians working across South Australia (rural and metropolitan locations) were also invited to participate in an interview. Data were coded into themes that recurred throughout the interview and this process was guided by critical social research. Results: Thirty-five non-Aboriginal health professionals participated in a semi-structured interview about their experiences working in Aboriginal health. The general attitudes and characteristics of non-Aboriginal health professionals were classified using four main groupings, ranging from a lack of practical knowledge (‘don’t know how’), a fear of practice (‘too scared’), the area of Aboriginal health perceived as too difficult (‘too hard’) and learning to practice regardless (‘barrier breaker’). Workers in each group had different characteristics including various levels of willingness to work in the area; various understandings of Australia’s historical relationship with Aboriginal peoples; varying awareness of their own cultural identity and influence on working with Aboriginal people; and different levels of (dis)comfort expressed in discussions about social, political and intercultural issues that impact on the healthcare encounter. Conclusions: These groupings can be used to assist non-Aboriginal health professionals to reflect on their own levels of confidence, attitudes, characteristics, experiences, approaches and assumptions to Aboriginal health, as an important precursor to further practice and development in Aboriginal health. By encouraging self-reflection of non-Aboriginal health professionals about where their experiences, characteristics and confidence lie, the groupings presented in this paper can be used to encourage non-Aboriginal health professionals, rather than Aboriginal clients or workers, to be the focus for change and deliver health care that is more acceptable to patients and clients, hence influencing health service delivery. The groupings presented can also begin to enable discussions between all health professionals about working together in Aboriginal health

Diagnostic accuracy of 3.0-T magnetic resonance T1 and T2 mapping and T2-weighted dark-blood imaging for the infarct-related coronary artery in Non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

Background: Patients with recent non–ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction commonly have heterogeneous characteristics that may be challenging to assess clinically. Methods and Results: We prospectively studied the diagnostic accuracy of 2 novel (T1, T2 mapping) and 1 established (T2‐weighted short tau inversion recovery [T2W‐STIR]) magnetic resonance imaging methods for imaging the ischemic area at risk and myocardial salvage in 73 patients with non–ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (mean age 57±10 years, 78% male) at 3.0‐T magnetic resonance imaging within 6.5±3.5 days of invasive management. The infarct‐related territory was identified independently using a combination of angiographic, ECG, and clinical findings. The presence and extent of infarction was assessed with late gadolinium enhancement imaging (gadobutrol, 0.1 mmol/kg). The extent of acutely injured myocardium was independently assessed with native T1, T2, and T2W‐STIR methods. The mean infarct size was 5.9±8.0% of left ventricular mass. The infarct zone T1 and T2 times were 1323±68 and 57±5 ms, respectively. The diagnostic accuracies of T1 and T2 mapping for identification of the infarct‐related artery were similar (P=0.125), and both were superior to T2W‐STIR (P<0.001). The extent of myocardial injury (percentage of left ventricular volume) estimated with T1 (15.8±10.6%) and T2 maps (16.0±11.8%) was similar (P=0.838) and moderately well correlated (r=0.82, P<0.001). Mean extent of acute injury estimated with T2W‐STIR (7.8±11.6%) was lower than that estimated with T1 (P<0.001) or T2 maps (P<0.001). Conclusions: In patients with non–ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction, T1 and T2 magnetic resonance imaging mapping have higher diagnostic performance than T2W‐STIR for identifying the infarct‐related artery. Compared with conventional STIR, T1 and T2 maps have superior value to inform diagnosis and revascularization planning in non–ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction. Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02073422