The evolution of government housing policy : the case of New South Wales 1901-1941

This paper reviews the development of four main threads of housing policy in New South Wales from the latter part of the nineteenth century through the first forty years of the twentieth century. Through a discussion of the social and political circumstances and debate surrounding government policy regarding landlord/tenant relations, housing quality and supply, and owner occupancy; it argues that policy evolution is irregular and a product of the exigencies of the political process. It also argues that although government policy did little to improve the housing situation for the underprivileged, there was nevertheless a growing acceptance by both Labor and conservative parties of the increased need for government intervention in the housing market

Liminal Space in Architecture: Threshold and Transition

The limen is defined as the transitional threshold between two fixed states in cultural rites of passage or between two dissimilar spaces in architecture. The study of rites of passage provides an analogy from which principles can be drawn for the design of a transformative space. The characteristics that define liminal space include layering, dissolution, blurring, and ambiguity and have the ability to transform the occupant of that space as they move through it. The experience of liminal space poses a discontinuity and leads the occupant to question their surroundings, thus leading to heightened awareness of the space as a transformative threshold between distinct spaces. The design of a ballpark, a building type associated with ritual, will be the vehicle for the exploration of the design of liminal space. Attention to the individual ritualistic acts of attending a ballgame can heighten the perception of the fan and their movement through a transitional space which transforms them from their everyday life. Additionally, a blurring of the space of the fan with the space of the player and a blurring of the space of the city and the space of the game will further heighten the ambiguity. Through an analysis of precedents that address both liminal space as transformative threshold and the liminality present in the ballpark, the design of the ballpark will create a transformative space for both the player and the fan which is based in history and advances the perception of the threshold as transformative

Attitudes to conservation and water consumption

Sydney’s water supply is under great pressure as the demand continues to rise. Demand mitigation strategies have had some success, but domestic consumption remains high. This paper discusses the attitudes of households to their water consumption in a search for ways in which domestic demand for water may be reduced. Evidence on attitudes of households in different kinds of housing was obtained using a telephone interview survey supplemented by information derived from focus groups drawn from households in the same areas. The information was collected in a period when strong water use restrictions were in place and major arguments were being mounted in favour of water pricing as a way of moderating demand. The paper argues that the complexity of the forces shaping demand needs to be understood in the context of the socio-demographic composition of households in different kinds of dwellings, as well as the cultural, behavioural and institutional aspects of consumption, if public policy is to be successful in reducing consumption and/or providing alternative domestic supplies of potable water. &nbsp

Improved Understanding of Fiber Digestibility in Ryegrasses

Dairy nutritionists have long known that forages with the same laboratory analysis could produce significantly different performance in lactating cows. Neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) may explain much of this variation. The objectives of the study described here were to demonstrate NDFD variation between varieties of ryegrass and season of harvest and to use this information as the basis for an educational Extension program. Large differences in NDFD were found among 11 varieties of ryegrass. This information was used to change the way livestock rations are balanced and it is hoped will convince grass seeds companies to focus more on fiber digestibility

Analyzing how grade four teachers plan to teach inquiry-based curriculum materials and the influences on their preparation of mathematics lessons

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on July 29, 2009)Thesis (Ph. D.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2008.This study documented how Grade 4 teachers plan to teach from an inquiry-based mathematics curriculum, and identified specific influences on planning. Previous studies of instructional decision-making yielded a framework for researching lesson planning and informed the design of this investigation. Participants in this study were 18 teachers from four schools in three districts that adopted the Investigations in Number, Data, & Space curriculum. Qualitative analysis of interview transcripts, surveys, and lesson plans was conducted using a framework to identify primary codes for processes and influences on teachers' planning.Results indicate that collaboration influenced the content teachers planned to teach as they discussed Investigations-related issues, determined Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) to be taught, and/or exchanged activities for teaching. Whether they collaborated, teachers ultimately created lesson plans individually. Although many teachers were misinformed about the requirements of No Child Left Behind, GLEs and mandatory testing programs influenced the content and sequencing of lessons and, for some, determined their curriculum. Teachers who considered Investigations to be an effective curriculum supplemented sparingly, while those who perceived "holes" in the curriculum supplemented extensively. This study yielded a refined framework for researching teacher planning but additional studies are needed to validate the framework. Finally, implications are offered for Accountability, Educational Policy, and both Teacher and Professional Development.Includes bibliographical reference

Industrial organisation : work practices & rituals in the Hunter District Water Board

This paper is part of a continuing program of work by the authors on the administrative history and practices of the Hunter District Water Board which is one of the principal statutory authorities in New South Wales. The program has been generously assisted by the Board. The centre piece of this series is a comprehensive administrative history of the Board since its establishment in 1892, scheduled for publication in 1989. An associated series of papers will cover a range of issues related to this core study. This paper deals with questions of industrial organisation and work practices. Companion papers will cover the Board's relationship with trade, unions, its pricing policies, and its attitudes to major industrial consumers such as BHP. 'Industrial Organisation' analyses questions of work practice and rituals in the day-to-day administration of the Board. It argues that patronage has been a major distorting influence in the organisation of the Board and that the structure created to justify patronage appointments has had a lasting negative impact. After briefly reviewing the history of the Board's creation, the paper examines the divisional structure, the use of temporary staff, the seniority system, the tensions between engineers and clerks, work practice infringements, efficiency and organisational culture. The paper concludes that statutory independence is a fiction useful for Ministers to be able to claim the credits and dodge the brickbats. The paper serves to illustrate how and why industrial relations within public sector authorities differ from, yet are similar to, those in the larger private sector