bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Home Otherwise: Living Archives and Half-Life Politics in Post-Fallout Coastal Fukushima
Authors: Morimoto Ryo
Published: December 2021

While the 2011 nuclear disaster in Japan forced residents out of their coastal Fukushima homes, transforming familiar ecologies into sites of estrangement, Naoko and neighbors remain invested in the material objects and spiritual relations of their houses, within and despite the logics of contamination. These desires to repair domestic livelihoods to nurture a sense of home (ie) and the idea of dying well (ii shinikata) challenge critical theories of nuclear fallout, which frame contamination’s impacts in terms of biopolitical logics and planetary scales. Thus, although contamination regiments the lives of residents through what I call a half-life politics, their practices of house-ing defy these strictures, as planetary contamination becomes experiential, ethnographic, and interscalar, and as people attempt to remake lives in an already injured and irradiated world.

要旨

2011 年東日本大震災に起因する東京電力福島第一発電所事故は近隣の森や 生態系を汚染し、多くの福島県浜通り地区の住民達を長期避難に追いやった。し かしながら住民の多くは汚染されなくなく避難した『家』との縁を切るのではな く、個々の考える『いい死に方』を求め汚染された家との物質的、精神的つながり 求め続けた。このような避難民の原子力事故後の行動は、人間と放射性物質の関 係性を生物的ダメージに特化して語るフォールアウト関連の学術的思考や、事故 後の政策に見られる汚染中心の『半減期的政治』とは異なる考え方の必要性を示 している。この論文は文化人類学的アプローチを使い、人はどのようにして『家』 を保持しようとする行動の中で自分以外のモノとのつながりを認知し、放射能汚 染の様々な規模 -その地域性や普遍性- を理解し、それと共存して行こうとす るのかという問いへの回答を探る.

Resumo

Enquanto o desastre nuclear de 2011 no Japão forçou os residentes de Fukushima a abandonar suas casas, transformando ecologias familiares em locais de estranhamento, Naoko e seus vizinhos continuam a investir em objetos e em relações espirituais com as suas casas agora emolduradas pela lógica da contaminação. O desejo de recuperar o sentido de lar (ie) e a ideia de morrer bem (ii shinikata) desafia as teorias críticas da contaminação radioativa que maiormente enfatizam o seu impacto em termos biopolíticos e em escala planetária. Assim, embora a contaminação regule o dia a dia dos moradores através do que eu chamo de half-life politics, suas práticas de house-ing desafiam essas restrições. A etnografia revela a contaminação planetária como sendo experiencial e interescalar, e mostra as pessoas refazendo as suas vidas em um mundo já irradiado e ferido.

Resumen

Mientras el desastre nuclear de 2011 en Japón obligó a los residentes de Fukushima a abandonar sus hogares, transformando ecologías familiares en lugares de extrañamiento, Naoko y sus vecinos siguen invirtiendo en objetos y en relaciones espirituales con sus casas ahora envueltas en la lógica de la contaminación. Los deseos de recuperar el sentido de hogar (ie) y la idea de morir bien (ii shinikata) desafían las teorías críticas sobre la contaminación radioactiva que en su mayoría enfatizan los impactos biopolíticos y la escala planetaria. Así, aunque la contaminación regula el cotidiano a través de lo que llamo half-life politics, las prácticas de house-ing desafían estas restricciones. La etnografía revela a la contaminación planetaria como experiencial e interescalar y muestra a las personas rehaciendo sus vidas en un mundo ya herido e irradiado.
Amazonian House-ing: A Visual Anthropology Essay
Authors: Da Costa Oliveira Thiago , Fausto Carlos
Published: December 2021

This visual essay documents the house-ing practices of Amazonian river dwellers and urban and peri-urban residents in the face of large-scale development projects. In Altamira (Pará, Brazil), the construction of the third-largest hydroelectric dam in the world, the Belo Monte Plant, has led to the flooding of housing areas along rivers and the displacement of residents into collective urban resettlements. Although the complexities of people’s living did not enter the engineers’ calculations or the public policy agenda, the residents improvised construction materials and aesthetic repertoires to preserve the relationships that constituted their local ecologies. Our visual ethnography aims to re-center the situated purview of the resettled, re-visibilizing the house as an index of ineffaceable livelihood and as an ongoing terrain of contestation and continuous Amazonization.

Resumo

Este ensaio visual documenta as práticas de house-ing de ribeirinhos e habitantes urbanos e peri-urbanos da Amazônia, confrontados com grandes projetos de desenvolvimento. Em Altamira (Pará, Brasil), a construção da terceira maior hidroelétrica do mundo, a usina de Belo Monte, conduziu ao alagamento de áreas habitacionais e ao deslocamento de seus moradores para novos assentamentos urbanos coletivos. Embora as especificidades do mundo vivido dessas pessoas não tenham entrado no cálculo dos engenheiros, nem na agenda das políticas públicas, os moradores improvisaram materiais construtivos e repertórios estéticos para preservar as relações que constituíam suas ecologias locais. Esta etnografia visual busca restituir a perspectiva situada dos deslocados, dando visibilidade à casa como índice dos modos de viver e como um terreno aberto de contestação e de contínua amazonização.

Resumen

Este ensayo visual documenta las prácticas de house-ing de los ribereños y de los habitantes urbanos y periurbanos de Amazonia que se enfrentan a grandes proyectos de desarrollo. En Altamira (Pará, Brasil), la construcción de la tercera mayor represa hidroeléctrica del mundo, la usina Belo Monte, provocó la inundación de áreas de vivienda y el desplazamiento de sus habitantes a nuevos asentamientos urbanos colectivos. Aunque las especificidades del mundo vivido por estas personas no entraron en los cálculos de los ingenieros ni en la agenda de las políticas públicas, la gente improvisa materiales de construcción y repertorios estéticos para preservar las relaciones que constituían sus ecologías locales. Esta etnografía visual pretende recuperar la perspectiva de los desplazados, dando visibilidad a la casa como índice de formas de vida y como terreno abierto a la permanente contestación y amazonización.
The Multiply Produced Film: Collaboration, Ethnography, and Feminist Epistemology
Authors: Hong Emily
Published: December 2021

This article introduces the “multiply produced film” as a methodology and analytic that highlights the asymmetrical dynamics inherent to collaboration. I draw on (auto)ethnographic material from the making of Get By (2014), a film on worker-community solidarity, to explore collaboration across race, class, and gender in subject matter and method. I situate the multiply produced film within a genealogy that grafts ontological insights from the anthropology of exchange onto the epistemological contributions of feminist, decolonial, and visual anthropologists committed to collaboration. I argue that as a method, collaborative filmmaking has the potential to challenge narrow Western conceptions of autonomy and authorship through shared authority and fluid roles that engender a cascading multivocality that shapes the resulting filmic form. As an analytic, the multiply produced film reveals how collaboration entails a fundamental tension between the gift-like exchanges of solidarity and the outwardly commoditized form (e.g., films, books) produced by such exchanges, raising questions about asymmetries of power, prestige, and accountability.
“Masking” Makeup: Cosmetics and Constructions of Race in Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Novacich Samuel Elliott
Published: December 2021

This article examines applications of bright, eye-catching makeup on the periphery of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Tracking the aesthetic decisions of makeup artists and their clients, I analyze how colorful manipulations of the bodily surface relate to local constructions of race. But the bodily surface does not simply reflect established and conventional understandings of race, nor are the aesthetics described herein merely symbolic of assumptions of difference. Instead, the aesthetic practices portrayed in this article may also be regarded as experimental, “nondiscursive” moments—operating on a complementary semiotic register—in the production of yet-to-be actualized ideas about race and being. This research shows how makeup practices often disrupt the aesthetic and conceptual links that tie insides to outsides, essences and souls to physical appearance, and in so doing chip away at the foundations on which race in Brazil has historically been built. Through sixteen months of ethnographic fieldwork (2019–2020) in Rio’s northern suburbs, I observed as disparate aesthetic practices—namely, beautification and transformation—merged with eclectic understandings of the body and notions of being. Through these alternating lenses, makeup enthusiasts often interpreted material signs of the body as pointing to categorical constructions of race, on the one hand, and to beauty, sex, and desire, on the other.These semiotic oscillations and their interpretations often stood in conflict with established racial discourses, and yet rather than being exceptional, I argue that such exploratory, sensuous aesthetics are in fact mundane. Taking as a starting point the understanding that racial discourse in Brazil, as elsewhere, is internally ambiguous and rife with epistemic conflict, this article describes nondiscursive aesthetic practices as strands of material disorder—latent with possibility but often incongruous with what we think we know about race—working to forge novel understandings of race, beauty, and the body.
Machine Learning Models Based on Random Forest Feature Selection and Bayesian Optimization for Predicting Daily Global Solar Radiation
Authors: Chaibi Mohamed , Benghoulam El Mahjoub , Tarik Lhoussaine , Berrada Mohamed , El Hmaidi Abdellah
Published: December 2021

Prediction of daily global solar radiation  with simple and highly accurate models would be beneficial for solar energy conversion systems. In this paper, we proposed a hybrid machine learning methodology integrating two feature selection methods and a Bayesian optimization algorithm to predict H in the city of Fez, Morocco. First, we identified the most significant predictors using two Random Forest methods of feature importance: Mean Decrease in Impurity (MDI) and Mean Decrease in Accuracy (MDA). Then, based on the feature selection results, ten models were developed and compared: (1) five standalone machine learning (ML) models including Classification and Regression Trees (CART), Random Forests (RF), Bagged Trees Regression (BTR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP); and (2) the same models tuned by the Bayesian optimization (BO) algorithm: CART-BO, RF-BO, BTR-BO, SVR-BO, and MLP-BO. Both MDI and MDA techniques revealed that extraterrestrial solar radiation and sunshine duration fraction were the most influential features. The BO approach improved the predictive accuracy of MLP, CART, SVR, and BTR models and prevented the CART model from overfitting. The best improvements were obtained using the MLP model, where RMSE and MAE were reduced by 17.6% and 17.2%, respectively. Among the studied models, the SVR-BO algorithm provided the best trade-off between prediction accuracy (RMSE=0.4473kWh/m²/day, MAE=0.3381kWh/m²/day, and R²=0.9465), stability (with a 0.0033kWh/m²/day increase in RMSE), and computational cost.
Effect of zeolite on the growth and yield of broccoli in the dry season
Authors: Nooprom Karistsapol , Mansuriwong Pongsak , Apiratikorn Supakracha
Published: December 2021

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck) growth and yield are impacted in warmer climates, especially during the dry season. Broccoli gives low yield and quality although it is heat-tolerant cultivars. Zeolite is an organic material recognized as suitable for dry season plant growth because it can adsorb cations, nutrients and water and release on demand from the plant. Application of zeolite in the soil may improve broccoli growth and yield during the dry season. The trial preparation followed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications involving five amounts of zeolite at 0, 1.56, 3.12, 4.68 and 6.24 t ha-1 using broccoli cultivar ‘Top Green’. Results showed that zeolite applications of 4.68 and 6.24 t ha-1 improved growth and yield parameters including plant width, stem diameter, time to 50% flowering and harvest, head diameter and head weight better than the other treatments. Application of zeolite at 6.24 t ha-1 gave high total broccoli yield of 8.45 t ha-1 but not significantly different (p?0.05) from 4.68 t ha-1 that gave 7.89 t ha-1. Results indicated that application of zeolite at 4.68 t ha-1 was optimal for reducing drought stress and enhancing effective growth and yield of broccoli.
Factors associated with edvisor perceptions of their work being understood and valued are not what they seem
Authors: Simpson Colin , Frawley Jessica , Markauskaite Lina , Goodyear Peter
Published: December 2021

People sit at the heart of digital transformation in Higher Education. Often, they are ‘Third Space’ support staff, including Learning Designers, Education Technologists and Academic Developers, broadly defined here as ‘edvisors’ – educator-advisors. Edvisors share their expertise of pedagogy and technology to support, guide and lead change in teaching practices but they can be hampered by numerous factors that diminish their ability to contribute meaningfully. While the work that some types of edvisors – largely academic developers and learning designers – do is well represented in research, there has been little consideration of these underlying challenges. This paper reports on a survey of 58 edvisors in 24 Higher Education institutions in Australia relating to their perceptions of how their work is understood and valued by their direct managers, edvisors in other roles in their institution, academics and other managers in the institution. The data were analysed to look for variations by role type, job title, academic/professional classification, gender, and qualifications. Results show that edvisors feel their work is more valued than understood overall but relationships between different edvisor role types can be more fractious than those they have with academics. Improving understanding and valuing of edvisors is vital to their contribution to transformation.
Managing career transitions into post-secondary Learning Designer Jobs: An Australasian perspective
Authors: Sage Jack , Sankey Michael
Published: December 2021

This semi-structured qualitative study maps out the diversity of career paths of Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) learning designers (LDs) and summarises their career advice for those aspiring to be LDs. It identifies that, among the 92 participants, there were many different pathways into the profession both from an academic and from professional backgrounds. It identified that the most common entry points into the postsecondary LD profession come through previously working: as a primary and secondary teacher; in higher education student services, as an English as a Second Language (ESL) professional, a sessional academic seeking job stability; in private industry, such as in film and television and in the area of training and development. Most career transitions into LD were serendipitous, or a natural progression rather than a deliberate and planned process. The study further identified a paucity of LD and associated professions career information in ANZ public domain, which held some back from entering a Learning Design career earlier. This paper concludes with some recommended strategies to address this, to the extent that it is hoped that this paper will aid aspiring LDs in planning their career transitions more effectively.
A systematic approach to learning design for supervisor training in a specialist medical college
Authors: Reyna Jorge , Baker-Smith Victoria , Cooper Ellen
Published: December 2021

Specialist medical education aims to develop clinical knowledge in conjunction with professional attributes such as communication skills, collaboration, health advocacy, management, and professionalism. RANZCO is undertaking a 3-year curriculum redesign plan that incorporated feedback received from the Australian Medical Council and is moving towards a systematic approach to supervisor and trainee teaching and learning interventions to improve the quality of the learning experience. In parallel to the new curriculum, the college has established the Digital Learning Transformation initiative by developing theoretical frameworks to guide a systematic approach to learning design. The frameworks informed the design, implementation, and evaluation of interactive modules to support supervisors in educational topics. This concise paper aims to present the theoretical underpinning and the Modus Operandi of the intervention. The authors hope this initiative could inspire other medical colleges to take an evidence-based educational approach to supervisor training.
Supporting teaching staff through data Analytics: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ifenthaler Dirk , Yin-Kim Yau Jane
Published: December 2021

Higher education institutions and its stakeholders are just about to catch up with the rapid pace at which educational data are being generated. While recent learning analytics research and applications are mainly focused on learning, there is an increased awareness that data analytics may provide teaching staff with evidence-based insights for enhancing teaching processes. The aim of this systematic review is to gain a deeper understanding on how data analytics in the educational context may play a role in helping teaching staff to leverage their own teaching A total of N = 18,723 articles were located and screened resulting in a final sample N = 35 key publications. Findings indicate that empowering teachers with data from educational contexts may support pre-active, interactive, and post-active reflection phases of teaching. However, teaching staff are required to further develop their educational data literacy in order to avoid biased pedagogical decision-making.
Embedding wholistic learning: Designing curated eLearning processes for social work students
Authors: Atkins Prue , Sykes Katie
Published: December 2021

La Trobe University is implementing a new Social Work course. Several evidence-based curriculum design and teaching innovations have been identified as having the potential to support both new explicit and implicit curriculum. This paper reports on the introduction of an innovative learning technology solution to promote a student centred learning approach. The use of the technology is novel to social work coursework education so evaluating the impact on supporting learning outcomes addresses a current gap in the research literature. Supporting a student centred approach, the innovation amalgamates ePortfolios with Moodle LMS to capture learning activities and assessments in their own digital space. The project has been a collaboration between the Social Work discipline and Technology Enhanced Learning Services. Findings from our evaluation show that the use of ePortfolios is consistent with transformational learning principles whereby the software application enables critical reflection, a sense of ownership over learning and the opportunity for students to be creative. The innovation also empowers students to develop a portfolio of curated reference material along with indivdiualised evidence of knowledge that can be utilised beyond graduation for potential employers or opportunities for further study.
Opportunities to improve learning analytics for student support when using online assessment tools
Authors: Hicks Ben , Linden Kelly , Van Der Ploeg Neil
Published: December 2021

Knowing when a student is being productive in an online learning environment is challenging to discern from online trace data. Custom built assessment tools, integrated into a learning management system (LMS), offer a way to obtain finer-grained data not commonly available in existing systems. An exploratory observational study of 1,822 assessment submissions in an online course of 500 students was conducted. All assessments were submitted utilising a new online assessment tool that offered embedded resources, feedback and tracked when words were typed or pasted into the tool. Students were hesitant to consistently use the online editor, moderately used the embedded resources and heavily utilised the feedback. There was moderate evidence that whether or not a student viewed the previous assessments feedback was a better indicator of future assessment success than LMS activity.
Virtual reality in Education. Broken promises or new hope?
Authors: McGee B. L. , Jacka Lisa
Published: December 2021

Virtual reality in one form or another has been around for over 50 years, most notably in entertainment and business environments. Technology-focused teachers have been leading the way with attempts at utilising and integrating virtual reality into K-12 and Higher Education. However, as quickly as technology changes so does the enthusiasm for the use in educational contexts. Much of this is due to the high-level cost (time and money) with no evidence-based educational return. In 2020 the global pandemic forced the education sector to innovate to provide authentic learning environments for students. The time is right for virtual reality to take centre stage. Over 171 million people worldwide currently use virtual reality, and the market in education is expected to grow by 42% over the next five years. This paper focuses on a range of virtual reality literature encompassing work across the spectrum of software and hardware, identifying where more educational implementation and research needs to be done and providing a perspective on future possibilities focusing on current affordances.
Implementing H5P Online Interactive Activities at Scale
Authors: Chen Li , Manwaring Penelope , Zakaria Ghaith , Wilkie Sonia , Loton Daniel
Published: December 2021

Online Interactive Activities (OIA) are an increasingly popular educational learning experience. OIA allows for flexible delivery with the activities used synchronously during class, or asynchronously outside of class at a time convenient for the learner, and they prompt active participation and engagement. As a result, many learning environments are implementing design and development projects to incorporate OIA. However, incorporating new tools and approaches in educational systems can be complex. In this paper we discuss the processes that Victoria University employed to develop and implement OIA, in order to facilitate efficient blended delivery on a large scale. We discuss reasons why the tool H5P was chosen for the development of OIA; outline the projects and processes used to oversee and implement OIA roll-out; present the support mechanisms and professional development provided to enable the design, development, and incorporation of OIA; and lastly provide novel case examples to inspire future use.
The value of a Community of Practice in the subject design process when embedding Interactive Oral Assessments
Authors: Scheele Deborah , Krautloher Amita , Shaeri Saeed , Craig Marie-Louise , Crawford Ruth
Published: December 2021

This paper shares insights gained from members of a Community of Practice (CoP) who jointly designed and developed Interactive Oral Assessments (IOAs) for their online subjects in the first half of 2021 as part of a broader institutional project to improve online assessment practice across a multi-campus regional NSW university. Meetings of the CoP were conducted virtually to allow geographically dispersed staff to participate in and benefit from the sessions. The main aim of the CoP was to design online assessments that promote academic integrity and reflect authentic graduates’ practice. The CoP members implemented new assessment regimes, tasks and rubrics for their respective subjects involved in the initiative and developed a suite of resources for future staff interested in trialling this approach. The outcomes highlight the value of a dedicated CoP in supporting academics to successfully embed a new assessment approach, and for encouraging uptake across the university courses.
Pedagogy before Technology: Understanding the confidence of Vocational Educators for integrating Technology Enhanced Learning
Authors: Vanderburg Robert , Cowling Michael , Dargusch Joanne
Published: December 2021

This project investigated VET educators' perspectives of the usefulness and ease-of-use of technology in their units, including the difficulties they had implementing technology. VET Teachers were offered a one-day ‘bootcamp’ style workshop where they were introduced to innovative technology for the classroom. A significant amount of time in the workshops was spent mapping VET pedagogy and technology using the ‘pedagogy before technology’ approach. The study was designed as an action research project with a combination of quantitative and qualitative questions delivered via survey at the conclusion of the workshop. For the first loop of the project, 23 educators answered 11 quantitative questions based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) targeting their perception of the usefulness of technology and its ease-of-use in delivering their units, with qualitative evidence gathered in the form of field notes by researchers as participant observers. The results revealed VET educators had a high level of confidence in their understanding of technology and their ability to learn about technology. However, they lacked confidence in implementing technology in their pedagogical practices. Specifically, whilst they had average confidence using technology to teach simple concepts, they lacked confidence in using technology to teach complex concepts and adequately assess their students.
Enhancing students’ employability skills and experiential learning through integration of Xero software
Authors: Jones Greg , Jones Hazel , Pensiero Dom , Beattie Claire
Published: December 2021

Introducing XERO Accounting software into a core accounting unit can have many benefits for students, including improving their professional skills and enhancing their employability. However, it is important that students gain knowledge and skills in all aspects of the software as well as understanding the accounting processes that underlie the software’s operations. This paper presents an overview of implementation of Xero software, in a core accounting course, at a regional university in Australia. Student numbers ranged from 24-63 across the semesters studied. We highlight and discuss the processes adopted to appropriately scaffold students’ learning and assessment. We assess the effectiveness of the intervention by observing student engagement with specially developed videos and measuring student results in associated assessment tasks over three offerings of the course. The provision of a suite of learning opportunities, (training and use of excel and Xero accounting software) translated to improved student outcomes on the technologyrelated assessment items. Few students who viewed the learning videos contacted the course teaching team for further assistance, suggesting the videos were an effective resource that provided enhanced learning opportunities for students. These findings provide advice and information regarding the issues associated with integrating accounting software for other teaching teams or institutions considering similar applications in their courses or programs.
An exploratory student-centred approach to immersive virtual reality: Reflections and future directions
Authors: Alizadeh Mehrasa , Cowie Neil
Published: December 2021

Advancements in immersive virtual reality (VR) have encouraged educators to start looking for ways to leverage the potentials of this technology. This concise paper reports the preliminary findings of a study where VR was used in an educational setting. A small group of teachers and students explored free VR apps and investigated their usefulness for learning. Through this activity, they not only compiled a list of VR apps that could potentially be used by teachers but also co-investigated the benefits and challenges of implementing VR-powered activities. The study was backed up by student app reviews, teacher observations, and focus group interviews. The results revealed that students found VR engaging and stimulating and successfully explored the educational values of multiple apps; however, they experienced some degree of cybersickness. As a response to this concern, the next phase of the study will focus on desktop VR and learner-generated content.
A proposal to measure the impact of automated response systems on meeting student learning outcomes
Authors: Koh Josiah , Cowling Michael A , Jha Meena , Sim Kwong Nui
Published: December 2021

With the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), much has been made of the use of AI in education. Central to that is the idea of an Automated Response System (ARS). Current adoption of ARS’s in education has been mainly in the realm of administrative tasks but is likely to move into the support of teaching. ARS can be used as a supplement for teaching as it provides instant feedback, and 24/7 support. Having a highly accessible, 24/7 ARS can help relieve some of the burdens placed on teachers, especially in a post COVID-19 environment, where teachers expect work to intensify, rather than simplify. In this paper we present a work-in-progress that proposes what features an ARS for education should have, how these would be useful and how these features help teachers assist students meet their learning outcomes in a holistic manner.
Creating presence, currency and connection in digital learning with video blogs
Authors: Elliott Joanne , Adachi Chie
Published: December 2021

There is a substantial body of work arguing that sense of belonging, connection and interaction is a critical element for students to persist and succeed in learning online. However online students frequently report feeling isolated and disconnected from teachers, peers, and the institution. This paper explores the use of regular, informal video messages to facilitate these connections in a fully online course We argue that such videos can build teacher presence, provide opportunities for sharing feedback, guidance, emerging developments and professional insights, and contribute to a dynamic and engaging learning environment. We share preliminary feedback and reflections on the use of such videos and discuss the next steps in measuring the impact of these videos on student learning and satisfaction.
Mobile learning and socially constructed blended learning through the lens of Activity Theory
Authors: Narayan Vickel , Cochrane Thomas , Aiello Stephen , Birt James , Alizadeh Mehrasa , Cowie Neil , Goldacre Paul , Sinfield David , Stretton Todd , Worthington Tom , Deneen Chris , Cowling Michael
Published: December 2021

The pandemic has drastically changed the education landscape. The pedagogical practices, policies and procedures ingrained and refined over many years were suddenly rendered less effective. Overnight, new practices, policies and procedures had to be drafted to support teaching and learning. More than a year on, educators have found a new home, new pedagogies and practices have been refined and continue to be, policies and procedures are agile to support a volatile environment academia dwells in during the pandemic era. Building upon the work the Mobile Learning Special Interest Group (MLSIG) presented last year at the conference, we investigate the role mobile learning is and could play in emerging pandemic pedagogies. Eight vignettes are presented from universities around the world that are analysed using Activity Theory to understand the role of mobile devices and social tools for developing blended synchronous learning (BSL) and HyFlex learning.
Lines of thought: The emergence of meaning through collaborations and remix
Authors: Honeychurch Sarah , Taleo Wendy
Published: December 2021

In this report on a specialised topic of remix and emergent learning we will demonstrate an open education project that emerged from the future. Using open and inclusive practices, a global group of educators engaged in some serious fun to collaborate and share digital and physical artefacts based on a poem. The poem itself was collaboratively created using open, online software, and allowed for serendipitous participation without the need to learn new skills. The set of work that was and is being created is beautiful, diverse, and far reaching. We discuss the practices of remix that this collaboration uses and show how these seemingly trivial experiences both nurture wellbeing, lead to serious learning, and have wide applicability in other, more formal, learning contexts.
Learning to research in distance mode: Technologies for building higher degree research community online
Authors: Nolan Huw , Nye Adele , Rumpca Nikki , Van Luyn Ariella
Published: December 2021

Higher Degree Researchers (HDRs) in Australia tertiary education programs must achieve mastery of complex skills, theories, and concepts. Non-traditional HDRs, especially those enrolled part time and remotely, face barriers to achieving these outcomes. This concise paper uses the case study of a regional university in Australia to investigate the theoretical underpinnings of technology use to promote HDR communities of learning, especially for part time and remote researchers.
Embedding the development of graduate qualities of international postgraduate IT students in the disciplinary curriculum
Authors: Yu Ping , Qian Siyu , Zhang Zhenyu , Markauskaite Lina , Shen Jun , Song Ting
Published: December 2021

There has been a steady increase in international students pursuing postgraduate coursework education in English speaking countries. Like first-year undergraduate students, these international students need assistance transitioning into the new educational environment and preparing for self-directed, collaborative learning throughout their careers. Drawing on the social constructivist pedagogical approaches, we developed learning tasks that foster self-regulation and collaboration among postgraduate coursework IT students, aligning these tasks with the learning outcomes of the subject Information Design and Content Management. This paper presents the rationale and method for the design of the learning tasks, and how these learning tasks to not only align with the subject learning outcomes but also facilitate self-regulation. A study involving preand post-subject surveys and interviews with 133 subject students will provide us with further insights into the effectiveness of the learning task design and the areas for improvement.
Increasing student grades in large online subjects: Combining tutorial support with technology
Authors: Linden Kelly , Van Der Ploeg Neil , Hicks Ben , Locke Kirsten
Published: December 2021

Three large first-year undergraduate subjects with 240-517 enrolled students were selected to participate in this pilot study. A meeting scheduling tool was embedded in the learning management system and thirty-minute, one-on-one tutorial sessions were available to students in the 2 weeks leading up to the due date of at least one large written task. Thirty one percent (31%) of enrolled students attended at least one appointment with a tutor. There was no difference in the average assessment mark that students obtained before the first tutorial was offered between those who attended a tutorial session for a later assessment item and those who did not. There was a significant increase in the average cumulative grade (10%, p<0.05) of students who attended a tutorial. The novel use of the calendar booking tool combined with online meeting technology provides a simple and convenient method to provide personalised feedback to a large cohort of students.
The use of WeChat in higher education: Investigation of Chinese students in Australia
Authors: Kim Daeyoung , Chang Shanton
Published: December 2021

With the increasing popularity of social technologies, many Chinese students use WeChat for their studies in Australia. However, there have been limited studies about how students effectively use WeChat for their academic activities and the impacts on students' academic achievements. Therefore, this study focuses on the relationship between WeChat usage and academic activities of university students in Australia. Using a modified Delphi technique, we conducted three online focus groups of 16 university students who had an experience of WeChat. A thematic analysis revealed that the usage of WeChat could impact their academic performance, and many international students had challenges to be familiarised with a new digital environment in Australia. The findings contribute to much clear understanding of how students utilise WeChat for academic activities to provide a better usage of social media for university students.
Leveraging the pandemic to build a community of networked, engaged and curious learners – our future leaders
Authors: Bryant Peter , Arthars Natasha , Eden Danielle , Huber Elaine
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly presented a multitude of challenges to the way education is delivered; its wide-reaching multidisciplinary impact has also presented a unique opportunity as a focus for real-world authentic learning. For some time now, technology has enabled interaction at a global scale, allowing students to connect with teachers and industry experts around the world. This paper reports on the innovative design of an intra-curricular program utilising COVID-19 as a focus for online, real-world connected learning, delivered to business students at a large Australian university during the pandemic lockdown. Implemented as an online intra-curricular initiative, ‘Leading in a Post-COVID World’ encouraged student engagement with the challenges of leadership to address issues on a personal, local, and global scale. Using a community of inquiry (CoI) lens we explore key features of the program and find that a CoI approach combined with principles of real-world learning and authentic experiences encourages student participation and engagement in this intra-curricular space.
Adaptability of academic integrity procedures and practices in the COVID-19-accelerated transition to online assessment
Authors: Jha Meena , Simon  , Berretta Regina , Bilgin Ayse , Sheard Judy , Jayarathna Lakmali , Leemans Sander J. J. , Myers Trina
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected disruptions to educational practices, forcing universities to deliver lectures, tutorials, exams, and other assessments online. Academics and program managers reacted swiftly to adapt their education programs, managing a crisis that could have harmed Australia’s education system. Academic staff rapidly addressed the immediate requirements of delivering classes online, upskilling their digital competencies to continue with minimal disadvantage to students. A perceived problem arising from the need to move to online assessment is an increase in violations of academic integrity. Due to the speed with which the changes took place, there have not necessarily been corresponding changes in the policies and procedures that govern and guide teaching and assessment practices, related to academic integrity. A crisis can open an opportunity for innovation, and this study is a work in progress to investigate how things were done differently to uphold academic integrity in computing courses at Australian universities.
Priming Numbas for formative assessment in a first-year mathematics unit
Authors: Challis Vivien , Cook Roger , Anand Pranit
Published: December 2021

This paper outlines an initiative that involved implementing ‘Numbas’ as a computer-based tool to support mathematics learning. ‘Numbas’ was implemented within the existing learning management system at Queensland University of Technology, where students engaged in formative assessment activities independently and were provided with automated feedback along the way. An initial evaluation was undertaken by learning designers using the ‘Assessment Design Decisions Framework’, and although more rigorous evaluation is underway, results indicate positive outcomes, and appropriate adjustment is likely to be made before rolling it out to other units within the School of Mathematical Sciences. This paper will be of interest to other educators looking for ways to embed independent computer-aided learning of mathematics.
The use of Ammi visnaga in the treatment of prediabetes and weight loss: the antioxidant impacts in diabetes treatment as a new medical hypothesis
Authors: Alkhatib Ahed J
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Prediabetes status is considered as an important feature in either controlling the development or progression of diabetes. It may pass unnoticed because the symptoms of diabetes are usually not well established. Study objectives: The main objectives of the present study were to explore the efficacy of using Ammi visnagain treating pre-diabetic cases and weight losing. Methods and subjects: A prospective study was conducted to investigate the impact of using Ammi visnaga treatment of pre-diabetes and weight control. The study included 5 patients with pre-diabetes (glucose level was 128±32mg/dl). The age of patients was 42±18.5years. The study included 3 males and 2 females. In general, patients were overweight according to body mass index level was 28±7.8kg/m2. The patients used the aqueous extract of Ammi visnaga for two months (200 ml daily). Results: At the end of the experiment, the glucose level was significantly reduced (p<0.05)to the level of 88±12.5mg/dl. There was also a significant reduction in the level of BMI from 28±7.8kg/m2 to 22±6.4kg/m2(p<0.05). Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that Ammi visnaga has the therapeutic potential to control the progression of complete episodes of diabetes by controlling the pre-diabetic status
Association between obesity, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance with suspected fatty liver disease in Greek children with excess weight
Authors: Dikaiakou E , Vlachopapadopoulou E , Fotiadou A , Athanasouli F , Kafetzi M , Fotinou A , Michalacos S
Published: December 2021

Objective: This study investigates the association between dyslipidemia and fatty liver disease with body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist circumference (WC) and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) in children and adolescents with overweight or obesity. Methods: Data from 299 children with overweight or obesity (48% boys) with mean age 9.23±2.5 years were analyzed. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >25.8 U/L (boys) and >22.1 U/L (girls), was defined as abnormal. Student’s t-tests were computed for the comparison of mean values. Chi-square tests were used for the comparison of proportions. Results: Proportions of children with dyslipidemia and suspected nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were 23.4% and 31.4% respectively. The percentage of children with NAFLD was 28.3% in those without dyslipidemia and 45% in those with dyslipidemia (p=0.015). BMI, WC and WHtR were not different between children with and without dyslipidemia. BMI was significantly higher in those with NAFLD (p=0.019). A stratified by gender analysis, showed that BMI, WC and WHtR were significantly higher in boys with NAFLD (p=0.009, 0.037, 0.049 respectively). WHtR≥0.5 and ΗΟΜΑ-IR≥3 were not significantly associated with the presence of dyslipidemia (p>0.999, 0.549 respectively), however ΗΟΜΑ-IR ≥3 was more frequent in children with NAFLD (p=0.011). A stratified by gender analysis, showed that the aforementioned association was evident only in boys (p=0.027). Conclusion: The severity of obesity and male gender are clinical indicators of increased risk of dyslipidemia and NAFLD among obese children and adolescents.
A rare complication of laparoscopic adjustable gastric band: acute large bowel obstruction
Authors: Menon Ajay , Pedevillano Lisa E , Gott Melissa L , S Pilla Timothy , Slotman Gus J
Published: December 2021

With many thousands patients carrying laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB), long-term complications can appear emergently to any surgeon. We present a 64 year-old male who underwent placement of a laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) years prior presented to the emergency department with concerning signs of an acute abdomen. Upon imaging review a large bowel obstruction at the level of the sigmoid colon, with ischemic changes, was discovered, caused by the patient’s LAGB catheter. The patient was taken emergently for an exploratory laparotomy during which the LAGB catheter was removed, resulting in restored bowel perfusion. Bowel obstructions are infrequent complications of LAGB. However most commonly they are limited to the small bowel. LAGB catheters resulting in large bowel obstructions are an extremely rare finding. Our review of the literature indicates that this is the first reported cause of a sigmoid obstruction caused by a LAGB. This case brings into view potential complications LAGB that can confront not only bariatric surgeons, but general and acute care surgeons as well. This report illustrates LAGB danger to the colon, and suggests how to manage, perhaps leading to early, life-saving intervention
Sensory characteristics of wholegrain
Authors: Bhasin Tanya
Published: December 2021

Wholegrain foods are known to be health-beneficial but their sensory characteristics may be a limiting factor for consumption. Many cereals like rye, oats, barley and sorghum are actually used mainly as wholegrain, whereas for wheat the situation is the opposite. This review deals with factors that differentiate the sensory properties of wholegrain and bran-rich foods from those of refined cereal foods. Hitherto established means of modulating sensory quality and thus improving acceptability of wholegrain foods are also presented