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How the Australian aged care sector became marketised and the consequences for humanity.
No full textThe Australian aged care sector has been described as a sector in crisis, with the Royal Commission into Aged Care (2019-2020) bringing to the forefront numerous, disturbing accounts of abuse, neglect and substandard care experienced by older adults and their families. This has been linked to the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth) which was a catalyst for marketisation and privatisation of the aged care industry, constructing older adults as consumers over citizens. The conservative 1996 government justified this legislation by framing the ageing population as a financial burden, subsequently promoting a discourse that devalues older adults. Market principles were used to further legitimise this decision making, with the promise that competition would drive quality of services. However, this commodification of care shifted the focus from person to task and saw cost-cutting measures compromise quality and dehumanise care. By confronting the current state of this fractured system, we highlight the lack of value and investment placed on Australia’s older adults as a result of valuing neoliberalism over humanity. This article discusses the connections between theory, policy and practice for a nuanced analysis of the systemic issues, multi-layered inequities and key drivers that contribute to the current failures of the Australian aged care sector. Furthermore, it highlights critical social work as a key consideration for the provision of aged care as a social justice issue of ageism, institutional oppression and in order to centre older adults and promote their rights to respect, dignity, autonomy and equitable access
Embracing diversity in the changing climate of STEM higher education – transforming teacher beliefs
Get PDFEfforts to promote diversity and inclusivity in STEM higher education have been ongoing for over a decade; however, the participation and success of traditionally underrepresented cohorts in these fields still fall short of national aspirations. Even for women in STEM, desired outcomes remain elusive (Australia Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, 2021).
This presentation shares the findings of our research, which employed a questionnaire survey and interviews to explore the perspectives of STEM educators in Australian universities. The survey gathered information on educator perceptions of barriers to student success, while the interviews delved deeper into the beliefs and practices that shape their instructional behaviours. Our study sought to identify potential gaps and biases in educators' perspectives that may hinder the full embrace of diverse student populations.
Whilst participants generally demonstrated great empathy for their non-traditional student cohorts, not surprisingly, the research findings revealed that educators often perceived student attributes such as inadequate high school preparation, prioritization of work over study, mental health concerns, lack of motivation, and intelligence as barriers to student success in STEM higher education. These findings are similar to findings reported by Naylor, Baik, and James (2013). Importantly, this suggests that some educators may harbor concerns about including a broader diversity of students, viewing it as a potential compromise on educational standards.
We argue that educators' beliefs significantly influence their instructional behaviors, thus impacting student learning outcomes (Turner et al., 2009). It is crucial to recognise that these beliefs are often deeply ingrained and implicitly shaped through years of personal experiences with education (Pajares, 1992). In this presentation, we will discuss a model to engage educators to recognise and challenge their existing biases or preconceptions they may hold and, in this way, transform their teaching practices to better embrace the diversity of their students.
REFERENCES
Australia Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (2021) STEM equity monitor: data highlights 2021, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, retrieved 17 March 2022, https://www.industry.gov.au/data-and-publications/stem-equity-monitor.
Naylor, R., Baik, C., & James, R. (2013) A critical interventions framework for advancing equity in Australian higher education. Report prepared for the Department of Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne.
Pajares, M. F. (1992). Teachers’ Beliefs and Educational Research: Cleaning Up a Messy Construct. Review of Educational Research, 62(3), 307–332. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543062003307
Turner, J. C., Christensen, A., & Meyer, D. K. (2009) Teachers' beliefs about student learning and motivation. In Saha, L.J., Dworkin, A. G. (Eds) International handbook of research on teachers and teaching (pp.361-371), Springer, Boston
Melinda J. Cooper. Middlebrow Modernism: Eleanor Dark’s Interwar Fiction: Sydney Studies in Australian Literature. Sydney: Sydney UP, 2022. 290 pp. AU$45 ISBN 9781743328569 (Paperback)
Get PDFJessica Gildersleeve reviews Melinda J. Cooper's Middlebrow Modernism: Eleanor Dark’s Interwar Fiction (2022