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Downstream impacts of mines on agriculture in Africa
No full textMining operations in Africa are expanding rapidly, creating negative externalities that remain poorly understood. In this paper, we provide causal evidence for the impact of water pollution from mines on downstream vegetation and agriculture across the continent. We exploit a natural experiment, where mines cause a discontinuity in water pollution along river networks, to compare vegetation health in upstream and downstream locations. We find that mines significantly reduce peak vegetation downstream by 1.3–1.5%, impairing the productivity of over 74,000 km2 of croplands. These reductions correspond to annual losses of 91,000–205,000 tons of cereal crops in the immediate vicinity alone, with particularly severe effects in fertile regions and areas where gold mining predominates. Our findings highlight substantial externalities of mining and demonstrate an urgent need for oversight and regulation.</p
Encouraging voluntary driving practice among learner drivers aged 21–30 in Victoria:a randomised controlled trial of behavioural interventions
No full textThis online randomised controlled trial explored the effects of two novel behavioural interventions and an active control condition on learner drivers’ intentions to complete a minimum of 80 h of voluntary supervised driving practice (practice hours) before taking their driver licence test. The final sample of 658 learner drivers aged 21–30 years from Victoria (Australia) was randomly assigned to one of three online intervention conditions: a persuasive message (n = 247), a planning tool (n = 204), or a handbook (an active control condition) (n = 207). The persuasive message aimed to challenge the misconception that older learner drivers do not require extensive driving practice, while the planning tool supported learners in developing personalised plans for practice. The handbook was an existing educational resource, providing general information for learner drivers, including the benefits of practice hours. Primary outcome variables, measured before and after intervention exposure, included overall likelihood and overall attitude towards completing at least 80 h of supervised driving practice, as well as the total number of practice hours participants planned to complete and would be willing to undertake before sitting their driver licence test. Mixed ANOVAs indicated that the persuasive message significantly increased learners’ overall likelihood and overall attitude, as well as their planned and willing hours. In contrast, the planning tool did not demonstrate significant improvements in the primary outcomes and was associated with higher rates of dropout from the study, suggesting limited acceptability. The handbook (control) reduced overall attitude towards completing 80 practice hours. Additional analyses revealed differences in perceived impact and information-seeking behaviour across intervention conditions, with the effects of the persuasive message and the planning tool (compared to the handbook) being mediated by self-efficacy beliefs rather than beliefs about consequences. The findings provide preliminary support for a persuasive message as a cost-effective and feasible intervention to promote voluntary supervised driving practice among learner drivers. Implementing such messages could enhance road safety by encouraging learners to accumulate adequate driving practice.</p
Students as designers with Augmented Reality
No full textThis chapter explores Augmented Reality (AR) in education to support students as designers, highlighting its effectiveness across learning levels and subject areas. It discusses the growing body of research on AR use by teachers and students whilst noting that there is a gap in the literature on student-led AR design. The chapter provides examples of how AR enhances student motivation, understanding of abstract concepts, problem-solving skills, and collaboration, and connects this to Constructionist learning theory and the low floor, high ceiling, wide walls learning approach. Challenges are acknowledged, including the technical complexity of AR platforms, limited resources, and teacher preparedness. The chapter also identifies issues with AR accessibility for students with special needs and teacher hesitation in adopting AR due to unfamiliarity. It addresses the potential of students designing their own AR experiences, drawing on case studies that demonstrate the benefits of design-based learning approaches.</p
Safe and sound communities:understanding behavioural influences on preventable injuries
No full textThis research sought to identify potential opportunities for mass media campaigns that aim to reduce unintentional preventable injuries in a general adult population. Behavioural influences and antecedent behaviours of preventable injuries that could be measured via an online survey were identified using a rapid literature review into barriers and facilitators towards injuries, including transport, falls, drowning, burns, poisoning, sport, and machinery. A representative sample of adults from Western Australia ( N = 1,022) completed an online survey, and multiple regression analyses were used to identify factors influencing self-reported ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ behaviours. Predictors for safe and unsafe antecedent behaviours differed: Safe behaviours were more strongly associated with beliefs about personal involvement in the issue of preventing injuries and about the preventability of injuries, whereas unsafe behaviours were more strongly associated with socio-demographic factors (e.g., younger age) and by reactance against advice and public health recommendations. Approaching tasks in a habitual manner was a significant predictor of both safe and unsafe behaviours. The findings suggest that different campaign approaches may be required to encourage safe behaviours and to discourage unsafe behaviours. A generalised approach may be appropriate for campaigns designed to encourage safe behaviours, while a tailored approach may be needed for campaigns that aim to reduce unsafe behaviours. In any campaign, it will be important to be mindful of the advice given and the tone used to avoid inducing reactance.</p