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Interpreting students’ ability in self-assessment
No full textEmpirical thesis.Bibliography: pages 90-97.Chapter 1. Introduction --Chapter 2. Literature review -- Chapter 3. Methodology -- Chapter 4. Results -- Chapter 5. Discussion -- Chapter 6. Conclusion -- References -- Appendices.Interpreting students need to be able to self-assess their performance during and after their education to effectively develop their interpreting skills for professional practice. Although there is a growing interest in self-assessment in interpreter education research, it is as yet an under-researched area, especially with regard to the interpreting students’ ability to self-assess.This thesis reports the results of a case study that examined interpreting students in a graduate program in Australia and its joint offshore program in Korea. Using a mixed methods approach, the students’ reflective journals, interviews with teachers, the students’ self-rated scores and teachers’ grades were examined with the aim of understanding students’ ability to assess their performance and the relationship between their self-assessment ability and interpreting performance gains over the course of their study. In addition, the impact of teacher instruction on self-assessment was examined.The findings of this research indicate that interpreting students’ self-ratings were different from their teacher-rated scores, with the majority of students underestimating their performance. In addition, their self-assessment was largely focused on the negative aspects of their performance and it appeared they might not be able to apply some of the scoring criteria adequately in making judgements about their performance. It is also apparent that teachers make assumptions about their students’ ability to apply rating criteria for self-assessment.Overall, the findings suggest that self-assessment is a complex task, that students cannot intuitively develop skills to self-assess while they are acquiring interpreting skills, and that their ability depends to some extent on the guidance they receive from their teachers.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (105 pages) graphs, table
Physiological measures of agency change in hypnosis
No full textEmpirical thesis.Running title: Physiological measures of agency change in hypnosis.Bibliography: pages 67-80.Physiological measures of changes in self-agency during hypnosis -- Experiment 1 -- Experiment 2 -- General discussion -- References.Alterations in the sense of agency are a defining feature of hypnosis. These alterations in sense of agency can be experienced as a reduced sense of voluntariness while undergoing perceptual, cognitive and motor tasks. Different theoretical accounts of hypnosis assert that these unique responses to tasks are due to disassociations in either the monitoring or control of sub-personal processes involved in the performance of those tasks. This thesis investigated whether a hypnotic ‘alien control’ suggestion administered during a lifting task could alter sub-personal processes involved in the postural control of actions. Two experiments were carried out. In the first experiment I identified a specific physiological/kinematic marker of postural control that could differentiate between intentionally controlled actions and unintentional actions performed outside of hypnosis. In the second experiment, I explored the impact of hypnotic suggestion on this implicit, physiological marker of postural control and on explicit judgements of agency. Results showed that while the hypnotic suggestion significantly altered judged sense of voluntary movement and control, this was not reflected in the kinematic marker of intentional action. Results were more consistent with the theoretical accounts that claim that hypnosis alters the monitoring, rather than the actual control of sub-personal process during motor task performance.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (80 pages) 1 colour illustratio
Non-coherent approach for multiple target through-the-wall radar localization
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 55-56.1. Introduction -- 2. Signal model -- 3. Multiple target identification -- 4. Multiple realizations -- 5. Conclusion.This thesis considers non-coherent localization using bi-static radar with multiple receivers. In particular we consider the multiple target scenario, where the targets are located behind a wall. We present an algorithm that eliminates ambiguities that arise in this case by iteratively enforcing a set of constraints. We also present a clustering algorithm to further improve performance by making use of multiple sets of measurements. We show that the proposed approach achieves 50% less target identification errors compared to existing algorithms and achieves location accuracy in the order of 10cm.1 online resource (xii, 56 pages : illustrations
Constraining crustal and sedimentary structure of Southeast Australia with Rayleigh wave ellipticity
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 50-52.1. Introduction -- 2. Methodology -- 3. Results -- 4. Discussion -- 5. Conclusions.Ambient noise tomography has been widely applied in seismic studies to invert for crustal and upper mantle structure, but has limited resolution for the near surface layer. A recent method involves measuring the ellipticity or ZH ratio of Rayleigh waves to further constrain shallow sedimentary structure. We apply this method to South-East Australia, using multicomponent ambient noise data obtained from the WOMBAT array. We present a shear wave velocity model, derived from the joint inversion of Rayleigh wave ZH ratio and phase velocities measured at short periods (2-10s). At shallow depth, our shear wave velocity model showed strong spatial correlation with the known surface geology. High velocities were associated with the Gawler craton and the eastern subprovince of the Lachlan Orogen. This contrasted with anomalously low velocities featured prominently in the locations of the Central Murray basin, Sydney Basin and the Northern Curnamona province at 1km depth. A low velocity, shallow layer of 0.5-2km thickness was detectable across study region, which was found to be thicker beneath sedimentary basins. We evaluate the strengths and limitations of the ZH ratio method for the South-East Australia dataset.1 online resource (vi, 52 pages : maps
How well prepared are Australian preservice teachers to teach beginning reading skills?
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 236-237.Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Standards in literacy and numeracy: contributing factors -- Chapter 3: How well prepared are preservice teachers to teach early reading? A systematic review of the literature -- Chapter 4: How well prepared are Australian preservice teachers to teach early reading skills? -- Chapter 5: Research and theory into practice: Australian preservice teachers' knowledge of evidence-based early literacy instruction -- Chapter 6: New teachers talk about their preparation to teach early literacy -- Chapter 7: Australian preservice teachers and early reading instruction -- Chapter 8: Discussion.A series of related papers examining the knowledge of final-year preservice early childhood and primary teachers in the area of beginning reading, and an investigation into the content of literacy units offered in early childhood and primary teacher preparation programs, are presented in this thesis by publication. The primary aim of this program of research was to investigate the perceived and actual subject-specific content and pedagogical knowledge of final-year preservice early childhood and primary teachers of the teaching of early literacy, with a specific focus on beginning reading instruction. A secondary aim was to examine the content and characteristics of early literacy units offered in Australian teacher preparation programs.Over the past fifteen years, results from national and international assessments of literacy have shown a continual decline in the literacy competence of Australian primary and secondary students. Although scientific research has identified the essential contributing components of beginning reading instruction, it would appear that this information may not be reaching classroom teachers. A systematic literature review, therefore, was conducted in order to locate evidence regarding preservice teachers' knowledge of the subject-specific content for literacy instruction. Although only a limited amount of research was available, there appeared to be inadequate preservice teacher knowledge in the countries in which the research was implemented and this included Australia.To extend the small Australian research base, an online survey similar in construction to those included in the literature review was conducted. Surveys were distributed by 16 institutions, making this the first Australian survey to include preservice teachers from more than one institution. Preservice early childhood and primary teachers' perceptions of preparedness and ability to teach, and content knowledge of, beginning reading and spelling skills were examined.Although the preservice teachers generally rated themselves as prepared to teach early reading, most demonstrated minimal to very poor knowledge of the phonological awareness, phonemic awareness and phonics components of beginning reading and spelling instruction. Three original questions were also included in the survey in order to gauge preservice teachers' knowledge of the early literacy components and pedagogical practices supported by the current scientific research. The results indicated that Australian preservice teachers have an incomplete understanding of early reading terms and concepts and are limited in their knowledge of the research-based recommendations for best instructional practices. In order to explore the responses to four of the questions included in the online survey in more depth, eleven telephone interviews were conducted. Recently graduated teachers' perceptions of their preparedness and ability to teach beginning reading and spelling, their early reading content knowledge, and their views of the quality of their teacher preparation were canvassed. This was the first time that recently graduated teacher interviews had been conducted across multiple institutions and Australian states. The results mirrored those reported in the survey paper, raising questions about the effectiveness of preservice preparation of beginning reading instruction offered in tertiary institutions.A combination of the findings from the systematic literature review, the online survey and the interview study raised concerns regarding the content of literacy units provided in preservice primary and early childhood tertiary programs. A detailed examination of unit outcomes, unit guides, assessment tasks, prescribed texts, and the qualifications and expertise of unit coordinators of relevant literacy units, the first study of this type to be conducted in Australia, was undertaken. A need for an increased focus on research-based beginning reading instruction and subject content pedagogy in literacy units was identified.1 online resource (239 pages
Concentrations of atmospheric reactive mercury in Australia and emissions of reactive mercury from contaminated mine materials using cation exchange membranes
No full textThesis by publication.Includes bibliographical references.Chapter 1. Opening remarks -- Chapter 2. Origins, characteristics & measurement of mercury in the atmosphere -- Chapter 3. Testing and modeling the influence of reclamation and control methods for reducing nonpoint mercury emissions associated with industrial open pit gold mines -- Chapter 4. Evaluation of cation exchange membrane performance under exposure to high Hg0 and HgBr2 concentrations -- Chapter 5. Reactive mercury flux measurements using cation exchange membranes -- Chapter 6. Effect of moisture content on air surface exchange of reactive mercury from mining substrates -- Chapter 7. Reactive mercury concentrations in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere -- Chapter 8. Inter-comparison of Tekran® 2537 B and X models deployed at the Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station -- Chapter 9. Concluding remarks -- Appendices.Mercury (Hg) is a pervasive and persistent environmental contaminant with a significant atmospheric cycle that results in distribution to all spheres of the environment. In the atmosphere Hg is found primarily as gaseous elemental Hg0 (GEM) but under certain scenarios reactive Hg2+(RM) compounds may form a significant proportion of total atmospheric Hg. Physiochemical transformation processes play a leading role in the air-surface exchange of Hg and are a major determinant of Hg mobility and longevity within the environment, including bioavailability and biological uptake into ecosystem food webs, which constitutes the primary exposure pathway to the human population. Practical differentiation of gas and particle phase RM has proven to be a profound and lasting measurement challenge, and even the broadest distinction between GEM and RM is easily confounded. In addition to the intrinsic difficulties of measurement, data on atmospheric Hg in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) suffers the further limitation of being comparatively rare, and almost non-existent for RM. Lack of data inhibits international scientific and regulatory efforts to monitor, model, and mitigate the effects of Hg exposure to human populations.In an effort to help close some of the information gap, this study deployed a recently developed filter-based RM sampling system at two locations in Australia with existing GEM monitoring capabilities, and on board the Australian Research Vessel Investigator (RVI) during a research voyage to the East Antarctic coast. The ground-based field sites included a remote, temperate coastal site at the Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station (CGBAPS) on the northwestern point of Tasmania, and a temperate urban site at Macquarie University Automatic Weather Station (MQAWS) in Sydney, New South Wales. Measurements were undertaken between November 2015 and May 2017, constituting the most extensive dataset on RM concentrations in Australia to date. As has been shown for GEM in the SH, concentrations of RM were relatively uniform over time and between sites, despite very different environments. The overall mean RMconcentration was 15.9 ± 6.7 pg m-3 at CGBAPS and 17.8 ± 6.6 pg m-3 at MQAWS. No seasonal trend in RM concentration was apparent at CGBAPS, in contrast to a small but statistically distinct difference in winter versus summer RM concentration apparent at MQAWS. The concentration of RM measured on RVI over the Southern Ocean averaged 23.7 ± 7.0 pg m-3 during four deployments in austral summer (January 10 – March 4, 2017). GEM was measured concurrently with the RM filter sampling, with an overall mean concentration of 0.65 ± 0.24 ng m-3 MQAWS and 0.90 ± 0.35 ng m-3 at CGBAPS, and 0.53 ± 0.10 ng m-3 on the RVI voyage. Additionally, tandem measurements of GEM were performed for one year at CGBAPS using both a Tekran® 2537B and a 2537X Automatic Ambient Air Analyzer. Inter-comparison of the two instruments indicated that the 2537X unit measured systematically higher GEM concentrations versus the 2537B, with an average difference of 8.6%.Complimentarily to the larger goal of quantifying ambient RM, the CEM material was deployed in a novel technique to measure RM air-surface exchange, in conjunction with an established method based on Teflon dynamic flux chambers (DFC) and a Tekran® 2537 mercury analyzer. Initial results using this combined CEM/DFC methodology indicate that RM flux can be detected at a minimum difference of ~ 13.5 pg m-3 between DFC inlet and outlet concentrations, based on the analytical detection limit of blank CEM material. Distinct differences in RM flux were observed between material types with a range of Hg concentration, and between wet and dry materials. Mercury contaminated mining materials such as tailings may have relatively large RM fluxes of several 1000 pg m-2 h-1.In addition to the ambient field site deployments, extensive method validation tests were undertaken in controlled laboratory conditions. As part of these tests, CEM material was exposed to high concentrations of GEM and a representative Hg2+ compound (HgBr2), using a custombuilt permeation system. The CEM material was found to take up a consistently negligible amount of GEM (0.004 ± 0.001% of total exposure) in clean laboratory air at varying levels of humidity. GEM concentrations during the permeation tests were 1.43x106 to 1.85x106 pg m-3,resulting in total GEM exposures ranging from 2.7x106 to 7.3x106 pg. The low rate of GEM uptake at these high concentrations indicates that, at typically much lower ambient atmospheric concentrations, GEM uptake would be concomitantly small and essentially unobservable, an important prerequisite for the CEM material to be successfully employed in ambient air sampling. The CEM material also exhibited very little breakthrough (< 0.5%) of total permeated HgBr2 at concentrations up to ~5000 pg m-3, indicating a high collection efficiency for this particular gaseous oxidized Hg compound under laboratory conditions.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xiv, 315 pages) colour map
Cyclic stretch of brain microvascular endothelial cells and regulation of amyloid processing and expression: evidence for contribution of vascular pulsatility in Alzheimer's disease
No full textThesis by publication.Bibliography: pages 222-238.1. Introduction -- 2. Literature review -- 3. Optimisation of mechanical stretch of endothelial cells for protein and RNA quantification -- 4. Cyclic stretch as a novel modulator of APP and associated inflammatory markers in human cerebral endothelial cells -- 5. Signalling pathways that mediate cerebral endothelial responses to cyclic stretch -- 6. Effect of endothelial cell passaging and cyclic stretch on APP expression, amyloid secretion, and NO signalling -- 7. Effect of cyclic stretch in cerebral endothelial cells pre-exposed to Aβ -- 8. Efflect of cyclic stretch and glycosphingolipid inhibition on cerebral endothelial cells -- 9. A preliminary study of the effect of a high salt diet on APP processing, eNOS signalling and aortic stiffness -- 10. Conclusions, limitations and future directions -- Appendices.Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques arising from amyloid precursor protein (APP) processed by β secretase-1 (BACE-1). Increasing evidence suggests a role of vascular factors in AD, namely hypertension, elevated pulse pressure and arterial stiffness, all associated with increased vascular pulsatility imposing mechanical stretch on the endothelium. This thesis addresses the role of cyclic stretch on human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) in expression and processing of APP. It also investigates effect of high salt diet on APP processing in rat brains, given associations of high salt diet and cognitive impairment. In vitro studies involved cultured HCMECs subjected to 0%, 5%, 10% or 15% stretch (18 hours, 1 Hz) and analysis of protein and RNA expression, nitric oxide and Aβ levels. In vivo study included treatment of rats with high (8% NaCl, HS) or a low (0.26% NaCl, control) for 10-13 weeks and examination of brain tissue. Established for the first time was that APP expression and Aβ secretion are altered in response to HCMECs stretch, and that this response is differentially mediated in early and late passage HCMECs. In late passage HCMECs, APP and BACE-1 expression increased 2-3-fold with 10 and 15% stretch compared to 0%, with proportional increases in Aβ42/Aβ40 with % stretch (R2=0.21). In early passage HCMECs stretched at 15%, APP expression, BACE-1, Aβ42 levels were decreased 2-3-fold compared to late passage HCMECs. Glycosphingolipid inhibition prior to cyclic stretching at 15% increased APP expression and Aβ42 secretion 1-fold. In vivo findings provide preliminary evidence of altered APP processing in HS rats compared to controls parallel with increases in markers of arterial stiffness. Overall results suggest a role of arterial stiffness and vascular pulsatility strengthening the evidence of vascular contributions to AD. Future studies identifying associated molecular mechanisms will provide novel therapeutic targets for AD.1 online resource (xx, 238 pages : illustrations
New perspectives on iconic memory
No full textThesis by publication."Department of Psychology, ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Faculty of Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia" -- title pageIncludes bibliographical references.Chapter 1. General introduction -- Chapter 2. Rapid access to visual and semantic representations in iconic memory tasks -- Chapter 3. Effects of masking on access to visual and semantic representations over time -- Chapter 4. Visual and semantic representations during early stages of memory -- Chapter 5. General discussion -- Appendix.The early stages of the human memory system for visual information are most commonly postulated to consist of iconic memory (a short-lived store with a high capacity) and visual short-term memory (a longer lasting store with a limited capacity). In addition to rapid registration of visual information, it has also been suggested that there is rapid registration of higher-level or semantic information about visual stimuli. However, the relationship between rapid registration of visual and semantic information across the early stages of memory requires further investigation. This thesis reports three empirical studies that investigated the nature of visual and semantic representations in the early stages of memory. The first study used a partial-report task with pictures of objects to investigate the nature of visual and semantic information accessible in the early stages of memory and how this information persists over time. The second study explored the effects of visual interference on access to early visual and semantic representations. The third study investigated the nature of memory representations across several early stages of memory in a change detection task. Memory performance indicated that visual and semantic representations could be accessed rapidly. Visual representations were initially more accessible than semantic representations but they were also more susceptible to decay. Visual representations were more susceptible than semantic representations to interference from subsequent visual information. Change detection was facilitated by visual and semantic cues and it deteriorated gradually as cues were delayed. The findings from these studies were used to evaluate existing accounts of iconic memory and the role of early stages of visual memory in rapid registration of new information.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (vii, 229 pages) colour illustration
Political attitudes, policies and the radical right: has the emergence of a radical right party mainstreamed radical right discourse and attitudes in Australia?
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 99-120.Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Literature review -- Chapter 3. Australian political attitudes and the radical right -- Chapter 4. Party policy and the impact of the radical right -- Chapter 5. Discussion and analysis of findings -- Chapter 6. Conclusion -- References.Populist radical right parties continue to establish themselves as credible options within the party systems of liberal democracies across the globe. Whilst a radical right party has not penetrated the Australian political system as successfully or as consistently as has been seen in Western Europe, we are also not immune to their appeal. The emergence of Pauline Hanson in 1996 is indicative of this and her rhetoric and policies were seen as prototypical of the radical right. Despite the rapid disintegration of the One Nation Party, the underlying grievances and insecurities that Hanson tapped into continued to fester beneath the surface. Her successful re-emergence and election as a senator in 2016 have once again sparked debate surrounding race and identity within Australian society. This thesis therefore seeks to investigate the role that the emergence and re-emergence of a radical right party such as Pauline Hanson’s One Nation has had on the Australian mainstream. Has the presence of a radical right party resulted in a lunge to the right? Or, as suggested by some scholars, has it had little impact at all? An examination of change and continuity in the policies of political parties as well as in the political attitudes of voters will underpin the analysis of this phenomenon.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (120 pages) graphs, table
The paradox of inaccurate mimicry
No full textThesis by publication.Includes bibliographical references.Chapter 1. The paradox of inaccurate mimicry : the perfecting hypothesis -- Chapter 2. Quantifying mimic accuracy in myrmecomorphic spiders -- Chapter 3. The evolution of myrmecomorphy in spiders – a molecular phylogenetic approach -- Chapter 4. Findings -- Chapter 5. Discussion -- Chapter 6. Conclusion -- References -- Appendices.Many species gain a selective benefit through mimicry by converging on the phenotypic attributes of another unrelated species which has resulted in many examples of mimics bearing a striking resemblance to their model. It is assumed that natural selection should drive the evolution of accurate mimicry while eliminating inaccurate mimics from the population. Paradoxically, there are many instances of mimics that inaccurately resemble their model. The many hypotheses proposed to explain the occurrence of inaccurate mimics are reviewed, with no one hypothesis providing a complete explanation. This thesis explored a mostly overlooked hypothesis, the perfecting hypothesis that predicts that inaccurate mimics are in an intermediate stage in a transition toward accurate mimicry, using ant-mimicking spiders as a model. To investigate this concept, three methods of quantifying mimic accuracy in ant-mimicking spiders were evaluated for their efficacy. Following this, the phylogenies for two subfamilies of ant-mimicking spiders were reconstructed to map the distribution of mimic accuracy and the traits involved in ant mimicry and estimate ancestral states. The results indicate that mimic accuracy, and traits such as the constriction of the body, evolve via an incremental process, supporting the prediction of the perfecting hypothesis and further elucidating potential evolutionary processes in mimicry systems.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (87 pages) diagrams, graphs, table