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Portfolios are used in midwifery education to provide students with a central place to store their accumulative evidence of clinical experience for initial registration in Australia. Portfolio formats can be paper-based or electronic. Anecdotal discussion between midwifery students in Queensland debated the best format to document the requirements for the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) standard 8.11. Midwifery students using paper-based portfolios envisioned that an ePortfolio would be streamline, simple, safe to use, and able to be used anywhere with WIFI, while some students using an ePortfolio expressed a desire to have a paper-based portfolio as a hard copy. This situation called for evidence of a comparison to resolve the debate. The aim of this study was to investigate midwifery students' experiences of the benefits and challenges between paper-based and ePortfolios when compiling evidence to meet the requirements for initial registration as a midwife in Australia (ANMAC, 2014). • Each type of portfolio had challenges and benefits. • Portfolio completion is time consuming, and stressful due to the need for verification of evidence. • Students require early and regular feedback on portfolio development. • National standards are required for consistency in documentation across universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore indicators of organisational narcissism in the four major Australian banks. With investigation encompassing the CEO letters to shareholders and the vision/mission statements of the respective banks. The paper develops an alternative model for considering influences which impact on corporate culture and culminate in the evolution of organisational narcissism. Design/method/approach: The approach used in this paper involves the application of a form of content analysis focusing on the CEO letters to shareholders and the vision/mission statements of the respective banks. Findings: The existence of a narcissistic organization is a product of the capitalist society with its focus on the need to succeed against all competition. The subsequent organizational culture inevitably becomes narcissistic and in turn the employees at all levels are subject to indoctrination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of acculturation conditions, orientations and outcomes on international students in Australia's tertiary education sector. Specifically, we investigate the factors that facilitate or hinder acculturation of international students within a multidimensional acculturation context (Arends-Tóth & van de Vijver, 2006). We used a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design in two studies to investigate acculturation of international students at an Australian university and test how these factors are related to psychological and sociocultural outcomes. In Study 1, we conducted a generic qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with a conventional content analyses approach,which compared the experiences of international students who on average had high numbers of positive experiences versus those who had high numbers of negative experiences. We found that a support network of mixed-nationals, and especially host locals, facilitates positive psychological and sociocultural adjustment, and buffers acculturative stress. Study 2 quantitatively tested the association of factors found in Study 1 (perceived stereotypes, intercultural and ethnic network/resources) with psychological and sociocultural acculturation outcomes. Study 2, shows that perceived negative stereotypes loosen ties with the dominant (host) culture and reinforces ties with the ethnic (non-host) culture. The social resources associated with either culture was found to be useful for acculturation, with both independently contributing to participant well-being. Contact with host locals played a particularly crucial role in developing these resources. Our findings provide foundations for pragmatic policy implications, suggesting value in the development of formally organized contact programs in the early sojourn experience of international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BeDevil (1993) addresses the marginallzation of Aboriginal Australians in the events, symbolism, and media hype surrounding the bicentenary of European settlement in Australia in 1988. Tracey Moffatt challenges the racial stereotypes by gearing a political process of reform and self-recognition though her postmodernist 'identity search'-driven work aiming at appropriation of hegemonic spectacle. BeDevil disrupts the hegemony of the pure original canon that excluded Aboriginal Australians from the mainstream. This sort of exclusion practice is a known phenomenon worldwide, more so happens in the postcolonial Third World countries like Pakistan and India as both exclude their ethnic minorities from the mainstream media. The paper echos back to Moffatt's stories of bedeviling experiences with tales of similar issues around race, gender, and normality from Islamic Republic of Pakistan, wherein post-Independence immigrants are constantly struggling for appropriation and redefinition of their identities. The Pakistan born children of miscegenation are considered immigrants by descent despite the facts concerning Islamic origins, two nations' theory, migration, and over 60 years residency. The paper compares the mutually bedeviling experiences of 'othering' and a struggle with the notions of shared social conscience and histories between children of miscegenation in Australia and Pakistan in the context of the Australian trilogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Australian news coverage of Papua New Guinea (PNG), a country with which Australia shares geographic proximity and strong historical ties. Drawing on the results of a content analysis examining coverage of PNG by The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald newspapers from January 1 until June 30, 2010, this paper aims to demonstrate that PNG is a neglected news region. This neglect - in terms of quality reporting - has produced a limited and fragmentary portrayal of PNG in the Australian media, where the majority of news stories about PNG tend to lack analysis and contextual background. The key methodologies used in this paper are content analysis and in-depth interviews with a selected number of Australian journalists currently or previously based in PNG. The paper hopes to provide insight into a much broader examination of the changing trends in international news coverage of developing countries, particularly in the Asia-Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than a decade has passed since the beginnings of the 'Media Wars' debate in Australia. This paper revisits the debate to determine whether there has been any significant shift in journalism research in Australia, especially in light of key changes in the Australian higher education environment. A content analysis of six leading Australian journals and a review of Australian Research Council grant applications provide a snapshot of trends in journalism research and research funding. The paper highlights a need for a more interdisciplinary approach to journalism research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background To date, emergency nursing Transition to Specialty Practice Program (TSPP) evaluations have been single-site observational studies. The aim of this paper was to examine the professional development, recruitment and retention outcomes of Australian emergency nursing TSPPs. Methods An explanatory sequential design was used. Data were collected via online surveys and interviews of emergency Nurse Unit Managers and Nurse Educators. Survey data from EDs with TSPPs and EDs without TSPPs were compared. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Results Data were collected from 118 EDs, and 13 interviews. TSPPs were offered in 72.1% of EDs. EDs with TSPPs had higher proportions of nurses with postgraduate qualifications ( Mdn 28.3% vs. 22.1%, p = 0.45) and Clinical Specialists ( Mdn 16.4% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.04). The median proportion of currently rostered nurses with TSPP completion was 34.2% in EDs with TSPPs introduced in 2000–2005 indicating ED high levels of retention. Conclusion Emergency nursing TSPPs have had a positive effect on nursing professional development, recruitment and retention. To ensure consistency in outcomes and optimise reliability of emergency nursing skills and knowledge, a national emergency nursing TSPP framework is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursing students' first clinical placement experience can be a critical turning point -reinforcing professional aspirations for some, and for others, a time of emotional turbulence. There is a paucity of research focusing on students' perceptions and concerns prior to their first placement experience. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the concerns of first year bachelor of nursing students from one Australian university as they prepared for their first clinical placement. Participants completed an online 'readiness for practice' survey consisting of 22 items. This paper focuses on participants' responses to the one open ended question: 'Please comment on any concerns that you have in relation to being prepared for your first clinical placement'. Summative qualitative content analysis was used for analysis. 144 students (55%) responded to the open ended question. Responses were categorised into six themes including: Not prepared for placement; feeling nervous, anxious and worried; bullying and belonging; practicalities; patient safety and making mistakes; and working outside of my scope of practice. It appears that activities designed to equip students with the capacity to manage the inherent challenges of undertaking a clinical placement may sometimes have a paradoxical effect by increasing students' level of stress and anxiety. An enhanced understanding of students' concerns may help educators implement appropriate support strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the values and meaning of the nursing profession utilising a sample of new nursing graduates just entering the workforce. Nursing practice has shifted over the course of the 20th and 21st Centuries, with varied and shifting positions on the values and philosophy that underpin it. Reported here is data from a cohort of Australian and New Zealand nurse graduates (n = 97) who submitted survey responses to the open-ended question "I love nursing and/or midwifery because ..." as part of the web-based Graduate e-Cohort Study (GeS). Data were analysed relying on qualitative content analysis. Five themes emerged from the complete analysis of the responses. These themes were; self and personal development, immediate reward (intrinsic work values); meaning making and greater good, mobilities and momentum (extrinsic work values); and person-centred care (social work value). The findings suggest that while economic, workplace, organisational and professional influences may have influenced nursing work, when asked about what they value in nursing, the traditional values emerge as central. Nursing curricula and nurse educators would do well to promote these values and meanings leading to the education and recruitment of individuals suited to the work of nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of the use of new media by Australian political parties and individual candidates in the 2013 federal election. It updates research undertaken over the past decade on institutional responses to new technological affordances in electoral campaigning. Using content analysis, interview and third-party data, the paper demonstrates that the major political parties in Australia have increased their use of new media in their overall communications mix, with a heightened focus on advertising in social media, the integration of various online channels, and through creative fundraising strategies. It is argued that the major parties considerably professionalised their management of new media for the 2013 campaign, and the lessons from this election will endure into future electoral contests. The data from the content analysis suggests that the online visibility of minor parties and individual candidates appears to be declining, outside of gaffs, and the novelty reporting of 'quirky' candidates. The exception to this remains the Australian Greens, because of their natural affinity with voters most likely to be heavy users of new media. The increasing sophistication of data-driven, targeted advertising further reinforces the capacity of the two major Australian parties to dominate the new media environment due to their disproportionate access to electoral resources. This appears to provide further, but not unambiguous, evidence of the 'normalisation hypothesis' of institutional new media adoption in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, protection orders are a key legal response to domestic violence, and are often viewed as a way of providing for victim safety. For instance, recently the joint Australian and New South Wales Law Reform Commissions recommended that a common core purpose of all state and territory domestic violence legislation should be 'to ensure or maximise the safety and protection of persons who fear or experience family violence' (2010:Recommendation 7-4). Drawing and building upon prior research in Australia and the United States ('US'), this paper uses comparative quantitative content analysis to assess the victim safety focus of domestic violence protection order legislation in each Australian state and territory. The findings of this analysis show that the Northern Territory, South Australia and Victoria 'stand out' from the other jurisdictions, having the highest victim safety focus in their legislation. However, there remains sizeable scope for improvement in all Australian jurisdictions, in terms of the victim safety focus of their legislative provisions and considerations of legislative inconsistency between jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Neighborhood sustainability assessment tools have become widespread since the turn of 21st century and many communities, mainly in the developed world, are utilizing these tools to measure their success in approaching sustainable development goals. In this study, seven tools from Australia, Europe, Japan, and the United States are selected and analyzed with the aim of providing insights into the current situations; highlighting the strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures; and making recommendations for future improvements. Using a content analysis, the issues of sustainability coverage, pre-requisites, local adaptability, scoring and weighting, participation, reporting, and applicability are discussed in this paper. The results of this study indicate that most of the tools are not doing well regarding the coverage of social, economic, and institutional aspects of sustainability; there are ambiguities and shortcomings in the weighting, scoring, and rating; in most cases, there is no mechanism for local adaptability and participation; and, only those tools which are embedded within the broader planning framework are doing well with regard to applicability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper discusses the options for implementing ‘sustainable’ environmental business strategies that are acceptable to a multiplicity of stakeholders. To evaluate the current situation in Australia a content analysis of the web pages for leading companies indicates that there is little tangible evidence that sustainable business practices are being implemented. The authors propose several directions for research into substantive issues between ethical behaviour, corporate social responsibility and environmentally sustainable behaviour for business. Each of these areas is developing research in relative isolation. However, we argue that this paradigmatic divide is limiting the opportunities for research to provide real insight into seemingly intractable problems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The paper examines how the educational environment within the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has changed over their 25 year history. The case study was used as a methodological framework through which content analysis and interviews were conducted. It was found that due to the changing nature of their profession, the involvement of police personnel in ongoing personal and professional development is essential. Further, the educational environment fostered within the AFP was found to be one that keeps abreast of general advances in education, encourages further education of their personnel and delivers quality adult education through its accreditation as a Registered Training Organisation and a provider of nationally approved VET courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intersections between journalism and democracy are explored in this paper through an analysis of the `voices' through which the news is `told' by specific segments of the Australian print media. We argue that evidence of the extent to which a newspaper fulfils its roles to democracy and society is partially found in the range of sources quoted in the news stories it publishes, and in the prominence and dominance it gives to various types of sources in those stories. Our goal was to quantify the validity of the widely held assumption that, in Australia, regional newspapers are closer than metropolitan newspapers to their readers. This suggestion guided our content analysis of the types of news story sources quoted or paraphrased in the general news published in four regional newspapers and one metropolitan newspaper in one Australian state. The assumption of closeness to readers for Australian regional newspapers did not hold up well in this test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]