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Group work is a widely used learning approach in higher education where it is seen as encouraging the development of collaborative skills and attitudes while producing an assessable product. Group assignments can, however, create dilemmas and tensions for both staff and students. Students often seek academic intervention in the form of support and dispute arbitration; and the types of interventions employed to deal with issues arising during and after group work, and the effectiveness of the interventions, are critical aspects of group assignments. This paper reports the findings from a recent qualitative study based on interviews with ten university academics about their use and management of undergraduate group work. These findings revealed that positive experiences and outcomes can be undermined when staff expectations of group work are at odds with student reality, particularly when academics try to distance themselves from student group problems or intervene retrospectively. The paper concludes that academics must be able and willing to work alongside groups in helping them achieve outcomes that are positive, fair and equitable.

Changes in expectations of research education worldwide have seen the rise of new demands beyond supervision and have highlighted the need for academic leadership in research education at a local level. Based on an interview study of those who have taken up local leadership roles in four Australian universities, this paper maps and analyses different dimensions of the emerging leadership role of research education coordination. It argues that while there is increasing clarity of what is required, there are considerable tensions in the nature of the coordination role and how coordination is to be executed. In particular, what leadership roles are appropriate and how can they be positioned effectively within universities? The paper draws on the Integrated Competing Values Framework to focus on the activities of coordination and on ideas of distributed leadership to discuss the leadership that characterises coordination. It is argued that without acknowledgement of the influences that coordinators need to exert and the positioning and support needed to achieve this, the contemporary agenda for research education will not be realised.

In 2008, the Helen Macpherson Smith (HMS) Trust commissioned Victoria University to conduct an evaluation of the Mentoring and Capacity Building Initiative's Regional Coordination Projects (RCPs). The RCPs are founded on a model of community education and collaboration that aims to enhance cross-sectoral and whole-of-community approaches to mentoring and community building. Their specific objectives are to: (1) coordinate effective regional delivery of new and existing mentoring programs and related activities; (2) identify, document and share best practice mentoring models; (3) strengthen community partnerships and collaboration, and the capacity and skills delivery of mentoring programs; and (4) develop cross-sectoral and whole-of-community approaches to mentoring. The aim of the evaluation was to determine the effectiveness of the RCPs in achieving these objectives, including the monitoring of program outcomes and strategic partnerships supporting these projects. This paper reports on some of the key findings of that evaluation. (Contains 4 tables, 1 figure and 1 footnote.)

In 1986 (first published 1983) Clark's triangle of coordination compared national higher education systems according to the dimensions of state authority, market and academic oligarchy. The picture was of a particular time, one in which those three factors could be ably used to illustrate major differences in how coordination took place. Subsequent sweeping changes in higher education coordination have led to the alteration of the triangle's features and assumptions as it has been adapted over time. This article argues that the vertices of any such triangle must themselves be alterable in order to indicate changes in the constitution of salient forces that have been observed, and can be expected. A new, less time-bound heuristic -- "microcosmographia" -- facilitates such comparisons, with a recast, unified triangle as its kernel. (Contains 8 figures.)

A review of attitudes about the need for changes in the structure of postsecondary education in Australia and the role of the government in each sector concludes with the suggestion that the state take less responsibility for short-term planning and institutional development and focus more on long-term planning with strong involvement in technical and continuing education. (MSE)

Explains changes that have taken place in early childhood education in Victoria, Australia, over last decade. Points the way to changes that could occur as a result of continued appreciation of social, political, and economic changes. Discusses measures that early childhood workers can take to ensure that children are allowed to experience childhood and a period of self-motivated learning. (DG)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a modified model for collaboration in BIM-based construction networks (BbCNs). Though BIM is increasingly adopted and implemented across the construction industry, the problems associated with the lack of collaboration among teams in BbCNs remain a major hindrance to reaping the full potential of BIM. Previous studies have been conceptual in nature. This paper, therefore, attempts to modify and validate existing conceptual models that describe collaboration in BbCNs. Design/methodology/approach: To modify the conceptual model for collaboration in BbCNs, qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with BIM experts in the industry were collected and analysed using qualitative methods including the use of NVivo software. Findings: The proposed model includes influential factors and their sub-factors to collaboration in BbCNs, as well as considering their indicators. Findings reveal that several overlooked concepts, particularly unfavourable BIM contractual arrangements, act as the root causes of the unwillingness of team members in BbCNs to engage in collaborative efforts. Research limitations/implications: The study's findings must be viewed in light of several limitations. First, the interviewees in this study were based in Australia hence their perceptions of BIM collaboration are reflective of the sociotechnical setting of BIM-enabled projects in this country. Also, the findings are based on the perception of experts in the field, rather than analysis of performance measures or quantitative assessment of associations among collaboration outcomes and various factors. This, however, provides the field with fertile grounds for future research. Practical implications: The study benefits researchers by shifting the collaboration discourse in BIM-enabled projects from technology-related issues to the people and contractual-related domains. Moreover, the developed qualitative model provides industry professionals with a point of reference to improve collaboration on BIM-enabled projects. Social implications: The study benefits researchers by shifting the collaboration discourse in BIM-enabled projects from technology-related issues to the people and contractual-related domains. Moreover, the developed qualitative model provides industry professionals with a point of reference to improve collaboration on BIM-enabled projects. Originality/value: Arguments provided in this study highlight the necessity of considering the contractual arrangement of BIM-related projects and foster the willingness of team members to collaborate. This can be addressed using clear and comprehensive BIM execution plans and clearly explaining the role of BIM managers in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Australian language curriculum development project is examined for insights into approaching future national curriculum development efforts, focusing on coordination and management needs and appropriate patterns for the involvement and development of teachers. (MSE)

The implications of social change for the role and problems of educational coordinating bodies in Australian postsecondary education are explored, drawing on the experience of the Queensland Board of Advanced Education. (MSE)

Improving collaboration by public sector agencies is an important element of many public sector reforms. Common approaches include introducing responsibilities under legislation and policy decisions, the provision of information and guidance, and strengthening third-party oversight. To identify how collaboration is being practised, this paper reviews evidence from over one hundred reports by Auditors-General and Ombudsmen in Australia and New Zealand to identify key attributes of collaboration, and assesses these further by examining three reports in detail. It concludes that problems that have been known for many years continue to constrain public sector effectiveness. Although continuing existing approaches may assist in improving collaboration, the paper argues that there is a need to adopt more systematic approaches to organisational capacity for collaboration. It further identifies that changes in the external environment such as technology-based innovation may demand rapid progress and change in relation to collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food value chain businesses form alliances with horizontal and/or vertical partners to take collective action to either overcome or ameliorate chain failure, or to take advantage of new opportunities available due to innovations in products or processes. The desired outcomes from the collective action would no t be possible to achieve if these businesses acted independently. While such alliances and collaborations may take many forms, depending on the degree of commitment, the kind of governance and infrastructure linkages, they can often be thought of as "clubs" for the purpose of economic analysis. Several different types of clubs can be identified, thus the path to collective action chosen by clubs may vary according to existing capabilities and the scope for collaboration, particularly in relation to the potential for value-creating innovation. The result of the collective action is the provision of a chain good or service, which usually leads to greater and more valuable chain coordination. By collectively identifying, funding and acting to capture positive externalities associated with innovation, businesses in many parts of a food value chain can widen opportunities to increase whole-of-chain surplus as well as private profits. In this paper five mini-case studies are presented to demonstrate the breadth of past collective actions undertaken by businesses in food value chains, two in Europe and three in Australia. These are the Euro Pool System, and Global Standards certification in Europe and globally, as well as Meat Standards Australia, an Australian beef organic producer alliance (OBE Organic®), and the supply of food to households during Covid-19 lockdown in Australia. Each case study yields insights into the rationale of how businesses in different food value chains in different countries have acted as a club to use their joint resources to internalise positive innovation and coordination externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, it has become academic dogma that federalism is a problem rather than an asset. Nevertheless, federalism has significant advantages and is likely to remain an important model for systems of government worldwide. In the case of tourism, overlapping jurisdictions, multiple accountabilities and countervailing power are generally seen to impede effective tourism policy development. This paper goes beyond criticisms of federalism, to investigate the dynamics of federal-State relations in an effort to understand how cooperation in the tourism policy arena can be improved. Using a case study of New South Wales, this paper examines the effects of government personalities, political cycles, shifts in organisational structures and divergent interpretations of globalisation on governments' interest in cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines a town centre management programme for Sunshine Town Centre, a traditional high street or main street centre in Metropolitan Melbourne, 11 kilometres west of Melbourne city centre. The programme was initiated in 2010 by the City of Brimbank - the local government authority that covers the suburb of Sunshine. At its core, the programme has pursued an integrated whole-of-local-government approach to the centre and has sought to forge strong partnerships with private-sector businesses and property owners. This paper identifies the issues, processes, achievements, challenges and lessons learned from the programme over its first six years of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from centralised, fossil fuel-powered generating units to distributed energy resources (DER) represents a significant step forward, offering numerous benefits. However, this shift also presents operational challenges for distribution network service providers (DNSPs) and the electricity markets. In this paper, we introduce our innovative solution for allocating network capacity in the form of operating envelopes, shaped to enhance customer participation in energy and reserve markets. Our approach also provides DNSPs with network support flexibility of DER which can be leveraged to either increase network throughput for market services or postpone network augmentation. This study outlines our initial findings from Project Converge 1 1 https://arena.gov.au/projects/project-converge-act-distributed-energy-resources-demonstration-pilot/. —a comprehensive real-world trial involving 1000 active customers (the largest participant cohort in Australia) located in the Australian Capital Territory. Within, we discuss the challenges we have encountered, the opportunities that have arisen, potential avenues for future expansion, and the invaluable insights gained during the pre-trial phase of the project. • Proposing shaped operating envelopes – a novel extension of dynamic operating envelopes to allocate network capacity amongst aggregators. • Enabling DER to participate in energy, FCAS and network support market while empowering DNSPs to postpone network augmentation. • Real-world implementation of our approach in a live trial in Australia with more that active 1000 customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Princess Alexandra Hospital Telehealth Centre (PAH-TC) is a project jointly funded by the Australian national government and Queensland Health. It seeks to provide a whole-of-hospital telehealth service using videoconferencing and store-and-forward capabilities for a range of specialities. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the introduction of a new telehealth coordination service provided by a tertiary hospital centre increased telehealth activities of a tertiary hospital. Evaluation included service delivery records and stakeholder satisfaction.Methods: Telehealth service delivery model before and after the establishment of the centre is described as well as the project implementation. The study retrieved data related to the number and scope of previous, and current, telehealth service episodes, to ascertain any change in activity levels following the introduction of the new telehealth coordination service. In addition, using a cross-sectional research design, the satisfaction of patients, clinicians and administrators was surveyed. The survey focused on technical utility and perceived clinical validity.Results: Introduction of a new centralised telehealth coordination service was associated with an increase in the scope of telehealth from five medical disciplines, in the year before the establishment, to 34 disciplines two years after the establishment. The telehealth consultations also increases from 412 (the year before), to 735 (one year after) and 1642 (two years after) the establishment of the centre. Respondents to the surveys included patients (27), clinicians who provided the consultations (10) and clinical or administrative staff who hosted the telehealth consultations in the remote site (8). There were high levels of agreement in relation to the telehealth option saving time and money, and an important health service delivery model. There was evidence from the remote site that modifying roles to incorporate this new service was challenging.Conclusion: The introduction of a centralised coordination for telehealth service of a tertiary hospital was associated with the increase in the scope and level of telehealth activity of the hospital. The project and model of health care delivery described in this paper can be adopted by tertiary hospitals to grow their telehealth activities, and potentially reduce costs associated with the delivery of services at a distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An empirical ethnographic survey of engineers using interviews and field observations in Australia provides evidence that coordinating technical work of other people by gaining their willing cooperation is a major aspect of engineering practice. Technical coordination in the context of this study means working with and influencing other people so they conscientiously perform necessary work to a mutually agreed schedule. While coordination seems to be non-technical, analysis provides evidence supporting the critical importance of technical expertise. Coordination usually involves one-on-one relationships with superiors, clients, peers, subordinates, and outsiders. Coordinating the work of other people seems to be important from the start of an engineering career. Engineering education only provides limited informal coordination skill development and current accreditation criteria may not reflect this aspect of engineering. This paper suggests ways in which students can learn coordination, and describes some of the author's experiences in applying this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe problems of fragmented policies and uncoordinated implementation undermine natural resource management in Australia. There have been promising signs of progress through activities such as the National Forest Policy, Council of Australian Government water reforms, National Land and Water Resources Audit, the Murray- Darling Basin initiative and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality to integrate resource policies. There have also been some notable successes at State and local level. But fragmentation endures. This paper provides evidence of the enduring problem of fragmentation and presents a framework to analyse Australia's experience in natural resource management. The analysis reveals the multi-dimensional character of the problems and identifies a diverse set of actions that need to be taken to improve integration in policy and implementation. Particular attention is given to the potential for regional programs to contribute to improved integration and NRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how digital technologies are used for facilitating knowledge sharing and decision-making through enhanced coordination and communication and their impact on job performance in organizations. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual model is developed within the background of the social capital theory through a comprehensive review of the related literature for exploring how digital technologies can improve knowledge sharing and decision-making via enhanced communication and coordination between individuals in organizations for better job performance. This model is then tested and validated based on structural equation modeling of the collected survey data in Australia. Findings: This study shows that digital technology enhanced coordination and communication have significant impact on knowledge sharing. It finds out that digital technology driven coordination significantly influences decision-making and digital technology driven knowledge sharing significantly influences decision-making. Furthermore, this study reveals that enhanced decision-making and knowledge sharing can lead to better job performance in organizations. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first attempt to explore the role of digital technologies in enhancing knowledge sharing and decision-making for better job performance in a digitalized working environment in organizations. The validated model can be used as the foundation to further investigate the changing role of digital technologies in driving knowledge sharing for better performance of individuals and competitive advantages of organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canvassing views through a questionnaire-based online survey of 25 lawyers and 85 interpreters working in Australia, the present study investigates the approaches to interactional management employed by both lawyers and interpreters in interpreter-facilitated legal aid interviews. Specifically, the study examines lawyers' and interpreters' efforts at coordination before and during interpreted interviews, as well as interpreters' success in complying with ethical principles, and lawyers' knowledge of how to work with interpreters. The findings show that lawyers had a good understanding of their responsibilities when working with interpreters and played the role of coordinator by actively managing turn-taking and monitoring interpreting quality. Although most of the interpreter respondents performed to the ethical standards expected, some knowingly violated ethical principles by engaging in side conversations with the clients or by summarising rather than interpreting fully. The study further found statistically significant correlations between interpreters' level of professional qualifications and their competence in managing interactions and following ethical principles, which highlights the importance of training and professional accreditation for maintaining professional standards among interpreters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited empirical and qualitative studies focus on the detailed processes and obstacles for coordinating off-site prefabrication between builders and suppliers. This research aims to identify and address the obstacles that currently prevent the further expansion of off-site prefabrication, with a research scope on timber and mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP) services in construction projects. The focal point of this research is to highlight their obstacles. A total of forty interviews were conducted and analyzed from four builders' organizations and four suppliers' organizations to ascertain their obstacles in coordinating the practice of off-site prefabrication. The results found the builder's obstacles were sustainability, quality assurance (QA), mass production, CAD/BIM, technological support, commercial arrangements, system building, buffering in supply, schedule monitoring, productivity, flexibility, engagement, risks, and multiple supply arrangements. The supplier's obstacles were design, financing and subcontracting, coordination, recognized practices, risks, multiple supply arrangements, and constraints. Moreover, the builders and suppliers had identified some ways to harmonize off-site prefabrication of timber. Some examples of timber prefabrication technology include joinery, doors and/or windows, structural floor/wall/roof frames, partitions, trusses, stairs, balustrades, and others. MEP services with in situ construction comprise the use of power sources and working coordination. The most important outcome of this investigation is that these obstacles can be addressed through collaboration and coordination. This is because there is a traditionally a lack of collaboration amongst builders and their suppliers. Furthermore, there is a lack of coordination between them in general. The research contributes to the improved timber and MEP services collaboration and coordination in off-site prefabrication, which can be referred to by other approaches of modular construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia has had a mixed history in the way in which policy research has related to higher education policy. Recognising a history of policy-related research and to some extent research-informed policy-making, Australia has followed the trend of other New Public Management-driven systems of de-emphasising policy-oriented independent research. In the face of massive change that has been confronting the higher education sector and will continue to do so, it is argued that evaluative and forward-looking research into the key areas of system coordination and institutional management is needed. A research agenda focusing on institutional change is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit flies are a biosecurity threat to international trade of horticultural produce around the world. Area-wide management (AWM) of fruit flies offers a promising solution to coordinate farmers' activities to fight against the spread of this pest. The incorporation of the sterile insect technique (SIT) may increase the effectiveness of AWM and lead to greater suppression and possible eradication of the fruit fly pest. This article presents findings from a choice experiment survey to ascertain the willingness to pay (WTP) for the benefits of a suite of AWM features and SIT. These features include the benefits from (1) coordinated fruit fly monitoring, (2) coordinated on-farm male annihilation of fruit flies, (3) management of fruit fly in residential areas, and (4) coordinated release of sterile flies. This is the first study of its kind to assess the WTP for AWM and SIT in a developed country. Results suggest that growers are willing to pay for SIT and coordinated fruit fly management in residential areas but are not willing to pay for other coordinated services that they are already practicing on their farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australian government-funded primary schools, the responsibility for physical education ( PE) falls mainly on general classroom teachers, many of whom possess limited PE training. This study sought to examine the impact of specialist-taught PE on eye-hand coordination ( EHC) development. In this 4-year cluster-randomized intervention, participants were 187 boys and 172 girls initially in grade 2 in 29 primary schools, where no school employed university-trained specialist PE teachers. In 13 (intervention) schools, specialist PE teachers conducted 268 PE classes (two 45-minute sessions/wk) from grade 2 to grade 6. The intervention was based on traditional PE educational objectives, including fundamental motor skills, but did not specifically focus on EHC. The remaining 16 (control) schools continued with common-practice PE taught by general classroom teachers (30-60 min/wk). EHC was measured by a ball throw and wall-rebound catch test and recorded at ages 8, 10, and 12 ( SD 0.3) at ends of grades 2, 4, and 6, respectively. There was steady yearly improvement of EHC in both groups, but no evidence of any intervention effect in boys ( P=.88) or girls ( P=.20). The introduction of specialist-taught PE during 4 years of primary school did not influence EHC development. Considering evidence that classroom teachers make little contribution to PE in this jurisdiction, together with the steady progression of EHC over the 4 years, other influences such as organized sport, after-school activities, natural development, and parental instruction are conceivably more influential factors in EHC development during primary school years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An integrated organization is one option for handling the provision of services in a welfare state. Australia’s welfare administration is centred on a mega department, the largest within the public service, with wide delivery responsibilities. Integration means that many welfare relationships are largely internalized, but this does not preclude the horizontal and vertical coordination problems of a large and complex organization, particularly where elements of the policy system extend outside. The research examines how to explain the use of an integrative form of coordination for service delivery, and how policy and implementation is coordinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations have increasingly invested money in information technology (IT) in order to improve their agility. It is generally believed that organizations with greater IT investment tend to be more agile to response to environmental changes. However, the issue of whether IT is an enabler or impeder of organizational agility still remains unresolved. Drawing upon resource-based view theory and the literatures of information systems and supply chain management, the authors develop and test a theoretical model that integrates IT capability, supply chain capability and organizational agility. The authors propose that IT capability enables the development of a higher level of supply chain capability which is embedded within inter-firm processes and in turn enhances organizational agility. Structural equation modelling is employed to test their theoretical conceptualization of 310 Australian fast-growth small-to-medium enterprises across different industrial sectors. The results show that IT capability does contribute to firm agility through enhancing inter-firm supply chain processes such as integration, information sharing and coordination. This research highlights the role of ITenabled intermediated processes and the ways in which IT is used by firms to enhance core business processes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can people and organisations best respond to emergency events that are significantly beyond the boundaries of what they had generally anticipated, expected, prepared for - or even imagined? What forms of organisations are likely to be best able to cope with such events - and what procedures and practices will aid in their ability to do so? Obviously, extreme events - events that are in scope or scale or type beyond the range of our ordinary experience and expectations - by definition will occur only relatively rarely (and very rarely to any given emergency organisation). Nonetheless, when they do occur they tend to be of defining importance to the people and institutions that are thrust into them and that must find their way through them. September 11, 2001 in Manhattan and at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia; the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004; Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast of the United States (US) in 2005; major earthquakes like the ones in Pakistan in 2005, Wenchuan in 2008, Haiti in 2010, Chile in 2010, and Christchurch in 2010 - these and other catastrophic events catapult people and response agencies into a new, unfamiliar, and largely unexplored dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite a national focus on closing the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal child health outcomes in Australia, there remain significant challenges, including provision of health services in very remote communities. We aimed to identify and map child health services in the very remote Fitzroy Valley, West Kimberley, and document barriers to effective service delivery.Methods: Identification and review of all regional child health services and staffing in 2013. Verification of data by interview with senior managers and staff of key providers in the Western Australian Country Health Service, Kimberley Population Health Unit, Nindilingarri Cultural Health Services and non-government providers.Results: We identified no document providing a comprehensive overview of child health services in the Fitzroy Valley. There were inadequate numbers of health professionals, facilities and accommodation; high staff turnover; and limited capacity and experience of local health professionals. Funding and administrative arrangements were complex and services poorly coordinated and sometimes duplicated. The large geographic area, distances, extreme climate and lack of public and private transport challenge service delivery. The need to attend to acute illness acts to deprioritise crucial primary and preventative health care and capacity for dealing with chronic, complex disorders. Some services lack cultural safety and there is a critical shortage of Aboriginal Health Workers (AHW).Conclusions: Services are fragmented and variable and would benefit from a coordinated approach between government, community-controlled agencies, health and education sectors. A unifying model of care with emphasis on capacity-building in Aboriginal community members and training and support for AHW and other health professionals is required but must be developed in consultation with communities. Innovative diagnostic and care models are needed to address these challenges, which are applicable to many remote Australian settings outside the Fitzroy Valley, as well as other countries globally. Our results will inform future health service planning and strategies to attract and retain health professionals to work in these demanding settings. A prospective audit of child health services is now needed to inform improved planning of child health services with a focus on identifying service gaps and training needs and better coordinating existing services to improve efficiency and potentially also efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]