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There is growing pressure in higher education to develop graduates with the capabilities to work effectively in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams to solve the key issues facing humankind. For many years, health has been pioneering interprofessional education as the means to deliver professionals with capacity to work together to deliver high quality, cost-effective, client-centered care. This paper reports on an explorative case study where interviews were undertaken with ten students from different professions who had experienced interprofessional education at three different community sites. The learning was informed by an adapted version of contact hypothesis for use in interprofessional education combined with adult learning principles. Four interrelated metathemes were identified: space and time, informality and independence, which resulted in a more holistic approach to practice. Results suggest that the contact hypothesis, with consideration of contact variables, has the potential to improve the quality of interdisciplinary group interaction.

Curtin University introduced an interprofessional first year curriculum in the Faculty of Health Sciences in 2011. This curriculum, now delivered to over 3,300 first year health science students annually, consists of five common compulsory units, eight optional units (specific to several courses) and one discipline specific unit for each course. Significantly, the learning outcomes are informed by an Interprofessional Capability Framework (Brewer & Jones, 2013). This paper reports on a study which aimed to analyse the use of the capability framework in supporting the development of the desired interprofessional capabilities. This qualitative study was based on data from student reflective journals in one of the large common units. The sample consisted of 105 of the 411 students enrolled in one of the common units (response rate 25.6 percent) in the second major teaching period (semester two) in 2011. The data was analysed via NVivo8© to provide a holistic view of the content of the reflections as they related to the Interprofessional Capability Framework. The results indicate that the use of the Interprofessional Capability Framework in structuring the learning outcomes has influenced student learning. This is evidenced by the correlation between the themes which emerged during the coding of the data and the Interprofessional Capability Framework. For example, 'Client-centred' was the most frequently coded theme, followed by Collaboration, Team Function, and Quality Care, all of which are reflected in the Framework. The major finding of the study is that the framework did have an impact in guiding the development of the foundational interprofessional unit; the learning outcomes included key elements of the framework, the learning experiences were designed to meet these outcomes, and the assessment utilising a reflective journal was designed to measure the development of novice interprofessional capabilities.

This paper describes an exploratory case study investigating the capacity of a multidisciplinary approach to academic development, to empower adaptive responses to ongoing technological change impacting on teaching practice. A quasi-experimental design with an intervention group (n=22) and a comparative control group (n=7) was adopted. Pre and post online questionnaires were administered to participants in both groups to evaluate attitudes and experiences relating to technology use in teaching and learning. The questionnaires were adapted from the Technology Acceptance Model. Qualitative measurement of the intervention group's experiences following the professional development was captured using semi-structured interviews, followed by two focus groups to confirm the interview findings. Results indicate that the professional development impacted positively on participants through significantly increased levels of confidence and perceived ease of use. Qualitative data indicated participants experienced cognitive, emotional, and/or practical changes during and/or following the professional development.

This case study describes the implementation of a stand-alone unit on Indigenous Australian culture and health within a nursing and midwifery program, and presents quantitative and qualitative data from the university's anonymous online student teaching and learning questionnaire. In doing so, this study aims to determine whether a single, compulsory unit has the capacity to develop graduate Indigenous Australian cultural competence. Qualitative data from the nine teaching periods over the five years the unit was taught is analysed to determine student satisfaction and motivation. A total of 1742 students enrolled in the unit over five years and 748 completed the online questionnaire (a response rate of 43%). Qualitative data from the same teaching and learning questionnaire is drawn on to highlight the impact of the unit on student attitudes towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as the pedagogical approaches adopted to teach compulsory Aboriginal studies to predominately non-Aboriginal students. Data suggests that overall students were satisfied and engaged with the unit. For many the experience was transformative, not having had prior experience with Indigenous Australians or Aboriginal studies' content. A discrete unit on Indigenous culture and health has the capacity to assist students to begin their journey to cultural competence. However, to be successful and sustainable, such a unit must be aligned with the three key areas identified in a Reconciliation Action Plan: relationships, respect and opportunities. Furthermore, key pedagogical approaches are required to ensure students are motivated to engage with the content. Keywords: Indigenous Australian cultural competency, cross-cultural graduate capability, Indigenising curricula, cross-cultural pedagogy, intercultural education It is with respect that we acknowledge the Nyungar people and their Elders, who are the custodians and guardians of this land on which we live. We thank the Elders for their continued guidance and support of the work that we do in the interests of improving outcomes for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

There is growing pressure in higher education to develop graduates with the capabilities to work effectively in collaborative, interdisciplinary teams to solve the key issues facing humankind. For many years, health has been pioneering interprofessional education as the means to deliver professionals with capacity to work together to deliver high quality, cost-effective, client-centered care. This paper reports on an explorative case study where interviews were undertaken with ten students from different professions who had experienced interprofessional education at three different community sites. The learning was informed by an adapted version of contact hypothesis for use in interprofessional education combined with adult learning principles. Four interrelated metathemes were identified: space and time, informality and independence, which resulted in a more holistic approach to practice. Results suggest that the contact hypothesis, with consideration of contact variables, has the potential to improve the quality of interdisciplinary group interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There's a beach in there somewhere the fiats square and block- like the Playschool house layered like a cake layered like the sheep carrier ships passing by my window high [...]

The article focuses on ficto-criticism which, according to the Web site Wikipedia, refers to a postmodern, experimental often feminist style of writing. It explores the adoption of the term in Australia, that blurs the difference between creative and critical writing. It is noted that a 1991 paper titled "On Ficto-Criticism," by Stephen Muecke and Noel King, is the earliest generally recognized use of the term in the country. Also tackled is the ficto-critical theory of writing on the visual arts developed by psychiatrist Jeanne Randolph.