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Service learning is not a new concept in Australia, although it could be better harnessed in rural Australian health student placements for the betterment of rural communities, students and rural health workforce development. The service-learning literature offers several concepts worth considering further in the Australian context. This paper addresses three common barriers to health professional service-learning uptake in rural Australian communities by drawing on service-learning concepts from the international literature. It offers rural Australian health organisations innovative strategies to consider when hosting health professional students on service-learning placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While international research has demonstrated that ability grouping is inequitable, Australian research has often overlooked equity concerns, predominantly focusing on studying the benefits of grouping for students perceived to have high ability, especially in mathematics. This paper investigates the effect that mathematics ability grouping has on senior secondary mathematics participation for low and middle grouped students in New South Wales, Australia. We drew on interviews about mathematics participation with 85 students and 22 mathematics teachers from 11 government high schools. Our thematic analysis of these data identified that secondary school grouping practices often serve to entrench student interest and/or performance from primary school. This has consequences for many students, with a differentiated curriculum in Years 9 and 10 precluding low and middle grouped students from participating in high-level mathematics when they reach senior secondary school. These findings raise serious equity questions about the current push in Australia for universities to re-introduce high-level mathematics as a prerequisite to entering certain degrees. We argue that stakeholders need greater awareness of the consequences of ability grouping and that those seeking to lift post-compulsory mathematics participation should be targeting primary and early secondary school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pre-vocational placement experiences are known to considerably influence the career preferences of health graduates and are a key factor in growing the rural allied health workforce. This paper explores the rural placement experiences and future work intentions of students who attended a placement with the University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health. Methods: Part of a larger longitudinal mixed methods study of students' placement experiences and subsequent career choices, this study explored students' placement evaluations responses. Following each placement, students were invited to complete an online survey which asked about their placement experiences and future work intentions. Counts and proportion tests were performed for frequencies of quantitative variables. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were conducted on the paired pre- and post-rural intent scores to determine any perceived differences in intent before and after placement for students both with and without a rural background. Qualitative data from short answer questions were analyzed thematically guided by qualitative content analysis. Data were comparatively analyzed for students of a rural or urban background. Results: Four hundred and forty end of placement surveys were completed by 275 students (response rate 69.8%). There was a positive shift in intention to work rurally for students of both rural and urban background post-placement, but this was only statistically significant in the group from an urban background (p≤0.001). From the qualitative analysis three themes emerged: immersed rural supported placement experience, immersed interaction in rural life with other students, and immersed interaction in the rural community. Students from both rural and urban backgrounds indicated similar benefits and challenges. Conclusion: While the positive impact of rural placement experiences and rural background on future rural practice is well known, this study highlights the importance of positive supported placement experience for students from both rural and urban backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical placement is an essential element of paramedicine education and training as the profession completes the transition from vocational training to a pre-employment, university based model. The objective of this study was to survey pre-employment paramedicine students at Universities in Victoria, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand to measure their self-assessed preparedness for clinical placement. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving paper-based questionnaires employing a convenience sample of 682 undergraduate paramedicine students (years 1-4) who had completed at least one clinical placement. Student perceptions of preparedness for clinical placement were measured using an adaptation of the 'Preparedness for Hospital Practice' questionnaire. Results: There are significant differences in students' perception of preparedness for clinical placement, which reflects the differences between universities in relation to structure of their paramedicine programs, the timing of clinical education and the number of hours of clinical placement. Discussion: There needs to be clinical placement agreements between the ambulance services and universities that clearly describe the standards and expected elements of a quality clinical placement. Conclusions: In order to improve the preparedness for placement for paramedicine students, a united approach is required by all stakeholders, including ambulance services, students and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia's rural health services face chronic workforce shortages. To help address these shortages, the Australian Government funds a range of programs to support university students to undertake placements in rural areas with the aims of improving understanding of rural practice and encouraging rural careers. This study investigated the lived experiences of nursing and allied health students on placement in rural and regional Victoria. Its purpose was to identify the enablers and barriers most strongly affecting placement satisfaction and personal wellbeing. The intended outcome was to identify modifiable factors to improve the rural placement experience. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were undertaken with students on placement in public hospitals operating in northeast Victoria. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach. Three enablers were identified: 1) enjoyment of the rural environment and community; 2) working in a positive, friendly and supportive workplace; and 3) exposure to broad practice and enhanced learning opportunities. Five barriers were identified: 1) increased financial stress; 2) travel and accommodation challenges and concerns; 3) study-work-life balance and isolation issues; 4) encountering stressful work situations and/or personal events while on placement; and 5) communication issues with universities. The findings were strongly consistent with the extant literature. The authors considered the following factors as modifiable: negative financial impacts, inflexibility in the rural placement allocation process, and low levels of psychosocial support on offer to students in stress/distress and make suggestions for their amelioration. Given the similarities with teacher education, it is considered likely this paper has utility for the development of positive rural placements for student teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been little discussion on urban Indigenous identity in post-settler societies. However, in the scarce works which exist on this issue there are some remarkably common traits. For most Indigenous people, identity has primarily involved kinship ties associated with their perceived place of origin. In the city, Indigenous people encounter other Indigenous people who cannot be identified through kinship ties; in this situation, organizations dealing with Indigenous issues provide ways of connecting nonrelated Indigenous people, in line with a notion of 'pan-Indigeneity'. This pan-Indigeneity is not only based on their experience in the city, but also is influenced by the 'antique' image of Indigenous people created through contact with European settlers as well as the common cultural mores and traits which Indigenous people share. With these different kinds of identities, urban Indigenous identity has been described as 'fluid' or 'ambiguous'. The relationship between these identities has not been much examined. This paper explores the ambiguous and dynamic nature of Aboriginal identity in southwestern Sydney. Even though they are not related, Aboriginal people can usually recognize each other as `Aboriginal' through certain cultural mores and traits. However, there are some who, although claiming to be Aboriginal, who do not share these cultural mores and traits. Their presence gives rise to tension and conflict revolving around the concept of Aboriginality. Through an ethnographical examination of the process of accommodating nonrelated Aboriginal people, this paper reveals how different kinds of identities are related to each other in urban situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical placements are fundamental to entry-level physiotherapy education and provide an opportunity for students to translate theory into practice within authentic clinical environments. Student success during clinical placement is a core requirement of physiotherapy programs and a critical component of the pathway to graduation, registration, and then employment. The registration of a physiotherapist confirms that as a student, they have met the profession’s rigorous accreditation requirements. COVID-19 has significantly disrupted physiotherapy clinical placements across Australia, with many placements postponed or cancelled in the early public health response. These placement disruptions may preclude students from demonstrating mandatory pre-registration accreditation requirements, ultimately reducing the number of eligible new-graduate physiotherapists. Creating sustainable clinical placements whilst upholding the professional standard of entry level graduates during the pandemic, calls for innovative solutions to monitor student placement experiences. A Clinical Portfolio was implemented to improve monitoring processes and enable dynamic responses to potentially altered student learning experiences as COVID-19 public health measures evolved. In doing so, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on physiotherapy student placements between May and June 2020 through examining client case-mix, demographics and learning model documented in each student’s Clinical Portfolio. These data sets allowed for comparison of learning model and case-mix during the pandemic with previous literature monitoring typical physiotherapy clinical placement experience, and providing support for ensuring the registration of the cohort impacted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we show that poor student performance in a rural school is influenced by the classifications used for student learning and behaviour. We propose that the institution's organisation is conveyed via a classification schema that permeates and informs judgments about student progress and holds sway over teacher cognition. Category boundaries are set and differentiate between compliant and non-compliant students in the school in question. Conformity to expectations by compliant students can be mistaken for academic security. Rectifying disruptive and off-task behaviours can replace teaching of the non-compliant students. Institutional categories used to judge and label performances remain difficult to counter in that they are part of the reality of everyday interaction and given credence in departmental policy and professional discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing number of students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) relative to the host university undertaking fieldwork placements raises questions about how to best support their needs and the needs of their fieldwork supervisors so as to maximize the experience for both parties. This research aims to quantify and compare fieldwork supervisors' perceptions of CALD versus non-CALD students' performance during placements, the areas and levels of concern they experience in providing this supervision. Placement supervisors from health and non-health courses affiliated with an Australian University were randomly assigned to a survey containing question sets relating to their experiences in supervising CALD (n = 153) or non-CALD students (n = 168). The survey comprised Likert scale questions assessing "pressure points" to supervision and open-ended questions including strategies fieldwork supervisors typically used to assist students. Using univariate ordinal logistic regression analyses, "speaking" (coefficient, 95% CI 2.1 (1.56, 2.65)), "writing" in English (1.69 (1.17, 2.20)), and "adapting to culture of workplaces" (1.20 (0.71, 1.69)) were perceived by placement supervisors as the top "pressure points" in supervising CALD students. Interaction effects demonstrated that "difficulties in assessing CALD students' competency" (coefficient, 95% CI−1.14 (−2.27, −0.01), "feeling competent in supervising students for placements" (1.35 (0.26, 2.45)), and the "perception of lack of support" from either the university or employing organization (−1.70 (−2.83, − 0.56)) were evident within fieldwork placement of health courses only. These results can assist universities and placement organizations to prioritize resources to address the key areas affecting CALD students' performance on placements, and to improve supervisors' experience in supervising CALD students on placements in health courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was identified through this Australian study that organised crime groups operate in a variety of criminal markets and as a result the methods of organised crime groups also vary. Utilising the Sleipnir framework of Organised Crime to analyse the characteristics of organised crime groups, it emerged that the Sleipnir framework did not reflect the link or reliance an organised crime group may have on victims to succeed in their criminal endeavours. Human trafficking is a crime type where victimisation of an individual would be considered an essential element to undertake the crime. This led to the development of a Victimological Framework and further defined the organised crime attribute of 'victimisation'; which was incorporated into the research on the context of organised crime involvement in sextrafficking crimes in Australia. Understanding and identifying an organised crime groups' ability and need to victimise individuals, groups or businesses is an important element to understanding the context of organised criminal offending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: At present, sonography in Australia is experiencing a workforce shortage and increasing demand for services. This shortage has been linked to a lack of clinical placements for sonography students, creating a need to develop solutions to the paucity of training opportunities. Methods: A three‐round ranking‐type Delphi analysis in conjunction with thematic analysis was used to develop and rank a list of potential solutions to the shortage of clinical placements. Participants were recruited purposively based on their roles in the field of sonography that involved management of students in clinical placements. Results: In total, 32 potential solutions were developed based on thematic analysis of open‐ended questionnaires completed by participants. Of which, 13 were deemed essential and ranked from most to least important. Discussion: The potential solutions developed in the present study has implications for how sonography services, governing bodies and universities could overcome barriers to providing clinical placements. The highest ranked solution among participants was support from management to employ student sonographers, with the remaining solutions primarily pertaining to assistance in structuring and financing placements, and further support from higher education institutions. It was recommended that future research focus on structuring and financing placements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the process for the development of a strategic national statement about field education in Australia. It tracks the thinking of a group of social work field education academics over a nine-month period to ultimately produce a statement about social work field education as a distinctive pedagogy of social work education, for presentation to the Australian Association of Social Work (AASW) as part of the 2016 Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) review. The development of an Australian statement began in response to the current crisis in field education relating to a dearth of quality placements available for students who are ready for placement. The article begins with a review of the literature about the American Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) 2008 decision to develop a statement of field education as the signature pedagogy, as well as a review of articles critiquing the American response. From this, the group used Shulman's definition and the literature to produce a strategic statement that could be used to highlight the place of field education in Australia. This raised multiple issues confronting field education teams and prompted further research about the pedagogy informing field education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the findings of the study that examines the class interactions in 200 science lessons involving 15 teachers and students from grades eight to 12 in urban high schools in Australia. The study found that the students who actively participated in classroom interactions voluntarily were inclined to accept responsibility for their academic achievement and for interactions with others. Another type of target students who took part as a result of being chosen or called by the teacher were found to have higher formal reasoning ability than other students in the class.

Background: The maldistribution of the Australian health workforce contributes to restricted accessibility and poorer health outcomes for rural and remote populations, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Student exposure to rural and remote settings is a long-term strategy that aims to reduce workforce shortages by encouraging rural career uptake, with well-supervised, positive placement experiences associated with rural practice intentions. Furthermore, placements can build students' cultural capabilities and foster interest in working with disadvantaged and underserved Aboriginal communities. However, little is known about the translation of rural practice intentions to career paths, and the factors influencing employment decision-making and application of clinical and cultural content to professional practice. This in-depth study reports on the second stage of an investigation into the longer-term impact of remote placements. Stage One identified factors that contributed to students' learning experiences and highlighted challenges encountered; Stage Two explored the impact on professional practice and employment decision-making amongst a subset of the original cohort. Methods: Of 12 interviews with participants who completed a remote placement in 2013/4 (Stage One), eight graduates were located four years later and seven were re-interviewed. Telephone interviews used a semi-structured schedule; each interview was recorded, transcribed and analysed for recurring themes and meanings. Results: At the time of interview, all participants were employed as health professionals and worked in Australia. The follow-up highlighted the enduring legacy of the student placement in terms of participants' personal and professional growth. The majority were employed in rural settings; some were attracted by a rural lifestyle and employment opportunities while others were drawn by a desire to reduce rural health disparities. Regardless of setting, all actively applied clinical and cultural learnings acquired on placement to their professional practice. Rural job security, professional support and opportunities for professional development were all influences on continuing rural practice. Conclusions: Despite the challenges of qualitative longitudinal follow-up, the findings of this study provide valuable information, which can inform scaled-up investigations into the role of placements in developing an expanded, more stable and culturally respectful rural workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]