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Objectives: This study investigates the effectiveness of Building Resilience in Transcultural Australians (BRiTA Futures) for Adolescents, a strengths-based group intervention developed to build the resilience of culturally and linguistically diverse adolescents who experience acculturation in the context of their migration and resettlement journey. Methods: The present study examined the effectiveness of the intervention using qualitative and quantitative procedures. Two hundred and twenty-nine participants (age range 12–20 years) took part in the intervention, offered to them in 3 formats (weekly, over 4 weeks or 2–3 full days). They completed pre and post questionnaires measuring wellbeing and resilience associated with acculturation processes. The participants as well as the facilitators of the intervention completed open-ended questionnaires about the process and short-term impact of the intervention. Results: A series of analyses of variances indicated an overall improvement in participants' wellbeing and resilience associated with the acculturation process. However, this improvement was not influenced by the format of the intervention, gender, visa status (refugee versus migrant), or duration of stay in Australia. Conclusions: The qualitative data highlighted new skills learned by the participants as well areas for further improvements. The application of the intervention in school and community settings is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper describes a study which explored students' responses and reactions to a web-based environment supporting problem-based learning. The study was undertaken among undergraduate students in an Australian university. The findings revealed that while the majority of the students saw value to be gained from learning in a student-centred and collaborative setting, many expressed a preference for learning in the more conventional teacher-directed forms. The study also sought to explore the potential of the environment to develop problem-solving skills and to determine factors which impeded students' success and achievement. The results did not demonstrate any discernible development of problem-solving skills despite students' extensive experience and participation in problem-solving activities. The findings have suggested a number of important factors missing in the implemented setting including an organising strategy to aid students in the problem-solving process and adequate feedback to ensure reflection among the learners on the quality of the solutions they were developing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]