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Block mode delivery is widely practised in higher education institutions across the world. It is popular at postgraduate level, such as in business and management fields, but is less common at undergraduate level, especially for studio design teaching. There is a lack of literature on the block mode delivery for studio design teaching. The aim of this paper is to identify the favourable attributes and challenges of the block mode delivery for studio design teaching through the analysis of three undergraduate design studio units at an Australian university as case studies. Students' written feedback of studying these three units were collected and reviewed to evaluate strategies for enhancing student engagement. Challenges of block teaching to students and staff are discussed. The findings suggest that there are various ways to engage with students for active learning in block teaching, which are valuable for curriculum design and continuous improvement.

Problem gambling can significantly affect the lives of concerned significant others (CSOs) of problem gamblers, especially family members, but little is known about their help-seeking activities and experiences. This paper explores help-seeking by CSOs of problem gamblers and their related motivators and barriers. A telephone interview was administered to 48 CSOs who called an Australian gambling helpline seeking assistance for themselves and/or a person with gambling problems. Key motivators for seeking help (through helplines, non-professional sources, and self-help measures) were concerns the gambling might become a major problem, negative emotions, problems maintaining normal daily activities, concerns for dependents' welfare, and health concerns. Barriers included wanting to solve the problem on their own, and shame. Findings highlight the need to better equip CSOs to assist both the person with gambling problems towards treatment and recovery and to protect their own physical, emotional, social and financial wellbeing.

Against a background of public health, we sought to examine and explain gambling behaviours, motivations and consequences of Indigenous Australians in northern New South Wales. Adhering to national Aboriginal and ethical guidelines and using qualitative methods, 169 Indigenous Australians were interviewed individually and in small groups using semi-structured interviews. Over 100 in-depth interviews were conducted. Using thematic analysis, the results indicate a range of contrasting social and more problematic gambling behaviours, motivations and consequences. Acknowledging the cultural distinctiveness of Indigenous gambling and distinguishing between their social and more problematic gambling behaviours, motivations and consequences can assist with public health prevention, harm reduction and treatment programs for Indigenous gamblers in all parts of Australia.

Governments now recognise gambling as a social and public health issue that invites a collaborative approach to responsible gambling and help-seeking involving the gambling industry, gambling help agencies and the wider community. In this paper, we report on findings from interviews with 23 counsellors working in Queensland Gambling Help agencies in Australia based on their own and their clients' experiences of the processes and practices involved in help seeking in gaming venues. An aim of this study was to establish how venues interact with local gambling help agencies to provide assistance to patrons with gambling problems and the way that venue staff respond. It identified gaps in relevant staff skills and responsible gambling training, particularly the barriers to providing appropriate assistance to problem gamblers, and best practice examples. The barriers to seeking assistance included: patrons feeling shame; issues of confidentiality; and lack of awareness of help available at gaming venues.

Nearly a quarter of a million of Australia's ageing population live in residential aged care facilities. Given the growing ageing population in Australia, it is important to understand the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of these settings in consideration of not only measurable IEQ data but also senior occupants' perceived comfort for their health and wellbeing. In this research, a residential aged care facility was selected in Victoria, Australia, as a case study to examine these relationships across different seasons. IEQ monitoring devices were deployed for continuous and instantaneous data collection on site. Questionnaires and personal interviews were also conducted across three user groups (residents, staff and visitors) to establish an understanding of the users' perceptions. This study found the existence of a gap between measurable and perceptual IEQ according to the building configuration and occupancy as well as the user lifestyle and activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Leaders in the physical therapy profession have identified a global need for high-quality postprofessional physical therapist (PT) education. However, the educational needs and realities for busy practicing PTs have yet to be identified. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to provide information to assist institutions around the world in designing appropriate postprofessional education programs for PTs. Methods. The study sample consisted of 10 years of alumni from a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in the United States of America (USA) and 7 years of alumni from an equivalent DPT program in Australia (AUS). Data were collected via survey and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and phenomenological analysis. Results. Approximately 10% of participants from each country had completed a formal postprofessional education program. More recent graduates in both groups reported the greatest interest in postprofessional education. Both groups showed high interest in returning to their alma maters, utilizing a hybrid learning format, and participating in international collaborations. Orthopedics and musculoskeletal were the specialty areas of greatest interest in the USA and AUS, respectively. Barriers to pursuing postprofessional education identified by both groups were cost and lack of access/locations. Focus group participants identified access to a mentor and increased recognition as important aspects of postprofessional education. Discussion and Conclusion. Universal interest in, and barriers to, postprofessional physical therapy education exists worldwide. Offering hybrid education including international collaboration and mentoring targeted at recent graduates may be effective in meeting the needs of busy PTs. Institutions looking to establish successful postprofessional education programs should take cost, access, time, and area of study into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study examines gambling and problem gambling among gaming venue staff and provides a quantitative analysis that is directly comparable to the general population. A sample of 511 staff from casinos, hotels, and clubs in Queensland, Australia completed a questionnaire. Results indicate that employees exceed the average for gambling participation, regular gambling, and usual gambling duration for every type of gambling for which comparisons could be made. Problem gambling rates amongst staff were 9.6 times higher than for the Queensland population. Problem and moderate-risk gamblers were typically males who worked around gambling facilities and assisted patrons with gambling. A substantial proportion of problem and moderate-risk gamblers report increasing their gambling since commencing work. These results are of interest, given the importance of understanding how exposure interacts with gambling behaviour, of debates about the nature of this interaction, and of industry-based responsible gambling policies that particularly focus on gaming venue employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships between organizations sharing the same domain (such as a marketplace) can take the form of competition, cooperation, coexistence, or a combination of such. An article previously published in Tourism, Culture & Communication suggested that competition and cooperation are mutually exclusive. That is, business organizations cannot simultaneously compete and cooperate. This critique from Leiper, Lamont, and Hing critically discusses the notions of "competition" and "cooperation," and presents evidence supporting a contention that business organizations commonly compete and cooperate on a concurrent basis. This review also seeks to clarify the notion of industrial cooperation by identifying and discussing two forms of industrial cooperation: intraindustry, and interindustry. The importance of both intraindustry and interindustry cooperation in understanding the structure of tourism industries is also highlighted. Readers should note that this article was initially composed as a counterargument paper (and almost completed!!) by Professor Neil Leiper in his study on the east coast of Australia. The article has been read as an "'in progress" work by Lamont and Hing, who had worked closely with Professor Leiper over recent years. Lamont and Hing have sought to work with precision to retain and strengthen the core ideas of their colleague, Professor Leiper. In certain places, they have drawn on their long knowledge of the Leiper manifesto for relevant and strategic Tourism Management/Tourism Development decision making to round off the interpretations that Professor Leiper was in process of finalizing at his untimely passing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated levels of implementation and perceptions of adequacy of the voluntary Queensland Responsible Gambling Code of Practice with thirty managers and staff in selected casinos, hotels and licensed clubs in three regions in Queensland. This particular paper examines those factors that act as facilitators of, and impediments to, implementation of the Code and reflects on how organization size has influenced implementation of the Code. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, venues with small gaming installations had a lower implementation rate (56%) of the Code's practices than venues with large gaming installations (85%). Facilitators included: adequate staff training and education; industry association membership; understanding of the philosophy of the Code; appropriate support materials; legislative overlap; prior experience with responsible gambling; regular audits; and links to community support networks. In contrast, impediments included: high staff turnover; managerial apathy; remote location; and being a busy small business manager. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies of problem Internet gamblers have failed to distinguish whether their problem gambling relates to Internet or land-based gambling modes. Therefore, characteristics and help-seeking behaviors of people whose gambling problems relate specifically to Internet gambling are unknown, but could inform the optimal alignment of treatment and support services with the needs and preferences of problem gamblers. Objective: This study aimed to compare (1) characteristics of problem Internet gamblers and problem land-based gamblers and (2) uptake of different types and modes of help between problem Internet gamblers and problem land-based gamblers. Hypothesis 1 was that problem Internet gamblers are less likely to seek help. Hypothesis 2 was that problem Internet gamblers are more likely to use online modes of help. Methods: A sample of 620 respondents meeting criteria for problem gambling was drawn from an online survey of 4594 Australian gamblers. Respondents were recruited through advertisements on gambling and gambling help websites, Facebook, and Google. Measures consisted of gambling participation; proportion of gambling on the Internet; most problematic mode of gambling; help seeking from 11 different sources of formal help, informal help, and self-help for gambling problems; psychological distress (Kessler 6); problem gambling severity (Problem Gambling Severity Index, PGSI); and demographics. Results: Problem Internet gamblers were significantly more likely than problem land-based gamblers to be male (χ21=28.3, P<.001, φ=0.21), younger (t616.33=4.62, P<.001, d=0.37), have lower psychological distress (χ21=5.4, P=.02, φ=0.09), and experience problems with sports and race wagering (χ24=228.5, P<.001, φ=0.61). Uptake of help was significantly lower among problem Internet compared to problem land-based gamblers (χ21=6.9, P<.001, φ=0.11), including from face-to-face services, gambling helplines, online groups, self-exclusion from land-based venues, family or friends, and self-help strategies. Both problem Internet and problem land-based gamblers had similarly low use of online help. However, problem land-based gamblers (37.6%, 126/335) were significantly more likely to have sought land-based formal help compared to problem Internet gamblers (23.5%, 67/285; χ21=14.3, P<.001, φ=0.15). Conclusions: The findings suggest that more targeted and innovative efforts may be needed to increase use of gambling help by problem Internet gamblers. Alternatively, their lower PGSI and K6 scores suggest Internet problem gamblers may have less need for gambling-related help. This is the first known study to classify problem Internet gamblers as those whose problem gambling specifically relates to Internet gambling. Further research is needed to better understand why help-seeking rates are lower among Internet problem gamblers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]