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Article
Publication date: 24 June 2004

Ralph Biddington

There have been a number of studies of church‐state relations and the place of religion in education in nineteenth and early twentieth century Victoria. However, these studies…

Abstract

There have been a number of studies of church‐state relations and the place of religion in education in nineteenth and early twentieth century Victoria. However, these studies, including J. S. Gregory’s authoritative Church and State, offer no significant discussion of Rationalism. This is somewhat surprising, since Gregory’s influential earlier discussion of church, state and education up to 1872 had included a few paragraphs on Rationalism. It is even more surprising that it was overlooked in Gregory’s later and larger study, which extends to the early twentieth century, since Rationalism was by then a much more powerful force. A consequence of this omission, together with the general shift of scholarly interest away from the church‐state issue, is that little is known about Rationalism and its approach to church‐state relations in the period when, arguably, it was a force to be reckoned with. This article helps correct this omission, first, by examining the development of Rationalism in Victoria up to the early 1900s, and second, by exploring its successful campaign against the Protestant attempt to install a divinity degree at the University of Melbourne.

Details

History of Education Review, vol. 33 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0819-8691

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 July 2023

Daria Soldatenko, Elisa Zentveld and Damian Morgan

To succeed in a competitive tourist market and attract more foreign tourists, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what travellers are seeking and endeavour to meet…

Abstract

Purpose

To succeed in a competitive tourist market and attract more foreign tourists, it is essential to have a clear understanding of what travellers are seeking and endeavour to meet those needs, as well as key influential factors in their travel decision-making process. The purpose of the study is to develop and examine tourists’ pre-trip motivational model using the push–pull theory.

Design/methodology/approach

A tourists’ pre-trip motivational model was developed and then tested based on a sample of 320 Chinese and non-Chinese visitors to Melbourne, Australia, to assess the suitability of the new model. Data were analysed by descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, such as principal component analysis and independent T-tests.

Findings

The analysis revealed statistically significant differences between studied samples in terms of the push and pull factors. In comparison with non-Chinese tourists, Chinese visitors to Melbourne assigned higher importance to resting and relaxing opportunities, family-oriented activities, as well as safety and a high level of service. The identified differences should be reflected in marketing and promotional activities provided to Chinese and non-Chinese travellers.

Practical implications

The study provides useful information for Destination Marketing Organisations in tourism cities wanting to develop specifically customised tourist products, services and promotion programs tailored to each market.

Originality/value

The proposed extended push–pull model represents a holistic and complex model of the travel decision-making process with the multiple linkages between motivations for travelling, preferences of destination attributes, information source usage, trip expectations, possible constraints for travelling and evaluation of destination choice criteria. Understanding all these factors, their relationship and their influence on the final destination choice is a prerequisite for effective and successful actions on attraction and retention of visitors for all tourist destinations. The developed tourists’ pre-trip motivational model may be used as a conceptual framework to guide subsequent motivational studies in tourism.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 May 2023

Ali Ghanem and Ruwini Edirisinghe

This paper takes a prudent approach to assessing the quality of greenspace in low- and high socio-economic status (SES) settings. Socio-economic data from deprivation indexes were…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper takes a prudent approach to assessing the quality of greenspace in low- and high socio-economic status (SES) settings. Socio-economic data from deprivation indexes were used to systematically define low- and high-SES suburbs. A Geographical Information System (GIS) observation of greenspaces was used to score spaces according to a scoring criterion contingent on six quality facets. Statistics were then synthesised, producing a Cohen effect score highlighting disparities in each criterion between the two SES groups.

Design/methodology/approach

As the phenomena of locational prejudice and meritocratic inequality continue to garner global attention, this paper extrapolates this to a world-renown metropolis, Melbourne. This paper endeavours to provide invaluable insights into the environmental injustice paradigm within greenspace and its respective quality.

Findings

Conclusive results affirmed a concerning disparity in the quality of greenspace between Melbourne's low- and high-SES settings. Cohen's effect size found that on average, there was a “medium” distinction between the spaces, whilst an individual focus on the quality facets concluded diverse findings.

Research limitations/implications

The core of study adopted a meticulous virtual assessment to critique the quality of selected greenspaces opposed to an in-person-real world assessment which could garner more nuanced findings.

Originality/value

Existing literature on Melbourne has prioritised distribution, proximity and accessibility domains when assessing inequitable greenspace and, consequently, has catalysed a research gap in greenspace quality. This is also one of the first papers to provide insight into the “Plan Melbourne” policy regarding urban regeneration and ameliorating public open spaces.

Details

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6099

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 August 2022

Ean Zou Teoh, Wei-Chuen Yau, Thian Song Ong and Tee Connie

This study aims to develop a regression-based machine learning model to predict housing price, determine and interpret factors that contribute to housing prices using different…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a regression-based machine learning model to predict housing price, determine and interpret factors that contribute to housing prices using different data sets available publicly. The significant determinants that affect housing prices will be first identified by using multinomial logistics regression (MLR) based on the level of relative importance. A comprehensive study is then conducted by using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis to examine the features that cause the major changes in housing prices.

Design/methodology/approach

Predictive analytics is an effective way to deal with uncertainties in process modelling and improve decision-making for housing price prediction. The focus of this paper is two-fold; the authors first apply regression analysis to investigate how well the housing independent variables contribute to the housing price prediction. Two data sets are used for this study, namely, Ames Housing dataset and Melbourne Housing dataset. For both the data sets, random forest regression performs the best by achieving an average R2 of 86% for the Ames dataset and 85% for the Melbourne dataset, respectively. Second, multinomial logistic regression is adopted to investigate and identify the factor determinants of housing sales price. For the Ames dataset, the authors find that the top three most significant factor variables to determine the housing price is the general living area, basement size and age of remodelling. As for the Melbourne dataset, properties having more rooms/bathrooms, larger land size and closer distance to central business district (CBD) are higher priced. This is followed by a comprehensive analysis on how these determinants contribute to the predictability of the selected regression model by using explainable SHAP values. These prominent factors can be used to determine the optimal price range of a property which are useful for decision-making for both buyers and sellers.

Findings

By using the combination of MLR and SHAP analysis, it is noticeable that general living area, basement size and age of remodelling are the top three most important variables in determining the house’s price in the Ames dataset, while properties with more rooms/bathrooms, larger land area and closer proximity to the CBD or to the South of Melbourne are more expensive in the Melbourne dataset. These important factors can be used to estimate the best price range for a housing property for better decision-making.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of this study is that the distribution of the housing prices is highly skewed. Although it is normal that the properties’ price is normally cluttered at the lower side and only a few houses are highly price. As mentioned before, MLR can effectively help in evaluating the likelihood ratio of each variable towards these categories. However, housing price is originally continuous, and there is a need to convert the price to categorical type. Nonetheless, the most effective method to categorize the data is still questionable.

Originality/value

The key point of this paper is the use of explainable machine learning approach to identify the prominent factors of housing price determination, which could be used to determine the optimal price range of a property which are useful for decision-making for both the buyers and sellers.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 16 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 August 2013

Damith Thushara Woods, Cathy Catroppa, Senem Eren, Celia Godfrey and Vicki A. Anderson

The purpose of this paper is to review and summarise a small but growing body of literature demonstrating that by embedding intervention within a family context offers the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review and summarise a small but growing body of literature demonstrating that by embedding intervention within a family context offers the greatest promise of success in working with families caring for a child with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design/methodology/approach

The approach takes the form of a literature review.

Findings

The current family-centred evidence-based research indicates the potential benefits for the delivery of family focused interventions following childhood TBI.

Originality/value

The paper adds to the paediatric TBI literature as being of the few papers to incorporate a number of novel family-centred behavioural interventions into the one review paper.

Details

Social Care and Neurodisability, vol. 4 no. 3/4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-0919

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 September 2014

Kate Darian-Smith and Nikki Henningham

The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of vocational education for girls, focusing on how curriculum and pedagogy developed to accommodate changing expectations…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of vocational education for girls, focusing on how curriculum and pedagogy developed to accommodate changing expectations of the role of women in the workplace and the home in mid-twentieth century Australia. As well as describing how pedagogical changes were implemented through curriculum, it examines the way a modern approach to girls’ education was reflected in the built environment of the school site and through its interactions with its changing community.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper takes a case study approach, focusing on the example of the J.H. Boyd Domestic College which functioned as a single-sex school for girls from 1932 until its closure in 1985. Oral history testimony, private archives, photographs and government school records provide the material from which an understanding of the school is reconstructed.

Findings

This detailed examination of the history of J.H. Boyd Domestic College highlights the highly integrated nature of the school's environment with the surrounding community, which strengthened links between the girls and their community. It also demonstrates how important the school's buildings and facilities were to contemporary ideas about the teaching of girls in a vocational setting.

Originality/value

This is the first history of J.H. Boyd Domestic College to examine the intersections of gendered, classed ideas about pedagogy with ideas about the appropriate built environment for the teaching of domestic science. The contextualized approach sheds new light on domestic science education in Victoria and the unusually high quality of the learning spaces available for girls’ education.

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2014

Damith T. Woods, Cathy Catroppa, Celia Godfrey and Vicki A. Anderson

Where no psychosocial or interventional support is provided, children with acquired brain injury (ABI) are at significant risk of serious long-term behavioural and social…

Abstract

Purpose

Where no psychosocial or interventional support is provided, children with acquired brain injury (ABI) are at significant risk of serious long-term behavioural and social difficulties. The purpose of this paper is to report the six- and 18-month long-term treatment effects of a family centred behavioural intervention to help families manage and prevent challenging behaviours in children following ABI.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 31 parents were followed up at three time points (post-intervention, 6 and 18 months) after participating in an ABI adapted manualised “Signposts for Building Better Behaviour” programme (Hudson et al., 2003).

Findings

Attrition rates were highest amongst families caring for a child with mild ABI. The maintenance of treatment effects were detailed for those families who reported a reduction in challenging behaviour immediately post-intervention. There were no significant elevations in challenging child behaviour, maladaptive parenting, or family dysfunction for any participants over the long-term follow-up. Irrespective of injury severity, parents reported high levels of satisfaction and efficacy in the parenting role at 18 months post-intervention.

Originality/value

“Signposts” has further demonstrated its clinical viability by meeting the needs of parents who have a child with ABI in both the short- and longer-term.

Details

Social Care and Neurodisability, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-0919

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2011

Christopher Selvarajah and Eryadi K. Masli

This paper aims to review the concept of clustering and to examine both mature and newly evolved natural ethnic entrepreneurial business clusters in Melbourne, Australia.

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review the concept of clustering and to examine both mature and newly evolved natural ethnic entrepreneurial business clusters in Melbourne, Australia.

Design/methodology/approach

Phenomenological methodology was employed in this research. This qualitative research technique examines life experiences in an effort to understand and give them meaning. This method is seen to be appropriate as the study is investigative and explores the historical development, maintenance and growth of ethnic entrepreneurship clusters.

Findings

Box Hill has evolved into a second Chinatown in Melbourne through natural ethnic entrepreneurial business cluster. The key features of these entrepreneurs are high educational and professional competence; focus on hard work and persistence; independence and sense of freedom as the key driving force; maintaining cultural linkage with countries of origin; almost no assistance from government agencies; succession or exit is not a major issue; and strong belief in providing employment and making a contribution to society.

Practical implications

The ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs in Box Hill as well as in CBD Melbourne's Chinatown and the Chinese community at large realize that they needed to be socially participative and politically active. Through active participation in local politics, the ethnic community members are able to improve and provide more services and facilities to the community. As a result, the cluster becomes bigger and serves better the social needs of the community members, ethnic as well as non‐ethnic group members.

Originality/value

There is a paucity of literature on ethnic entrepreneurial business clusters that seem to be a growing feature of many cities such as Melbourne, Sydney, Vancouver, Los Angeles and other cities in the western hemisphere. This paper investigates this phenomenon in Melbourne.

Details

Journal of Asia Business Studies, vol. 5 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1558-7894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Hilde T. Remøy and Sara J. Wilkinson

The City of Melbourne seeks to retrofit 1,200 CBD properties by 2020 as part of the strategy to become carbon neutral, whilst Amsterdam aims to cut CO2 emissions 40 per cent by…

3013

Abstract

Purpose

The City of Melbourne seeks to retrofit 1,200 CBD properties by 2020 as part of the strategy to become carbon neutral, whilst Amsterdam aims to cut CO2 emissions 40 per cent by 2025. Oversupply in the Amsterdam office market makes conversion to residential use viable. In examining converted buildings in Amsterdam and the Melbourne CBD typical attributes of converted stock can be identified to target retrofit measures. This paper seeks to focus on these initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

In Amsterdam five case studies were undertaken to reveal and define building attributes that explain the viability of these conversions. On the other hand, the Melbourne study was based on a database assembled containing all Melbourne CBD office building adaptations carried out between 1998 and 2008. The research analysed the conversion of office buildings and the scope for sustainable retrofit evaluating a limited number of attributes known to be important in adaptation.

Findings

The outcomes of this research showed similarities and differences in scope, which are relevant to all urban areas where adaptation of office buildings can mitigate the impacts of climate change and enhance a city for another generation of citizens and users.

Practical implications

The outcomes highlight the property attributes that explain conversion viability and that are most strongly associated with conversions. In addition the research identifies some sustainability measures that are possible with this type of stock.

Originality/value

The paper compares and contrasts qualitative data from a small sample of buildings in Amsterdam with quantitative data from a census of all change of use adaptations in Melbourne from 1998 to 2008. The contrasting approaches make it possible both to explain the driving forces of adaptations and to deliver statistical evidence of what is described in the case studies. Despite the differing approaches it is possible to compare and contrast the attributes of properties from both cities.

Details

Property Management, vol. 30 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2014

Maria Ftanou, Anna Machlin, Angela Nicholas, Kylie King, Justine Fletcher, Carol Harvey and Jane Pirkis

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness and relevance of the Mental Health Professional Online Development (MHPOD) training package in further developing the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness and relevance of the Mental Health Professional Online Development (MHPOD) training package in further developing the skills in mental health and recovery-informed practice of the Australian non-government community mental health workforce. MHPOD is an evidence-based, self-paced, online learning resource that consists of 58 mental health topics.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 349 e-learners were recruited from seven non-government community mental health services across Australia. E-learners were invited to complete up to twelve online surveys, a baseline survey, a topic completion survey for each completed topic, and a follow-up survey towards the end of the pilot.

Findings

The majority of e-learners indicated that MHPOD was useful for professional development and relevant to their current employment. E-learners identified that MHPOD led to significant improvement in their knowledge and confidence in their ability. A number of enabling factors such as managerial and organizational supports, technical supports and up-to-date and relevant content materials need to be present for the successful implementation of online programs such as MHPOD.

Originality/value

Online training packages such MHPOD that a relatively easy to use are helpful in developing knowledge, and confidence in the skills of the mental health workforce. The evaluation findings suggest that MHPOD is a relevant and appropriate training tool for the non-government community mental health sector within Australia.

Details

The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-6228

Keywords

21 – 30 of over 17000