This thesis reports on aspects of a large observational study of writing lessons in a range of ACT primary classrooms. The observational study followed students at risk of failure, who had made literacy gains through the Scaffolding Literacy pedagogy developed at the Schools and Community Centre, with a view to investigating their subsequent interactions in mainstream writing classrooms. This thesis is concerned with the extent to which teaching in these classrooms supported the children?s access to literate discourse. In order to ascertain the pedagogic antecedents of the lessons, this study focuses on the section of the lessons prior to children being asked to write. It explores two areas of preparation for writing: the first regarding building of the field of enquiry (what to write about); the second, the extent to which children are shown how to write an appropriate text. The study proposes a level of explicitness that delivers a fine degree of knowledge about language while supporting students who might otherwise be disadvantaged in the classroom. The analysis in this study attempts to categorise the different kinds of interactions within the discourse of representative lessons by applying a framework for the pedagogic register of writing lessons proposed by Christie (1991, 2002) with particular reference to convergence of instructional and regulative registers. It was found that convergence alone was insufficient to ?Patricia Bennett 4 provide explicitness in teaching. However, when convergence was combined with a particular form of classroom interaction as developed in Scaffolding Literacy pedagogy a high degree of explicitness was made available to promote learning. Little effective preparation for writing was found in classrooms dominated by ?whole language? orientations, especially where writing lessons were based on personal experience. However, use of literate texts provided more powerful access than personal experience to effective writing. The most productive classroom teaching resulted from building shared experience based on a model text which itself provided the resources for the teaching of writing. The study raises questions about the importance of access to literate language when teaching writing and the role of constructive, purposeful questioning to build the knowledge of field as well as modelling features of language necessary for children to produce their own written texts.

It is generally assumed that increased map precision (ie map unit homogeneity) and map purity (map unit accuracy) should result from increasing the scale of mapping of the soil resource, since it should enable a more intricate breakdown of the landscape into landform facet based units. This study compared the predictive success of a 1:10K scale soil association map with the 1:25K and 1:lOOK scale soil landscape maps within the Birrigai area of the Paddy's river catchment, south west of Canberra, A.C.T. The 1:25K and the 1:lOOK scale soil landscape maps were also evaluated in a second larger evaluation area in the Paddy's river catchment which allowed more of the larger soil landscape map units to be evaluated. The 1:25K scale soil map was produced by another author for the A.C.T Government, and was surveyed at a substantially lower survey intensity than that for the 1:lOOK and 1:10K scale soil maps (ie only 0.05 observation sites / cm2 of published map). These maps were evaluated using a set of randomly located independent evaluation sites in each evaluation area, and from these calculating and comparing standard Marsman & de Gruijter(1986) measures of Map Purity. The strength of soil-landscape relationships within this catchment were determined from a Fixed One Way Analysis of Variance, and from more simplistic graphical comparisons of the means and standard deviations of the discrete soil data within these landform based map units. Soil-landscape relationships for the Nominal scale soil data (ie class type data) were evaluated by comparing the Marsman & de Gruijter(1986) Homogeneity index ratings among the soil map units. Intensive survey traverses were also carried out in selected soil landscapes to further evaluate the strength of soil landscapes present. The results revealed obvious improvements in map quality associated with increasing map scale from 1:100,000 to 1:10,000, and these included increases in the predictive success (Map Purity), reductions in the extent of map unit impurities, and planning advantages associated with having individual land facets delineated on the 1:10,000 scale map. The respectable purity ratings achieved by the 1:100,000 scale soil landscape map (ie average purity rating of 63%) was largely attributed to the flexibility of the "soil material" approach to soil landscape mapping. The relatively poor performance of the 1:25K consultancy soil landscape map demonstrated the fact that; any benefit gained from the improved intricacy in the representation of map unit delineation's with increased mapping scale, will be drastically reduced if it is not matched by an associated increase in the intensity of field investigations. Evaluations of the soil-landscape relationships found that the land facets of the Paddy's river catchment generally failed to delineate areas that were both uniform and unique in respect of their soil properties. Soil-landscape relationships were instead found to be quite complex, applying to only certain land facets, and in regards to only certain soil properties. Soil maps with units based on landsurface features were recommended on the basis of the importance of other landscape factors other than soils to land capability ratings, as well as on the useability of such maps. This study recommended the adoption of a" >2 detailed soil profile observations / land facet in each map unit" mapping standard to ensure a reasonable estimate of the variability and modal soil conditions present, as well as a reliable confirmation of the perceived soil-landscape relationships. The error usually associated with small scale mapping was effectively reduced by rapid ground truthing, involving driving along the major roads dissecting the map area and making brief observations of soil exposures on road batters, despite the bias of the road network making such mapping improvements uneven across the map. The major point to come from this study was the re-emphasising of the point that soil spatial variability has to be accepted as a "real landscape attribute" which needs to be accurately described and communicated to land users, and must not be considered as some sort of soil mapping failure. The fact that individual facets of the landscape rarely coincide with unique pockets of uniform and unique soils and soil properties must be considered simply an on the ground reality of nature, and not some mapping failure. It was thought that since other landscape factors (eg hillslope gradient) most often dominate the determination of land use suitability and capability, it is better to effectively describe the range and modal state of the soil conditions within such facets, then to attempt to extrapolate possible soil boundaries using geostatistical techniques which cut across such land facets, and mayor may not correlate with real groupings of soil properties, depending on the spatial resolution of the soil variability distribution in the landscape. Even so the results of this investigation do put the validity of the physiographic terrain class mapping model as a predictor of soil traits under question, at least for the more complex landscape settings.

From a philosophical and historical analysis of education in Australia since World War II and consideration of the research into school effectiveness and community expectations of education, a concept of "excellence" was derived: "Excellence in education" in its various institutionalised forms describes a state where there is a community perception that worthwhile goals have been formulated, attempts are made to achieve those goals using appropriately defined processes and that those goals are being achieved to the satisfaction of community members. It was also asserted that because of the diversity introduced into Australian society by sociocultural, economic and political developments since World War II, "excellence in education" may take many forms. This demands diversity in schooling so that these different forms of excellence may be achieved. This "excellence" was seen to be a relative concept rather than an absolute one. Information was collected from six primary schools from both the government and non-govenunent sectors of the ACT, using swey instruments, interviews and document analysis. This information related to the perceptions of the family, staff and student sectors of these schools about the importance and achievement of various factors in the areas of goals and philosophy, curriculum, teaching and learning practices, general organisation and school atmosphere. The study found that, while these schools, all being concerned with the education of primary school children in the same local and national context, exhibited certain common elements, they also demonstrated a variety of other features in a variety of combinations, giving each school a distinctive profile. Moreover, these school communities each judged their particular school being "Excellent" and "meeting expectations", and yet were accepting of some discrepancy between what they considered ideal and what was actually achieved. Thus it was shown that excellence in education is a relative concept in the ACT, if not in contemporary Australian society as a whole.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of communication between the Operations branch, the Student Services Section and High School Learning Centres within the Services Division of the ACT Department of Education. Data was collected from administrators and educators alike. The survey instrument was designed specifically to examine the perception of the effectiveness of organisational communication between the bureaucratic administrative group within the ACT Department Education Department and the personnel within the ACT High Schools Learning Centres responsible for service delivery to students in Learning Centres. The survey instrument addressed five factors. These factors included Horizontal and Vertical Communication, Personal Feedback, Media Quality and Barriers to Communication. The findings from the survey were organised into six major findings and four subsidiary findings and discussion on each finding followed. The findings of the study indicated that, effective co-ordination in a large organisation requires some centralized direction. The relationship that exists between the three organisational domains of the Act Department of Education responsible for the delivery of effective service to Learning Centre clients in ACT High Schools had been shown to be an impersonal mechanism of control designed by the Policy and Management domains in part, and a culturally diffuse but personal mechanism of control used by the Service domain personnel within the Learning Centres themselves. What has emerged from the study is evidence that would suggest that there is lack of an effective link between the more bureaucratic Policy and Management domains and the more open and less formal Service domain sector. The findings have implications for the bureaucrats involved in the change process which has been part of regionalisation. The findings of the study indicate that regionalisation does not appear to provide a panacea for the major difficulties associated with communication as revealed in this study.

The purpose of this research was to discover the extent to which practising registered nurses in the ACT undertake physical assessment. It was also organized to discover the perceived reasons why, in appropriate instances, it was not undertaken and the extent to which certain variables may have influenced its practice or non-practice. It was directed also at discovering the extent to which the practising registered nurse would be prepared to undertake workshops on the subject, so that, if appropriate, a core of registered nurses could be provided to act as the role-models and to create the necessary learning environment in the ACT hospitals and agencies where most of the Canberra College's graduates would find employment. Since the first undergraduate course in nursing was introduced in the tertiary sector, nurse academics have placed significant emphasis on the teaching of the nursing process. It is within the first phase of this process, the assessment phase, that the physical assessment of the patient/client is conducted. Discussions with practising registered nurses and observations, led to some uncertainty as to the extent to which physical assessment was actually being used. A review of the literature showed that no investigation of the matter had been reported in the Australian literature. It was, therefore, proposed to make good this deficiency and to resolve any uncertainty about the extent of use of physical assessment in the ACT. This study was restricted to registered nurses in the ACT where all beginning nurses are educated at the CCAE with a curriculum which includes a comprehensive study of physical assessment. Even so, it is recognized that such studies will only reach a beginning level of competency. In order to ensure that the graduates of these courses extend their competency in physical assessment they need to be able to use these skills in every day nursing practice. This research, therefore, was conducted using a questionnaire which incorporated questions about the use of 36 physical assessment skills. The survey, on a onetime participation basis, was conducted for all registered nurses rostered on a fortnightly period in April 1987. A 66.7% response rate was achieved. The responses were analyzed and the findings, results and recommendations are included in the appropriate sections of this thesis.

An association between persistent Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in women and cervical cancer has been established. Young women are particularly at risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections such as HPV because of risky sexual activity and physiological immaturity. While at risk though, young women have been shown to be amenable to health promoting initiatives. There are a small number of international studies concerning adolescent HPV infection and the risk factors associated with infection, but there is currently no evidence on the prevalence and risk factors for HPV in an Australian, sexually active female adolescent population. This study aimed to provide evidence of the prevalence of HPV, risk factors associated with infection and the patterns of sexual activity in a female sexually active, senior high school population in the Australian Capital Territory. Participants in this study were a convenience sample of 161 sexually active 16-19 year old females who had an HPV test who were attending a senior high school in the Australian Capital Territory. Nurses and doctors using a clinical record collected information about sexual and other risk behaviours. Self-obtained vaginal swabs were tested for HPV DNA using the polymerase chain reaction method and genotyping was undertaken. The HPV prevalence in this cohort of young women was 1 1.2%. High-risk genotypes were found in 55.5% and multiple genotypes were found in 38.8%. There was a significant association found between HPV infection and having had more than one male partner with whom vaginal intercourse had occurred in the previous six months. No statistically significant association was found between HPV and the age of coitarche, length of time young women had been sexually active, condom use, and smoking or alcohol intake. A young age at coitarche was common for this group. Smoking and alcohol use was seen in large proportions in this group. This is the first Australian study that has examined the prevalence and risk factors for genital HPV in this demographic group. The HPV prevalence is lower than in international studies in comparable groups, in similar age groups and much lower than in older women both in Australia and overseas. With the comparatively low prevalence comes an opportunity for important public health interventions for this group including routine Pap smears, vaccination against the high-risk types of HPV when this becomes available and strategies for young women to reduce their number of male sexual partners. A substantial amount of young women in this study were sexually active aged under 16 years. Whilst this was not identified as being a risk factor in this study, it is both a health and personal safety issue for these young women. There is a demonstrated need for health promotion strategies for this cohort about the consumption of safe levels of alcohol and for smoking cessation. Further research is recommended that includes a repetition of this study with a larger sample, the use of a prospective study design to identify trends in infection and examination of HPV prevalence and risk factors for a variety of populations.

This study looks at factors relating to the noncompletion of units of study by students in a secondary college. It is aimed at providing information for decision-makers at Erindale College specifically in the area of course counselling. Administrators and counsellors at other colleges should also find the information of value. The study compared a sample of students who completed all their chosen units of study in one semester with all students who did not complete all of their chosen units in that semester. The latter group consisted of those who withdrew from one or more units during the semester, those who left the college and those who were deemed "unassessable" as a result of poor attendance or nonsubmission of assessment items. All 362 students in the college were asked to complete a Baseline Questionnaire during Week 3 of Semester 1, 1985. This sought background information about reasons for enrolling at college, influences on their choice of units, future intentions, preferred ways of learning and other details. Students who withdrew from, or changed units during the semester were asked to complete a Change of Unit Survey and any leavers were asked to complete a Leaver's Survey. In Week 16 (May, 1985) all students still enrolled were asked to complete an End of Semester Questionnaire designed to enable comparisons of attitudes between those who completed all units and those who did not. The study looks at a number of characteristics of students and their attitudes to various aspects of learning, college life and choice of units of study. It attempts to look at factors that might affect the student's decision to complete or not complete a chosen unit of study. The factors considered were largely based upon studies of early school leavers. FINDINGS. 1. Students who do not complete units tend to have one or more of the following characteristics (significant at the 0.05 level): (a) do not enrol to gain tertiary entrance qualifications (b) enrol to improve their chances of getting a job (c) are not definitely seeking a tertiary entrance score (d) have no definite intention of completing Year 12 (e) have no firm intention of studying subjects in order to complete major or minor courses in them (f) are less likely to have a part-time job (g) by the end of the semester, are not happy with their marks in most units (h) finish the semester studying less than 3 T-units (i) continue into Semester 2 with 3 or more A-units and less than 3 T-units (j) do not consider their parents' wishes an important influence on the choice of units for Semester 2. In addition to these, one other finding of interest, with a significance of 0.055 (approx.), showed that noncompleters tend to come from a socio-economic background of parents who are either managers/employers/self-employed or manual-skilled workers (i.e. not professional or nonmanual/clerical). 2. No significant differences at the 0.05 level were found between males and females nor between Year 11 and Year 12 students in their tendency to complete units. 3. Students who change or withdraw from units give the following reasons (in rank order of frequency): - they are getting poor marks - they are unable to understand the work - they find the class activities uninteresting - they state that the content is not very relevant to their needs - the unit is not suited to their career plans. IMPLICATIONS. The implications for administrators at Erindale College are: 1. Students should be encouraged to formulate specific goals and develop a commitment to their education. 2. Students who are "at risk" need to be identified early and given tutorial assistance in units where they are having difficulty with understanding. 3. The curriculum must be kept under review in order to provide for the needs of all students.

This thesis examines the constitutional position in relation to those geographical areas over which the Commonwealth has sole power. These are the Territories, and Commonwealth places (over which, however, the States may retain some vestigial power). The thesis seeks to give a comprehensive account of the constitutional law concerning these heads of power. The thesis traces the tortuous history of the case law on the Territories, with its many instances of inconsistent decisions and dicta. In the words of a High Court Judge, Sir Douglas Menzies, the cases have "not resulted in a coherent body of doctrine". The problems have been particularly acute in regard to the exercise of judicial power, and they are compounded by the silence of the Constitution on some major issues concerning the Territories, such as the relationship between the 'Territories' power and the Constitution as a whole. The thesis' main contention is that, contrary to predominant doctrine, the constitutional position of the Territories and of Commonwealth places is federal, not 'disparate'. In this connection, several tenets are advanced: first, that the Constitution must be interpreted as a whole�that is, as a single instrument; secondly, that the Territories are an integral part of Australia, and their inhabitants, while not enjoying all the constitutional benefits of State residents, are full members of the Australian community; and thirdly, that there is no constitutional distinction to be drawn between different classes of Territory�thus, despite some contrary suggestions, there is no distinction between 'internal' and 'external' Territories or between Territories acquired from the States and Territories otherwise acquired. The thesis explores the particular difficulties, notably in the judicial sphere, that arise from the relevant case law, and it critically examines the cases against the text of the Constitution, as well as against the yardstick of those tenets. With regard to the Territories, the thesis analyses the constitutional topics of executive power and self-government. It considers particular issues concerning each of the three self-governing Territories, including the special status of the Australian Capital Territory as the federal "seat of government". In addition, the thesis looks at the constitutional position in the United States concerning Territories, federal enclaves and the American seat of government (the District of Columbia). The thesis draws a comparison between the American position and the corresponding position in Australia, and it critically considers the judicial interpretation, in both countries, of the constitutional grant to the federal legislature of exclusive, or sole, power over such geographical areas. This process assists an evaluation of the Australian position. The thesis concludes that, in some respects, the Australian case law has gone seriously astray, especially in treating the 'Territories' power as more or less separate from the rest of the Constitution. This judicial approach has led to a convoluted and confusing situation. Despite a degree of amelioration as a result of some more recent cases, the corrective process is by no means complete. The courts are hampered in their development of a "coherent body of doctrine" by the random way in which cases come before them, and it is unlikely that the position can be fully retrieved solely by judicial decisions. The thesis therefore proposes various reforms, and it sets out, in an appendix, proposed amendments of the Constitution. In addition to expounding and criticising the case law on the constitutional topics under discussion, the thesis reviews and, where appropriate, cites from the relevant legal literature. The thesis considers the Australian case law as decided down to the end of 2004.

Drug use and misuse by young people is a problem and concern in the Australian and Australian Capital Territory (ACT) communities. There are concerns regarding illicit and licit drugs but licit drug use has been identified as the major area of concern. Young people in the ACT reflect the drug use/misuse patterns and trends of other states. Commonly used drugs by young people are alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and analgesics. Strategies to address the problem of drug use/misuse by young people include intervention and community drug education programs. Peer drug education (as an example of community drug education), trains young people as peer educators to implement drug education programs with younger age groups. A case study analysis based on qualitative, naturalistic and new paradigm research is the research method used in this thesis. An eclectic model of drug education including key components from a variety of drug education models provides a comprehensive overview of peer drug education. The literature review showed the complexity of influences on drug use/misuse. These influences relate to individual, peer, parental and family, community and societal factors. Peer drug education is generally recognised as an effective drug education strategy. Peer drug education programs (Triple T: Teenagers Teaching Teenagers) were conducted in the ACT from 1988-1990. Reports documenting these programs (including evaluation data) and a literative review are the main data analysed for the case study. The case study analysis of five ACT peer drug education programs and one interstate program showed the key planning issues for effective peer drug education were: collaborative decision making as a central concept; detailed planning and liaison with target groups; established structures within schools and communities to support the trained peer educators; team work and small group work as intrinsic and extrinsic factors within the program; clarification of responsibilities and roles of all personnel involved in the program; and facilitators/leaders with attributes and qualities that encourage peer drug educators as social change agents. Analysis of data from the case study reports showed young people can be effective peer drug educators. Residential programs are preferred over non-residential programs. Peer drug education programs are effective in both school and community agencies. The literature review and analysis of reports also indicated that peer drug education needs to focus on establishing positive norms in groups of young people. Collaborative decision making and positive role modelling assist in the establishment of these norms. Peer drug education links to the wider changes occurring in education and health settings. Peer drug education is about collaborative decision making, social justice, development of key competencies and social change. This thesis confirmed the complexity and dynamic nature of peer drug education and there were many questions raised for further research from the literature review and analysis of program reports.

The aim of this Field Study is to establish the extent to which Year 12 students understand and appreciate the ACT College System of senior secondary and the information which appears on the ACT Year 12 Certificate. In order to provide the reader with a basis for understanding what happens over the final two years of secondary education in the ACT the author has established the historical context that gave rise to the establishment of the Secondary Colleges in the ACT. This brief history outlines the causes and reasons which led to separation from the NSW state system of education and the decision to develop a different approach to the provision of education for students in Year 11 and 12. To provide an idea of how the system works a description of what makes up the College System is provided. This includes an explanation of how the colleges relate to the high schools, their curriculum, the accreditation of courses, assessment and certification. The role of the ACT Schools Accrediting Agency is explained in the way it underpins the credibility of the system and of how it carries the responsibility for the final generation of the ACT Year 12 Certificate. While this study looks at the system some seven years after it began, earlier evaluations had taken place which examined matters linked with the ACT Year 12 Certificate. In writing this report the author reviews two important assessments of the system, one of the role of the ACT Schools Accrediting Agency and the other concerned with the success of the Colleges as educational institutions from a student viewpoint. The author also attempts to compare the changes which came with the ACT College System with recent developments and current thinking about senior secondary education in other Australian states. The major part of the Field Study was a survey of a sample of Year 12 students at the end of 1983 to establish the extent to which they understood the aspects of the system they had been a part of for two years. The data and findings of this survey are presented. The report concludes with an outline of the most recent changes, developments and reactions which in some way affect the system. At the end of the conclusion, the author presents a list of recommendations aimed at overcoming some of the problems pin-pointed in the report.