The science education literature was examined in order to identify the methodologies that various authors considered to characterise inquiry teaching. On the basis of this examination, a new classroom environment instrument, the Is This an Inquiring Classroom or ITIC was developed. The final version of the ITIC contained forty items in five different scales, Freedom in Practical Work, Communication, Interpretation of Data, Science Stories and Uncertainty in Science.The Actual and Preferred Forms of the ITIC were administered to 2,207 Grade 7-12 students and 65 teachers from 15 different schools. The results of this investigation showed that both students and teachers would prefer there to be higher levels of inquiry behaviours in Tasmanian science classrooms, with teachers indicating a preference for significantly higher levels than students. The perceptions of different sub-groups within the student population were also analysed.An examination of the Tasmanian curriculum documents showed that they supported the use of inquiry teaching methodologies, as defined by the ITIC scales. From the above investigations it was concluded that it would be desirable for there to be higher levels of inquiry methodologies in Tasmanian science classes, and that the production of the ITIC provides a means of monitoring and measuring any change.

This thesis reports on and analyses the first fifty years, 1887-1937, of the Sisters of Saint Joseph’s ministry in Tasmania. The design of the study is qualitative in nature, employing ethnographic techniques with a thematic approach to the narrative. Through a multifaceted approach the main figures of the Josephite story of the first fifty years are examined. The thesis attempts to redress the imbalance of the representation of women in Australian history and the Catholic Church in particular. The thesis is that as a uniquely Australian congregation the Tasmanian Sisters of St Joseph were focused on the preservation of the original spirit and tradition articulated at their foundation rather than on the development of a unique Tasmanian identity. The thesis argues that it was the formative period that impacted on their future development and the emerging myths contributed to their search for identity. Isolated from their foundations through separation and misunderstanding, they sought security and authenticity through their conservation of the original Rule. The intervention of cofounder Father Tenison Woods in the early months of their foundation served to consolidate a distinctive loyalty to him to the exclusion of Mary MacKillop. Coupled with the influence of Woods were the Irish and intercolonial influences of significant Sisters from other foundations which militated against the emergence of a distinctive Tasmanian leadership. As a Diocesan Congregation the Tasmanian Josephites achieved status as authentic religious within Tasmania and yet were constrained by their Diocesan character. The study identifies the factors that contributed to their development as a teaching Congregation through the impact of the Teacher and Schools’ Registration Act 1906, influence of government regulations on the Woods-MacKillop style of education, and the commitment of the Church to provide Catholic education in the remote areas of Tasmania. The thesis identifies two major formative periods as occurring at the instigation of Archbishops Delany and Simonds at both the foundation and then more significantly after the consolidation phase at the end of the period under examination.

The following study, in examining theoretical constructs and their practical implications, as they relate to organization management, innovation, and ethnicity, notes the inter-relationship of all aspects of administration. It also recognizes that organizations are social entities which have a nonrational component. These non-rational elements can lead to prejudice, discrimination, and hostility, particularly across organizations and across ethnic boundaries. In the field of education it is contended that innovation or change is only acceptable where effective communication across all involved groups occurs; and in ethnic settings educators must heed the feelings of the ethnic community accepting that the community has knowledge about its culture that they do not possess. Educators are often unprepared, or unwilling, to do this, hence the move towards change stagnates, and hostility between the groups festers. To overcome the stalemate appropriate cultural forms of communication between the participating groups must be established. To demonstrate the application of the various theories under review, an inter-organizational conflict situation between the University of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Education Consultative Committee was examined. The reasons leading to the conflict are cited, along with their relevance to theory, and proposals to overcome the obstructions facing each group are delineated. In putting forward these notions there is a realization that closer bonds must be forged between the University and the TAECC if the conflict is to be resolved. To do this it is advocated that the change strategy, Organization Development, be utilized, using outside change agents who are acceptable to both organizations.

This thesis explores the folk resurrection of the thylacine through artwork and symbolic interaction. The thylacine, better known as the Tasmanian tiger, is a marsupial that suffered a government-sanctioned massacre leading to its extinction in 1936. The thylacine’s status as a hidden animal has inspired what folklorists call “ostensive practice”; people not only actively seek out the thylacine in the wilderness of Tasmania today and share their sightings online, but they have also incorporated the thylacine as a symbol of hope and perseverance into various forms of folk art. There have been upwards of five thousand documented sightings of the thylacine since its extinction. This documentation can take the form of amateur or phone-recorded films, or sightings described in interviews for local news agencies. Some people have even found alleged biological remains of the thylacine and have described hearing its unique call. In addition to these types of legend-tripping activities, the thylacine is also represented in a variety of folk-art forms, including digital, painted, and hand-drawn artwork, written fiction, fiber arts, and costuming. This content is shared widely across the internet. Keeping the thylacine alive through the creation of folk art and legend-tripping search parties helps thylacine enthusiasts cope with the guilt for having lost an ecologically important animal due directly to ignorance and financial gain. If the thylacine is resurrected, whether literally or figuratively, people can symbolically undo some of the damage they have caused the natural world. Thus, the vernacular resurrection of the thylacine, understood through a folklorist lens, offers a model for comparing some of the vernacular ways that people are presently dealing with the general loss of wildlife due to climate change.

Includes the full and summary reports of State of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area: an evaluation of management effectiveness. / Title from home page (viewed on June 9, 2005). Full report also issued in print and CD.

Includes the full and summary reports of State of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area: an evaluation of management effectiveness, "bonus material ... and papers describing the management evaluation system."--Container insert. / Title from home page (viewed on June 9, 2005). Full and summary reports also available in print and on the internet.

This thesis reports on a study which developed a profile of the reviewers of children's books in Australia. It then compared the profile with one which was developed by Kathleen Craver in 1984 of children's book reviewers in the United States. Five research questions were addressed by this study relating to reviewers and their opinions regarding review aspects, reviewer roles and review practices within the framework of their personal and professional background. Craver surveyed the reviewers from School Library journal because as a group, they provided the greatest potential for statistical significance of all the reviewing journals in the United States. As no Australian journal enjoys either the number of reviewers or the circulation of School Library journal, reviewers from eight journals which are most used by teacher and children's librarians were selected to form the population for this research. These journals are Fiction Focus, LINES, Magpies, Reading Time, Reviewpoin t, Review Bulletin, Scan and Tasmanian Resources Review. The reviewer profile which emerged from this study was very similar to Craver's in that it was not one which could be entirely defined in terms of group characteristics. Selected cross tabulations either with the particular journals, demographic details, or other variables, particularly those relating to reviewer experience failed to produce predictable behaviourial correlations. However, reviewers were united on certain issues which can be attributed to their own professional background.

Tasmanian lacewing, Micromus tasmaniae Walker, is an important predator of a number of economically important pests such as aphids. This study was conducted to investigate some aspects of general biology and factors affecting the reproductive fitness of this species Emergence of M. tasmaniae peaked 3 h before light off and there was no significant difference in emergence patterns between males and females. Males became sexually mature earlier than females. Mating success significantly increased from the first to the eleventh hour after lights on. Predation, development and oviposition of M. tasmaniae were affected when reared under different photoperiods [i.e. 24:0, 16:8, 12:12, 0:24 h (light:dark)]. Results indicate that no individuals entered diapause at either an immature or adult stage. M. tasmaniae larvae could feed in both the photophase and scotophase and late instar larvae consumed significantly more aphids than early instar larvae. M. tasmaniae reared at 16:8 h developed faster and had lower mortality, heavier adult body weight and higher reproductive output in terms of fecundity and fertility rate. Therefore, mass-rearing programmes are recommended to be carried out at 16:8 h to obtain the higher quality of individuals and faster increase of populations. The larger-the better theory predicts that the reproductive fitness is positively linearly associated with body size or weight. However, the body weight of female M. tasmaniae had no effect on the reproductive fitness in terms of fecundity, fertility, fertility rate, oviposition period and longevity. The male body weight may contribute to the population growth of M. tasmaniae as the average females that mated with average or heavy males had significantly higher fecundity, fertility and fertility rate and longer reproductive period. These results suggest that development of any control method that should selectively mass-produce heavy and average individuals in the laboratory would help increasing M. tasmaniae quality and populations. M. tasmaniae is a polygamous species. Results indicate that female remating either with the same or different males was crucial for maximizing their reproductive success. Males could inseminate up to eight females and father about one thousand offspring during their life span.

Tasmanian lacewing, Micromus tasmaniae Walker, is an important predator of a number of economically important pests such as aphids. This study was conducted to investigate some aspects of general biology and factors affecting the reproductive fitness of this species Emergence of M. tasmaniae peaked 3 h before light off and there was no significant difference in emergence patterns between males and females. Males became sexually mature earlier than females. Mating success significantly increased from the first to the eleventh hour after lights on. Predation, development and oviposition of M. tasmaniae were affected when reared under different photoperiods [i.e. 24:0, 16:8, 12:12, 0:24 h (light:dark)]. Results indicate that no individuals entered diapause at either an immature or adult stage. M. tasmaniae larvae could feed in both the photophase and scotophase and late instar larvae consumed significantly more aphids than early instar larvae. M. tasmaniae reared at 16:8 h developed faster and had lower mortality, heavier adult body weight and higher reproductive output in terms of fecundity and fertility rate. Therefore, mass-rearing programmes are recommended to be carried out at 16:8 h to obtain the higher quality of individuals and faster increase of populations. The larger-the better theory predicts that the reproductive fitness is positively linearly associated with body size or weight. However, the body weight of female M. tasmaniae had no effect on the reproductive fitness in terms of fecundity, fertility, fertility rate, oviposition period and longevity. The male body weight may contribute to the population growth of M. tasmaniae as the average females that mated with average or heavy males had significantly higher fecundity, fertility and fertility rate and longer reproductive period. These results suggest that development of any control method that should selectively mass-produce heavy and average individuals in the laboratory would help increasing M. tasmaniae quality and populations. M. tasmaniae is a polygamous species. Results indicate that female remating either with the same or different males was crucial for maximizing their reproductive success. Males could inseminate up to eight females and father about one thousand offspring during their life span.

Tasmanian lacewing, Micromus tasmaniae Walker, is an important predator of a number of economically important pests such as aphids. This study was conducted to investigate some aspects of general biology and factors affecting the reproductive fitness of this species Emergence of M. tasmaniae peaked 3 h before light off and there was no significant difference in emergence patterns between males and females. Males became sexually mature earlier than females. Mating success significantly increased from the first to the eleventh hour after lights on. Predation, development and oviposition of M. tasmaniae were affected when reared under different photoperiods [i.e. 24:0, 16:8, 12:12, 0:24 h (light:dark)]. Results indicate that no individuals entered diapause at either an immature or adult stage. M. tasmaniae larvae could feed in both the photophase and scotophase and late instar larvae consumed significantly more aphids than early instar larvae. M. tasmaniae reared at 16:8 h developed faster and had lower mortality, heavier adult body weight and higher reproductive output in terms of fecundity and fertility rate. Therefore, mass-rearing programmes are recommended to be carried out at 16:8 h to obtain the higher quality of individuals and faster increase of populations. The larger-the better theory predicts that the reproductive fitness is positively linearly associated with body size or weight. However, the body weight of female M. tasmaniae had no effect on the reproductive fitness in terms of fecundity, fertility, fertility rate, oviposition period and longevity. The male body weight may contribute to the population growth of M. tasmaniae as the average females that mated with average or heavy males had significantly higher fecundity, fertility and fertility rate and longer reproductive period. These results suggest that development of any control method that should selectively mass-produce heavy and average individuals in the laboratory would help increasing M. tasmaniae quality and populations. M. tasmaniae is a polygamous species. Results indicate that female remating either with the same or different males was crucial for maximizing their reproductive success. Males could inseminate up to eight females and father about one thousand offspring during their life span.