This article provides those teaching in small classes in an Australian tertiary environment with some recommendations on how to get started and tips for effective teaching. The focus of the advice is on small class teaching, which is generally comprised of fewer than 30 students. The tips presented are centred on being organised, understanding your content and your students, generating engagement and norms for participation, as well as investing in adaptable skill development. A seven step process to teaching effectiveness is reviewed. These tips provide teachers with foundational knowledge that can be transferred to teaching large classes.

This paper provides a citation network analysis of publications from the Academy of Management Journal, one of the key US-based journals in the field of Management. Our analysis covers all publications in the journal from 1958–2014. This represents the entire history of the journal until the arbitrary cut-off point of our study. The paper analyses the most published authors, most cited articles, most cited authors, top institutions, and the nationalities of authors that are most represented in the journal. 2304 articles containing 114,550 references were taken from the primary data source, the Web of Science™. An analysis of 114,550 citations was carried out using the Web of Science™ online analytics tool and Excel®. Gephi™, a data visualisation and manipulation software, was used to provide a visual representation of the citation networks. Results indicate that the most published authors within AMJ throughout the journal’s history are Ivancevich, Golembiewski and Hambrick. The three most cited authors within AMJ are Pfeffer, Porter and Thompson. The single most cited article is Pfeffer and Salancik’s 1978 article The external control of organizations: a resource dependence perspective. A keyword analysis revealed that the most important terms used in the journal’s history were ‘Performance’, ‘Organization’ and ‘Work’. Results from this paper extend our previous citation analyses of key journals in the discipline of Higher Education to a new discipline—the field of Management. The paper provides evidence of how visual analyses can help to represent the citation “geography” of a journal over time.

Abstract Older adults may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing loneliness as a result of stay-at-home and social distancing orders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated change in loneliness following the COVID-19 outbreak, using a longitudinal design and a validated loneliness measure, in a well-characterized sample who are at heightened risk for COVID-19 due to both age and location. The study included n = 226 older adults aged 70-90 years old, living in the Bronx, New York City, who had completed the 3-item Loneliness Scale prior to and during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City. There was no evidence of significant increases in mean loneliness from pre- to post-COVID-19 outbreak. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify risk and protective factors for change in loneliness during the COVID-19 outbreak, adjusting for pre-outbreak loneliness. Living alone, higher levels of education, greater worry about contracting the coronavirus, and limiting of daily exercise activities were risk factors for greater loneliness after the outbreak. In contrast, Black race, older age, greater social support and frequent social interactions via video call, all related to lower levels of loneliness after the outbreak.The outcomes of this study demonstrate substantial resilience among older adults to loneliness in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlight key risk and protective factors that may play an important role in individual differences in loneliness as pandemic-driven isolation continues.

Abstract Understanding age-related change in cognition and identification of pathological changes requires sensitive and valid measurement of cognitive performance across time. Technological advances, such as ambulatory assessment of cognition using smartphones, have enabled intensive longitudinal methods where data is collected with many measurements over time. Our research group has developed novel ambulatory assessments that provide reliable, sensitive, and ecologically valid measurement of cognition across multiple timescales; from momentary changes to change across years. This symposium will present a spectrum of approaches to analysis of intensive longitudinal data that can inform models of cognitive aging. All three presentations will draw on data from measurement burst studies that apply our ambulatory cognitive assessment methods in community-based samples (i.e., systematically recruited in the Bronx, New York). For each measurement burst, participants undergo assessment consisting of brief surveys and cognitive tests via smartphone, up to 7 times per day across 14 days. Oravecz et al. will discuss the application of a Bayesian multilevel implementation of the double exponential model to account for retest effects while quantifying change in peak cognitive performance across time. Kang et al., will demonstrate a growth curve modeling approach for assessing the effects of between-person variables (i.e., loneliness) on change in cognition across measurement bursts. Harrington et al., will demonstrate a model-based cluster analysis approach, leveraging ambulatory assessments of subjective and objective cognitive function to unpack latent groups as a function of age and loneliness. Measurement, Statistics, and Research Design Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

Abstract Loneliness is a risk factor for dementia, however it’s relationship with cognitive health during midlife is unclear. We evaluated whether loneliness was associated with profiles of objective and subjective memory in younger and middle-aged adults. Participants (aged 25 to 64 years) underwent an initial loneliness assessment, followed by 14-days of momentary (5 per day) cognitive assessments (objective memory) and daily ratings of memory (subjective memory). Cluster analysis was conducted using person-level means of objective and subjective memory. Three clusters were identified: (1) highest objective and subjective memory (9%); (2) lowest subjective but not objective memory (84%); (3) lowest objective but not subjective memory (7%).There was a trend for higher levels of loneliness in Cluster 2 relative to Clusters 1 and 3. Results suggest that loneliness is more closely related with subjective than objective memory during midlife and are informative for development of interventions targeting cognitive health. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Measurement, Statistics, and Research Design Interest Group.

Loneliness has been investigated as a risk factor for cognitive health, but results were inconsistent. This study used three measurement bursts of ambulatory cognitive assessment to determine whether loneliness affects longitudinal changes in cognitive functioning in daily life. At each burst, participants performed cognitive assessment five times a day for 14 days. 138 adults (Mage=49.4) who completed all three bursts were included in this study. Growth curve modeling showed that, on average, scores of cognitive functioning were improved across a 2 year period (p<.001). The chronic lonely group (in the highest tertile at all 3 bursts) showed less improvement in scores compared to non-lonely people (p<.01), although there was no difference in cognitive functioning at the baseline between two groups. This study indicates that we need a repeated measurement of cognitive functioning and longitudinal approach to detect the effect of chronic loneliness on the rate of cognitive change. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Measurement, Statistics, and Research Design Interest Group.

We design a parsimonious cash flow tax for Australia and estimate revenue effects. It allows immediate deduction of all capital expenditures, denies deductions of interest payments, and compensates negative cash flows at the same rate and time as it taxes positive cash flows. It allows taxpayer timing choice on implementation over 10 years. It has incentive effects comparable to lowering the corporate income tax rate to zero. It removes distortions that artificially favour debt over equity, short‐ over long‐term investments, rents over competitive returns, large, established over small and new businesses, and conventional over innovative investments. It closes international tax evasion loopholes. Its spur to investment and timing of revenue impacts favours implementation in recession.

Evidence-based policymaking is all about developing and implementing better public policies. Although the logic underpinning this philosophy is simple, the practicalities of demonstrating causal effects of a public policy are much more complex. In recent years, there has been a wave of optimism about the usefulness of experimental approaches to public policy evaluation which mimics the clean, causal inferences observed in clinical trials. Although these methods, such as randomised controlled trials, have been widely advocated and implemented, they are not without their potential problems. In this paper, we consider the strengths, weaknesses, and challenges posed by the revolution in policy evaluation brought about by embracing experimental methods.

Developing critical thinking is an important goal in higher education and, more importantly, in business education. Yet, it is uncertain to what extent assessment influences students' critical thinking development and enhancement. This paper presents data from a study that applied a framework we developed to identify evidence of students’ ability to think critically and whether students face challenges at applying critical thinking. A sample of 100, 2000-word group reports from a masters business analysis subject were evaluated using a critical thinking assessment rubric. We followed this with a content analysis of 49 reports using our developed framework to identify the demonstration of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. The findings from both analyses indicate a difference between student reports on how critical thinking is demonstrated. Most importantly, our developed framework provides a novel way to analyse student reports that inform whether they demonstrate the specific components of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. The evaluation using our established framework enables us to offer practical suggestions that university instructors can use to address the issues and challenges raised that hinder critical thinking acquisition via assessment practice in business education.

BACKGROUND: University students are vulnerable to poor mental health, psychological distress, and loneliness relative to nonuniversity student peers. However, the rate of seeking mental health treatment among university students is low. Web-based psychological interventions may provide an opportunity for supporting vulnerable university students who are unlikely to otherwise seek support. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and efficacy of an existing web-based transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) mental health program for use among Australian university students. METHODS: This is a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing a self-directed web-based CBT mental health program with a waitlist control. The self-directed modules will be augmented with optional webchat or telephone coaching with a therapist. The recruitment target is 70 university students who do not present with a clinical mental health disorder. Allocation will be made in a 1:1 ratio and will occur after the initial baseline assessment. Assessments will be completed at baseline, upon completion of a 4-week waitlist (waitlist group only), upon completion of the program, and at 3 months after completion of the program. RESULTS: The trial was funded in June 2018, and the protocol was approved by the Swinburne University Human Research Ethics Committee in September 2018. Recruitment commenced in October 2018, with the first participant allocated in November 2018. A total of 70 participants were recruited to the trial. The trial recruitment ceased in June 2019, and data collection was finalized in December 2019. We expect the final data analysis to be completed by November 2020 and results to be published early in 2021. The primary outcomes are feasibility, acceptability, safety, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The secondary outcomes are psychological wellbeing, quality of life, loneliness, self-reported physical health status, emotion regulation, and cognitive and mindfulness processes. CONCLUSIONS: The acceptability, feasibility, safety, and efficacy of a web-based mental health program in university students will be evaluated. Web-based mental health programs offer the opportunity to engage university students who may be reluctant to seek support through traditional face-to-face mental health services, and the transdiagnostic approach of the program has the potential to address the breadth of mental health concerns of university students. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12618001604291; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12618001604291. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/21307.

This chapter provides an analysis of peer partnership activities in tertiary education using the framework of social capital. The concept of social capital, with links to sociology, politics, economics and education, is used to explore the benefits that arise from peer to peer interactions, including student peer mentoring and staff observation of teaching programs. Although the concept of social capital is not widely discussed in the literature in either of these areas, the value of peer networks is at the core of both processes and social capital offers a way to think about and into these practices. The chapter begins by describing the concept of social capital and its historical development. We define different types of social capital. Following this introduction, we examine the literature on student peer mentoring and staff peer observation of teaching, with a focus on how these two processes can build social capital for their participants and benefit tertiary institutions. A key driver for institutional growth in the tertiary education sector is the need to foster learning and professional environments that help people work more effectively together. Using these two common practices, we show how building social capital through positive and productive peer partnership relationships develops a sense of belonging and social cohesion in a range of settings and enhances learning. Findings from a range of studies summarised in this chapter, including our own research, show that students and staff, individuals and groups, were able to effectively build both trust, engagement and social cohesion, key variables that are often used to measure the benefits of building social capital.