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Commercial abalone growers and aquaculture researchers need to monitor and compare the growth rate of their stocks. Growth rates based on both length and weights are often calculated, but the process of disturbance for measurement will affect the results of most studies. In natural populations, constant (linear) growth in length has been supported, while logarithmic transformations for growth rates (length and weight) have been used for aquaculture studies. This study of growth of greenlip abalone (Haliotis laevigata, Leach) over a prolonged period (3 years) indicates that both data treatments are suitable. If weights are being used, then a growth model that allows for exponential growth, such as specific growth rate (SGR), must be used. If lengths are measured, then the calculation of simple differences in the lengths over time is sufficient. The apparent paradox in use of two forms of measure is comfortably rationalized as a result of the weight±length relationship and the von Bertalanffy relationship for this species. Thus, methods of minimal disturbance and stress, such as photographic estimation of length, could be used to accurately monitor growth trends in aquacultural studies as well as in industry.

This paper provides initial evidence of the effectiveness of an educational program in a Tasmanian regional community that has experienced ongoing industrial restructuring. In response to these changes, community and civic leaders adopted a multifaceted strategic plan to address employment needs and opportunities. Part of this plan involved targeting school children to help them explore a broader range of educational and career options. The program, Aspire High, involves Year 5 children visiting workplaces, the local Year 11 and 12 college, the local technical college, and a local university campus. This paper reports results from student interviews and surveys. While it is difficult to attribute changes in students’ attitudes and aspirations solely to Aspire High, it is evident that they were enthusiastic about the program. Secondary findings showed that students become less positive towards school by Year 8, and that boys are less likely to be positive towards school and more likely to choose a traditionally gendered occupation.

This study aimed to gain knowledge of students’ beliefs and difficulties in understanding p-values, and to use this knowledge to develop improved teaching programs. This study took place over four consecutive teaching semesters of a one-semester tertiary statistics unit. The study was cyclical, in that the results of each semester were used to inform the instructional design for the following semester. Over the semesters, the following instructional techniques were introduced: computer simulation, the introduction of hypothetical probabilistic reasoning using a familiar context, and the use of alternative representations. The students were also encouraged to write about their work. As the interventions progressed, a higher proportion of students successfully defined and used p-values in Null Hypothesis Testing procedures. First published May 2014 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives

Scope:Bold Visions in Educational Research is international in scope and includes books from two areas: teaching and learning to teach and research methods in education. Each area contains multi-authored handbooks of approximately 200,000 words and monographs (authored and edited collections) of approximately 130,000 words. All books are scholarly, written to engage specified readers and catalyze changes in policies and practices. Defining characteristics of books in the series are their explicit uses of theory and associated methodologies to address important problems. We invite books from across a theoretical and methodological spectrum from scholars employing quantitative,