Broad Research Aims, Scope, and Context

The overall program of research was undertaken in the context of a real world, industry-based program with a partner organisation delivering motorcycle training as its core business. A new classroom-based module to address risky riding, the Three Steps to Safer Riding program, was developed by a project team including academic researchers and rider trainers. The program was designed to be applied as an adjunct to the existing skills-based training and was therefore piloted and

evaluated in comparison to the effects of the existing program already being delivered by the industry partner organisation. The project team decided to trial the Three Steps to Safer Riding program in a real world applied setting to maximise its ecological validity. This included classroom delivery by actual motorcycle riding instructors rather than trialling the program in an experimental setting delivered by researchers. Adoption of this approach allowed for meaningful comparisons to be made with the ‘standard’ existing training program because the Three Steps to Safer Riding module was an addition to the existing program. Hence, any difference in effects could be more robustly attributed to the new module. Although applied in a quasi-experimental setting, experimental control was strengthened by inclusion of the partner organisations Chief Instructor on the project team as he could advise on

logistical issues and practical implementation issues that could possibly affect the validity of outcomes.

As the PhD candidate was part of a broader project team, it is important to frame the candidate’s role within the overall project. The objectives of the broader Australian Research Council (ARC) project are shown in Table 1.1, with the specific aims of the candidate’s research relating to Objectives 1, 2, and 8 as shaded in the table. Objective 1 relates to examination of the existing literature while Objectives 2 and 8 relate to the empirical studies undertaken.

Demarcation of the scope of the PhD within the context of the broader research project is important as this thesis does not aim to justify the specific content of the final Three Steps to Safer Riding pilot. The reasons for this are twofold: 1) the final program is not the intellectual property of the candidate (as the project team decided the final content), and 2) information provided by the candidate for desirable program components based on a review of the literature was not always incorporated into the program. The Three Steps to Safer Riding lesson plan is attached in

Appendix 1.1 to provide an overview of the final program for the reader but does not form part of this thesis. This is provided in commercial confidence only.

This thesis ultimately aims to examine if the Three Steps to Safer Riding pilot program could be improved to achieve what it was designed to do (i.e. to affect change in psychosocial factors that underpin risky riding for participants). This formative approach incorporates implementation issues and barriers to the intended application of the program that potentially compromise program effect. Baranowski and Stables (2000) noted that for any educational intervention to achieve its goals it must have strong implementation fidelity; that is, be implemented and delivered in the intended manner. Hence, a key focus of the research undertaken by the candidate was to validate if the broader project team objectives were met effectively.

Table 1.1 Objectives for the Three Steps to Safer Riding pilot project*

Objective Responsibility

1 Investigate previous empirical research evidence and theoretical principles to guide development, delivery, and evaluation of an educational program to address risk taking by motorcyclists

PhD Candidate

2 Examine the existing motorcycle rider training program by the partner organisation for its effect on psychosocial influences on risky riding (to establish a baseline for improvement) and issues that may impact on effective program delivery (e.g.

adult learning principles).

PhD Candidate

3 Ensure the pilot program is suitably designed for delivery by qualified rider trainers (i.e. match their skill level and train them as necessary) as an adjunct to existing skills training.

Project team

4 Ensure the program is designed to be cost and time efficient in a user pays environment.

Project team 5 Ensure the program is guided by theory but is designed to

have high face validity with course attendees.

Project team 6 Provide pilot program participants with skills and knowledge

to identify, regulate, and monitor their own risky riding behaviours.

Project team

7 Minimise contamination and maximise fidelity during implementation of the pilot program in a real world context.

Project team 8 Formatively evaluate the short-term outcomes and

implementation process issues of the new pilot program to inform continuous improvement. That is, establish what effect the pilot program has (if any) on key outcomes such as participants’ attitudes, intentions, and behaviour and identify how effects may be maximised. Process issues include implementation components such as recruitment and attrition, context, resourcing, fidelity of delivery, contamination, and barriers to success.

PhD Candidate

9 Establish if the new pilot program affected crash involvement or offences committed after licensing.

Project team

* Shaded sections indicate the objectives of the PhD candidate in the context of the overall project.

While the PhD candidate was part of the development team for the project, the final intervention program was not solely determined by the PhD candidate.

Three separate studies were conducted as part of the program of research during this PhD to achieve the research objectives shaded in Table 1:

 Study 1 - a qualitative investigation of existing delivery practices and

learning principles utilised in a traditional rider training and licensing course;

 Study 2 - an investigation of the effect of a traditional rider training and licensing course on attitudinal and motivational influences on risky riding;

and

 Study 3 - a formative evaluation of the effects of a new rider education pilot program to address attitudinal and motivational influences on risky riding.

A long-term outcome evaluation of police reported crashes and offences for participants is planned as part of the broader ARC project to meet Objective 9. Due to time constraints this was beyond the scope of the PhD. However, the evaluation strategy developed as part of the PhD was required to lay foundation for this long-term evaluation.

1.5 Theoretical Perspectives to Guide Program Design and Evaluation