GLOSSARY
Aerobics/fitness
Includes organised callisthenics, Chinese exercise, exercise biking, gymnasium workouts, Step Reebok and other aerobic/fitness exercise.
Art and craft activities
The interpretation of art and craft activities was left to the respondent. If the respondent queried the definition they were advised that this category included painting, drawing, photography, macramé, origami, needlework, model making and other visual arts and crafts. Attendances at performing arts events and visits to art galleries were excluded.
Basketball
Includes organised indoor and outdoor basketball.
Computer usage
Includes the following:
- Internet based activities (including using chat rooms/sites; downloading game information, music, pictures or other information; eBay; general interest searches and children's websites)
- emailing or messaging
- playing games
- school or educational activities.
Computers
The interpretation of the term 'computer' was left to the respondent. If the respondent queried the definition they were advised that it included portable computers (e.g. laptops, notebook computers) and personal organisers which can be plugged into larger computers. Computers used in the home include home business computers, computers brought home from work and computers that are rented or leased. Calculators and dedicated games consoles were excluded.
Couple family
For the purposes of this publication, a family consisting of two persons in a registered marriage or de facto relationship with at least one child aged 5-14 years who is usually resident in the household. The family may also include any number of other dependants, non-dependants and other related individuals.
Cultural venues and events
Refers to children's attendance at cultural venues and events outside of school hours and includes school excursions providing they were undertaken outside of school hours. It includes:
- public libraries (excluding school, university and other educational libraries)
- museums and art galleries
- performing arts events (including music concerts, drama productions, dance performances, operas and music theatre)
- school plays
- free performing arts concerts and community events.
Cycling
Includes organised cycling (bike riding), BMX and mountain bike riding.
Dancing
The 'dancing' must have occurred outside of school hours and may have included lessons, practising and performances. The interpretation of the term dancing was left to the respondent. If the respondent queried the definition they were advised it included formal dancing lessons (e.g. ballet, callisthenics), musicals and eisteddfods where the child's predominant activity was dancing.
Drama
The activity must have occurred outside of school hours and may have included lessons, practising and performances. Interpretation of the term 'drama' was left to the respondent. If the respondent queried the definition they were advised it included acting; designing, creating and organising costumes, props and sets; lighting and front of house activities (e.g. organising venues, production and distribution of programs, ticket sales, ushering).
Electronic or computer games
Includes dedicated game machines (e.g. Playstation, Nintendo, X-box), hand-held computer games and electronic games in video arcades.
Gymnastics
Includes organised trampolining.
Hockey
Includes organised indoor and outdoor hockey. Excludes underwater, ice and in-line hockey.
Homework or other study
Excludes practice or lessons for music, singing, dancing or drama. It must have occurred outside of school hours and may have included work undertaken during after school care.
Horse riding and equestrian events
Includes organised polocrosse.
Ice/snow sports
Includes organised blade skating, ice hockey, ice skating, snow skiing and other ice/snow sport.
Internet access
Includes situations where a parent is present teaching the child or where the parent is operating the mouse or keyboard under the child's direction. Excludes situations where the child is only observing the parent accessing the Internet. Excludes Internet access via mobile phone or other electrical appliance (e.g. Internet fridges).
Internet usage
Includes the following: using chat rooms, emailing or messaging, playing on-line or Internet based games, downloading music, school or educational activities and accessing the Internet for leisure (e.g. websites which relate to sport, movies, animation, games, music).
Last two weeks of school
Refers to the last two completed weeks of the current or most recent school term, including weekends.
Lessons
Refers to organised/structured training or tuition. Lessons can be undertaken either on an individual or group basis. They must have been undertaken outside school hours.
Martial arts
Includes organised Chi Kung, Eastern judo, judo, karate, kickboxing, taekwondo, tai chi and other martial arts.
Mean
The mean is the arithmetic average of a group of values. It is calculated by adding the observed values and dividing by the number of observations.
Median
The median is the middle value of a set of observations when values are sorted by order of size.
Museum or art gallery
Visits, including school excursions, to museums or art galleries providing they occurred outside of school hours.
Netball
Includes organised indoor and outdoor netball.
One-parent family
For the purposes of this publication, a family consisting of a lone parent with at least one child aged 5-14 years usually resident in the household. The family may also include any number of other dependants, non-dependants and other related individuals.
Organised cultural activities
The organised cultural activities considered in this survey comprise time spent outside of school hours playing a musical instrument, singing, dancing and drama. The activities include practising, having lessons and giving performances. Practising refers to organised or structured practice sessions only. It includes practice sessions set by an instructor even though the instructor may not be present at the time.
Organised sport
In this survey organised sport refers to sports which are played or trained for outside of school hours organised by a school, club or association. Any organised or structured training or practice sessions are included as long as they have been set by an instructor or coach. Whether the child participated in an organised sport was left to the judgment of the respondent.
Other computer activities
Includes writing letters or correspondence (excluding email), hobbies (e.g. clip art) and keeping a diary.
Other countries
The group comprises all countries except Australia and the other main English-speaking countries (the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Canada, the United States of America and New Zealand).
Other main English-speaking countries
Comprises the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Canada, the United States of America and New Zealand.
Other places computer used
Includes Internet cafés, shopping centres, community centres, government shopfronts, parent's workplace and after school care.
Outside school hours
Includes weekends and the period generally outside the hours of 9am to 3pm (or as appropriate) on a school day. Lunchtime is considered to fall within school hours.
Participants
Refers to children undertaking cultural, sporting or any of the selected other activities. Participation in sport excludes those involved only in non playing roles such as umpires, officials, organisers or spectators.
Participation rate
For any group, the number of persons involved in an activity expressed as a percentage of the total population of that group.
Performing arts event
The interpretation of performing arts event was left to the respondent. If the respondent queried the definition they were advised it included music concerts, musicals, operas, dance performances and theatre performances. It also includes performing arts events at school functions providing the event occurred outside of school hours.
Playing a musical instrument
Includes playing as part of learning (e.g. playing a musical instrument to learn chords without actually being able to play a set piece of music). The activity must have occurred outside of school hours and may have included lessons, practising and giving performances.
Public library
Visits, including school excursions, to national, state and local government libraries providing they occurred outside of school hours. Excludes libraries at schools, universities or other educational institutions.
Public library computers
Computers provided in the library for public access for activities such as library catalogue searches, Internet use and word processing.
Reading for pleasure
The interpretation of reading for pleasure was left to the respondent. If the respondenet queried the definition they were advised that it referred to reading any printed material not related to a child's homework activity. The child must undertake the reading themselves. It includes reading books, magazines, newspapers, comics or other printed material and audio books where this is the only option that is available to a child for reading. Electronic books, school readers, textbooks and being read to by another person were excluded.
Roller sports
Includes organised skateboarding, rollerblading, in-line hockey and other roller sports.
Rugby League
Includes organised modball.
Rugby Union
Includes organised Rugby union 7s.
Selected other activities
For this survey, 'Selected other activities' refers to the following activities: skateboarding or rollerblading; bike riding; watching television, videos or DVDs; playing electronic or computer games; art and craft; reading for pleasure and homework or other study.
Singing
Includes formal singing lessons (e.g. learning scales, voice training), practice sessions to learn songs (e.g. for choir) and singing performances. They must have occurred outside of school hours.
Soccer (indoor)
Includes organised indoor soccer, Fluffy ball and futsal.
Someone else's home
Includes the homes of neighbours, friends and relatives (e.g. grandparents, cousins, non-custodial parents).
State capital cities
The areas determining the six State capital cities are the Statistical Divisions for those capital cities defined in the Statistical Geography: Volume 1 - Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) (cat. no. 1216.0).
Surf lifesaving
Includes Royal lifesaving.
Surf sports
Includes organised surfing, sailboarding, wind surfing and other surf sports. Excludes surf lifesaving.
Swimming
Includes organised diving.
Tennis
Includes organised indoor and outdoor tennis.
Touch football
Includes organised Austag.
Trained
Is defined as undertaking a structured training activity or practice session which has been set by an instructor or coach.
Volleyball
Includes organised indoor and outdoor volleyball and Newcombe ball.
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