UQ’s top teachers were presented with their awards at Customs House this week
UQ’s top teachers were presented with their awards at Customs House this week
2 November 2010

A DIVERSE group of academics united by a passion for teaching was last night recognised at the 2010 University of Queensland Excellence in Teaching & Learning Awards.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Debbie Terry said UQ highly valued skilled and enthusiastic teaching, and the awards paid tribute to some of the university’s most dedicated and inspirational educators.

“Tonight we honour a group of professional teachers who have demonstrated sustained excellence in their teaching and have made positive, broad impacts in engaging students,” Professor Terry said at the awards ceremony, at Customs House in Brisbane.

“Their teaching activities help to develop students into highly valued members of society.

“We are fortunate at UQ to have such quality teachers and these awards are just a small way to show our thanks for their innovative practices and dedication to their craft.”

The awards are a highlight of UQ’s Teaching & Learning Week, a program of events designed to celebrate the exceptionally high standard of teaching at UQ, for which the university is renowned.

The UQ awards are split into three categories to recognise the depth and breadth of the University’s commitment to teaching and learning:

- Awards for Teaching Excellence worth $10,000 for each individual;
- Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning worth $10,000 for each team;
- Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning worth $4000 each for individuals or teams.

Professor Terry said UQ’s T&L award winners often went on to win national teaching awards.

Two of this year’s winners of ALTC Awards for Teaching Excellence, Dr Shelley Dole and Dr Greg Marston, won UQ Awards for Teaching Excellence in 2009, and a 2009 winner of a UQ Award for Programs that Enhance Learning was this year awarded an ALTC Award for Programs that Enhance Learning.

UQ has won more Australian and Learning and Teaching Council awards than any other university —a total of 75 since the ALTC awards were established in 1997.

Professor Andrea Nolan, Glasgow University’s Senior Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, is visiting UQ for Teaching & Learning Week and in a speech yesterday, highlighted the tensions that have arisen between research and teaching in universities in recent years.

This had occurred as higher education institutions sought to increase their research focus and achievements “as drivers of reputation, status and increased funding”.

“Internationally, the research-teaching nexus has been a topic responsible for a large volume of articles, books and conferences, as commentators, researchers and practitioners debate the relationship,” Professor Nolan said.

However it was now generally agreed that universities needed to embed opportunities for students to engage in research-type activities from the outset of their higher education experience.

Staff and students both needed to understand how research was integrated in their study “and how this impacts on and supports learning”, Professor Nolan said.

Winners of the 2010 UQ Awards for Teaching Excellence are:

Dr Jean-Louis Durand, Lecturer in International Relations, School of Political Science and International Studies. Click here for citation. Click here for video [4.1MB MP4].

Dr Andrew Fairbairn, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology, School of Social Science. Click here for citation. Click here for video [4.1MB MP4].

Associate Professor Lesley Lluka, Reader in Pharmacology, School of Biomedical Sciences. Click here for citation. Click here for video [4.0MB MP4].

Dr Liza O’Moore, Lecturer, School of Civil Engineering. Click here for citation. Click here for video [3.7MB MP4].

Dr Robbie Wilson, Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences. Click here for citation. Click here for video [4.3MB MP4].

Commendations for Teaching Excellence

Dr Winnifred Louis, School of Psychology Associate Professor Julie Walker, UQ Business School Dr Margaret Wegener, School of Mathematics and Physics
Winners of Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning The BA First Year Community
Category 3: The first-year experience.
Faculty of Arts, UQ Library and Student Services Directorate.
Team members: Professor Fred D’Agostino, Ms Inge Matt, Mr Michael Whiteway, Ms Janey Saunders, Mr Justin Nicholls.
Click here for citation. Click here for video.

Rangeland Management Postgraduate Coursework Program – A National Initiative in ‘Learning for a Future in the Bush’
Category 6: Postgraduate education.
Rangelands Australia (UQ School of Integrative Systems) and the Teaching and Educational Development Institute
Team members: Professor John Taylor, Ms Patricia Andrews
Click here for citation. Click here for video [4.2MB MP4].

Commendation: UQ Law Mentor Program
Category 2: Educational partnerships and collaborations with other organisations.
School of Law
Team members: Associate Professor Nickolas James, Mr Vu Ngo, Mrs Helen Braadtvedt, Ms Teola Marsh

Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Professor Nicholas Aroney, School of Law Associate Professor Philip Bodman, School of Economics Dr Noreen Breakey, School of Tourism Dr Rhonda Breit, School of Journalism and Communication Dr Denis Collins, School of Music Associate Professor Matthew Davis, School of Mathematics and Physics Mr Alan Duhs, School of Economics Dr Barbara Masser, School of Psychology Dr Donovan Storey, School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management Dr Anthony Wright, School of Education

Details on the Citations here.

For more information about UQ’s Teaching & Learning Week, visit: http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching-learning

Media: Fiona Cameron, UQ Communications, ph 07 3346 7086