The University of Queensland's increasing focus on quality teaching was highlighted tonight (Monday, October 27) at its 20th annual teaching awards.
The 2008 Excellence in Teaching & Learning Awards were held at Customs House in Brisbane and saw five individual teachers and three groups of educators honoured for their innovative approaches and commitment to enhancing the student learning experience at UQ.
Professor Deborah Terry, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching & Learning), said the awards provided well deserved recognition for UQ's teachers who were an integral part of the University's push to be a world leader in both research and teaching. Watch UQ's Teaching & Learning video here.
"The University is entering a new era of enhancing the experience of students," Professor Terry said.
"Recent developments include major infrastructure projects, new degree programs, academic scholarships, industry internships and increasing opportunities for students to study overseas.
"On top of this we are recruiting new teachers to supplement the existing community of highly-qualified educators to further enhance UQ's reputation as one of Australia's leading centres of higher education."
Professor Terry said the awards were designed to recognise, encourage and reward sustained excellence in teaching, as well as excellence in the learning environment and provision of student services.
"I congratulate all our UQ Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Awards for the Enhancement of Student Learning winners," she said.
The UQ awards come within weeks of two UQ teachers, Dr Marie-Louise Dick and Dr Lisa Nissen, receiving Australian Learning and Teaching Council Awards for Teaching Excellence to continue UQ's record of winning more national awards for teaching than any other Australian university in the awards' history.
Dr Mary Taylor Huber, a Senior Scholar from The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, in Stanford USA, was the guest speaker for the evening.
Dr Huber will also present the Teaching & Learning Week keynote address tomorrow (Tuesday, October 28), on the topic of What Travels? The Social Life of Classroom Inquiry and Innovation, which will look at what teachers can do to expand and enrich their own teaching and learning by engaging in community wide discussions, collaborations and debates on ideas and practice.
The 2008 winners are:
Awards for Excellence in Teaching ($10,000 each)
- Associate Professor David Carrington, from the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
- Dr Joseph Grotowski, from the School of Physical Sciences. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
- Dr Lydia Kavanagh, from the School of Engineering. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
- Dr Louise McCuaig, from the School of Human Movement Studies. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
- Dr Jane Stadler, from the School of English, Media Studies and Art History. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
Awards for the Enhancement of Student Learning ($10,000 each)
- Transformation of skill acquisition through a comprehensive program of competency assessment: Innovation driven by large student cohorts
School of Medicine
Project Team: Associate Professor Leonie Callaway, Dr Jennifer Schafer, Patricia Rego, Associate Professor Ray Peterson, Professor David Wilkinson. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
- Module-based Teaching at the CMM
Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis
Project Leader: Dr Bronwen Cribb. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
- School of Political Science and International Studies Internship Program
School of Political Science and International Studies
Project Team: Dr Andrew Hindmoor, Professor Stephen Bell, Dr Richard Devetak, Dr Marianne Hanson, Cara Herington, Claire Pomery, Professor Emeritus Roger Scott, Dr Rae Wear. Click here for citation. Watch video here.
Commendations for Excellence in Teaching
- Dr Andrew Fairbairn, from the School of Social Science.
- Dr Katie Makar, from the School of Education.
- Dr Greg Marston, from the School of Social Work and Human Services.
- Dr Margaret Wegener, from the School of Physical Sciences.
To find out more about Teaching and Learning Week visit http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching-learning/
Media: Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (07 3365 2802 or 0433 364 181). For photos of the winners contact Diana Lilley (telephone 07 3365 2753, email d.lilley@uq.edu.au).
