The University of Queensland recognised some of its best teachers last night at the 2004 awards for Excellence in Teaching, Research Higher Degree Supervision and Enhancement of Student Learning.
Ten individual winners and two group winners were honoured at a ceremony at Brisbane’s Customs House, as part of UQ’s third annual UQ Teaching and Learning Week.
Teaching and learning in all forms, from the physical space of a classroom to innovative teaching methods, will be celebrated this week under the theme Building Learning Communities.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Margaret Gardner said learning communities were networks inside and outside formal classrooms which allowed student discussion via chat rooms, internet web discussion, study groups or other informal meetings.
“A huge amount of what you learn happens outside the classroom,” Professor Gardner said.
“In a research intensive University, a lot of the real excitement in teaching and learning comes from that engagement, not just what the teacher is talking about in first year, but the real research they’re engaged in.”
Professor Margaret Gardner said the awards were designed to recognise, encourage and reward sustained excellence in teaching, in higher degree research supervision and excellence in the learning environment.
The winners are:
Awards for Excellence in Teaching ($10,000 each)
– Dr Venero Armanno (senior lecturer, School of English, Media Studies and Art History, 3365 3324)
– Dr Kim Bryceson (senior lecturer, School of Natural and Rural Systems Management, 3365 0617)
– Dr Glen Coleman (lecturer, School of Veterinary Science, 3365 2119)
– Dr Julie Duck (senior lecturer, School of Psychology, 3365 6203)
– Dr Nickolas James (lecturer, School of Law, 3381 1028)
Awards for the Enhancement of Student Learning ($20,000 each)
– Michael Docherty, Dr Margot Brereton, Dr Ian MacColl, Dr Stephen Viller, Matthew Simpson, The Studio Scenario: Experiential Learning in the Information Environments Program team, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, 3381 1134, 3365 3239)
– Dr Paul Mills, Dr Peter Woodall, Dr Michael Noad, Dr Pearl Symonds, Dr Liisa Ahlstrom, Group and Peer Learning in First Year Veterinary Science - School of Veterinary Science, 3365 2964 (Paul Mills)
Awards for Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision ($10,000 each)
– Professor Tian Oei (School of Psychology, 3365 6449)
– Associate Professor Gimme Walter (School of Life Sciences, 3365 2228)
Associate Professor Mike Bennett (Biomedical Sciences) was awarded a certificate of meritorious supervision for Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision
Commendations for Excellence in Teaching were also awarded to Dr Peter Sutton from the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering and Dr Judith Seaboyer, School of English, Media Studies and Art History.
Citations for each winner are available at http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching_learning/index.html?page=24244
Winners must spend their money before 2006 on items that enhance teaching or learning, such as conference costs, books or teaching aids.
To see what’s happening during Teaching and Learning Week, visit http://www.uq.edu.au/teaching_learning/
Media: contact Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (phone: 3365 2619, email: m.holland@uq.edu.au)
