Annual Report 2008 - Central Queensland University

GOAL 4: CQU will be recognised as a leader in
supporting, recognising and rewarding effective
learning and teaching.
Three CQUniversity staff received Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)
Citations (worth $10,000 each) for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning:
• Mr Antony Dekkers, “For innovation in the development and delivery of curricula
and resources to meet the needs of students studying mathematics both on and
off campus”;
• Mrs Kerry Reid-Searl, “For the development of unique teaching strategies in a
clinical laboratory to engage and inspire 1st year nursing students”; and
• Dr Steve McKillup, “For developing a highly successful method of teaching
complex physiological and statistical concepts, and embodying that method in an
innovative international textbook on biostatistics”.
CQUniversity is
hoping that a new
Heads of Programs
Network (HOPNET)
will enhance
communication
flows and teaching
and learning
outcomes. The
network was
launched recently
with the help of
visiting University
of Western Sydney
Professor Stuart
Campbell, who is
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
for Learning and
Teaching.
Writing workshops, workshop/symposium attendances and opportunities to
network have been funded for staff through funding received under the Australian
Learning and Teaching Council’s Promoting Excellence Initiative. The award and
grant application processes are becoming increasingly competitive as all universities
improve their processes in this area. CQUniversity has aimed to submit higher
quality applications rather than simply more applications to improve our chances
of success. Seed funding to assist in the necessary groundwork for an Australian
Learning and Teaching Council grant application will be provided to targeted groups
from funding received under the Promoting Excellence Initiative.
The Academic Leadership Group, established by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research
and Innovation) and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Services) in 2007, continued to
provide a forum for academic staff in leadership positions to hold regular discussions
on key concepts related to academic work at CQUniversity and to consider their
roles as leaders in supporting CQUniversity’s core business. Further discussions
were held on the teaching-research nexus and examples of the nexus have been
collected from across the university for publication during 2009. The Group named
2008 the year of Entrepreneurship and Innovation with discussions held throughout
the year on definitions, examples and ways to better facilitate entrepreneurship and
innovation across the university.
The first round of CQUniversity Learning & Teaching Grants held in March resulted
in four successful applications from Rob Reed; Alison Owens; Bret Heath and Rob
McDougall; and Prue Howard, Rob McDougall and Milton Fuller. The second
round, held in October, resulted in six successful applications from Yang Xiang;
Brendan Humphries and Noel Patson; Debbie Orr, Jenny Doak and Phillipa Sturgess;
Gabriel Donleavy, Beth Tennent and Peter Cherry; Jay Somasundaram; and Llewllyn
Mann, Prue Howard, Fons Nouwens and Fae Martin.
Mrs Vicki Pascoe (Nulloo Yumbah) and Ms Kylie Radel (Faculty of Arts, Business,
Informatics and Education) were awarded the International Award for Excellence by
the editors of the International Journal of Learning for their paper: “What are Nice
Guys Like Them doing in a Place Like That?: Education Journeys from Australian
Indigenous Students in Custody”. The paper was based on research conducted as
part of a CQUniversity Learning and Teaching Grant. The award will be presented in
Spain in July 2009.
Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC)
During 2008 the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education was
re-named the Australian Learning and Teaching Council. The Council’s mission continues
to be the enhancement of learning and teaching in Australian higher education.
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