Year 2001 - University of Canberra

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA ANNUAL REPORT 2001
12
Communication and Education
In 2001 a total of 978 students graduated from
courses within the Division of Communication
and Education. Six received PhDs and 122
Master degrees. Two hundred and ten students
received Postgraduate Diplomas or Certificates,
while 630 received Bachelor degrees. A further
592 completed non-award programs, mainly in
the English Language Centre. The largest single
cohort was the 245 graduates in the degree of
Bachelor of Communication. Approximately
280 students graduated with teaching
qualifications, either in Early Childhood,
Primary or Secondary teaching.
Particularly noteworthy was the success
of students undertaking the Bachelor of
Communication (Honours) course. Of the
seventeen students completing this degree,
five were awarded First Class Honours and
one was a University Medallist.
Of the seventeen students
completing the Bachelor of
Communication (Honours),
five were awarded First Class
Honours and one was a
University Medallist.
The Division of Communication and Education
comprises six academic schools covering the
areas of Communication and Media Studies,
Teaching and Community Education,
Humanities, Languages, Information Studies,
Professional Writing and Tourism. The Division
also includes a major English Language
(ELICOS) Centre and a range of other research
and community centres, including Wiradjuri
Childcare Centre, Unitronics and the Schools
and Community Centre.
The year 2001 saw the development of a number
of new courses offered in response to community
and professional needs.
They included a range of new initiatives in the
secondary teaching area, where an increased
need for science and technology teachers and
teacher librarians was identified. A new four-year
double degree combining the Bachelor of
Education with a Bachelor of Science was
approved. Specialist programs, such as a new
Graduate Certificate in Physics teaching, were
established to meet the continuing professional
needs of teachers.
In course design there was an emphasis on enhancing student
access through flexible delivery modes. New fully online Master
courses were developed in the areas of Knowledge Management,
Internet Communication, and Tourism Management.
Arrangements were finalised for the offering of the Master in
Educational Leadership in China in partnership with Hangzhou
Normal University, due to commence in March 2002.
Demand amongst prospective students for the Division’s courses
remained strong. This enabled higher entrance qualifications
in key courses.
The minimum entry level for primary teaching courses was increased
from UAI 70 to 73. It is pleasing to report that the median UAI entry
score required of future teachers is well into the 80s and that virtually
all students entering teacher education select it as their first preference
course. These figures indicate that the quality of students entering
Teacher Education at the University of Canberra is high by
national standards.
Another focus in 2001 was the development and implementation of
a new University Research and Research Training Management Plan.
The Divisional research effort is now focussed on three areas of
research concentration:
Education and Innovation, Communication, Media and Cultural
Studies, and Tourism Research. Major research projects included
the monitoring of media coverage of suicide and mental illness for
the Department of Health and Aged Care; continuing research on
improving literacy amongst indigenous Australians; social change and
economic prospects in regional Australia; and the economic impact
of tourism-related events in the ACT. Major conferences hosted by
the Division included the Annual National Tourism and Hospitality
Research Conference, the Association of Commonwealth Literature
and Language Studies 12th Triennial Conference, and the 9th Annual
Conference in Australian Research in Early Childhood Education.
There were many notable achievements amongst students and
graduates. Advertising students secured third place in the International
Advertising Association InterAd Competition. Students were also
prominent in the ACT Tourism Awards and the Public Relations
Institute Awards. Their continuing success in the employment
market indicates high levels of employer satisfaction with graduates.
For example, Journalism graduates from 2001 achieved much soughtafter
cadetships with The Age (Melbourne), the Australian Financial
Review, Australian Associated Press and the ABC. In 2001 the
ACT Department of Education and Community Services recruited
274 UC education graduates. UC graduates form the majority of
new teacher recruitments. Of the 178 secondary teachers recruited,
91 were UC graduates. Of the 61 new teachers in colleges,
36 were UC graduates.