Excellence in Teaching Awards

Monday 15 August 2005

The Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence has been awarded to Dr Jill Gibbons. Dr Gibbons also received the Faculty of Education and Arts award.

Dr Pauline McGuirk and Dr Adam McCluskey shared the Faculty of Science and Information Technology award for teaching excellence. The Award for New Career Academic went to Dr Geoff MacFarlane. David Meacheam, Kathryn Grushka and Kerry Chalmers were all highly commended.

The nominees are assessed against nationally-recognised criteria and are based on a lecturer’s ability to deliver high-quality student learning. The winners are those who have shown an outstanding ability to motivate students' desire to pursue further learning and encourage independent thought.

Dr Jill Gibbons is the convenor of the Social Work program at the University of Newcastle, which has developed an innovative experience-based approach to education. Dr Gibbons has published widely on this model of social work education and has been attracting worldwide interest in social work education circles. Dr. Gibbons says, "In an age where information is readily and overly available and learning content can rapidly go out of date, our approach is not on What to learn, but How to learn."

Dr Pauline McGuirk has developed an international reputation for research on urban governance, policy and planning and the transformation of the role of the state and its institutions. Professor McGuirk is also Deputy Director of the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (School of Environmental and Life Sciences).

Dr Adam McCluskey has been involved in the implementation of significant changes to the Chemistry curriculum and the implementation of the BSc in Forensic Science program since his arrival at the University in 1995.

Dr Geoff MacFarlane is an early career academic, teaching ecology and biology within the School of Environmental and Life Sciences. Dr MacFarlane exposes students to a diverse array of environmental issues, using a variety of field-based and online methodologies.

Helen Carter, the Director of the Network for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (NiTL) says "The Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Teaching Excellence demonstrate the importance placed upon teaching by the University of Newcastle. They are also seen as a way of sharing innovative processes of teaching and learning to help promote a culture of high-quality teaching, learning and educational research."

Presentation will be in the foyer of the Great Hall, 1:00pm Wednesday 17th August 2005.

For information and interviews, contact Dr Jill Gibbons on 4921 5496 or Helen Carter, Director NiTL on 4921 2090.