JCU teaching wins national awards
Nine James Cook University academics have won national awards for excellence in teaching.
The nine have received $10,000 citations for outstanding contributions to student learning awarded by the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
The Carrick Awards for Australian university teaching are highly competitive and involve an intensive selection process to assess the achievements of applicants. Only 253 citations are awarded across Australia’s 38 universities and each institution is limited to ten nominations.
JCU Vice Chancellor Professor Sandra Harding said the citations showed the teaching side of the University ranked up there with its world reputation as a research institute.
“These awards, coming as they do only days after James Cook University was named as one of the top 500 universities in the world and in the top 100 in the Asia Pacific region, confirm our position as one of the leading teaching and research institutions in Australia,” Professor Harding said.
“It is particularly pleasing that our citation winners come from all four of JCU’s faculties – showing the teaching expertise is right across the university.
“Last year 12 JCU academics shared seven citations so our trophy cabinet for top line teaching is getting crowded,” Professor Harding said.
JCU’s Carrick Citation winners are:
Dr Linda Ashton (School of Education): For activating in graduates a passion for the art of teaching, enriched by inclusive, collaborative, successful public art projects for and with local communities
Dr Pierre Benckendorff (School of Business): For enriching the learning experiences of business and tourism students through a reciprocal and interactive teaching style, creative assessment and systematic feedback
Dr Kirsten Heimann (School of Marine and Tropical Biology): For developing students’ conceptual understanding, quantitative and generic skills through innovative, problem-based teaching and hands-on training in large and diverse foundation Biology classes
Mr Peter Jones (School of Arts and Social Sciences): For sustained excellence in creating authentic and transformative learning experiences for social welfare students, studying both on-campus and through distance education, at a regional university.
Dr Stephen Naylor (School of Creative Arts): For sharing practical research with Creative Arts students in regional centres, to illustrate the significance of art theory within contemporary global contexts
Dr Ulla Secher (School of Law): For creating motivating, inclusive, highly effective learning environments in large, compulsory, regional law courses through curriculum reflecting enthusiasm for, and acommand of, the field
Dr Madoc Sheehan (School of Engineering): For challenging and supporting engineering students to develop mastery of complex systems analysis skills and providing student oriented pathways to success in research and industry
Mrs Joanne Tollefson (School of Nursing, Midwifery and Nutrition): For sustained leadership and development of effective, evidence-based practical curricula, along with a system for assessing nursing skills competency for regional and international nursing
Mrs Kristin Wicking (School of Nursing, Midwifery and Nutrition): Connecting the dots: Helping first year nursing students connect with the subject materials, each other and the teacher, by using scaffolding and technology in assessments
The Carrick Institute was established in 2004 and the Citations for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning recognise and reward the diverse contributions that individuals and teams make to the quality of student learning.
The 'Carrick Citations' are granted to people who have made a significant contribution to the quality of student learning in a specific area of responsibility over a sustained period, whether they are academic staff, general staff, sessional staff or institutional associates.
People who are awarded Carrick Citations are widely recognised for their achievements within the nominating institution and have received strong institutional endorsement.
Contact: JCU Media Liaison, Jim O’Brien 07 4781 4822 or 0418 892449
