Recipients of national teaching grants and awards | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Recipients of national teaching grants and awards

University of the Sunshine Coast teaching staff are regularly recognised for excellence in learning and teaching and participate in nationally funded projects investigating the quality of learning and teaching in Australian higher education.

2021

Citation Awards from Universities Australia

(in alphabetical order)

Dr Glynn Thomas
For excellence in scholarship that informs the design of innovative outdoor education curriculum and the facilitation of engaging, experiential pedagogies that promote authentic student learning.

2019

Citation Awards from Universities Australia

(in alphabetical order)

Dr Anita Hamilton
For pioneering the strategic use of digital technologies and engaging connectedness pedagogies to enhance occupational therapy students' networking capabilities and graduate employability.

Dr Vikki Schaffer
For innovative, experiential learning approaches that create stimulating, immersive experiences to engage, motivate and inspire tourism student learning.

2017

Citation Awards from the Department of Education and Training

(in alphabetical order):

Communication and Thought Core Course Team (in alphabetical order): Ms Mary-Rose Adkins, Dr Lee-anne Bye, Dr Gail Crimmins, Dr Noni Keys, Dr Gregory Nash, Ms Ann Robertson, Ms Janet Turley
For a collaborative team approach that provides an exemplary first tertiary education experience through constructively-aligned curriculum and resources informed by scholarship and evaluative practice.

Associate Professor Kelley Burton
For leadership in designing innovative resources that demonstrate a strong command of criminal law education and fulfil the future needs of budding lawyers.

Dr Michele Verdonck
For enabling occupational therapy students to do, to be, to become and to belong through innovative pedagogy and effective use of technology.

2016

Citation Awards from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) 

(in alphabetical order):

Dr Athena Lathouras

For an inspiring community-development approach to education, taught with a passion for social justice, that enables social work students to become agents of change.

Mr Ratna Paudyal

For collaborative, student-centred, dialogic teaching and pastoral care, that develops self-efficacy and social capital in business students, particularly underrepresented students, facilitating their transition to employment.

2015

Citation Awards from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) 

(in alphabetical order):

  • Associate Professor Patrea Anderson
    For sustained leadership in the development, implementation and dissemination of innovative simulation pedagogy that enhances student engagement and learning in the nursing and health disciplines
  • Professor David Hollinsworth
    For inspirational teaching that challenges and supports social science students to critically examine racism, social justice and positionality, transforming their personal and professional lives
  • Dr Retha De Villiers Scheepers
    For inspiring entrepreneurship students to create their future by crafting authentic learning opportunities that motivate, engage and empower
  • Dr Susan Simon
    For inspiring and mentoring postgraduate education students to become effective leaders through professional expertise, guidance, collegiality, collaboration and promoting critical reflection
  • Dr Nicholas Stevens
    For establishing applied curricula and digital resources which prioritise student access to town planning principles, practice and projects, enabling them to 'plan for great places'

Grant projects from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT)

OLT Seed Grant (up to A$40,000)
  • The university place and its influence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, led by Dr Maria Raciti.
2006-2014

Citation Awards from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) 

(in alphabetical order):

  • Dr Michael Carey
    For excellence in developing curricula, resources and services that improve the English language skills and knowledge of pre-service teachers, colleagues and the wider student cohort.
  • Ms Caroline Cottman
    For academic development activities that create 'ripples on the pond' by inspiring and motivating scholarly teaching, fostering collaboration and promoting reflection and active, learner-centred experiences.
  • Dr Geoff Lovell
    For 22 years of excellence in inspiring and motivating psychology and sports science students to actively engage in learning through enthusiastic, student-centred teaching practice.

Grant projects from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT)

OLT Seed Grant (up to A$40,000)
  • The pivotal leadership model: innovative curriculum design and enhanced postgraduate learning experiences for school leaders, led by Dr Sue Simon.
OLT Extension Grants (up to A$30,000)
  • Gathering valid data for quality enhancement: assessing, reviewing, benchmarking & closing the loop for assurance of learning in regional universities, led by A/Prof Romy Lawson (USC as partner, Dr Margarietha Scheepers)
  • Establishing a framework for transforming student engagement, success and retention in higher education institutions, led by Professor Karen Nelson.
OLT Commissioned Project (A$284,000)
  • Shaping the 21st century student experience at regional universities, co-led by Professor Karen Nelson and Ms Kylie Readman. Project manager Dr Ian Stoodley (USC Lead Institution). Partners: Central Queensland University, Charles Sturt University, Federation University Australia, James Cook University, Southern Cross University, University of New England, University of Southern Queensland. Project Team: Associate Professor Jennifer Rowe, Dr Jill Lawrence, Ms Liz Smith, Ms Kathryn Meldrum, Professor Janet Taylor, Professor Rob Reed, Professor Denise Wood, Ms Rhonda Leece, Associate Professor Nina Fotinatos.

2013

Citation Awards from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) 

(in alphabetical order):

  • Mr Graham Ashford
    For teaching that transforms: engaging students in complex economic and scientific concepts through authentic assessment, simulation, and participatory learning and reflection.
  • Dr Terry Lucke
    For bringing engineering to life for students through personal passion, enthusiasm and engaging curricula based on experiential learning.
  • Dr Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava
    For designing and delivering curricula and resources that promote comprehensive understanding of the spatial sciences by multidisciplinary undergraduate students who become highly valued, workforce-ready graduates.
  • Dr Uwe Terton
    For designing and delivering exciting, engaging and inclusive curricula that build students’ competence and confidence, enabling their success in the digital design industry.
  • Dr Ross Watkins
    For empowering students of creative writing to attain their potential through empathetic mentoring and innovative curriculum.

Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM) Awards

  • The Marks and Grades Project was awarded the Co-Op Award for Excellence in Student Administration and Customer Service

Grant projects from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT)

OLT Extension Grants (up to A$30,000)
  • Professional Learning Conversations for Academic Leadership, led by Kylie Readman
  • Developing a Regional Community of Practice for Transformative Climate Change Education, led by Dr Dana Thomsen.
  • Action Learning: Enhancing understanding of interactions between domestic and international students — A regional universities perspective, led by Dr Leone Cameron and Oscar Imaz-Mairal.
OLT Innovation and Development Grant (A$180,000)
  • Expert in my pocket: a mobile-enabled repository of learning resources for the development of clinical skills in student health professional - led by Associate Professor Bill Lord and Dr Florin Oprescu (project leaders) with Nigel Barr and Theresa Downer, in partnership with Deakin University.
OLT Commissioned Project (A$595,000)
  • Enhancing the Training of Science and Mathematics Teachers: Evaluation led by Don Maconachie, Director, Executive Projects Unit. In early 2013 the OLT commissioned a number of large collaborative projects focussed on the development and dissemination of new approaches to pre-service teacher training programs to drive a major national improvement in the quality of mathematics and science teaching. The evaluation project will involve Don Maconachie working with PhillipsKPA to support the work of these projects to achieve their planned outcomes and deliverables. The key target groups for the evaluation are the higher education sector, pre-service mathematics and science teacher students, and employers of graduate mathematics and science teachers 
OLT Academic Secondment Program (A$158,000)
  • Tilly Hinton was the inaugural academic secondee to undertake a national project called Influence Factor: understanding outcomes from Australian learning and teaching grants.

2012

Citation Awards from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT)

  • Dr Justin Debuse: For applying technological expertise to research, develop and implement best-practice pedagogical innovation that directly improved learning and teaching.
  • Associate Professor Peter Dunn: For bringing statistics to life for students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, using real data, engaging activities and rapport to build confidence, enthusiasm and success.
  • Ms Johanna Einfalt and Ms Janet Turley: For designing and driving a sustained assessment support model built on collaborative partnerships: Paving the way for student growth in skills, independence and peer-to-peer learning.
  • The International Projects Group (IPG): Professor Emeritus Merv Hyde, Dr Bill Allen, Ms Suzanne Burford, Mrs Rama Brierty, Dr John  Hunt For stimulating systemic education reform in Indonesian Papua through a unique, outcome-driven teacher education program for students within an Australian university.
  • Associate Professor Meredith Lawley: For sustained excellence in research supervision of a diverse range of doctoral students, motivating and inspiring through a supportive guide approach to developing independent researchers.
  • Dr Mark Sayers: For 23 years of excellence in teaching biomechanics from a foundation of outstanding communication skills and authentic problem-based learning that inspires and motivates students.

2011

Citation Awards from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT)

  • Dr Peter Baxter: For sustained commitment to creating opportunities for students to become successful accounting professionals, driven by a passion for teaching and the discipline of accounting.
  • Dr Christine Morley: For inspiring social work students to engage in critical reflection as an integral part of transformative learning and effective action for social justice.
  • Dr Fiona Pelly: For sustained leadership in the creation of professionally relevant and research-informed Nutrition and Dietetics curricula.
  • Ms Kylie Readman: For developing and leading a collaborative, transdisciplinary 'Assessment Makeover' process: mentoring colleagues to improve assessment and enhancing students' learning experiences.
  • Ms Emma Kill: For 'making a future': pioneering innovative programs that enable young mothers and under-represented equity groups to re-engage with and achieve a tertiary education.

Grant projects from the Commonwealth Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT)

  • A Handbook: Leadership for excellence in learning and teaching
    Institutions: University of the Sunshine Coast, PhillipsKPA Pty Ltd
    Grant: $220,000

  • Experiential Learning in Planning Education: Resources and Tools for Good Practice
    Institutions: University of the Sunshine Coast, La Trobe University, University of Tasmania, Edith Cowan University, Planning Institute of Australia.
    Grant: $176,000

2010

Citation Awards

  • Dr Phillip Ablett: For enlivening social theory to inspire students to become agents of change for a just, democratic and sustainable society.
  • Dr Lisa Chandler: For sustained design and delivery of innovative, practice-informed, and student-focused curricula that provide a professionally-relevant foundation in art and design practice.
  • Professor Roger Hughes: For scholarly leadership in the development of nutrition and dietetics curriculum, student learning and graduate outcomes, particularly in the area of public health nutrition.
  • Dr Debra Livingston: For empowering graphic design students by leading innovative and inspiring practicum experiences through integrating regional community and industry-based engagement into their lives and study.
  • Professor Margaret McAllister: For the creation and development of Solution Focused Nursing, an innovative and internationally recognised model for student learning that develops high level caring skills.
  • Ms Lily O'Hara: For passionate, enthusiastic and sustained commitment to inspiring and motivating health students to become expert and engaged practitioners.

2009

Citation Awards

  • Ms Liani Eckard: For enhancing the cultural engagement, personal development and employment opportunities of students through a leading Global Opportunities Program.
  • Dr Ann Parkinson: For improving the learning outcomes for foundation students in biology and physiology through innovative pedagogies and resources.
  • Dr Anna Potter: For excellence in curriculum design, assessment practice and academic leadership that supports and motivates students to learn in a large, first-year foundation course.
  • Ms Margot Reeh: For developing university-wide, student-to-student mentor and advising programs that enhance the university experience of beginning students and benefit the student leaders personally professionally.
  • The Headstart Program: Mrs Kylie Russell, Mrs Tegan McFarland, Mrs Kathryn Hughes, Mr Tim Weir, Mrs Margaret Thursby For enhancing Year 11 and 12 students' development as individuals and as learners, through immersion in University courses across all faculties.
  • Dr Monte Wynder: For sustained enthusiasm in curricula development and delivery that models and generates creative problem solving to prepare flexible and innovative accounting graduates.

Grant projects

2008

Citation Awards

  • Associate Professor Stephen Lamble and Ms Gillian Cowden: For creating innovative curricula and developing research-informed teaching resources that enhance graduate employment opportunities in the profession of journalism.

Grant projects

  • Developing cross-disciplinary leadership capacity for enhancing the professional education of multidisciplinary mental health workers
    Institutions: Griffith University (Lead), University of the Sunshine Coast.
    Grant: A$218,925

2007

Citation Awards

  • Dr Karen Brooks: For sustained and outstanding teaching, writing and public engagement that motivates, challenges and inspires undergraduate students as well as the wider community.
  • Ms Gayle Mayes: For enhancing students' employability and work readiness by providing a motivational work integrated learning experience that incorporates an individualised and supportive student-to-work transitional process.

Grant projects

  • Enhancing frameworks for assuring the quality of learning and teaching in university offshore education programs
    Institutions: The University of Western Australia (Lead), Curtin University of Technology, University of the Sunshine Coast.
    Grant: A$149,573

  • The whole of university experience: retention, attrition, learning and personal support interventions during undergraduate business studies
    Institutions: University of the Sunshine Coast (Lead), Griffith University, Monash University, Murdoch University, The University of Sydney, University of South Australia, University of Southern Queensland.
    Grant: A$219,877

2006

Citation recipients

  • Dr Gary Crew: For leadership in the creation and ongoing development of a professionally productive creative writing department in a new regional university.
  • Dr Maria Raciti: For creating a successful relational learning environment for business students of all ability