Australian Awards for University Teaching

Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Professor Michelle McArthur, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of SET

Veterinary science is a profession that has one of the highest rates of mental illness amongst its practitioners and students and a devastatingly high rate of death by suicide. Until recently, this was not addressed in the training of veterinarians with many graduates entering the workplace unprepared for the stresses associated with the profession. Michelle created an innovative wellbeing and communication skills program at the University of Adelaide’s veterinary school over ten years ago. This curriculum was designed to ultimately improve and maximise professional capacities including self-reflection, wellbeing, and communication. Students now progressively develop wellbeing and resilience capabilities throughout their training as these crucial skills have been integrated within each year level.

Dr Thomas Wanner, School of Social Science, Faculty of ABLE

Thomas has been teaching for over 20 years in international development, a multi-disciplinary field of research and practice concerned with the processes of achieving human, economic, social and political development in very poor countries of the Global South. His innovative teaching pedagogies around flexible and personalised assessment have been recognised by multiple teaching excellence awards and have been very well received by students. Colleagues have also adopted his approach and technologies in their own teaching. His scholarship about empowering student learning through assessment has had an impact on the wider academic community through presentations at national and international higher education conferences, and publications in high quality journals. He aims to develop the critical thinking skills of his students so that they understand how power relations shape those issues and that they feel empowered to become ‘agents of change’ for a more equitable and sustainable world. 

Dr Walter Barbieri, School of Education, Faculty of ABLE Nomination category – Early Career

Australian classrooms are among the most digitally connected in the world (OECD, 2023), with most secondary schools operating 1:1 device programs across subject areas. Australia’s teachers, however, often struggle to use the devices in their classrooms for effective teaching and learning (Selwyn et al., 2017). It is incumbent on Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs at the University to equip aspiring teachers with contemporary skills and mindsets to leverage learning technologies effectively. Since his appointment in 2018 as a lecturer in the School of Education (SoE), Walter has taught Bachelor of Teaching (BTeach) and Master of Teaching (MTeach) degree courses to develop pre-service teachers (PSTs) into technologically adept teachers fit for 21^st-century schools. Walter's work has been recognised with a Commendation for the Enhancement and Innovation of Student Learning and a Faculty of Arts Excellence in Teaching Prize. Externally, Apple has identified his teaching practice as a global exemplar of innovation in education, and has named the SoE as the first tertiary Apple Distinguished School in Australia.  Through his work Walter feels privileged to be able to influence future generations of teachers.

Award for Teaching Excellence

Associate Professor Beth Loveys and Dr Karina Riggs (Team award), School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Faculty of SET.

Since 2011, Education Specialists Beth and Karina have enhanced the transition of second year students through to completion in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. They have led fit-for-purpose initiatives to enhance learning and engagement through thoughtfully and intentionally addressing the needs of their students. 

Beth and Karina provide stimulating and invigorating learning environments which cater to student diversity, embrace their life experiences and prepare them to be at the forefront of knowledge and practice to solve global issues such as global food security, climate change, sustainability, carbon footprints and transformative technologies.

Their strategies include the use of real-life scenarios and hands on application through Flipped Laboratories, Team-Based Learning, Students as Partners and Discovery Learning. In 2019, they took Discovery Learning pedagogy to the next level by involving students in research and development for a start-up company, Mister Rye^TM, to produce sustainable drinking straws. Another example of their successful work is the Waite Peer Mentor Program established in 2018. Through creating the space for a range of social activities they have facilitated informal opportunities for students and staff to meet which supports the students’ transition to the campus in their second year and builds a Waite Campus Community. 

Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Dr Hong Cai, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of ABLE

Hong has received a citation 'For excellence and leadership in developing language initiatives that support the social inclusion and cultural integration of international students and enhance student experiences across disciplines'.

Her work addresses both the challenge many international students face in gaining a sense of belonging in their host country, and the challenge for domestic students in learning a foreign language without an authentic, immersive environment. She has broken social and cultural bubbles through a variety of innovative and authentic learning experiences including the Volunteer Tutors Program (VTP) and Inter-professional learning which brings students in the Master of Arts in Interpreting, Translation and Trans-cultural Communication together with students in medicine and law.

Hong's impact has been far reaching with over 800 international and 1300 domestic students participating in the VTP, and more than 1500 in the inter-professional learning program.

Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Professor Kerry Wilkinson
For creative digital technologies that support independent learning, overcome discipline-specific learning and teaching challenges, and inspire wine making/ wine business students to engage with industry practice.

Team - Principles of Public Law (PPL)

• Associate Professor Matthew Stubbs
• Ms Cornelia Koch

For enlivening first-year law students’ spirit of discovery in a large compulsory course through an authentic inquiry-based learning experience enabled by flipped classroom pedagogy.

Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Associate Professor Lyndsey Collins-Praino
For effective use of gamification to teach neuroscience, leading to a deeper understanding of course material and richer student engagement.

Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Dr Peter Hill
For sustained commitment, innovation and leadership in the education of veterinary dermatology and immunology at local, national and international levels.

Dr Nicolene Lottering
For engaging digital learners through a technology-enhanced learning framework to improve deep learning and student engagement in second year anatomy students. For engaging digital learners through a technology-enhanced learning framework to improve deep learning and student engagement in second year anatomy students.
 

Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

The BEST Team

• Associate Professor Catherine Snelling  (Current Titleholder with the University of Adelaide)
• Associate Professor Sophie Karanicolas 

For the BEST approach: enhancing learning and teaching through a sustained colleague development program.

Professor Michael Liebelt
For leadership and innovation in the development of curricula and pathways in professional engineering education, designed to improve flexibility and choice for students.

Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Associate Professor Dimitra Lekkas
 For leading cultural change in approaches to the dental clinical student learning environment, through the provision of outstanding support of sessional staff.

Professor Natalie Edwards
For the development of a new curriculum built around an e-learning environment, which has significantly increased student success and retention in first-year French

Foundations of Chemistry Team

• Associate Professor David Huang
• Associate Professor Natalie Williamson
• Professor Greg Metha
• Associate Professor Stephen Bell

For restructuring the first year chemistry pathway to provide students with limited chemistry knowledge a supportive learning environment that encourages engagement and academic excellence.