Academics held to be outstanding teachers and supervisors were celebrated at the conferring of degrees ceremonies at Llewellyn Hall this month.
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Dr Sigi Goode believes paying attention to student's needs is one key to good teaching. |
The annual Vice-Chancellor’s awards for excellence in teaching and research supervision went to staff working in information systems, pathology, European studies, and biology.
Dr Sigi Goode from the ANU College of Business and Economics won a teaching award for his success at engaging students in lectures and tutorials.
The early career academic, who lectures in information systems, said he draws inspiration from his own memories of enthusiastic lecturers when he was an undergraduate at ANU.
“I remember what it was like being in a class with a lecturer who was clearly a leader – then you don’t mind turning up at 8am on a Thursday for a lecture or a tutorial,” he said.
Dr Goode said he makes a point of memorising the names of students in his tutorials, and regularly evaluates how they are responding to his teaching methods.
“I have a theory that students want exactly what all humans want, which is to be understood by someone who cares,” Dr Goode said. “I think you can solve most problems by simply paying attention to what the other person is saying.”
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| Dr Ben Wellings said his research and teaching are linked. |
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Another early career academic, Dr Ben Wellings from the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences was also recognised for excellence in teaching. Dr Wellings is the Convenor of European Studies at the School of Social Sciences.
“I try to foster the links between my teaching and research,” he said. “By staying engaged with the research work being done in my field, I can share the latest developments with my students.
“But it works the other way too. Sometimes my students ask curly questions and express interest in an area that I’ve yet to consider, leading to new directions in research.”
In the citation for his award, Dr Wellings was praised for his efforts to assist students from non-English speaking backgrounds, and for regularly adjusting his teaching programs based on student feedback.
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Dr Jane Dahlstrom is passionate about teaching pathology. |
ANU Medical School academic Dr Jane Dahlstrom, who the received a teaching award, was praised for dispelling attitudes that pathology is a ‘difficult’ subject.
Dr Dahlstrom has played an important role integrating Anatomical Pathology into all years of the four-year medical program, drawing on her experience as a clinical practitioner at the Canberra Hospital.
Despite having many demands on her time, Dr Dahlstrom said teaching remains the most enjoyable part of her professional life.
“Understanding pathology is central to understanding diseases and to caring for patients. It gives me a great thrill to see students realise that their hard work in learning about pathology translates into better care of patients. The feedback that the students are giving shows that they are enjoying pathology as a subject.”
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| For Dr Scott Keogh, research supervision is all about being a mentor. |
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The award for excellence in supervising postgraduate students went to Dr Scott Keogh from the Research School of Botany and Zoology in the ANU College of Science.
A firm believer in the role of the supervisor as mentor, Dr Keogh said he believes it is important to help students develop professionally as well as supporting their research.
“Supervisors tend to concentrate on research, but an important part of that for students is getting the message out, making sure that people are hearing what they’re saying. Getting a job is important too.
“There are lots of really smart, good students who never get told the information, whether this is because their supervisor forgets to tell them, or the mentor is from a different generation where those other issues didn’t matter so much.”
Dr Keogh was commended for developing a postgraduate resource website.
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