LEARNING & TEACHING

The Australian College of Educators advances the education profession nationally across all sectors and levels for the individual and collective success of Australia's educators. In advancing the education profession, ACE aims to:

The Quality Teaching Awards are open to permanent, part-time and casual government and non-government pre-school, early childhood, primary, secondary, university, TAFE and community education teachers. The awards are conducted by ACE and presented by the NSW Minister for Education and Training. The Quality Teaching Awards recognise and applaud accomplished teaching practice through a rigorous process involving referees' reports, professional learning portfolios and workplace visits.

Mr Richard Buckland,Lecturer, The University of New South Wales
Professor Joe Wolfe, Professor, The University of New South Wales

Sean's teaching is described as innovative, passionate, and deeply reflective. His students describe him as engaged, knowledgeable, and someone who holds high expectations of all his students while going to great lengths to make his teaching informative, interesting and stimulating.
Sean is a teacher who "expects a lot but gives so much". He also makes extensive, innovative and effective use of educational technology, and aids his colleagues to do the same. He mentors new academics and provides moral leadership to all his colleagues through his tolerance for differing viewpoints and making room in the learning conversation for students' voices.

Kathy combines enthusiasm for her subject with consummate skills in subject delivery. She finds ways to maximise student involvement in the learning process and continually links the activities of her research group back into the undergraduate classroom.
Kathy creates and supports a safe learning environment to enable students to explore ideas and move past the boundaries of their current knowledge base. Kathy is generous in terms of giving her time to both students and hers peers. She is viewed as the driver of significant change at the University in the development of learning communities following the Boyer philosophy.

Raelene has developed an enviable academic international reputation in her field and is widely respected by students and colleagues alike. She has published several books and numerous articles on the history of work, women's history, Aboriginal/European contact history, religious and community history and has also co-edited several collections of essays on Australian and New Zealand history. Raelene has taught Australian history, women's studies, New Zealand history and Australian studies in Melbourne, Perth and Auckland.

Bruce combines enthusiasm for his subject with consummate skills in subject delivery and obvious respect for his students as individuals. Bruce creates energetic and interesting learning environments in which students feel safe to explore their own ideas and push the boundaries of their learning.
His generosity, in terms of giving of his own time to student and staff concerns and interests, plus his professional integrity makes him highly valued by colleagues as well as by students. His commitment to teaching history goes beyond his fruitful collaboration and development of a widely recognised academic reputation, with colleague Dr Raelene Frances, to actively supporting and mentoring colleagues.

Gary has made a strong commitment to the education of tomorrow's doctors. In addition to his medical degree with honours, he has completed a PhD in pathology. Unusual for someone in his field, Dr Velan has undertaken a Diploma in Higher Education to improve his teaching. Gary has given effective leadership in the areas of curriculum design, teaching and assessment within the School of Pathology. In the area of on-line, formative assessment, he is seen as a leader within his university.

Gary acts as a mentor to less experienced staff giving readily of his time and expertise. He has been a driving force in the development of a significantly revised, student-centred medical curriculum at UNSW. His teaching is characterised by deep knowledge and a sensitivity to the learning needs of his students. He finds ways to maximise student involvement in the learning process and continually links what he and his students are doing to their future practice.

Julian is responsible for teaching a range of food science courses to undergraduate and graduate students. He values very highly the need to design and select curriculum that balances the demands of academic rigour, achieving the desired outcomes, engaging student interest and encouraging student questioning and thinking.

Frances performs outstandingly well in the various phases of her role in which she has to balance the needs of the Kingsford Legal Centre's clients and the team's professional responsibility to them, with her role in facilitating the development of understanding and skills in students. She shows remarkable sensitivity and responsiveness to students as individuals and in-group situations demonstrating empathy, support and challenge.

Michael is a thorough professional with the ability to make difficult and abstract topics interesting, meaningful and real to his students. He actively involves his students in the development of teaching resources - in particular the video series he initiated and designed to teach the principles of flight.