Dr Michael Ondaatje

Biography

Michael Ondaatje was born in Perth, Western Australia and was awarded his PhD (with Distinction) from the University of Western Australia (UWA). His thesis on the black conservative phenomenon in modern America was recognised at UWA with the Robert Street Prize for the best PhD across all disciplines in 2007.

Also the winner of that university’s Excellence in Teaching Award (Early Career) in 2006, Michael has published work in the field of African American history and is currently writing a book about Barack Obama for UWA Press. His forthcoming book, Black Conservative Intellectuals in Modern America, will be published by the University of Pennsylvania Press (Penn Press) in late 2009. Michael is also a regular commentator on American history and politics for ABC radio.

In 2003 I was given the opportunity to demonstrate the enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism that form the foundation of effective and inspirational teaching at the tertiary level through my participation in the UWA Postgraduate Teaching Internship Scheme. The Internship is said to ‘encourage Interns to reflect explicitly upon the nature of teaching and learning at a tertiary level’; to ‘enable the exchange of ideas about teaching and learning among Interns, beyond the feel of their own disciplinary specialisation’; and to ‘provide Interns with the opportunity to participate in a public forum relating to teaching and learning.’ The scheme is further said to ‘reflect the University’s goals in supporting high quality teaching and learning and fostering the nexus between teaching and research.’ While many postgraduates have tutoring and even lecturing experience, the Internship program provided me with a comprehensive framework through which teaching principles could be conceived, implemented and evaluated.

My experience of the Internship was, therefore, wholly positive. From individual and group discussions to team projects on topics ranging from WebCT and Outcomes- Based Education to lecturing style and technique, I was afforded invaluable insights and opportunities that few young and aspiring university academics are given. The paper on ‘Small Group Teaching’ I presented at the end of the program has proven particularly useful in my endeavours to establish myself as a high-quality university teacher. In researching the paper, I was forced to think critically about what it means to be an effective facilitator of student learning – to keep my finger on the pulse of innovations in teaching, while recognising the value of the best traditional methods. I was – and continue to be – prompted to refine, adapt, and at times refute, my pedagogical strategies and assumptions, and to provide students with flexibility and choice in their university studies. The format of tutorials in my courses – and in the other courses I have taught in – is open to negotiation, for example, the choice being between formal presentations or more informal discussion, and is settled with student approval in the first tutorial. In my courses – and, again, in the other courses I have taught in – students are encouraged to take control of the subject material and to position themselves, as well as me, as teachers. From my perspective, such an arrangement involves the willing surrender of some control over tutorial discussion (as well as considerable pre-planning, mapping out possible lines of debate, and being prepared to address any number of them) and satisfyingly, my role in the class is a facilitating one and arguably more receptive to students’ needs than overtly instructive. Above all, then, the Internship taught me that being in a classroom is a continual learning experience – for all!