Excellence in teaching

Lesley Vidovich is a lecturer in the Graduate School of Education. She received the Excellence in Teaching Award in 1999. This award represents a joint effort by the Guild and the University to recognise and reward exemplary teaching.

PASSION - that's the 'essence' of teaching and learning for me. But not necessarily passion for 'my subject' because that has changed from secondary school science to university units in education which focus on policy, sociology and research methods - from first year to doctoral levels. I am passionate about watching the 'lights go on' in students' eyes - it's all about empowerment.

When I took up an appointment at UWA in 1998, I pondered the relationship between teaching, research and service. How could I maintain my passion about all three? Would I end up in a frenzy dividing time between them? Well, YES I did end up in quite a frenzy, but I'm beginning to draw the three together. An example follows.

In 2000, I was teaching a Masters class in Singapore for the first time. I was somewhat anxious about how my style would be received because I am passionate about developing students' critical analysis skills for a 'globalised knowledge society'. However, I was well aware of the stereotype that 'chalk and talk' is the predominant modus operandus in many Asian classrooms. My first attempts at critical discussion with the whole class were stilted, but with small groups of 3 or 4, the room became animated - I was beginning to see the 'lights go on'. Throughout the unit I continued to gently lead the students into this new style of learning. SPOT evaluations suggested that a nascent form of the student empowerment I sought was emerging. For example, the best aspects of the unit were identified as: "able to critique and ask questions during the lecture - intellectual sparing"; "exposure to new perspectives and thinking through critique and discussion"; "looking at material critically"; and also "the teacher's passion for teaching".

One of the students in this Singapore class was leading a radical restructuring at Chinese High School (CHS) - an independent boys' school. He approached me to say how valuable the class had been, especially the critical discussion. We talked about a possible UWA Masters degree for CHS staff (taught on site) and a Summer School for CHS students at UWA. Subsequently, I took responsibility for organising the inaugural Summer School. Plans are in progress to extend to other Singapore high schools and to a high school in Perth (where I also offer 'service' as a Governor on the School Board). Thus, students from different cultural backgrounds can interact in class - increasing the chances that the 'lights will go on'. Who knows, these students may well meet up again in UWA undergraduate classes in a few years' time.

I have just returned from visiting the UWA Masters students who are teachers at CHS, where I savoured watching the 'lights go on' as they engage in formal educational research for the first time. Further, the CHS administration enthusiastically welcomes my own research within the school. A closer nexus between teaching, service and research, is now emerging.

To conclude, it a great privilege for me to be making even a small contribution to future generations with my teaching, research and service, particularly through a university faculty which educates teachers, who will go on to magnify the effect many fold - 'turning those lights on' again and again.