Engaging Students Through the Curriculum

Teaching and Learning Month is all about discovering, discussing, pursuing, celebrating and valuing excellence in teaching and learning. The theme of Teaching Month 2009 is ‘Engaging Students Through the Curriculum’

From showcasing innovative approaches and methods to focusing on the finer points of tested-by-time pedagogical tools, Teaching and Learning Month encourages UWA staff and students to get thinking about and, most importantly, get talking about teaching and learning issues, ideas and practices and the student learning experience.

Featured Events

One of the most exciting events of Teaching and Learning Month is the Hypothetical on the 22nd of May. To be held in the Sunken Gardens, this event features a number of prominent local and UWA figures, including columnist, author and social commentator Susan Maushart, and the new Dean of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at UWA Professor Krishna Sen, and will be moderated by Reverend Canon Richard Pengelley, UWA’s own Geoffrey Robertson. The Hypothetical, titled ‘Engaged or Disengaged? The role of the curriculum’, is a performative debate which will explore the notion of engagement at UWA. It promises to be a lively and entertaining event and the opportunity to see the wonderful panel of speakers in action should not be missed.

Students are particularly encouraged to get involved with Teaching and Learning Month. The Guild will once again be hosting a friendly but challenging staff vs. student lunch-time debate. With the help of the Sport and Recreation Centre, CATL are also planning a staff vs. student sports afternoon on Riley Oval – see the calendar of events

Rewarding Excellence

One of the central events of Teaching and Learning Month is the University Teaching Award Ceremony. This event recognises the 2008 Faculty Teaching Award Winners, and Postgraduate Teaching Interns, and includes the announcement of the winners of the University Excellence in Teaching Awards and the 2009 UWA nominees for the ALTC Awards for University Teaching. This year, the awards ceremony will feature the third annual VC’s Invitational Lecture, delivered by Mr Fred Chaney. All staff and students of the university are invited to attend the teaching award ceremony – contact catl@uwa.edu.au to RSVP

Research and Scholarship

Another highlight will be the inaugural UWA Teaching and Learning Research Colloquium to be held over a day at the University Club on Wednesday 27th May. This unique event will provide UWA staff with an opportunity to share their teaching and learning research and scholarship with their peers and the wider WA community. The colloquium will feature a keynote address from Associate Professor Jan Orrell, who is currently undertaking the Review of Student Evaluations of Teaching at UWA.

Register to attend the colloquium here

Visiting Teachers

This year UWA is lucky enough to have Professor Larry Michaelsen visiting the university as a guest of the UWA Business School and CATL. Larry is Professor of Management at Central Missouri State University, David Ross Boyd Professor Emeritus at the University of Oklahoma, a Carnegie Scholar, and a Fulbright Senior Scholar. He has pioneered work in the development of Team-Based Learning (TBL) a comprehensive small-group based instructional process that is now being used in over 80 academic disciplines and on over 200 campuses in the UWA and in eight foreign countries.

Professor Michaelsen will present a workshop “Team-Based Learning: An In Class Strategy for Going Beyond Covering Content” on Monday 18th May 1-3pm in the Law Lecture Theatre. Register and find more details about this event here.

Please revisit this site as Teaching and Learning Month approaches for updates on the programme. We encourage everyone to get involved with some aspect of Teaching and Learning Month!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS