Research news
Community-engaged research 'extravaganza' evening
At the USQ inaugural Community-Engaged Research Evening in November 2008, our Faculty showcased over 20 posters that profiled the research activities of academic staff and postgraduate students from Toowoomba, Springfield and Fraser Coast. This year's event is scheduled for Friday 6 November, in the Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre in Toowoomba.
All academic staff and postgraduate research students are invited to present a poster and, where possible, attend on the evening. Staff and students at our other campuses are welcome to submit posters even if they cannot be in attendance. For more information contact Kathryn Gayler.
Visiting Scholars
Associate Professor Solveig Jakobsdottir from Iceland, recently spent two weeks at the
Toowoomba campus. Professor Solveig works at the University of Iceland in the School of Education. Her research and teaching are in the areas of distance education and applications of information and communication technology (ICT), educational technology and multimedia in education.
During her visit Associate Professor Jakobsdottir presented a seminar entitled "Making distance education ‘cool (down)'? Tale of two merging universities in Iceland", met a number of academic members individually and attended a meeting of the Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher group. One outcome of her trip is a chapter being co-written with Ms Lindy McKeown for consideration for publication in a research book about teacher education through open and distance learning, to be published by the Commonwealth of Learning and to be co-edited by Associate Professor Patrick Danaher in the Faculty of Education.
In May 2009 Professor Terry Evans from Deakin University will be meeting with staff in Toowoomba and Springfield, and conducting a number of professional development sessions. Professor Evans will also meeti with on-campus doctoral students and doctoral supervisors. He also will be presenting a research seminar.
First recipient of USQ's 'Doctoral Completion Scheme'
Faculty staff member Sarah Davey Chesters is the first to complete her doctoral qualification under the faculty-supported Doctoral Completion Scheme.
Sarah received her Examiner's Reports for her PhD at the University of Queensland with the recommendation of a 'non-graded pass'.
One of the examiners wrote the following about the quality of Sarah's work:
'...the thesis is a beautiful testimony to the power of metaphor in our thinking about dialogue and philosophical inquiry. The thesis draws upon, and analyzes, different metaphors that dominate our philosophical and dialogical imaginary: the gadfly, midwife and stingray; the hour glass; following arguments wherever they lead us; and lastly the dance...
The candidate has produced a dissertation that advances the field of education and serves a place from which to begin her future research into the nature of Socratic pedagogy; how to practice and evaluate it in the classroom; and its value for democratic education'.
Sincere congratulations to Dr Sarah Davey Chester on this significant professional achievement.
Recent ARC grant successes
Our staff have been successful in the 2008 round of ARC grants for projects to be undertaken from 2009 - 2011.
Professor Bruce Waldrip has been awarded a grant for his collaborative project titled Using multiple representations for systematic assessment to improve learning in secondary school science (administered through Curtin University of Technology). Read more>>>
A/Prof Dorothy Andrews and Dr Mary Keeffe have been awarded a grant for their project, Understanding adolescent leadership for civic engagement in secondary schools and community groups (administered through Griffith University). Read more>>>
Postgraduate and Early Career Research group
The Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher group (which also includes members from other faculties) aims to enhance a research culture in a collaborative and supportive learning environment. We meet every fortnight, conduct writing workshops, hold annual research symposia and produces DEEWR-recognised edited publications. We welcome enquiries from on- and off-campus postgraduate students and early career researchers.
Research newsletter
Research Matters is an online research newsletter published monthly by the Office of Research and Higher Degrees.
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