Award-winning research project becomes University hallmark

USQ has started the Year of Research on a high note with two academics receiving international recognition for their fellowship project on enhancing the learning journey of postgraduate research students.

Associate Professor Aileen Cater-Steel and Dr Jacquie McDonald’s paper: 'Developing Research Supervisors: Breaking down internal barriers and drawing on resources from the Australasian academic community' was selected for the Best Paper award at the Inquiring Pedagogies ( iPED) 2009 conference in Coventry, UK.

USQ’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bill Lovegrove, said the Communities of Practice had become the hallmark of USQ’s development of learning and teaching.

'[It has gained] commendations from AUQA for success in the development and implementation of an integrated portfolio of student services and its initiatives for creating and supporting innovative teaching programmes and the resources it has established under its Communities of Practice,' Professor Lovegrove said.

Learning and Teaching Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Lynne Hunt said the paper showed the outcomes of the pilot USQ Learning and Teaching Fellowship Program, which was planned to promote teaching excellence at USQ.

'Both Aileen and Jacquie have received Fellowships; Jacquie for the development of Communities of Practice and Aileen for the application of the CoPs process to the enhancement of research supervision,' Professor Hunt said.

The aim of the fellowship project was to enhance the learning journey of post-graduate research students by improving the capability of research supervisors at USQ. As well as establishing a Community of Practice - Research Supervisors (CoP-RS), Professor Cater-Steel conducted a training needs analysis to determine the training requirements of supervisors, designed a professional development program, coordinated the delivery of pilot workshops, and evaluated the effectiveness and outcomes of the activities.

As part of Learning and Teaching Week activities, Professor Cater-Steel will be presenting her research to staff at the University today (February 2).

'As 2010 is USQ’s Year of Research, I hope the Community of Practice – Research Supervision will continue to play an important role in providing support to supervisors of research students,' Associate Professor Cater-Steel said. 'As well, a training program will soon be in place to ensure novice supervisors can achieve accreditation to USQ’s register of supervisors.'

Learning and Teaching Week is held each year to celebrate excellence in practice and provide the opportunity to plan for professional development activities throughout the coming year. This year’s activities began on Monday, February 1 and conclude on Friday, February 5, with a focus on scholarship and learning futures.

The week provides an opportunity to highlight the achievements of USQ staff and showcase exciting new developments in teaching and learning practice at USQ.