VC rewards excellence in our university educators

Vice Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans and Dr Leanne Kenway

 

Dr Leanne Kenway

Dr Leanne Kenway from the School of Medical Science has been named the 2019 Vice Chancellor’s Griffith University Teacher of the Year.

Vice Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans said colleagues of Dr Kenway had praised her passion for teaching.

“Colleagues said Leanne had been a driving force for the pedagogy of active learning in the School of Medical Science and the Health Group and in developing and implementing the use of digital technologies,” the VC told attendees at the Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Awards on October 23.

“Dr Kenway teaches large, first year, anatomy and physiology courses and uses active learning to successfully engage her students in this large class setting.

“Leanne employs authentic learning approaches that integrate theory with professional practice and innovative online materials.

“She is a scholarly educator who reflects on her practice through peer review and engages in her own learning and teaching scholarship.”

The Griffith University Teacher of the Year is awarded to the most outstanding recipient of the winners of the Group Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Vice Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans congratulates Professor Ruth McPhail

The 2019 Vice Chancellor’s Griffith Education Leader of the Year award was presented to Professor Ruth McPhail from the Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources.

The award recognises outstanding contribution to the leadership of learning and teaching and was awarded to the strongest recipient amongst the winners of the Group Awards for Education Leadership.

“Professor McPhail has led a range of initiatives at Griffith spanning student transition to university, academic success and graduate employability,” said Professor Evans.

These include embedding student success and retention practices into program and course design, establishment of a common foundation year across two degrees, and the creation ofa transnational community of practice for employability and student success initiatives.

Vice Chancellor Professor Carolyn Evans with Professor Alf Lizzio

Professor Alf Lizzio, Dean and Director, Learning Futures received the Lifetime Learning and Teaching Leadership Award, in recognition of a 25-year career at Griffith.

“The depth and breadth of Alf’s contributions to leading learning and teaching is difficult to capture in a few sentences,” admitted Professor Evans.

“His work enhancing the student experience, particularly in first year, has had a significant influence on learning and teaching practice at Griffith and other universities both nationally and internationally.

“In all his work, Alf has placed students at the centre and their personal as well as academic development. Griffith has been fortunate in having Alf as a learning and teaching leader, mentor and scholar.”

Previously announced winners

The 2019 VC Teaching Excellence Awards also provided an opportunity to celebrate previously announced teaching awards with the wider Griffith community, including the national (Australian Awards for University Teaching) Citations and Awards, which were presented at two separate functions earlier this year.

Dr Kevin Larkin

These accolades included the 2018 Award for Australian University Teacher of the Year, which was given to Dr Kevin Larkin from the School of Education and Professional Studies, along with an AAUT Award for Teaching Excellence in the Social and Behavioural Sciences category.

Associate Professor Andrew Teodorczuk

Associate Professor Andrew Teodorczuk from the School of Medicine, who was conferred a Higher Education Academy (HEA) Principal Fellow earlier this year, was also recognised at the Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Awards, bringing the number of Principal Fellows at Griffith to eight.

This year, 29 Griffith colleagues were also conferred Senior Fellowship, 23 received Fellowship and a further 23 achieved Associate Fellowship. These HEA fellows were recognisedat an event on the afternoon of 23 October, before the Vice Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Awards.

The event also celebrated the previously announced winners of Griffith Awards for Excellence in Teaching and theGriffith Group Learning and Teaching Citations.