Griffith University has again had its commitment to teaching excellence acknowledged, collecting three Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) at this year’s ceremony.
Established in 1997 by the Australian Government to celebrate and reward excellence in university teaching, the AAUT recognise the impact educators have on the learning and teaching experiences and outcomes of university students.
Associate Professor Kerry Bodle of Griffith’s Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics was acknowledged with an Award for Teaching Excellence, receiving the Neville Bonner Award for Indigenous Education in the Business, Management and Commerce category.
Passionate about empowering young Indigenous people to embrace business as a potential career, Associate Professor Bodle focuses on Indigenising the traditional business education curriculum and using community-led research to break down barriers to success for Indigenous people, businesses and communities.
As Academic Director (Indigenous) for Griffith Business School, she shares and applies her Indigenous knowledge in the Bachelor of Business and MBA courses, leading to improved learning outcomes for all students, and positively influences professionals, policymakers and educators nationally and internationally to work towards ‘Closing the Gap’.
Associate Professor Bodle said her teaching approach to embedding the First People’s knowledge history and culture into Griffith’s business program has been one of co-design.
“It’s about inclusion of our elders from the community,” she said.
“It’s about our Indigenous students, and our Indigenous staff across the whole university.
“My greatest joy is seeing Indigenous students’ progression and success, and opening up the awareness for non-Indigenous staff and students as they are learning about our ancient and amazing culture and its application to contemporary business and society.”
Associate Professor Sarah Cresswell of Griffith’s School of Environment and Science was also the recipient of an Award for Teaching Excellence, in the Natural and Physical Sciences category.
Her work over the last 20 years has created and sustained an authentic environment for students to develop curiosity, critical thinking, and analytical skills within forensic chemistry.
With an innovative teaching approach extending the learning experience for students, Associate Professor Cresswell is known for developing student motivation and equipping students with embedded professional and industry perspectives in their subjects.
She was she responsible for the establishment of Griffith’s forensic chemistry major, introducing effective and innovative curriculum and assessment methods, and was just last year selected as one of 100 women internationally to join Homeward Bound (HB8), a global STEMM women in leadership initiative that aims to heighten the influence and impact of women in making decisions that shape our planet.
Finally, Dr Allan Ardill of Griffith Law School received a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, for inspiring law students through critical reflection to thrive and respond to inequality in the community.
Dr Ardill fosters transformative legal education using collaboration and critical reflection in student-centred and research-led convenorship, design and teaching of law units, with his teaching philosophy based on the principle that education should liberate students to improve society.
He also established and mentors for a student-edited scholarly law journal, and creates innovative and engaging learning resources, such as animations to simplify the most difficult theoretical content.
Associate Professor Kerry Bodle, Associate Professor Sarah Cresswell and Dr Allan Ardill are Griffith alumni.
Additionally, Associate Professor Brian McIntosh from Griffith’s School of Environment and Science was also recognised for being a member of the University of Queensland-led AAUT Citation for the Urban Design Challenge Team – an exciting collaborative effort to create sustainable urban water management initiatives.
Starting several years ago with an initial design challenge involving pipe cleaners and thousands of lego bricks at national water industry conference OzWater, the challenge was built into a course on Urban Metabolism within Griffith’s Master of Integrated Water Management as well as a week-long initiative at UQ to engage architecture, planning and engineering students.
Griffith is proud to have an exceptional record at the AAUT, acknowledging our work advancing how and what students learn, influencing best practice and contributing to the scholarship of learning and teaching in higher education.