University of Newcastle Honors Outstanding Educators with National University Teaching Awards

Five University of Newcastle academics have been honoured with the prestigious Australian Awards for University Teaching.

Established in 1997, the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) celebrate and reward excellence in university teaching.

Each of this year’s recipients have been awarded a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, which recognise significant contributions made to the quality of student learning in higher education.

Dr Denise Higgins

Lecturer of Oral Health, School of Health Sciences

Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Dr Denise Higgins was awarded a Citation for a decade of innovation in dental health education, including designing highly impactful integrated simulation curricula, a dental injection simulator, and virtual reality serious game.

Dr Higgins has dedicated the last decade to filling educational gaps and developing curricula that has eliminated the high risk ‘apprenticeship model’ for teaching dental injections and replaced this with virtual reality education and practice.

Ms Tess Rendoth

Lecturer, School of Education

Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Ms Tess Rendoth has been awarded a Citation for creative and ongoing contributions to student development in Inclusive and Specialist Education using an active learning approach, motivating and inspiring aspiring school teachers.

Ms Rendoth was recognised for the creativity and innovation she has delivered to around 500 Bachelor of Teaching students per year, inspiring them to actively participate in their professional development and become confident, engaged, and reflexive future professionals.

 

Dr Karen Livesey

Senior Lecturer of Physics, School of Information and Physical Sciences

Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Dr Karen Livesey has earned a Citation for development of engaging, contemporary physics curricula and resources that excite students about their studies and prepare them with skills for modern careers.

In response to changes in physics education, Dr Livesey has developed new courses and curricula over the past five years that have been used at other institutions internationally, receiving highly positive student feedback.

 

Dr Michael Carr

Associate Lecturer, School of Engineering

Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Dr Michael Carr has received a Citation for innovatively using portfolio assessment in a first-year mechanical engineering design course to improve equitable learner engagement and computer aided design skills, developing life-ready engineers.

After noticing a gap for better assessment and feedback, Dr Carr developed and implemented an assessment scheme that has helped more than 1,000 first year mechanical engineering students gain a deeper understanding and engagement with core engineering software and design concepts and prepare graduates for their future careers.

 

Ms Fran Baker

Learning Advisor / Sessional Academic, College of Engineering, Science and Environment

Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

Ms Fran Baker has been awarded a Citation in recognition of three decades of sustained commitment to exceptional mathematics and statistics teaching that has facilitated thousands of students to achieve their highly diverse career goals.

Ms Baker has welcomed students from all levels of understanding and provided essential support, teaching more than 1,100 students each year from a variety of more than 20 different programs across the University to succeed in a core first-year statistics course.