Teaching and Learning Forum 2014

Theme: Transformative, Innovative and Engaging

The Teaching and Learning Forum is a series of conferences initiated in 1992, held annually in Perth, Western Australia. The 2014 Teaching and Learning Forum, the 23^rd year of the Forum, continues the tradition of bringing together educators from universities around Perth and beyond to discuss, share, and develop their ideas on issues confronting teaching and learning in the Higher Education sector.

This 2014 gathering allows conversations on teaching and learning to continue but with an emphasis on Transformative, Innovative and Engaging pedagogy. The importance of such conversations at the local, national and international is heightened not only by the global competition but as well the innovative ways by which courses are delivered to students across the globe. It is thus imperative for teachers to transform their classrooms from a ‘lecture theatre’ to a place where students are engaged with the materials. This will involve teaching which is transformative, innovative and engaging.

The 2014 Forum is being hosted at The University of Western Australia from the 30-31 January 2014. Forum delegates will have the opportunity to attend paper sessions and participate in workshops on learning and teaching issues and to reflect on their professional practice.

Students, early career, casual, sessional and part-time staff are strongly encouraged to attend.

We look forward to meeting you at the University of Western Australia.

Registration- NOW CLOSED

Registration is provided by Conference Online. The online registration form enables you to make individual or a group booking of up to 5 people. For group bookings, please be aware that the invoice will be sent to the first person registered in that group.

Payment is by credit card ONLY. If you have any queries about registration, please contact Rebecca Stuart-Coombe.

Registration Options

TRAVEL SUBSIDIES FOR REGIONAL STAFF IN W.A. HIGHER EDUCATION

Applications are invited for travel subsidies (maximum of $500) to present a paper at the upcoming Teaching and Learning Forum being held at UWA on 30-31 January 2014.

A major criteria is the expectation that you will disseminate to others in your region. Staff who are members of an OLT-funded project will not be eligible as travel funds should be covered within the dissemination budgets of such projects.

Proposals should cover the following and not exceed 1.5 pages.

• Your name, contact details and university;

• The title and abstract of your paper;

• Estimated cost for your return trip or partial claim of flight costs;

• A short outline of how you would further disseminate issues raised at the event with staff in your regional area;

• Signature of Head of School or School Dean and the applicant.

Send proposal to Rebecca stuart-Coombe ( [email protected]), WAND Project Committee.

Venue

The University Club of Western Australia
Hackett Drive
Entrance #1
Carpark #3

Student parking, as indicated by the yellow signs, is free to those attending the Forum.

Parking is also available free of charge at the UWA Watersports and Leadership Centre, Car park 23, Hackett Drive Crawley. Located on the corner of Stirling Highway and Mounts Bay road, next door to the UWA Boat Shed.

Day 1 Keynote Presentation: James Arvanitakis

Professor James Arvanitakis is a Professor in the Humanities at the University of Western Sydney and the Head of the UWS Leadership Academy. He is also a member of the University’s Institute for Cultural and Society. His research areas include hope, trust, political theatre, piracy and citizenship. James has worked as a human rights activist throughout the Pacific, Indonesia and Europe. He is currently working with the Whitlam Institute looking at issues confronting Australia’s democracy.

James’ latest book, Contemporary Society: A sociological analysis of everyday life, was launched with Oxford University Press in February 2009 which gave rise to ‘socio-logic’ – a weekly radio show on FBI Radio (94.5fm). A regular media commentator he has published in both the academic and popular press including New Matilda and The Conversation.

James was a former banker and advocate for free trade, but having witnessed child and indentured labour, has worked to develop sustainable, socially just and equitable economic policies with organisations such as the Centre for Policy Development, where he is a research fellow.

James has worked extensively with a number of non-government organizations, including Oxfam International Youth Partnerships and Youth Engagement Program as well as Aid/Watch, as well as working extensively with a number of other justice-based organisations.

After being internationally recognised for his innovative teaching style, in 2012, James was awarded the Prime Minister’s University Teacher of the Year Award – Australia’s most prestigious teaching award.

James is a regular speaker at national and international conferences, delivering keynotes and research papers. While he has many testimonials, the one he is most proud of is from a group of students after a keynote at Taronga Park Zoo who insisted on taking his photo and said, ’Dude, you’re awesome!’

Previous Teaching and Learning Forums

For information, abstracts and papers from all previous forums please see the Teaching and Learning Forum archives

Day 2 Panel Discussion

Transform, innovate and engage in new higher education environments

With an increasing focus on national standards and the impact of a demand driven system in the higher education sector, providers of higher education are facing a challenge to transform, innovate and engage students in their education. Institutions are challenged to reconsider their education models and practices that recognise the changing make up, needs, backgrounds and experiences of students in their institutions.

The panel session will involve senior representatives from our Western Australia universities. Discussion will be on the changing nature of the student body and the environment that universities provide to support the participation and retention of their increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse students, students from a wider socio economic background, indigenous students and students with disabilities.

Conference participants will be encouraged to submit questions in advance. Questions will also be invited from the audience.

Facilitator

Winthrop Professor Denise Chalmers, Director, Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, University of Western Australia

Panelists

Professor Andrew Taggart, Pro Vice Chancellor Murdoch University

As Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Taggart is responsible for engagement and inclusion and our campuses at Rockingham and Mandurah/Peel and engagement with their communities. In addition he supports the Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellors at Murdoch in aspects of their portfolios that link with his varied roles.

He works closely with City of Rockingham, which funds the City of Rockingham Chair in Education, to support the sustainability of the Campus. He also leads and supports a number of research/community projects that grow the Campus profile and outcomes for the community. Given his work in Perth’s southern corridor he leads the recruitment of ‘low SES/First in Family’ students to attend university and development of partnerships with schools in the region, particularly secondary schools, local Governments, Chambers of Commerce and a range of business and industry partners. Currently he is leading a social inclusion in education project (funded 2012-2016 $5.028 million) in the region.

Professor Taggart also has responsibility for developing research and teaching partnerships with India and the sub-continent and is a regular visitor to the region.

Professor Colleen Hayward, Head of Kurongkurl Katitjin, Edith Cowan’s Centre for Indigenous Education and Research

Professor Colleen Hayward is a senior Noongar woman with extensive family links throughout the south-west of WA. Professor Hayward has for more than 30 years provided significant input to policies and programs on a wide range of issues, reflecting the needs of minority groups at community, state and national levels. Among Professor Hayward’s many achievements, she was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame (2012) and received a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday 2012 Honours List for her long standing work with Indigenous communities.

Professor Hayward is currently Head of Kurongkurl Katitjin, Centre for Indigenous Education and Research, Edith Cowan University, a position she holds concurrently with that of Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Equity and Indigenous.

Mr Malcolm Fialho, UWA’s Senior Diversity Officer, Office of Equity and Diversity, The University of Western Australia

Malcolm Fialho has spent more than 20 years working in the area of human rights and holds postgraduate qualifications in cross-cultural psychology and is passionate about further developing and deepening an informed understanding of race through enquiry, dialogue and debate. His current work in developing ‘Courageous Conversations About Race’ is considered to be at the ‘leading edge’ of cultural competency building and breaks new ground in the area, bringing a power-based analysis of race and culture.

The UWA 'Courageous Conversations about Race' initiative aims to further develop cultural competence and literacy among participants.

Professor Sara de Freitas, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) Professor of Teaching and Learning, Curtin Teaching and Learning, Curtin University

As the Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor and Professor of Teaching and Learning, Sara heads up the Curtin Teaching and Learning team which is fostering excellence in teaching and learning among all the Faculties at Curtin. In her previous role, Sara was Director of Research at Coventry University, UK, where she has led the formation and development of the Serious Games Institute, a hybrid model of research, business and study, the first institute of its kind.

Over her academic career, Sara has published extensively in the areas of: higher education policy, pedagogy and technology enhanced learning. She has published seven books and over 100 journal articles, conference papers and reports. She currently sits on over 100 programme committees and advisory boards and has undertaken over 100 keynotes, presentations and public lectures.

We are grateful to the following sponsors for their generous support of the 2014 Teaching and Learning Forum

eXplorance
Springer
Staples
ACER
Fineline Print & Copy Service