QUT is celebrating two awards for Teaching Excellence in the Australian Awards for University Teaching that went to Associate Professor Rachael Field from the School of Law and Associate Professor Dann Mallet from QUT's Mathematical Sciences School.
Internationally recognised for her work in identifying strategies to promote law students' psychological health and wellbeing, Professor Field received the award for her innovative use of a conversational approach which mirrors real-world legal practice, particularly in the teaching of dispute resolution.
The resulting dynamic classroom discussion develops important legal communication skills and positive professional attitudes and her students have responded with gratitude and praise: "Rachael's units have honed my ability to think critically and analytically which I know will be useful in the 'real world'," said one in a student survey.
Professor Field supports students to develop a positive professional legal identity by using real-world legal scenarios and case studies from her work as a Women's Legal Service volunteer to inspire and motivate her students.
"Students' learning, interest and curiosity are sparked by modelling authentic legal practice techniques," she said.
"In classes I demonstrate dispute resolution skills such as active and reflective listening, summarising, questioning and reframing.
"This gives students a chance to experience professional practice and receive insights into dispute resolution methods which enhance their ability to make connections between theory and practice.
"I aim to demonstrate that law is a helping profession so that students gain a positive professional identity for lawyers as resolvers of disputes."
Applied mathematician Professor Mallet has worked to increase the quality of his students' learning experience with classroom and curriculum innovations, by mentoring colleagues and engendering change in mathematics teaching cultures.
"My aim is to help them actively do mathematics rather than simply learn it. Maths is not about learning facts and formulae; it is something you do - by applying understanding and logic to achieve a solution," he said.
"Students relate to problems I pose that are drawn from their lived worlds. For example, 'are you smart to pay twice the price for a pizza with twice the diameter at your local pizzeria'?"
His students have welcomed his approach. Professor Mallet "has provided a different way of learning through the participation activities which allowed me to see how others approached the same question in a different way," said one.
The awards were made at a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra.
Media contact: Niki Widdowson, QUT Media, 07 3138 2999 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au
