CASS academics shine at Vice-Chancellor’s awards for education excellence

Four ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences academics have been recognised in the 2017 Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Excellence in Education.

"These Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate the exceptional teachers and educational innovators who make learning exciting for our students," says Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt.

"The legacy of teaching excellence goes well beyond the present, as teachers inspire, lead, motivate, encourage and assist the students of today to reach their potential."

Gilbert Riedelbauch, who is the Head of Foundation Studies and Graduate Coursework Convenor at the ANU School of Art and Design, received the Award for Programs that Enhance Learning.

The awards booklet states that “Over the last decade, Gilbert Riedelbauch has systematically transformed Foundation Studies courses into a comprehensive and outward looking first-year university program.”

Mr Riedelbauch says receiving the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for a program that enhances student learning means a lot to him as it considers a significant part of his teaching practice over the last ten years.

“With a focus on a Program, this Award also recognises the input of all staff who were involved with this program, continuing and sessional alike,” he says.

Dr Jason Payne, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, and Dr Huda Al-Tamimi, Associate Lecturer in Arabic Language and Literature, were both recipients of the Award for Teaching Excellence.

“I work hard to increase students’ motivation to learn by capturing their attention, illustration the relevance of the content to their individual lives, and building confidence by celebrating their successes,” says Dr Al-Tamimi, from the Centre for Arab & Islamic Studies.

Dr Payne, who only began teaching at the tertiary level in 2014, says that his approach to teaching has evolved to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape.

“In my teaching, I employ the use of non-traditional teaching styles (such as the flipped classroom) and contemporary communication platforms (including Twitter and Socrative) to engage students beyond the lecture.”

Professor Schmidt says it’s an honour to celebrate the many people across the University who contribute to improving the quality of our teaching.

"It is essential for any world-leading university to have excellent teachers and I'm so pleased these award-winners are helping to nurture the minds of the leaders and innovators of the future."

ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology academic Dr Dougald O'Reilly was a candidate for the Citations for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning.

The full list of winners are available on the ANU website.