The University of New England’s Assistant Director of Student Services, Ms Rhonda Leece, and her “Early Alert” team have received two of the prestigious annual Australian Learning and Teaching Council awards for University Teaching, which recognise both excellence in teaching and innovative programs that enrich the student experience.  The Australian Learning and Teaching Council’s last ever awards have honoured 22 top teachers and 10 innovative student learning programs.

With a small number of recipients from other Australian universities, Ms Leece and the team received an award in the category “2011 Awards for Programs that Enhance Student Learning” in recognition of their contribution to the “Early Alert” system. For their work on “Early Alert” they were also awarded a “Citation of Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning”.

“Early Alert” monitors student data continuously to detect those students who may be at risk of discontinuing studies or who may require additional support, with the aim of providing assistance to any of UNE’s 18,000 on-campus and external students. The system was recognised as being an innovative program that enriches the student experience. The “Early Aler”t Team includes Ed Campbell, Blake Velleley and Frances Munro.

UNE’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jim Barber, was delighted with the outcome. “Rhonda and her team’s contribution to giving our students better learning opportunities and a better chance of success has been rightly recognised,” he said. “Our University has a strong culture of mentorship and caring for our students. We count on people like Rhonda and our Student Support team to put the systems in place which give outstanding support to our students. ‘Early Alert’ is an exemplar.”

The ALTC Program Awards, which are worth $25,000 each, will be presented during a ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 16 August.

Just weeks after winning one of its largest ever research grants, UNE is celebrating its greatest success in years at the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) citations for excellence in teaching – indicating that its strategies for 2012 and beyond are already having an impact.

Following on the heels of news that UNE would be a major beneficiary of the $4.8m in funding for the rural mental health project, the ALTC announced that all seven of UNE’s nominations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning had won citations.

The ALTC Citations recognise the diverse contributions made by individuals and teams to the quality of student learning in a specific area over a sustained period, and are awarded for a range of contributions to student learning, both direct and indirect.

The Citations covered outstanding individual contributions to student learning in areas ranging from literature and writing studies, teaching and engaging students in statistics, to easing distance education psychology students into study, and bring the law to life.

Also receiving citations were the ‘Early Alert’ team for their identification and support of students at risk of dropping out and the ‘tUNEup from Home’ team for an online program that leads students to independent mastery of their academic literacy. (Full citations at end)

In congratulating the citation winners, the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Jim Barber, paid tribute to the efforts of both individuals and teams and to their ‘creative thinking and dedication to student needs’.

‘Put together,’ Professor Barber said, ‘the expertise, focus and rigour which have led to the funding for this major project, plus the ALTC citations, affirm UNE’s continuing strength as a research institution and its capacity to nourish and enrich the student experience.

‘The timing of these awards couldn’t have been better as it sends a signal to potential students and the nation as a whole about UNE’s commitment to its students’ success.

‘I think we are seeing, as we go towards 2012 and the new, competitive, environment in higher education, that our strategies are beginning to bear fruit,’ Professor Barber added.

ALTC 2011 Citations for UNE

Dr Linley Cornish

For supporting and inspiring students to learn the discipline of education and the craft of teaching with accessible, relevant, creative and personally meaningful learning resources

Dr Elizabeth Hale

For the innovative integration of critical and creative approaches to unit design, delivery, and assessment practices that encourage student learning in literature and writing studies

Early Alert Team

For developing ‘Early Alert’, a unique system for identifying and supporting students at risk of dropping out

Dr Anthony Marks

For promoting self-efficacy in distance education psychology students to ease their transition into study, motivate them to succeed and enhance their overall learning experience

Dr Renato Villano and Pauline Fleming

For successfully engaging students in statistics by providing a supportive learning environment and utilising assessment as a learning tool

Julia Werren

For bringing law to life for students by incorporating research, social policy and ‘skills-based’ approaches in an easy to understand manner

tUNEup from Home Team

For developing an innovative and equitable online program that leads students to independent mastery of their academic literacy