Posters and papers
Problem solving
Many courses and degree programs within CST have explicit aims of teaching students problem solving skills. Various strategies and approaches have been used to investigate and enhance the learning of problem solving skills. Posters on the theme ranged from a research based study of students' preferred problem solving methods in Chemical Engineering to a group approach for the solving of problems in Veterinary Clinical Pathology.
The workshop on problem solving was based around the following three strategies currently being used in three Faculties within CST:
- learning problem solving through inquiry;
- using lab based projects for teaching & learning problem solving skills in large first year classes; and
- using open ended projects in third year to foster problem solving and professional skills.
Professional Practice
The workshop developed the perspective of educating for professional practice through the articulation and integration of graduate attributes. Professional faculties often seek to acknowledge their professional attributes, as determined by the relevant professional association, in their degree courses. At the same time the University has its own set of evolving graduate attributes. While there are undoubtedly some differences between each set, all graduate attributes seek to better prepare graduates by instilling in them the skills, behaviours and attitudes necessary for successful professional practice. This workshop outlined both the similarities and differences in the articulation of these attributes and to discuss ways and means of integrating them successfully into individual degree courses and Units of Study.
Sustainability
This workshop gave participants the opportunity to explore and develop their conceptions of sustainability in the context of the Units of Study they teach.
In the first part of the session, small groups mapped out where our various ideas about environmental, social and economic sustainability fit on special and temporal axes, groups developed 'principles of environment, social and economic sustainability' based on inputs from workshop participants, and then reflected on which of these principles participants view as appropriate to their teaching context. In the second part of the session the participants worked through loosely structured activities based on two different approaches to teaching (teacher-centred and student-centred) in which each participant explored how their Unit of Study would change (content and approach to teaching) with the incorporation of sustainability content/principles.
Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) in support of student learning
Many units and degree programs within CST have made use of ICT to deliver content to students, to assess them, to communicate with them and to manage the program (unit of study or course). Various strategies and approaches have been used and this is reflected in the posters. The workshop considered two uses of ICT. The first of these is the development of a virtual campus and the advantages and disadvantages of this format. The second use is that of online formative assessment in supporting learning outcomes. Two or three scenarios were presented for each use of these uses to help stimulate discussion and exchange of ideas.
Many of the posters and papers that were presented at the Showcase can be accessed online:
Posters and papers
| For further information contact Kaye Placing |
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