Curtin Sarawak Lecturer Awarded the 2006 Carrick Australian Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning

MIRI, 21 July 2006 – The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training awarded Ms Beena Giridharan, Acting Director, School of Pre-University Studies, Curtin University of Technology Sarawak (Curtin Sarawak) the 2006 Carrick Australian Award (CAAUT) for University Teaching Citations for Outstanding contributions to Student Learning.

The Awards Committee commended Ms Beena for her excellent application which clearly describes her beliefs and approach to student centred learning in the University context, and her absolute commitment to ensuring her students are successful learners.

Beena’s citation was entitled, “For excellence in embedding enthusiasm, passion and self-reflection in learning and teaching in diverse cultural contexts”.

One panel member in the Awards committee said, “Having read this application I wanted to be in her classes”!

She was also commended for the consistent excellent student feedback on her teaching and how she obviously models what it means to be a “life long learner”. Ms Beena will receive the 2006 CAAUT Award at an official presentation ceremony in Perth, Australia on 11 August 2006.

In addition to achieving the 2006 Carrick Australian Award (CAAUT) for University Teaching Citations for Outstanding contributions to Student Learning, Beena also won the Curtin Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award 2006. This Award constitutes the highest form of recognition for outstanding contribution to the quality of student learning and teaching , with a monetary sum of AUS2,000 and a Certificate of Recognition.

On 10 July 2006, Beena was also awarded the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Inc (HERDSA) Fellowship Awards, officially presented to her at the HERDSA Conference in Perth, Australia.

These awards and sterling achievements by Ms Beena undoubtedly further confirms her dedication and excellence in teaching and commitment to student’s learning fulfilling a series of criteria which covers the whole spectrum of teaching, learning and research.

Beena said, “In my teaching, I am guided by tenets of constructivism, a philosophy of thought that is based on the premise that by reflecting on our experiences, we construct our own understanding of the world we live in. I believe that higher order thinking skills that are prerequisites for learning in higher education can be attained through constructivist principles of learning. The single, important concept underpinning my teaching philosophy is that students learn best when their participation is encouraged and enhanced, and while this is at times difficult and runs counter to the learning culture and past experiences of most Asian students, I am steadfast in my passion and commitment to find ways to promote this approach”.

Beena’s teaching practices places great emphasis on designing instruction to accommodate the experiences and contexts that make the students willing and receptive to learning, developing critical thinking skills that enable students to better understand the complex issues they will ultimately face in life and to be responsible citizens who contribute positively to society, and draws on social learning approaches through collaborative social interactions between the students and the lecturer.

In line with this, Beena reflects the true spirit of Curtin Australia in its mission towards the advancement of knowledge and enrichment of culture.

What teaching approaches motivate and inspire students to learn? Beena replied, “I employ teaching techniques that promote the development of student scholarship, knowledge and inspire an attitude to learn in a world where their learning needs are constantly changing. I also create in students the love for the world, their peers, their not so fortunate counterparts and motivate them to engage with the world and emerge unscathed through principles of respect, fairness and equal opportunity, which cultivates intellectual and personal harmony, and this in turn instil values of leaderships, integrity and good communicative ability.

I also categorise learning styles of students to maximise their learning experiences through sharing an overview of learning styles of students at University, as well as incorporate research activities into my teaching such as the use of hand held technologies, (a research project managed in Curtin Australia and co-supervised by Beena), to make the students realise that their courses are current, and kindle intellectual interest in their learning.”

Beena obtained her First Class Bachelors Degree in Science and First Class Masters Degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Calicut, India. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Applied and Educational Linguistics with Curtin Australia. Joining Curtin Sarawak as Lecturer in the year 2000, she is currently the Acting Director for School of Pre-University Studies and also the Coordinator for English, Commerce and Media units.

She has presented a number of academic research papers focusing on Second Language Acquisition, Preferred themes in Academic Readings and Vocabulary Acquisition, at International Conferences in Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. Her research interests include Second Language Acquisition, Education Research, Gender Studies and Documenting Myths and Stories of Indigenous Communities.

“The simple and yet complex concepts of honesty, integrity and respect are fundamental in all my professional and personal interactions with students. The value I place on my teaching and research contributes to the passion I bring to teaching and ultimately to successful learning. Aligning my teaching and research activities to fit with the vision of Curtin’s aspiration to become a preferred world-class university is central to all that I undertake”, concluded Beena.

An initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training, the Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) were established in 1997 by the Australian Government to celebrate and reward excellence in university teaching. In recognition of the changing nature of the higher education sector, and the mission of the Carrick Institute to advance learning and teaching throughout the sector, each year, outstanding teaching, whether by individuals or teams, is recognised and the achievement celebrated through these awards.

In 2006, with expansion of the scheme and formation of the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, the award was named as the Carrick Awards for Australian University Teaching (CAAUT).

Curtin Sarawak was established in February 1999 in partnership with the Sarawak Government, it is the first offshore campus of the Curtin University of Technology, Western Australia and also the first foreign university campus to be set up in East Malaysia. In November 1999, Curtin Sarawak was awarded the Multimedia Super Corridor status. In December 2004, Curtin Sarawak was awarded the prestigious IRPA grant (Intensification of Research in Priority Areas) from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.

Curtin Sarawak’s next intake will be in July 2006, and recruitment sessions are currently ongoing throughout the region. Application for admission form for Curtin Sarawak programs can be downloaded at www.curtin.edu.my/prospective/how2apply.htm

With students drawn from various countries, Curtin Sarawak offers an affordable education and a unique international and cross-cultural learning experience. The ultimate reward is the attainment of a prestigious internationally acclaimed Curtin degree.