Top tertiary teacher at University of Auckland

University of Auckland staff have scooped four of the 12 National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards for 2011 plus the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award.

Professor Michael Walker from the School of Biological Sciences received the Supreme Award for tertiary teaching excellence worth $10,000 at a ceremony at Parliament this evening along with a “sustained excellence in teaching in a kaupapa Māori context” award worth $20,000.

Sustained excellence in tertiary teaching awards, each worth $20,000, went to Rena Heap, from the School of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, Faculty of Education; Professor Robin Kearns from the School of Environment, Faculty of Science; and Dr Ross McDonald, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Management and International Business, Business School.

The awards are managed and administered by Ako Aotearoa – The National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence. They aim to recognise and celebrate excellence in tertiary teaching.

Professor Walker’s pioneering work to reverse patterns of under-achievement among Māori and Pacific Island students had transformed the lives of thousands of students, said Ako Aotearoa Senior Māori Development Manager, Ngahiwi Apanui. “He is a rare educator, whose impact goes beyond the university campus, benefiting whānau and the community at large.”

Professor Walker, a leading biological scientist, is of Te Whakatōhea descent and continues a whānau legacy of academic excellence. He established the Tuākana Programme more than 20 years ago to improve retention rates for Māori and Pacific science students, particularly in their first academic year.

The innovative programme has been so successful that it has been rolled out across all university faculties. The sustained support, vision and hard work Michael has provided to the students, their whānau, hapū and iwi is acknowledged as a key contributor in the elevation of successful outcomes for these students.

A steady stream of Māori and Pacific students now leave the university with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Many bridge the transition to PhD study and go on to join the university teaching staff. One such former student of the programme attests to being the first in her family to consider tertiary education, and now all her first cousins are enrolled. She comments that “…this shift epitomises the vision and goals of Professor Walker and of Tuākana, of using success to breed success”.

He is described as a rare breed that easily bridges the cultural divide. A colleague attests: “He has led a quiet revolution – teaching Māori about science and scientists about Māori – bringing Māori worldviews and perspectives, tikanga, and te reo, into his research and teaching. He helps his non-Māori learners connect with the world of Māori and assists all learners in linking course content to their future lives and the wider society.”

Rena Heap joined the School of Science, Maths and Technology Education in 2004 and has continually improved her teaching practice through research. Her citation says she impresses on all levels by inspiring people, valuing learning, and opening minds. “Her work is self-aware, reflective, responsive, and trusting in her learners. By creating powerfully positive relationships, her classes move beyond participation into real engagement. Her willingness to take risks is rewarded by opening learners’ eyes to new ways of capturing young minds in future classrooms.”

Professor Robin Kearns has taught Geography at the University since 1990. “He is an internationally recognised researcher,” says his citation. “He is a dedicated and energetic teacher of learners at every level, covering a very wide range of subjects across human geography, the environment and public health. He focuses on cultural safety, he mentors and he shares his teaching expertise with others. Robin’s goal is to inform, provoke and captivate, although he recognises that teaching is ‘an imperfect art’.”

Dr Ross McDonald joined the Business School in 1996. His citation says he is recognised both within New Zealand and internationally for his leadership in business ethics education. “He is a charismatic lecturer who makes his learners think about the world and their place in it. A master facilitator, he seeks to co-create learning with his learners and build on their experiences. Learners greatly appreciate this interactive approach.”

The other eight winners in the sustained excellence in tertiary teaching category were from the University of Waikato (two including the other recipient of the kaupapa Māori category award), Otago Polytechnic (two), University of Otago, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Canterbury, and Unitec Institute of Technology. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards.