Wollongong Teaching & Learning excellence academy launched and journal project underway Posted in News, Teaching and Learning on August 14, 2014 by ACDS Web Admin. A new academy will foster creative thinking and excellence in teaching and learning. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Eeva Leinonen, recently launched the Wollongong Academy of Tertiary Teaching & Learning Excellence (WATTLE) at the University of Wollongong (UOW). As the Academy develops under the leadership of inaugural Director, Professor Patrick Crookes, it will bring together a community of higher education-focused expertise, scholarship and research to lead discussions and innovation locally and across the sector. Special guest Natalie Laifer, Acting Branch Manager Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT), congratulated the University on its vision in establishing the Academy. “The WATTLE model is a sound way to recognise and promote teaching excellence in higher education and to share experience and expertise as well as disseminate valuable resources. It’s a way of raising the bar and this must remain our focus,” she said. The launch was attended by more than 70 guests, including the first round of colleagues who were inducted into the Academy in recognition of their existing achievements and ongoing contribution to teaching and learning. “The most pleasing aspect of the WATTLE launch, is that so many people appreciated and agreed with, the underlying intent of the Academy which is to foster and develop the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) locally, nationally and internationally; and to facilitate SoTL excellence and leadership being recognised, valued and celebrated in academia,” Professor Crookes said. The List: Quality Journals in Learning and Teaching One of the first activities being undertaken by WATTLE is to develop a comprehensive list of quality journals in the field of learning and teaching in tertiary education settings. If you would like to contribute to this work (and be provided with the list on completion of the project) then please complete the on-line survey which can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QualityJournalProject Information on the project including regarding ethics approval, is provided at the beginning of the survey.
