Distinguished academic joins Victoria

13 August 2004

Distinguished academic joins Victoria

Distinguished American academic Professor Tom Angelo has joined Victoria University as the new Director of its University Teaching Development Centre and as Professor of Higher Education.

Professor Angelo comes to Victoria from the University of Akron (Ohio), where he was Associate Provost for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Development, founding director of its Institute for Teaching and Learning, tenured Professor of Education, and appointed Professor of Statistics. Prior to Akron, he had held academic, administrative, and research positions at Miami University, the American Association for Higher Education, Boston College, the University of California at Berkeley and Harvard University.

His research focuses on evaluation and improvement of university teaching and learning, and his publications include Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers (with K. Patricia Cross, 1993). He has consulted at more than 200 postsecondary institutions – including many in Australia and New Zealand – and given keynote speeches at more than 75 higher education conferences in 14 countries.

Professor Angelo earned a Doctorate in Education from Harvard University, Master degrees in Education and Political Science from Boston University and a Baccalaureate in Government, with Honors from California State University.

Professor Angelo said his first and foremost goal is improving the quality of student learning.

"Since that cannot be accomplished in a vacuum, I'm committed to a research-based approach to evaluating and improving the quality of academic staff learning and teaching, organisational learning, and my own learning and teaching. These goals have been at the heart of my professional agenda for 20 years and they remain so today."

Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Associate Professor Jenny Harper, said Professor Angelo was an ideal appointment.

"Professor Angelo has previously had significant responsibilities as an academic, university teacher, project and programme administrator, researcher and mentor to both academic staff and postgraduate students. With the introduction of the Performance-Based Research Fund and its focus on excellence in research, Professor Angelo's appointment signals Victoria’s continued and equally important commitment to excellence in teaching and learning."

ENDS

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