Students Recognise Excellence in Teaching and Support

Students Recognise Excellence in Teaching and Support

Students presented Best Lecturer and Best Paper awards at the inaugural Review It! awards ceremony at Massey University this week. Comments and commendations from the student-led Review It! survey are used to determine the student awards for Best Paper and Best Lecturer each year. “Students enjoy recognising good tuition, Review It! offers an opportunity to say thank you to the best,” says Mr Springett, coordinator for the Massey University Students’ Association Federation.

Review It! asks students review the paper(s) they have completed and make their review(s) available to future students.

“There are the benefits of making better paper choices as well the well known benefit of having the student reflect on their learning process,” says Mr Springett. “Additionally lecturers get a boost by being recognised by the students they teach.”

Review It! is the first major student led project to be funded by Ako Aotearoa, the National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence. “We were immediately excited by this project proposal,” Peter Coolbear, Director of Ako Aotearoa says, “Massey students’ associations are actively seeking to encourage students to provide quality advice to other students and to their university. I think this is hugely empowering for students and shows great mutual respect between the parties involved.”

Massey University, in supporting the survey, is demonstrating their confidence in the quality of their courses as well as the professionalism of their student associations. Assistant Vice Chancellor (Academic and International) Professor Ingrid Day emphasised the value of constructive student feedback and its role in continuous improvement. She added “We are pleased to support initiatives that enhance our capacity to receive and respond to student views and experiences, and to highlight our excellent teaching. Review It! offers great potential and we valued the opportunity to work together with our student associations in its development”

The award recipients for 2011 are:

Dr Mike Joy for the Review It! award for Paper of Year 2011 (121.312 Environmental Science Field Work II)
Dr Sean Phelan for the Review It! award for Lecturer of Year 2011

Professor Barrie Macdonald for the EXMSS staff award for best individual support
Campus Living for the EXMSS staff award for best group support
Dr Gina Salapata for the EXMSS staff award for best lecturer.