Honouring the faculty’s visionaries in the 2023 Education Excellence Awards
The Education Excellence Awards recognises educators in the faculty who have cultivated influential or inspiring experiences, or crafted curricula and resources that demonstrate mastery in the field.
‘The winners of these awards are true innovators with a command of their respective fields, leading by example with thoughtful approaches and groundbreaking ideas,’ said Associate Dean (Education) Professor Jean-Guy Schneider.
Each year the eligible recipients then compete against winners across Monash for the Vice-Chancellor's Education Excellence Awards in November.
‘These awards highlight the importance of teaching in our faculty's commitment to deliver education excellence to the next generation of IT professionals, so that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their future careers,’ said Professor Ann Nicholson, Dean of the Faculty of IT.
Here are more details about the 2023 winners and their impact:
Programs that Enhance Learning
Dr Adel Nadjaran Toosi and the FIT5225 teaching team
Dr Toosi and his teaching team designed and implemented the FIT5225 Cloud Computing and Security unit in 2020, focusing on innovative, distinctive and coherent teaching practices and work-integrated learning components. Since then, the unit has consistently received positive student feedback including numerous email testimonials from graduates who have secured jobs in their desired industries.
Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
Dr Sicily Ting Fung Fung
Through hands-on learning activities and group discussions, Dr Ting challenges her students to think critically and creatively to solve complex concepts on their own. Connecting curricula with real-world examples, she also fosters a deeper understanding of the material and inspires her students to become lifelong learners.
Dr Rebecca Robinson
Rebecca has helped transform FIT9131 Programming Foundations in Java using methods informed by scholarly literature and improved communication across the teaching team of FIT2014 Theory of Computation. She also explains complex subjects using clear language while always being approachable and responsive. As a result, she’s created a strong culture of collaboration, equity and active learning where students feel empowered, motivated and well-supported.
Sessional Teaching Associate Awards
Michael Neylan
Drawing from his experiences in research and industry projects, Michael has championed and incorporated new software and professional workflows into the Interactive Media major coursework to prepare students for work in industry by ensuring they are learning current 3D texturing processes to create aesthetically captivating portfolios.
Ruchi Sembey
Through positive teacher-student relationships and innovative use of technology and multimedia resources, Ruchi has built strong learning cultures in the units FIT5125 IT Research Methods and FIT5152 User Interface Design & Usability where students feel safe, connected and empowered to engage in dialogic learning and feedback.
Mariam Tebourbi
Mariam developed supplementary resources to challenge her students' perspectives on the scope of research skills application in FIT5125 IT Research Methods. Through her teachings, she has demonstrated the transferability of research methods and how they’re indispensable for a successful career in both industry and academia.