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 | The Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Rajesh Chandra gives his address at the forum. Also in picture is the keynote speaker and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) from the James Cook University (JCU) in Australia, Professor Sally Kift and the new USP Chancellor, Ulo-o-Tokelau, His Excellency Aliki Faipule Kerisiano Kalolo. |
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Staff and students of the University of the South Pacific gathered for the fourth Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Forum at the Multi Purpose Theatre located at the University’s Laucala Campus in Suva.
The forum, which is held once a year, showcases innovative and successful approaches towards improving learning and teaching practices.
The wide range of themes at this year’s forum, held on 10 September, focused on learning and teaching spaces, learning technologies, mLearning and research in learning and teaching.
The participants were welcomed by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and International), Professor John Bythell, who also acknowledged the presence of the University’s new Chancellor, Ulo-o-Tokelau, His Excellency Aliki Faipule Kerisiano Kalolo.
Speaking at the forum, the Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Rajesh Chandra emphasised to participants the importance of the meeting.
“We are here to be able to dialogue with experts and to showcase what we do so that we have a collective mission to really improve what matters to our students most, and that is the quality of learning and teaching,” he said.
Professor Chandra stated that USP has always had a special mission to use advanced technologies to promote regionality, access and equity. This, he explained, was the reason behind the heavy investment made towards regional campus improvements and upgrades to the USPNet - a satellite communications network connecting all 12 USP member countries.
He outlined a number of initiatives considered by USP in light of the changing role and nature of universities. Some of these include mLearning and roll-out of tablets, maximum use of open educational resources, building on the social and learning orientation of learners, fixing technology problems, providing full learning support to students and incentives to promote change and higher quality flexible learning and teaching.
The keynote speaker at this year’s forum was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) from the James Cook University (JCU) in Australia, Professor Sally Kift.
Professor Kift is a National Teaching Award winner (Australia, 2003) and National Program Award winner (Australia, 2007).
Prior to her appointment at JCU in May 2012, she was a Professor of Law at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and also served as the Law Faculty Assistant Dean, Teaching & Learning (2001-2006) and QUT’s foundational Director, First Year Experience (2006-2007).
In her address on‘A Transition Pedagogy for First Year Student Success’, Professor Kift stressed that student success was largely determined by the student experience in the first-year.
“Engagement matters and it matters most in the first-year. This is where students start to develop their habits and patterns of study. There is overwhelmingly evidence that the more resources we put in the first-year experience, the more successful our students will be,” she explained.
In her presentation, Professor Kift talked about the model for a partnership and whole-of-institution approach for first-year engagement, success and retention.
She outlined factors promoting engagement and inclusion that involved respect and equal time for all students, teacher interest and a sense of belonging to the university.
She concluded by pointing out to USP staff that, “once students come to our institutional doors, the educational conditions in which we place them will frame their higher education experience and dictate retention and success.”
The centrepiece of that experience, Professor Kift said, must be intentional, integrated, supportive and inclusive first-year curriculum.
The day-long forum was broadcasted to all regional USP campuses.
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