What are the implications for people of different cultural backgrounds in how they view academic achievement and success?

Join Karen in exploring these and related issues in relation to Indigenous students in Edith Cowan University's Indigenous University Orientation Course.

Dr Ladyshewsky will share his knowledge on peer coaching by discussing the outcomes of his research and his strategies for curriculum application. Participants will gain a good understanding of coaching and how to apply this concept in their learning settings by participating in this session.

This discussion session will explore how a 'partnerships' approach to learning, with the concomitant importance of active, student-centred learning in a constructivist environment, challenges teachers to be able to negotiate successfully their students' expectations of the teaching-learning process. Key questions for discussion include:

• What experiences have you had that have shown a mismatch between your expectations and students' expectations of what is a 'correct way to learn and teach'?
• How does the current consumerised higher education industry affect the ability of
• What is the relationship between expectations, motivation and student performance?

The workshop session will discuss examples of partnerships developed with government and/or industry that contribute to an undergraduate or postgraduate teaching program. The workshop will focus on the benefits accrued from, and challenges presented by such partnerships as well as identifying the keys to success.

I will summarise aspects of my collaborative teaching partnership with the University of Southern Queensland and The University of California at Los Angeles. As teaching partners we deliver online teaching and learning strategies in "Human Anatomy" to medical and dental students at a number of Institutions in USA and Australia. Emphasis will be placed on multiple requirements for simultaneous, active participation of USA-based academic staff as well as myself in delivering the course content. I will also introduce the recent involvement of government and community groups in extending the scope of our partnership to provide specialised teaching resources to individual groups in communities worldwide.

Associate Professor Greg Tower will focus on the partnership between postgraduate students and their supervisors. He will lead a discussion on reasonable expectations concerning both the student and supervisor, the best system(s) for supervision and the need for ongoing external feedback and peer review.

What works and what doesn't? What motivates students? How should I assess students? How do I cope with disruptive students? I'd like to teach well but I haven't got time. It's OK for you, but I'm timetabled to teach 400 students in a large lecture theatre! What's the difference between good teaching and learning and infotainment? How do I mark? There might be lots of hassles in this job, but the most enjoyable part is when I'm with my students. Yes, but it's research that will get me an appointment or promotion - not teaching. There are 10 sessional staff in the unit I teach - how can we ensure consistent standards? Good grief, this is a university, if they don't want to be here, they shouldn't have enrolled. With the 'massification' of higher education, university teachers now face exciting challenges to introduce more and more learners to the world of higher education. I'm not a high school teacher, they should know how to read and write! My greatest pleasure is empowering students to develop lifelong learning skills.

This session starts from the values, attitudes and skills of the participants and builds links, ideas and networks that will facilitate their growth as a teacher.

Educators are constantly seeking ways to improve and enhance the learning environment of students. Technology seems to be one of the keys to facilitating this. As educators know, much time and effort is expended on using technology to develop effective learning environments. Does it provide the answer? Is it worth it? Do we use technology to do the same things we have always done, but in a more efficient context? Are we maximising the potential of online virtual and interactive resources? How do students become involved and immersed in developing knowledge and skills?

This workshop will explore how virtual and interactive e-learning can be used to enhance a student's learning experience. The focus must be on the students' learning where technology is seen as a vehicle to facilitate this. The workshop will include examples and applications of virtual and interactive resources that have been developed at Curtin University and are being utilised in a range of on-campus and distance programs.

My teaching and research activities as well as achievements compliment each other in my role of facilitating student learning. Amongst innovative teaching methodologies, I also use industry partnerships and my research to create a more challenging, interactive and improved learning environment for horticulture and viticulture students. Orchard visits for substitution of a teaching orchard for practical exercises in fruit production and viticulture provide students with direct interaction with industry, observe growers in action, theory-practice, develop generic skills and critical and improve learning. Teaching in research nexus immerses and imbues students with the spirit of active learning by exposing the students to the most recent research findings, which are not covered in textbooks. Industry partnerships and research nexus approaches to improve student learning will be discussed in more detail.