Outstanding Teaching and Learning Transformation Award
Dr Zita Joyce and Dr Erin Harrington’s collaborative leadership has resulted in an innovative, transformative approach to teaching research methods to postgraduate students in the Faculty of Arts.
“Arts Research and Scholarship: Introduction to Theories and Methods” is a large course that is compulsory for all honours and many taught master’s students in the Faculty of Arts. Through their collaborative leadership, Erin and Zita have transformed the teaching and learning in this course. The course features guest workshops from more than 20 UC staff, drawing on diverse perspectives and professional areas across five schools, each semester. Through authentic assessment and student-centred design, the course prepares students to carry out original research by an exploration of methods and epistemologies of research across Arts disciplines, including Kaupapa Māori approaches. Erin and Zita demonstrate how important assessment design is to engaging students in meaningful learning experiences: “The assessment was perhaps the most well organized and timed from any course I have ever taken. …I really like how the assessment accumulated, so when coming to write the final assessment it doesn't feel as daunting as it initially did at the beginning of the course because we have been steadily working towards it throughout the semester.” (Course survey 2022)
Their energetic, inclusive and hands-on approach to teaching helps students recognise and develop their potential as emerging researchers. This teaches students not just how to be researchers, but also helps them develop the personal and intellectual skills required for future success. Students commented in their teaching evaluations how the course design was particularly engaging: “Within the classes, there was a great balance of explanation and teaching with time for discussion and reflection as well - I really liked being here in person to take advantage of this” [teaching survey 2022].
Erin and Zita encourage creative and speculative approaches to research and help students to see possibilities – rather than limits – across disciplinary boundaries.
