Dr Raewyn Tudor has taught Social Work for 14 years (including six years at UC), after practising as a social worker herself for fifteen years both in Ōtautahi | Christchurch and abroad. In the words of Associate Professor Yvonne Crichton-Hill, “she is an academic who exemplifies the University of Canterbury value of ‘people first’.”
Raewyn’s philosophy of teaching recognises that learning takes place through social interactions and relationships and emphasises whakawhanaungatanga (relationship-building) with students to enhance their engagement in reflecting on their prior experiences and integrate new ideas. She is responsive to student feedback and takes the initiative to develop her own teaching practice, for example, by leveraging professional development opportunities to implement a blended-learning model that combines weekly online modules with in-person block classes. Her teaching brings together professionals and academics from diverse cultural communities and draws on active learning techniques such as role play, case studies, inquiry-based activities, discussion and formative feedback from peers.
Raewyn’s teaching approach helps her students to integrate theory and practice, ensuring they are exceptionally well-prepared to respond to the current and future needs of their field of work. As one of her students notes:
“Raewyn brings an air of delight to social policy in human services. Her knowledge and energy make you feel like you can make a difference in the world. She has inspired a new passion in me to research, learn, and uncover different ways that we can change the things that are not working and improve the things that are.”
Raewyn is also a leader in the professional development of colleagues both at UC and nationally, promoting quality teaching practice in the social work programme, serving as Chair of the Faculty of Arts Learning and Teaching Committee, and serving in national leadership roles in social work and tertiary education, such as her recent appointment to the New Zealand Work Integrated Learning Board.
