Dr Dawn Garbett (Faculty of Education), winner of one of four University of Auckland Teaching Excellence Awards for 2007, believes strongly that best practice is underpinned by a "really clear understanding of research that supports the practice".
Dawn’s award was for Sustained Excellence in Teaching. She considers herself to be in a privileged position as a teacher of teachers in a university.
"Teaching is simultaneously the thing I know about, the thing I do and the thing I research. Promoting teaching as a scholarly endeavour necessitates acting as a go-between between practitioners and academics.
"Teaching and researching should inform one another and best practice should be disseminated widely. I have been able to connect the academic task of conducting research with supporting my own professional development."
After substantial experience as a teacher in schools, Dawn began working at the Faculty of Education 16 years ago, and has taught in early childhood, primary and secondary teacher education. Now a principal lecturer in the School of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, she specialises in science teacher education, though she sees herself more generally as a teacher educator and is passionate about learning and imparting these skills.
In science education her goal " is that every student teacher will graduate confident and capable of teaching science in a meaningful way to the children in their classes.
"For the students who come into the teaching profession wary of science … my aim is to help them see that the possibilities to teach through science are endless.
"I challenge them to examine their own alternative ideas about science through carefully planned activities and exercises. We explore the nature of science and the ways in which scientists work. Once the students are ‘hooked on science’ they, too, will be able to devise rich and meaningful learning experiences for their students."
"For the student teachers who enrol with a high level of science knowledge my goal is to enable them to make their knowledge accessible to others. They need the opportunity and impetus to develop their pedagogical knowledge content."
As a constructivist teacher educator, Dawn tries "to understand my students’ pre-existing ideas and provide learning experiences that facilitate their conceptual change".
Dawn was delighted, in receiving the award, that the University recognises the value of the approach she brings to teaching.
"Teaching in any sector, says Dawn, "is challenging, demanding and increasingly complex. It is also incredibly rewarding and worthwhile."
"What we all strive to do is to be excellent teachers, so it was just lovely to be recognised."
The other staff who have received Teaching Excellence Awards for 2007 are Professor John Hosking (Computer Science) who received the award for Award for Excellence in Research Supervision; Dr Siew-Young Quek (Chemistry), who received the award for Early Career Excellence in Teaching; and Associate Professor Michele Leggott (English) and Dr Helen Sword (Centre for Academic Development), whose joint award was for Innovation in Teaching.
The University’s nominations for the National Tertiary Teaching Excellence awards in 2008 will be John Hosking and Dawn Garbett.
