Education

Dr Robert Hunting was successful in gaining a grant through the National Centre of Science, ICT and Mathematics for Rural and Regional Australia (SiMERR) project funding and is lead researcher across a number of Universities for this project. Congratulations to Robert on this success. This is a major project of special significance to regional education.

Congratulations also go to Frank Hardman, Bernie Neville, Ray Lewis, Tricia McCann, Julie White, Greg Powell and Kirsten Hutchison on their success in gaining an ARC grant for a project which constitutes an investigation of computer assisted student support across six schools.

In another successful research funding bid Mary Burston, Pam Wright, Debbie Neal and Margaret Robertson have gained telematics trust funds for a project into Capacity Building in geographic Information Systems for public and community education.

The Associate Dean (Research) has also outlined in her Bulletin the success of Noel Gough, Margaret Robertson and Tony Potts regarding the publication of a new book each.

Pamela Lyons from the Bendigo campus is the recipient of the Pauline Toner Award which is offered annually to a student who has completed at least two years of undergraduate study and has made significant contributions in the areas of conservation, social issues or education. Pam is also a member of staff in the area of gifted education.

All of these are significant achievements which demonstrate the growing capacity of this Faculty with regard to research and scholarship. Congratulations to all concerned. If there are others about which I do not know, please let me know so that they may be included in the final Newsletter for the year next month.

Shortly, an Organisational Change Impact Statement which covers the first phase of the transition to the new structure will be issued. This is based on the consultant’s report and will provide for a staged transition into the new structure during 2008 with the whole structure being in place for the start of 2009. Thank you to all for your contributions and input into the discussions which followed the consultant’s report. The next period of transition is crucial to the success of the new Faculty structure and thus ongoing negotiations and discussion will occur throughout 2008 to ensure that staff are involved at every stage of this process.

Lynda Yates and I, along with 2 representatives from the IPO are travelling to Indonesia between November 20 and 24 to discuss various initiatives in teacher education and also to meet with Embassy representatives and agents. We will also be in discussions with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Religious Affairs regarding possible co-operative initiatives.

The Chair of the Academic Board of the University has approved the offering of 4 years of one strand of the Bachelor of Education at the Mildura campus with the first offering of the second year in Mildura to occur in 2009. The P-6 strand will be offered for all 4 years in Mildura and potentially allows mature age students and career change students who have hitherto been unable to leave their home base for 2 years, to undertake this course. Thanks are due to all those staff in Bendigo and Mildura concerned with the Bachelor of Education, who have assisted in making this initiative possible. The Vice Chancellor and PVC (SD) as well as the Executive Director of the Mildura Campus have expressed their congratulations and total support and encouragement for this initiative.

I wish to thank everyone who has worked so tirelessly for some time now on preparing the Faculty budget for 2008. It was a most complex and arduous task and I especially thank Garry Buchanan, Peter Barton and Nigel Barrow for working day, night and weekends to complete this exercise. There are now several meetings planned where Expressions of Interest across the University will be prioritised and as a result of this next phase, we will ultimately be allocated our 2008 budget.

I encourage all staff to participate in the various Alumni events which are in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of La Trobe. I understand that many of the Faculty Alumni are coming to these events at the various campuses and it would be great for current staff to join in the festivities.