TTEA 2007: Minister's Foreword

It is a pleasure to have been part of celebrating the achievements of our top tertiary teachers whose skills, passion and commitment to teaching contribute to what is best about New Zealand’s tertiary education system.

In the 21st Century, skills and knowledge are becoming increasingly important as the foundation of our modern economy. Excellence in teaching, therefore, also becomes more valuable.

The following pages showcase the recipients of the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards for 2007. These teachers have demonstrated a commitment to connecting with their students and a passion for passing on knowledge from, among others, a scholar-baker determined to build confidence and capability, to a champion of flexible learning. Not only do they inspire their students to perform to the best of their abilities, but they also inspire other teachers in the way they rise to the challenge.

Research tells us that the quality of the engagement between teacher and student is one of the most important components of successful outcomes. New Zealand promotes high quality teaching in a lot of ways - recognition through these awards is one example.

There are few better ways we can invest in tomorrow than through the quality of our education. The government's vision of the future is for a highly skilled, innovative economy capable of competing in a globalised world.

The tertiary sector reforms that the government is putting in place will equip the tertiary education sector with a funding framework and quality assurance arrangements that better support quality, rather than quantity.

Past winners of the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards have been invited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to form a focus group to consider some of the challenges relating to the quality assurance of teaching in the tertiary sector.

It has been extremely useful to draw on the collective wisdom of people who have been recognised for their outstanding impact on student learning.

I hope this publication, which documents the approaches, experiences, methodologies and excellent teaching practices of this year’s award recipients, serves to facilitate that flow of information and discussion between teachers.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Tertiary Teaching Awards Committee, whose members have dedicated a great deal of time and commitment to the difficult task of choosing winners from the many outstanding entries received.

The National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence – Ako Aotearoa – will now take over the responsibility for the Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards and the Tertiary Teaching Awards Committee, from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. Establishment of the National Centre is further acknowledgement of the importance of excellence in tertiary teaching.