A program that takes students of health professional courses to remote Indigenous communities has won an Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Citation for a team of Flinders academics, and is one of six citations made to the University.

Associate Professor Linnett Sanchez, Associate Professor Simon Carney, Ms Karen Sparrow and Associate Professor David Turner have taken groups of audiology, speech pathology and medical students on extended visits to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia, where the students perform a range of hearing tests and ear examinations on site.

The citation acknowledged the team for “fostering professional and personal learning and development beyond the comfort zone”.

The annual Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning by the ALTC recognise the best examples of innovative practice in teaching and learning in universities across Australia.

Flinders University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dean Forbes, said the six citations added to Flinders’ extensive record of innovation and achievement.

“The University is strongly committed to constantly improving our performance in teaching and learning,” Professor Forbes said.

“Our continued strong showing in the ALTC’s national awards and citations demonstrates the success of this effort, and it is especially pleasing to see the work of our staff acknowledged across a diverse range of courses and disciplines.”

The other Flinders recipients of 2010 ALTC Citations are:

• Dr Katrina Breaden and the Asia Pacific Care Collaborative Team (School of Medicine), for developing and implementing an innovative and influential palliative program that meets the needs of students from diverse cultural backgrounds
• Mr Michael Bull and Associate Professor Carol Irizarry (School of Social and Policy Studies), for leading in the development of specialist teaching in loss, grief and trauma theory and practice in a professional social work course
• Associate Professor Jamie Quinton (School of Chemical and Physical Sciences), for influencing and inspiring student learning through engaging and interactive curricula in physics
• Professor Larry Owens (School of Education), for sustained excellence in student-centred learning in teacher education courses
• Dr Kate Douglas (School of Humanities), for engaging the “whole student” through effective communication and supportive teaching practices in teaching traumatic literature.