Southern Cross Matters

As I have reflected on this, it has seemed to me that one of the deeply challenging issues we face as a group of colleagues is that it can sometimes be very difficult to “see the finish line”. The tasks we have taken upon ourselves are profound, and very often the seeds we sow will not bear fruit for many years to come.

Yet there is a difference between the perfected form and something that though not perfect we can be confident represents a better us. We have taken it upon ourselves to work towards the creation of a University that more comprehensively and authentically engages our students in learning and drives them to greater opportunity and success – no matter their background. And we have taken it upon ourselves to more deeply entwine the vital work we do in research with our educational mission, and in so doing to more purposefully engage with industry and the community to drive impact from that research.

We are in the early stages of a long journey in which we will work with focus to commit and recommit to quality and to excellence and in so doing invigorate our professional lives, elevate the prospects of our students and anchor the next stage of development of our regions. These things are not achieved in a single season. They require a sustained sense of shared purpose and enormous diligence. They also require the humility to listen and the courage to objectively evaluate the evidence available to us and where required, admit failure – but then learn from that and move on.

We will carve out our place in the future not through giant leaps but through committing to many small steps. As we do this, I think it is important that we adopt the attitude of not letting the best be the enemy of the good. This is not about embracing the idea that what we have done is good enough, but rather, challenging ourselves to make positive strides that are good enough to allow us to take the next steps, and then the ones after that and then building the momentum to continue taking more positive steps forward.

We should not fear failing to reach immediate perfection, or indeed failing to reach perfection. Rather, we should rue the opportunities we lose each day by not taking the first positive step that is within our grasp, and then building on it.

More than anything else, I think the contents of this edition of Southern Cross Matters evoke that spirit – and I hope that you will really enjoy reading it and find it motivating.

Professor Tyrone M Carlin
Vice Chancellor and President

It’s like a developmental engine room – a collegial effort with a shared focus on establishing the deep, active learning that underpins the Southern Cross Model and supports our students to succeed in their studies. It is also one of the areas of priority investment for the University.

"One example is that, working with the academics, we were tasked with creating active learning activities to test students’ knowledge of complex formulas and data analysis using Excel.

“As this type of activity would have traditionally been conducted in class, we needed to create learning opportunities that tested the students' knowledge of complex formulas and calculations with Excel in Blackboard,” Aimee explains.

In this case, the high level of student engagement points to a successful outcome.

Aimee works alongside people like her Digital Design colleague Ellie Magee-Jessup, who took on the challenge of developing interactive learning opportunities for a Scientific Data Management and Analysis unit.

“It involved transitioning from some complex in-class spreadsheet activities to online self-learning activities.

“But collaboratively finding the key objectives allowed us to narrow down a concise but engaging way for students to still explore the concepts,” Ellie says.

Their tailored, interactive solutions have helped keep students engaged with online learning as part of the adaptation to COVID-19 challenges.

It’s something Dr Lachlan Forsyth, Director of the Centre for Teaching and Learning, is proud of.

“It’s been a pleasure to see the new Southern Cross Model emerge through these types of collaborations,” he says.