Queensland University of Technology (QUT) had two winners at the Awards on 1 October, with associate professor Rachael Field and lecturer James Duffy awarded for innovation for their significant impact on the teaching environment at the University.

Danielle Ireland-Piper, PhD candidate and senior teacher at the Faculty of Law at Bond University, was given the Early Career Award for her work facilitating student engagement.

Ireland-Piper commented after receiving her Award: “Students learn more effectively when engaged in meaningful and interactive learning that is put into a broader context.

“To that end, I create opportunities for students to understand ‘why’ just as much as ‘what’ they are taught. Students have the chance to ‘do’ and not just to ‘listen’, to express their own opinion and not just recite that of another. We exist in a global community of learning and therefore I strive to incorporate internationalisation into my teaching. This enables students to place the law in context of the world around them and to articulate why that matters. This requires a teacher to embrace both the technological marvels of the current day and the wisdom of the ancients.”

Professor Sally Kift, deputy vice chancellor of James Cook University, won the Mentor of Teaching Excellence Award.

Professor Kift was nominated by 15 of her colleagues.

Marc Peter, LexisNexis’ executive director, commented on Kift’s win: “A key theme of the testimonials reflected Sally’s generosity and her genuine warmth in wanting to help people do well.

“Her sincere commitment to student learning and to improving the student experience of legal education through her role as a mentor of students and colleagues alike was quite evident.

 “The quality of innovations currently taking place in the teaching practice is remarkable,” he added.

The Awards were hosted by LexisNexis and the Australasian Law Teachers Association (ALTA).