Joanne Gray, Jane Raymond
Rachel Smith and Caroline Homer
A number of our midwifery academics from the Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health have received a highly commended outcome for the UTS Learning and Teaching Awards for 2009. The teaching team members, Joanne Gray, Rachel Smith, Jane Raymond and Caroline Homer were nominated for their educational project titled Inspiring the midwives of the future: Innovation and excellence in midwifery education at UTS.
Based on current midwifery teaching methods in both the pre-registration midwifery Bachelor and Graduate Diploma degrees, this teaching project focussed on the practice-based nature of the groups teaching, ongoing engagement in midwifery clinical practice and each member's individual roles in the Australian College of Midwives. The project also highlighted the enduring relationship the midwifery team has in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander midwifery students from Jumbunna.
The midwifery team promote independent learning through a range of assessment strategies along with the extensive use of simulation across all pre-registration midwifery programs. The framework of this team project and other teaching initiatives has enabled the UTS midwifery discipline in receiving a number of UTS Teaching and Learning grants to help set up and establish new innovative learning strategies including podcasts, video simulations clips, hand held computers and student digital recording activities.
The Director of Midwifery Studies, Joanne Gray said "The midwifery teaching team is committed to developing the potential in every prospective midwife and ensuring that our education meets the very highest standards in the country. We are innovative, enthusiastic and dedicated to making sure Australian women get the best midwifery care possible".
Joanne Gray, Rachel Smith, Jane Raymond and Caroline Homer will receive their highly commended award at the April 2010 graduation ceremony at UTS.
