Pam Roberts

Convenor - Master of Higher Education Convenor - Graduate Certificate in Higher Education PhD Candidate M. Ed (Melb) B. Eng (Melb) Contact +61  2   6125 0060 Pam.Roberts@anu.edu.au

Responsibilities

Pam Roberts is a part-time staff member and part-time PhD student within CEDAM. As a member of staff Pam teaches, consults and offers individual advice and assistance on curriculum development and teaching, in particular inquiry learning and research-led education. Pam is the convenor of the course Curriculum Design and Innovation in the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education.

Research and Professional Interests

Pam is undertaking a PhD at the ANU investigating the teaching and research nexus in universities, and the implications for undergraduate curricula and teaching. This research developed from her work on the iLearning project, which built from the 1998 Boyer Commission Report to develop inquiry and research-led approaches to undergraduate education at the ANU.

Topic

Curriculum decision making in higher education and the significance of research

The aim of this project is to investigate how academics' beliefs about their professional practice influence the approaches to research-led education that they adopt. I also will explore the opportunities and constraints for change to encourage active and student-centred approaches to teaching. The participants in the research will be ANU academics who are participating in a professional development program to develop research-led education at the ANU. Research-led education is one of several evolving terms that refers to educational approaches in which research informs teaching. Academics conceptions of research-led education reflect the full range of teaching conceptions, from teacher-content focussed to student conceptual change focussed, and appear to be contingent on their views of knowledge. Therefore in promoting research-led education as the educational model for a research university it is important to better understand the factors that influence academics to adopt teaching and curriculum practices that enhance the quality of student learning.

Other interests include research and policy to enhance the participation and advancement of women in science, engineering and technology course and careers.

Panel

Selected Publications

Trevitt, A.C.F. and Roberts P. (2004). Modelling and leading work-based learning partnerships within the professions: cultivating capacity for critical reflection. In refereed CD-rom proceedings of: The Asia Pacific Cooperative Education Conference. Learning Partnerships in the Global Classroom: Weaving the Threads of Knowledge . 1-3 December 2004. Auckland, New Zealand. 7pp.

Roberts P. & Ayre M. (2004). Counting the losses.... The Careers Review of Engineering Women. Engineers Australia. Canberra ACT.

Roberts P. & Ayre M. (2002). Did she jump or was she pushed? A study of women's retention in the engineering workforce. The International Journal of Engineering Education, V18, N4, pp 415-21.

Pearson, M., Roberts, P., O'Shea, C. & Lupton, M. (2002). An inclusive approach to transition in a research-led university. Changing agendas, 6th Pacific Rim First year in higher education conference. 8-10 July, 2002, Christchurch New Zealand.

Roberts P. (Ed) (2001). Transforming Engineering, Case studies of cultural and organisational change. Transactions of Multi-disciplinary Engineering. IEAust. Canberra ACT.