Best students in the world' see lecturer awarded

1 June 2010: University of Canberra teachers who are cut above the rest have just received the University’s annual Teaching and Learning awards.

Fifteen lecturers and tutors were awarded this year including psychology lecturer Thea Vanags who won the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence for an Early Career Academic.

Dr Thea Vanags has won the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence for an Early Career Academic

Dr Vanags was thrilled to receive the award and put her win down to the students she teaches, saying they are the best in the world and she has learnt a lot from them.

“I feel honoured to be teaching these students and I wouldn’t swap it for anything. Through teaching you can make a difference in someone’s life. Anyone who educates themselves at university is improving their life for the better and teaching is about being a part of that process.”

Dr Vanags has been teaching in the Faculty of Health at the University for almost three years and was once a student here herself. She completed her PhD in psychology as a mature-aged student after a career as a computer programmer.

She said applying for the teaching award taught her a lot about her teaching style.

“I’ve learnt teachers come from all walks of life. I have an understanding that there is no one correct teaching style that we should all strive to obtain, it’s about working with the skills that you have and developing those skills,” she said.

“I used to feel quite ill when people would ask me what my teaching philosophy was because I didn’t know, but now I understand what I can do well and I have learnt a lot about my teaching including ways to improve it. This has helped me to be a better teacher as a result which is invaluable.”

Saying that there are many great teachers at the University, Dr Vanags said those who are the best put their heart and soul into it. She can surely include herself in that category with the clear passion she describes for her work.

“I love the university, I absolutely believe in it and I believe in the students – they’re the best bunch of students in the world.”

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