The newly appointed Dean of Charles Sturt University’s (CSU’s) Faculty of Education, Professor Toni Downes will speak at an Education Week forum in Wagga Wagga next week on the topical issue of how students use computers and the changing nature of learning. Professor Downes will be the inaugural speaker at the first CSU Edversations public forum on Thursday 18 May in the meeting room at Wagga Wagga City Council starting at  6pm. Professor Downes, who recently joined CSU as Professor of Education, has more than 25 years’ experience working with teachers to improve education through the creative use of new information and communication technologies (ICTs). She will speak on the topic Student Internet use at home and school in the first of a new series of professional forums on education, especially aimed at teachers in the Wagga region. “CSU is a leader in teacher education and we hope the Edversations series will strengthen the education community and provide a place for Faculty of Education staff to meet local teachers and build links with others interested in education,” said Dr Andrew Wallace, Senior Lecturer in Education at CSU. One of Professor Downes’ current research projects is looking at the gender gap in IT and communication technology subjects and why girls are failing to fully participate in IT, both in schools and in their career choices.

One of the first music lecturers at Bathurst Teacher’s College (BTC), John Cassim, has donated $20 000 to the Charles Sturt University (CSU) Foundation Trust. The funds will be used to support the John Cassim Award for Music Education and will be awarded to a student who is undertaking one or both of the two music electives of their teaching degree. When Mr Cassim arrived at the brand new BTC in 1951, it was an era that today’s staff and students would hardly recognise. He particularly recalls one night when a student was discovered with a bottle of beer. “Well that student was dismissed on the spot. I couldn’t believe it.” He says he “loved the students” and he hopes the scholarship money will help the recipient with their University fees. After Bathurst, Mr Cassim taught in Sydney and conducted for the Sydney Opera Company, the precursor to Opera Australia, before establishing a thoroughbred horse racing stud in Bowral. Now 85, he is still breeding race horses and loves to play CDs “so the mares and foals can listen to music”.

A $100 000 scholarship will enable Charles Sturt University (CSU) PhD student Jodie Ivers to conduct research into the way people manage their electricity usage . Ms Ivers is the recipient of Country Energy’s inaugural Energy Efficiency Research Scholarship. The industry scholarship will allow the postgraduate student to research renewable energy or an area known as demand management. “Demand management could be changed using new technology such as  a “smart meter” in people’s homes. The meter could tell the resident how much electricity is being used at any time and how much it is costing,” explained Ms Ivers. At peak times, an alarm would alert a resident to warn them the cost will escalate. And why aren’t more people taking up the option of green electricity? “This is what I have to find out. Basically what I’ll be doing is finding out what consumers think about renewable energy, what they know about it, what their attitudes towards green electricity are and trying to find ways to increase adoption and awareness,” said the CSU student. Originally from the central west town of Oberon, Ms Ivers now lives in Bathurst. “I like the socially responsible aspect of research, so I would love to see my work make a difference in what’s happening in regional areas, and reduce the amount of fossil fuels that we are using,” added Jodie Ivers.

The title of 2006 Royal Bathurst Showgirl has been bestowed on Charles Sturt University (CSU) communication student Jennifer Browning. Studying the double degree of Bachelor of  Sports Studies/Bachelor of Arts (Communication/Journalism), as well as holding down a cadetship with the National Radio News (NRN) on CSU’s Bathurst Campus, Ms Browning went to school in the city and is now undertaking her university studies in Bathurst.  “I think being an ambassador for the city of Bathurst will be wonderful,” said Jennifer Browning. She says her communications and interview training was a distinct advantage in the competition. “I am an NRN cadet so we are always immersed in what’s going on around us both in the community and on a national level.” The ten young women were judged on local knowledge, current affairs, deportment and personality. Next stop for the CSU student is a two day course in deportment and personal presentation skills in Dubbo, before the Central West zone competition.

The boys-only Dead Bones Society meets under the gigantic jaw of a T. rex for its third session on Thursday 13 April. The writing workshops at the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum in Bathurst have been so successful that more sessions are planned for the rest of this year and next. Teenage fiction author, Charles Sturt University (CSU) tutor and literacy consultant Paul Stafford says the ‘comedy horror’ workshops are aimed at gifted nine to 12-year-olds with an interest in writing and science. “It’s like a secret club because boys love that kind of thing. A creepy old museum at night is pretty exciting.” The boys are mentored by male teacher education students from CSU where Paul Stafford graduated with a degree in print journalism. Penny Packham, public programs officer at the museum, says the CSU students help the boys focus and express their ideas. “It’s giving the students an opportunity they don’t otherwise have. They are incredibly enthusiastic and quite happy to offer their time.” The workshops have been so successful the museum is looking to expand the program and run similar workshops for girls.

The Riverina firm A&G Engineering has generously renewed its support for Charles Sturt University (CSU) wine science program with an annual scholarship for a student. The 2006 A&G Engineering Scholarship valued at $15 000 has been awarded to final-year wine science student Tanya Worontschak. “I feel extremely privileged to receive this scholarship as this financial assistance will not only be used to fund my trips to study in Wagga Wagga but also help me purchase a computer and fulfil my aim to study and travel overseas,” said the CSU student. “I cannot thank A&G Engineering enough for their generosity,” she added. Ms Worontschak is studying at CSU by distance education while working as assistant winemaker/quality controller at Primo Estate Winery in Adelaide. Tanya Worontschak is following a family tradition after her uncle and London-based wine-maker and wine judge John Worontschak won the same award, formerly known as the Ron Potter Scholarship, two decades ago.

 

Every time actress Alexandra Davies features in another dramatic scene as Cate McMasters, Registered Nurse and Ambulance Paramedic at All Saints General Hospital, the phones run hot at Charles Sturt University (CSU). That’s because CSU is one of the few universities in Australia to offer the double degree Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Clinical Practice (Paramedic). Veronica Madigan, senior lecturer and PHC (pre-hospital care) course coordinator, says CSU started pre-hospital care education in Australia and was the first to offer the double degree. This year it was the most popular double degree to enrol at CSU. “The television drama All Saints has a couple of nurses who are also fully trained paramedics.You see them in their two uniforms at different times in the show so one day they might be a triage sister and in the next scene they might be out on the road as a paramedic,”  Veronica Madigan explained. In Menindee (population 980, 110 kilometres south-east of Broken Hill) there are no doctors but there are Advanced Care Nurses who are also paramedics. “At night they instantly revert to the ambulance service. When there’s a call out they are the ones who jump in the ambulance and retrieve the patients and decide whether or not they need to be flown out or taken on-road to Broken Hill. The diversity is amazing and one of the reasons our students are keen about this course.”