International graffiti artist Moose will leave a lasting legacy in Wagga Wagga after a visit to the city hosted by the School of Communication and Creative Industries at Charles Sturt University (CSU) this week. The artist, also known as Paul Curtis, makes his ‘legal graffiti’ by wiping away dirt and pollution from public spaces to form large type and shapes. With the approval of Wagga Wagga City Council, and the support of local businesses Advision and Knights Meats, Moose will create what is known as ‘reverse graffiti’ on a wall in Fitzmaurice Street in Wagga Wagga on Friday 14 May. Earlier, the artist will share his experiences and ideas at a public lecture at CSU in Wagga Wagga from 1pm on Thursday 13 May. He will then meet with CSU’s final year Bachelor of Arts (Graphic Design) students to workshop ideas for the ‘reverse graffiti’ piece near Knights Meats on Friday 14 May. “This is a rare opportunity to see and hear the work of Moose whose ‘reverse graffiti’ is internationally acclaimed,” said Graphic Design course coordinator at CSU in Wagga Wagga, Mr Michael Agzarian.

The way teachers are ‘made’ in 2010 is the subject of a free public lecture at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Bathurst at 6pm Wednesday 12 May. The Head of the CSU School of Teacher Education in Bathurst, Associate Professor Ninetta Santoro, will take a historical perspective to understand the present in her lecture examining The Making of Teachers: Teacher Education for the Twenty-First Century. “I will consider what it means to be a student teacher in 2010 compared to past generations, and what effective teacher education might look like in the future,” Professor Santoro said. “The nature of teachers’ work and knowledge has undergone enormous change in recent years due to a wide range of factors including increasingly complex student demographics, developments in information technology, and the ways in which knowledge is produced and transmitted. Australian classrooms are more culturally diverse than ever before, students are more technologically savvy, and school curricula are increasingly complex and expansive.”

The nursing and paramedic courses at Charles Sturt University (CSU) will be the focus for approximately 45 senior high school students from the Blue Mountains to Forbes when they attend the next MyDay information sessions at the University in Bathurst on Tuesday 18 May. Ms Fran Dwyer, a Prospective Student Adviser at CSU, said, “There are high levels of interest from prospective students keen to study nursing and paramedic courses and the nursing/paramedic double degree through the Faculty of Science at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst. These professions are vital for society, and increasingly young people are keen to undertake study that they see as practical, useful and satisfying, especially as these are recognised as among the most trusted professions.” Students will meet CSU teaching staff and current students to explore the nursing and paramedic teaching laboratories, and learn about the challenges and rewards of these professions.

Preparing students for life in the workplace, with suitable knowledge and skills, work readiness and understanding of occupational culture, has long been recognised as vital by higher education providers. A Charles Sturt University (CSU) academic has raised the issue of what knowledge and skills university educators need to take workplace education forward in the current global era. Professor Joy Higgs AM has received one of nine Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Teaching Fellowships to examine what makes good workplace education and to encourage the widespread use of good practice in universities nationally. “The aim is to better prepare students for the complex workplaces of today,” said Professor Higgs, Director of CSU’s Education for Practice Institute. “Known as practice-based education, it’s a vital part of the education of university students, but there is much of this teaching and learning that is invisible, such as how teachers make decisions about teaching in classrooms. A key goal of this fellowship is to identify and disseminate good practices.”

Thousands of native trees and shrubs will be planted at Charles Sturt University (CSU) as staff and students help mark National Tree Day. CSU Green has organised for native trees, shrubs and grasses to be planted at CSU in Bathurst on Friday 29 July, in Wagga Wagga on Saturday 30 July and in Orange on Thursday 18 August. CSU has set a target of using 10 per cent of University land to increase biodiversity by 2011, and 20 per cent by 2015. CSU Green communication and education officer, Ms Nicole Maher said it is a practical way for people to make a difference to the local environment. “It’s really satisfying to walk past the site in the months and years that follow, and watch the plants you put in growing into a beautiful natural area,” she said. “By getting involved in something like this, people get a far greater appreciation for the incredible native flora and fauna that we have right here on our campuses.”