"Elisa’s teaching exhibits the elements that Schulman identified as necessary for excellent teaching: content knowledge from her discipline based in her experience and research; pedagogical knowledge with strategies to engage students and cater for diversity; and pedagogical content knowledge... These students are very fortunate to be in her...class." (Associate Professor Robyn Pierce, peer review, May 2014)
Subjects taught
I have taught and been Course Coordinator across a range of subjects across the tourism, events, management, and marketing fields. I have created a number of initiatives in many of the courses including:-
· Event Industry Operations – changing the course to have a 30% assessment piece linked to the students doing 30 hours practical experience working on events. This has involved developing good networks with event organisers.
· Tourism Destination Marketing - developed and designed course. It has a strong social media component coupled with a public relations (PR) component. I take time to design innovative and practical assessments to provide meaningful outcomes for the students. For example, in 2013 and 2014 one assessment was a mock media interview, where the students were put through the motions of a doorstep television interview. There was an ABC microphone, a Channel 9 camera, a cameraman, I was the ‘journalist’, and then the entire room was filmed (as well as the cameraman filming the student). This was to give the students a real experience in dealing with the media to provide meaning to their learning. Students were given a copy of the video for reflective purposes together with their feedback sheet.
· Contemporary Tourism Issues – bringing in a range of contemporary and tourism topics such as demographic change, climate change, technology change and how these drivers will impact tourism in the future. Students apply their learning to a tourism operation (with the operator’s support and involvement) and consider what strategies that operator needs to consider to be successful in the year 2030.
Subjects taught
I have taught and been Course Coordinator across a range of subjects across the tourism, events, management, and marketing fields. I have created a number of initiatives in many of the courses including:-
· Event Industry Operations – changing the course to have a 30% assessment piece linked to the students doing 30 hours practical experience working on events. This has involved developing good networks with event organisers.
· Tourism Destination Marketing - developed and designed course. It has a strong social media component coupled with a public relations (PR) component. I take time to design innovative and practical assessments to provide meaningful outcomes for the students. For example, in 2013 and 2014 one assessment was a mock media interview, where the students were put through the motions of a doorstep television interview. There was an ABC microphone, a Channel 9 camera, a cameraman, I was the ‘journalist’, and then the entire room was filmed (as well as the cameraman filming the student). This was to give the students a real experience in dealing with the media to provide meaning to their learning. Students were given a copy of the video for reflective purposes together with their feedback sheet.
· Contemporary Tourism Issues – bringing in a range of contemporary and tourism topics such as demographic change, climate change, technology change and how these drivers will impact tourism in the future. Students apply their learning to a tourism operation (with the operator’s support and involvement) and consider what strategies that operator needs to consider to be successful in the year 2030.
Curricula development
· Tourism Destination Marketing - developed and designed course, which is a second-year level undergraduate subject. Commenced semester 2, 2010 and is the most popular tourism elective at Federation University.
· Graduate Certificate in Tourism Futures - development and designed four courses and the program. The year the program commenced running, tourism was discontinued as a discipline. However, the IP for the program was subsequently sold to another institution.
· Tourism Destination Marketing - developed and designed course, which is a second-year level undergraduate subject. Commenced semester 2, 2010 and is the most popular tourism elective at Federation University.
· Graduate Certificate in Tourism Futures - development and designed four courses and the program. The year the program commenced running, tourism was discontinued as a discipline. However, the IP for the program was subsequently sold to another institution.
Student feedback
Student feedback ratings for my teaching (SET) at FedUni (out of 5) for the question ‘overall, how would you rate the teaching of this course' (note: the SET instrument has now changed and this question and scores no longer exist):-
Student feedback ratings for my teaching (SET) at Southern Cross University (out of 7) are:-
Personal Teaching Philosophy:
My basic philosophy of teaching/learning has evolved‚ and will continue to do so‚ as I reflect on what I have done and student feedback to consider what could be done better or differently to enhance the learning environment. The guiding principle in my teaching fundamentally encompasses the idea to empower students to take control of and responsibility for their own learning. I encourage them to build on the knowledge and interests they bring into my classes. I endeavour to make every student feel comfortable about contributing to their own and others' learning. I try to continually enhance the teaching environment and improve the understanding of my students by thinking carefully not only about what I plan to teach but about how I can teach it differently to focus on being deeply engaging, interesting and industry-relevant.
Student feedback ratings for my teaching (SET) at FedUni (out of 5) for the question ‘overall, how would you rate the teaching of this course' (note: the SET instrument has now changed and this question and scores no longer exist):-
- Tourism Destination Marketing 4.9
- Tourism Products and Services Delivery 4.6
- Contemporary Tourism Issues 4.6, 5.0
- Event Industry Operations 4.4
- Introduction to Tourism 4.4, 4.3, 4.5, 4.3, 4.2, 4.5
Student feedback ratings for my teaching (SET) at Southern Cross University (out of 7) are:-
- Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality Marketing 6.0
- Strategic Management 5.9
- Tourism and Hospitality Sales and Promotions 6.2
Personal Teaching Philosophy:
My basic philosophy of teaching/learning has evolved‚ and will continue to do so‚ as I reflect on what I have done and student feedback to consider what could be done better or differently to enhance the learning environment. The guiding principle in my teaching fundamentally encompasses the idea to empower students to take control of and responsibility for their own learning. I encourage them to build on the knowledge and interests they bring into my classes. I endeavour to make every student feel comfortable about contributing to their own and others' learning. I try to continually enhance the teaching environment and improve the understanding of my students by thinking carefully not only about what I plan to teach but about how I can teach it differently to focus on being deeply engaging, interesting and industry-relevant.