At time when most tertiary educators are buckling under their workload, few could make the time for an evening class in a foreign language. But this is precisely the length to which Dr Clare Churcher has gone, in order to give her computing students the best possible learning experience. “With so many students coming to us from China I thought it was the least I could do,” says Dr Churcher, whose commitment to teaching has been recognised with a Lincoln University Teaching Excellence Award. While she is a whiz at programming and databases, Dr Churcher admits her instruction in basic Mandarin was a struggle. However, she is able to extend greetings, ask which is a family name which is a given name, and can pronounce names more correctly.
The excellence award recognises Dr Churcher’s all round commitment in 13 years of teaching in the Applied Computing Group, part of Lincoln University’s Environment, Society and Design Division.
Dr Churcher teaches programming, database design, and visualisation. Her research speciality is pragmatic data management for end users and the visualisation of data, which currently includes work with onion genome data in collaboration with Crop and Food Research Ltd.
Back to top
Dr Churcher says the teaching of computing is a particular challenge. “Computing is somewhat different from many academic subjects, in that the content is constantly changing and the rate of change is high. The course content is constantly being updated, and nothing lasts more than three years. We are producing new courses continuously and can seldom just rely on text books to support our applied teaching approach.”
She says teaching and learning processes continue to change. “One of the major changes is that many students don’t want to come to labs and lectures. They would rather get resources form Lincoln’s on-line learning system and practise at home on their own computer. In some cases that works quite well, but in others we have to work closely with the students to make sure they are studying effectively.
“We get to know many of our students very well. We tend to look after them right from enrolment as a first-year student through until the end of their studies and transition into the workforce.”
Back to top
Cross-cultural teaching poses special challenges. Some students find it frustrating that they are not “given the answer”, but it is important to develop problem solving ability, she says. “You have to know your subject really well and to be able to explain things in a number of different ways.”
Members of the local computing community describe Dr Churcher as a leading light in Lincoln’s Computer Industry Liaison Group. She also gives her time generously to mentor other lecturers and is held in high regard by Lincoln graduates. Student evaluations have constantly referred to her patience and guidance as well as a comprehensive use of teaching aids and materials.
Lincoln University’s Professor of Applied Computing, Alan McKinnon, says Dr Churcher thrives on the dynamic nature of the discipline and is instrumental in trialing new teaching technologies such as video-captured lectures. Rather than providing model answers her approach to exam preparation requires students to attempt questions from previous exams and then come to her to discuss their answers. This takes considerably more of her time, but encourages students to think things through for themselves.
Dr Churcher has recently completed a book for the professional community on database design. It has received excellent preliminary reviews. She is currently preparing a new postgraduate course on software design patterns.
Lincoln University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Roger Field, says the annual awards are a great way to celebrate the success and promote the importance of quality teaching. The awards committee was impressed with the high standard of submissions.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Elizabeth Owens
Marking and Communications Manager
Tek: 027 290 6019
Clare Churcher
Senior Lecturer in Software and Information Technology
Tel: 64 3 351 5097