The CQUniversity Opal Awards

Engaged Community Service

Finalist: TreeMappa and NeoGeography

Dr Sue Davis - NOOSA

TreeMappa and NeoGeography community engagement projects have focussed on involving students and community groups in using creative practice and new technologies to explore concepts of place and the environment. These projects have been conducted through partnerships with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, schools and arts and cultural organisations.

Tree-Mappa 2.0 has involved CQUniversity first year education students and nominated schools collaborating with artists, museums and the local community to create stories and digital content about significant trees in the area. The opportunity to work with leading international arts and multi-media company, C & F (from the UK) enabled the project to connect with an international audience and build capacity within the creative arts and education sectors on the Sunshine Coast. NeoGeoGraphy is a project which brings together creative practice and new technologies to capture the community's connection with where they live.

Through the involvement of CQUniversity and the activities initiated by Dr Davis, students, teachers and community members have been able to develop skills in creating location based digital content and share this with various audiences. CQUniversity has had a presence at related events and on a number of publications. This has substantially increased the visibility of the University within the region, with CQUniversity now being added to strategy documents and planning frameworks being developed by the regional council. Positive relationships have been established with the Sunshine Coast Council (especially in the Creative Communities unit), the Cooroy Library, Gubbi Gubbi Dancer Troupe, Queensland Writers Centre, FeralArts, C & T drama and new media company and lf:Books and many other individuals and groups providing opportunities for future collaboration.

These two projects are quality examples of engaged community service that helps build interactive and collaborative partnerships, draws on and contributes to community expertise and builds long term relationships focussed on building new knowledge. The projects support quality learning and teaching through building staff capacity in terms of digital content creation, Indigenous knowledge and inclusive teaching practices.