The CQUniversity Opal Awards

Engaged Learning and Teaching

Finalist: Engaging Student with SuperStar Role Models
Dr Steven Pace - MACKAY

Over the past ten years, Dr Steven Pace has coordinated a project that has inspired and motivated hundreds of CQUniversity multimedia students, school students and other Central Queensland residents with live presentations from visiting superstar role models from the digital media industries. These Australian and international presenters have included creative directors, visual effects artists, animators and others who have worked on Oscar-winning films such as The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong, Avatar and Happy Feet. Research indicates that 'superstars, or individuals of outstanding achievement, can serve as role models to others, inspiring and motivating them to do their utmost best' when they are considered to be personally relevant and their success seems attainable.

The primary aim of this project has been to inspire and motivate students in programs such as the Bachelor of Multimedia Studies and the Bachelor of Digital Innovation at CQUniversity.
Because of their broad appeal, each of these presentations has been made open to the public, and they have consistently attracted hundreds of interested people. Audience members have travelled from as far south as Brisbane and as far north as Karumba in the Gulf of Carpentaria, providing a strong indication of how much these events are valued by the community. The event?s showcase to the public the great professional connections and the quality of learning and teaching that CQUniversity provides.

583 audience evaluations have been collected to date. The feedback from the audiences is overwhelmingly positive. Responses to the open-ended questions included many expressions of appreciation and requests for similar events in the future. These results provide evidence of the positive impact that this project has had in terms of the learning experiences of our students and in building stronger relationships with our communities. The events have also received substantial media attention in print, radio and television increasing the visibility of CQUniversity?s overall community engagement and exemplary engaged learning and teaching practices.
The opportunity for students to rub shoulders with industry role models who are at the top of their field internationally is rare in the Australian higher education sector, and possibly unique in Australian digital media programs. From the initial presentation in 2000 through to the most recent presentation in 2010, this project clearly demonstrates what can be achieved through the collaborative efforts of the University, leading industry organisations, local schools, the media, and individual members of the communities that we serve.