Qian has the IT factor for student learning
Published on 28 February, 2008
CQU Melbourne Information Systems senior lecturer Dr David Qian not only teaches IT but he also has the IT factor for student learning.
He has recently been awarded the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Early Career Teacher of the Year (in a dual award with Liz Sidiropoulos, also from CQU Melbourne).
Dr Qian's history of excellence in teaching was acknowledged in 2003 when he was awarded the Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching.
His own personal background of being an international student studying in Australia has supported and reinforced his philosophy of student-centred teaching and learning.
Dr Qian believes that the better one knows and understands one's students the more successful they are likely to be.
His teaching has taken him from being the Sub-Dean of CQU's Fiji campus to the Melbourne campus. Even though he is an early career teacher, Dr Qian's wisdom and understanding of learning and teaching issues is respected and honoured by his students and valued by his colleagues.
His teaching involves motivating and inspiring international students to believe that they are capable of reaching their achievements, achieving through hard work and persistence and developing to their full potential.
Dr Qian's teaching philosophy reflects his belief that if students are encouraged to develop a positive view of themselves as learners and afforded the appropriate level of support whilst studying, they can achieve the desired results.
Numerous students' comments both formal and informal attest to the profound impact he has had on their lives through his capacity to influence, motivate and inspire their learning. His respect and support for the development of students as individuals underwrites everything he does as a teacher. As one student wrote:
‘...I thank God for providing me with so nice and helpful lecturer like you. ... You are the best teacher in my whole student life. I wish this student-teacher relationship will be the same after I will complete my study.'
This University is indeed fortunate to have a staff member of Dr Qian's calibre who is so richly deserving of this award which recognises his outstanding contribution to international students at Central Queensland University.