A Rockhampton lecturer has been recognised nationally for her contribution to student learning.

CQUniversity's Environmental health lecturer Lisa Bricknell has been awarded a 2011 Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC).

Lisa BricknellMs Bricknell was awarded the $10,000 citation for her ‘excellence in flexible curriculum design and delivery, using adult learning principles to create supportive environments that inspire students to learn'.

"I'm quite overwhelmed at winning the Citation, knowing I've been judged as being up there with some incredibly talented educators," Ms Bricknell said.

Ms Bricknell is one of 22 ‘early career' achievers being recognised by the ALTC this year.

Her interest in teaching university studies by external delivery began when she worked as a research assistant back in 2001.

"We were researching academic workload and I realised today's academics have a significantly different job to what they did 20 years ago. Teaching by external delivery requires entirely different approaches from doing it face to face.

"As an academic working at CQUniversity delivering a fully external undergraduate degree in environmental health, I've been able to put into place some of the things I learned through that research."

Ms Bricknell said she strives to influence, motivate and inspire students to learn by using innovative problem-based learning activities, based on real life circumstances, that require students to synthesise knowledge and apply skills developed at all stages of their program of study.

Lisa has a passion for her discipline and maintains a consistent and enthusiastic dialogue with students, using a variety of modes of communication.

She uses a variety of media in creative ways to accommodate a range of individual learning patterns and preferences which provides her students with an authentic learning experience.

"I think we're in a special position here at CQUniversity. We have a long history of external delivery, and I think we're well placed to start implementing new technologies and teaching methodologies targeting these students.

"External delivery is a growth industry - even the big sandstone universities are starting to do it, and we're in position to be ahead of them and better than them in doing it because we've been doing it for such a long time."

Chief Executive of the ALTC, Dr Carol Nicoll, stressed the importance of recognising the accomplishments of lecturers like Ms Bricknell who have begun their careers in higher education no more than seven years ago.

"The ALTC commends the efforts of these staff who have made a significant contribution to the student experience so early in their career," she said.

"This formal recognition by peers and the sector is important for encouraging their continued high level of engagement with their students into the future."

Ms Bricknell will be presented with the citation at the 2011 Australian Awards for University Teaching ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on August 16.