Dr Trish Powers

My name is Dr Trish Powers. I work in the Teaching Innovation Unit as a Lecturer: Academic Development. I have extensive online teaching and coaching experience in synchronous, asynchronous, and blended Hybrid/HyFlex modes in both undergraduate and post-graduate higher education. Prior to my current role, I was Senior Learning Advisor in the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Scholarship at Torrens University Australia. By driving collaborative initiatives and capability programs incorporating technology and digital pedagogies, I supported academics in their journey to becoming accomplished learning facilitators. I also worked as a Senior Lecturer within the Faculty of Education, responsible for designing curricula, mentoring learning facilitators, supervising Higher Degree by Research students and teaching on the Master of Education (Innovation & Change). In that role, I had the great pleasure of developing and delivering the Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching, an award-winning, university-wide, online professional development course, introducing innovative practices for delivery and evaluation. My PhD in Education examines the transition of higher education students into the online learning space. This research assists learning facilitators expediting the student experience to design and facilitate their work with a greater understanding and teacher presence.

Qualifications

• PhD in Education Torrens University Australia

• Master of Education University of Wollongong

Work history

As Senior Learning Advisor (Scholarship) with Torrens University Australia I supported academic teaching capabilities, and their coaching, leadership and management skills through community, formal and informal professional approaches:

• Facilitating the Blended Online Teaching Community of Practice
• Developing and facilitating online Scholarly Practice Workshops x 12 per annum
• Chairing the Academic Leadership Professional Development Steering Committee
• Organising and running L&T Symposia x 3 per annum
• Managing and running facilitated workshops, masterclasses, and roundtables on skill development, problem-solving and best practice in teaching and coaching
• Supporting, coaching, and mentoring new starters and early career academic teaching staff in their roles as teachers and facilitators through the online Onboarding Program
• Addressing skills gaps through the delivery of the Transformative Teaching in a Digital World Professional Development course
• Managing the Advance HE Fellowship Program in association with Advance HE, UK
• Overseeing University Teaching Awards and Scholarship Champion Awards

As Senior Learning Facilitator with Torrens University Australia I was responsible for the program development and delivery of several undergraduate and post-graduate courses:

• The Graduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching across Australia and New Zealand
• https://www.torrens.edu.au/courses/education/graduate-certificate-in-learning-and-teaching
• Master of Education (Innovation and Change), Domestic and Offshore - Sunlands Education Group, China. https://www.torrens.edu.au/about/partnerships/sunlands-online-education-group
• Management of the subject development and third-party partnership between TUA and the Actors Centre Australia (ACA) in the delivery of the Bachelor of Performing Arts (Stage & Screen), Onboarding and training of ACA facilitators in online delivery during COVID. https://www.torrens.edu.au/about/partnerships/actors-centre-australia

Teaching/Learning Facilitation:

• Prepared, reviewed, and updated teaching materials and assessment tools
• Delivered innovative online classes, seminars, forums, workshops, and symposia
• Conducted and marked student assessment, providing good quality feedback, and ensuring adherence to academic processes
• Participated in validation and moderation activities and course and assessment review procedures

Collaboration, Outcomes, and Innovation:

• Collaborated with academic staff and faculty leaders to influence group approaches, identify best practice in teaching and learning and to facilitate performance opportunities
• Contributed towards the development, improvement and innovation of existing and new programs, introducing innovative practices for delivery and evaluation 
• Coordinated subjects, sites, programs, and other academic activity
• Supervised and mentored Academic Staff, student leaders and coaches
• Led research projects in the areas of innovative online learning and teaching.

SYMPOSIA AND L&T WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS 2019-2024:

• Enhanced Learning & Teaching in a Digital Classroom
• Online Teaching and Your Online Learning Community
• Evaluating and improving student achievement in the online space
• Why use a rubric? I know what a Fale... Fael... Fail looks like!
• Empowering students to recognise, own, and use feedback
• Feed Up, Feed Back, Feed Forward
• What is Constructive Alignment? Why is it important?
• Transition Pedagogy National Panel Presentation
• National Interactive Workshops on Student Retention and Completion in the Online Space
• The PAH Continuum: Implications for Course Design
• The Science of Learning Parts 1 and 2
• Self-efficacy and resilience - academics as frontline workers
• Accessibility for Online Teaching and Learning and what this means in practice
• The Community of Inquiry Framework. Why is it important to Online Facilitation?