Fourth Teaching Excellence Award

Otago Polytechnic is thrilled to report that Maxine Alterio has been awarded an Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence award for 2010.

 The national awards recognise sustained excellence in tertiary education, and are a fitting accolade for a teacher described as ‘inspirational’, ‘empowering’, ‘inventive’ and ‘awesome’ by her students. 

Maxine is a Principal Lecturer in the Educational Development Centre at Otago Polytechnic where she concentrates on professional development for staff in the area of academic writing. Her workshops and support as a mentor have assisted many staff members to improve their writing skills and confidence, enabling them to engage in and communicate their research.

“Being a staff developer, she differs from most nominees for this award in that her students are staff members. But... she displays all the criteria of an excellent teacher” explains Terry Marler, Manager of EDC.

“Her preferred style is inclusive, constructivist and promotes reflective practice in a way that has a hugely positive influence on the standards of teaching at Otago Polytechnic.”

Maxine holds an MA in Education from the University of Otago and is currently working towards a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington.

She has presented internationally on the use of storytelling as a reflective learning tool for teachers and has had her work published in several journals. Maxine is the co-author of Learning through Storytelling in Higher Education: using reflection and experience to improve learning, voted in 2007 by Questia Librarians as one of the 16 most influential books in higher education.

 Maxine has also had works of fiction published including her first novel, Ribbons of Grace in 2007.

 The award, which comes with a grant for $20,000, was presented by Hon Steven Joyce at a parliamentary ceremony on Wednesday 4 August.

This is the fourth year running that a staff member has been the recipient of a Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award, and Otago is the only Polytechnic in the country that can boast such an achievement. Judy Magee won an award in 2009, Adrian Woodhouse was a recipient in 2008 and Margo Barton won in 2007.  

Visit the Ako Aotearoa website