Activities, assignments and assessment/Opening

Acknowledgement of Country
Karen Adams, VACCHO

Karen spoke of her family connections in NSW and Victoria and explained that there is a difference between welcome to country and acknowledgement of country. Welcome to country is appropriate for when you are from that place. As Karen is not Wurundjeri, she made an acknowledgement of country.

The Wurundjeri is one of 5 nations in the Kulin nation. There is much written about the Wurundjeri people.

For example, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wurundjeri

Opening
Kerry welcomed everyone to the second, of what will be many, such open conferences.

She spoke about the new industry of high cost Educational conferences and the budget constraints in most universities for professional development. This AAAopenconf evolved through Leigh Blackall's contact with Cathy Gunn, visiting from New Zealand for one such expensive conference.

The AAAopenconf provides an opportunity to combine live, pre-recorded and online presentations in one time zone. This exciting event will assist in changing the way the faculty works, provide impetus to form a community of practice and enable fewer, but bigger events to be staged and involve more people in professional development across the university.

Kerry observed that Assessment drives engagement for our students - "but they hate it - so do we!"

Workloads are huge and so we need to do what we do much smarter and more effectively - maybe even make if fun!

Kerry thanked everyone who contributed to the event - speakers from New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, Wollongong, Canberra and Deakin.

Thanks to Leigh for his passion in conceptualising and driving the event. Recording today is an important way to make accessible to wider academic community.

There will be the wiki, a DVD and a book as well.

Thanks
Thanks to FBEL, HUSS - Ruth Jelley, Mungo Jones, Donna Bisset and the FHS Teaching and Learning unit, Kerry Fitzmaurice, Natalie Humphries, Lynne Matheson, Frank Niebling, Cameron Grant.