Kathryn McLachlan

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Honorary Senior Resarch Fellow at Macquarie University

With our chapter, we challenge views of teaching and learning as transactional, that is, as the transmission of knowledge, with Arts-based inquiry. Through application of the Arts-based inquiry framework, we designed studio-based workshops that proved an impactful method for generating new ideas, approaches, and actions that enhance reflective prac...

Want to know about different ways to reflect for learning in higher education? A new scholarly practice guide has been developed by Australian academics. Read more here: http://ow.ly/df9P50y9Unx

Reflective practice can support a mindful and focussed approach to deep learning, enabling the bridging between theory and the students’ learning experience. This practice can range from creative pursuits to heeding felt knowing, integrated into the curricula to support praxis. Indeed, the embedding of reflective mechanism(s) is a requirement of le...

Higher Education Institutions are increasingly aware of industry expectations regarding work-ready graduates. Work Integrated learning and co-operative education initiatives are widely acknowledged for improving professional skills and work readiness, however, graduates often lack the ‘soft’ skills (communication, collaboration, problem solving) de...

Ethical practice is a core principle of PACE. Partners must conform to the University’s ethical standards and values, and PACE activities must promote the well-being of people and the planet. Students are expected to engage in an ethical manner, and their activities might include research that requires ethics approval. Approaches to telling the PAC...

Building capacity for mutually beneficial and responsive partnering is prominent in scholarly and public discourses on university-community engagement, with particular emphasis on ‘how’ to manage and sustain key stakeholder relationships as a fundamental cornerstone of partnership development. Genuine community engagement promotes the development o...

Developing “a culture of transformative learning” is the first of seven strategic priorities of Macquarie University (2013, p. 12). Through PACE and other education programs the university has set out to “develop and lead teaching models that promote enquiry driven learning, and prepare students for productive professional and civic lives” (p. 12)....

Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) at Macquarie University offers undergraduate students experiential learning opportunities with local, regional and international partners. Through PACE, students work on mutually beneficial projects that both meet the partner's organizational goals and enable students to strengthen graduate capabilities...

As the number of students engaging in higher education increases, so too does their diversity. Additionally, there is growing pressure on universities to better prepare graduates for the varied paths they will pursue beyond study. In responding to these conditions it is important to develop pedagogical approaches that are both inclusive and engagin...

Emerging from the ashes of the original, disused community website, GraniteNet "Phoenix" was reinvented in 2006 through a research and development partnership between the University of Southern Queensland and members of the Stanthorpe community who were passionate about harnessing the possibilities presented by emerging Information Communications T...

Resilience in the context of rural communities is defined as the capacity to move through and beyond adversity. The literature recognises that rural people suffer particular stressors: high exposure to global economic pressures and government policy changes; droughts, floods and other extreme weather conditions; and the challenges of keeping a farm...

Resilience, of individuals, is a well-established concept in the psychology/mental health literatures, but has been little explored in relation to communities. Related theory in the community development and social impact assessment literature provides insight into qualities and assets of communities that enable them to develop effectively or to ad...

The GraniteNet Project is a research and development collaboration between the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, and the community of Stanthorpe – a rural community of just over 10,000 people located within the university’s regional catchment area. The vision of this Community Informatics project, which commenced in 2007 and is now in i...

Rural communities such as Stanthorpe on Queensland’s Southern Downs, in Australia, are familiar with turbulent environmental, social, technological and economic change and the adversity that frequently accompanies such changes. The capacity of individuals and communities to bounce back from adversity is referred to as resilience. Participation in l...

This paper reports an exploration into critical success factors for the sustainability of the partnership between the University of Southern Queensland and the Stanthorpe community during the GraniteNet Phoenix Project--the first phase of a three-phase participatory action research project conducted during 2007-2008. The concepts of learning commun...

This paper reports the results of a participatory action research (PAR) evaluation conducted with the members of the Granite Belt Learners Group in their rural 'learning community' in South East Queensland, and presents an action research and evaluation framework to guide the community on the next stage of its journey.

Community engagement, along with personal fulfilment and economic resilience, is an integral element of lifelong learning (Global Learning Services, 2001). This paper reports the processes and outcomes of a collaborative community engagement research project undertaken by university researchers, local and state government and community partners tha...