The formula for teaching success
Dr Robert Keyzers, a Senior Lecturer in chemistry and a recipient of a Victoria University Teaching Excellence Award, believes every student has potential.
“Every student has potential. The secret is to try to reveal the student’s aptitude to themselves, to give them the confidence to help maximise that potential.”
That’s the teaching philosophy of Dr Robert Keyzers, a Senior Lecturer in chemistry from the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences and a recipient of a Victoria University Teaching Excellence Award.
The awards recognise a consistently high level of teaching, reflected in both peer and student feedback, as well as ongoing innovation and leadership.
“Keeping in mind the specific needs, and the background knowledge and understanding of students are key aspects to helping them on their academic journey. I try to do this by walking down the learning path with them.
“This is made easier by the fact that the subjects I teach are not necessarily 100 per cent connected to my own research. This can help with teaching because, without the complete background, I don’t necessarily know what the students don’t know at the beginning of a semester. As such, the process of discovery means I can look at the material with a similar viewpoint to them,” says Rob.
According to Rob, one of most rewarding experiences in teaching is seeing the “penny drop” with a student who has been struggling with a difficult concept.
“You can really see a gleam in their eyes as it all just clicks into place, which is a magical moment for any teacher.”
Rob initially had a goal of becoming a forensic scientist. However, the realisation that he would face a limited job market in this field led him to eventually find a passion for the chemistry of nature.
His research includes bio-prospecting from marine organisms around the Pacific to identify new pharmaceutical compounds for medical applications. He also studies the compounds important to the sensory properties of wine to explore how they can be optimised.
He spends much of his time teaching for programmes, such as biology and geology, but also strives to instil a love of chemistry in students as well.
Rob says the award is a good reminder of the importance of teaching at a tertiary level.
“Teaching is the central core of what a university is about, but I think we, as academics, can often get distracted by the excitement of our research. Awards like this remind us of the importance of nurturing the younger generation of future academics and professionals as they set out on their career path.”