CSU Faculty of Education Supervisor Seminar Series: Maximising your HDR students’ potential

Today Suzanne Hopf (my PhD student) and I presented a seminar titled:  “Maximising your HDR students’ potential”. The presentation occurred simultaneously in Bathurst, Dubbo, Sydney, Albury, Wagga Wagga and with 5 people on the phone in other locations. 

Here is the information sent to the Faculty about the presentation:

Sharynne was the recipient of the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Research Supervision Excellence in 2010 and 2013, and has long been known for supporting her HDR candidates to reach their maximum potential throughout their candidature and beyond. Come along (bring your lunch) and discuss with Sharynne and colleagues her strategies and approaches to supervision. All welcome!

I described a process of Get ready - Get set - Go - Run - Win - and Keep going...

I found it interesting to document the process I go through initiating a working relationship with my students and setting up their candidature, even before they begin.

Families’ communication choices for children with hearing loss

This week Charles Sturt University published a media release profiling Kate Crowe's research into families' communication choices for children with hearing loss. http://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/education/ripple/families-communication-choices-for-children-with-hearing-loss. She found that parents' choices are influenced by advice from professionals, their children's access to hearing aids and cochlear implants, children's intervention experiences, children's future opportunities, practicalities of communication, and creating a sense of belonging for their children. The research was published in an article titled Communication choices: Translating research to practice for professionals working with children with hearing loss which recently won the  Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology (JCPSLP) Editor's Prize for 2014.
The story has been picked up on the HealthCanal

JCPSLP Editor Dr David Trembath with
Kate Crowe and Sharynne McLeod

Seeing Speech website

Six Scottish universities have created an amazing website dedicated to seeing speech: http://www.seeingspeech.ac.uk. My favourite feature is the real time movies of each consonant of the world created using MRI technology: http://www.seeingspeech.ac.uk/ipachart/display.php?chart=1&datatype=1&speaker=1. The site also includes Dynamic Dialects (http://www.dynamicdialects.ac.uk/) portraying ultrasound movies of speakers from around the world producing the same list of words.

Sound Start Study: Stages 1, 2, and 3 are complete

Stages 1, 2, and 3 of the 3-year Sound Start Study are now complete. Stages 4, 5,  and 6 will be completed in the second half of the year. Kate Crowe and Sarah Masso have done an amazing job over the three years with 1214 children being screened in stage 1. Charlotte Howland and Felicity McKellar have supported the study as our competent research assistants.

Sarah Masso working on the data files with
our research assistant Felicity McKellar

Dr Kate Crowe - Master of Special Education

Recently Dr Kate Crowe has been working to add to her qualifications. She submitted her thesis to finalise her Master of Special Education (Sensory Disabilities) from The University of Newcastle. Her thesis was titled: "Professionals' perspectives on spoken language multilingualism for children with hearing loss." Congratulations Kate!

Kate Crowe and Dr Breda Carty

Marra Marra Badhang exhibition

Today we attended the opening of the Marra Marra Badhang exhibition at Charles Sturt University. The exhibition was launched with a smoking ceremony by Wiradyuri Elders and opened by the Bathurst Mayor and Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor. The exhibition includes the Bathurst Wiradyuri and Aboriginal community possum skin cloaks, alongside Indigenous artwork from the CSU art collection.  The exhibition is part of the 2015 NADIOC celebrations and the Bathurst Bicentenary. 

Sarah Verdon and Ben Pham with the Wiradyuri possum cloak

Smoking ceremony

Wiradyuri elders presenting the Vice Chancellor with the new flag

Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS)

In much of our research we have used the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) as a screening tool. A new PEDS website has just been launched http://www.rch.org.au/ccch/peds/ and it includes a table that mentions the research of the Sound Start Study and the Sound Effects Study.

Research assistant update

Alice Whitfield was my research assistant a few years ago: http://www.speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/essential-support.html
She has now completed her degree and has been volunteering Namibia. I am so grateful for the work my research assistants have done over the years.

Alice was profiled in the Forbes Advocate recently
(there's even a mention of her research assistant work with me)

Alice in Namibia this month

Introduction to Speech, Language and Literacy: Page proofing underway

Introduction to Speech, Language and Literacy is in the page proofing stage. Oxford University Press has recently begun advertising the book: http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780195527926.do

Jane has written a blog post about the development of our book here