ABSTRACT:

This paper records current issues relevant to Geoengineering education in Australian Universities. It highlights the pressures under which academics are required to improve the delivery of subject matter. A critical analysis of various modes of delivery is presented taking into account the student learning styles and perspectives as well as current and impending technological changes. It is pointed out that the increased efficiency required by the declining resources is inherently in conflict with the requirements of the quality delivery of Geoengineering education.

INTRODUCTION

Australian academics are being subjected to increasing pressures that challenge their capacity and their ability to teach effectively. Although there is no study to support the contention that this is a universal experience, anecdotal evidence suggests that the Australian experience is far from unique. Of course, academics teaching in Geoengineering share this common experience of their colleagues in other Departments and Faculties. A major conflict or contradiction for the academic, is that at the same time that resources provided by government to Universities is shrinking, there is an expectation, or demand that academics not only maintain, but improve their performance in a diverse range of activities, including teaching. Academics no longer lead a privileged life in which they enjoy high salaries, and are automatically allocated research funds. The salaries of academics have fallen considerably behind those of their colleagues in the private sector, and research funding must be competitively sought from an insufficient pool of money. The success rate of obtaining funding may be as low as 15%, and the process of application is timeconsuming. Once grants are won, which normally include only partial funding, the paper warfare with bureaucracy continues, with endless forms to submit to ensure that funds are being appropriately utilized, and that outcomes are achieved.

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