top of page

2. Resources for Learning, Teaching and Research

The resources below relate to:

 

2.1 Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR)

2.2 Postgraduate Research Training and Supervision

2.3 Australian Playwrights

  
2.1 Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) 

 

A series of three video programs available on YouTube and six scanned books available via the links below with permission of the publishing companies (Brill, Routledge and Helsinki University Press).

 

Video 1: Action Learning: Reg Revans in Australia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_1klQcSmnE&list=PLQKiYj6ieUZp8vSnoLtDDCiVa_RD0COLh&index=2&t=12s

 

A video interview with Reg Revans (known as the ‘Father of Action Learning’), produced and introduced by Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt, 1991, after the First World Congress on Action Learning and Action Research at Griffith University, Australia in 1990. This Congress was the first opportunity to bring together key practitioners and senior concept developers in this interdisciplinary field and in the business, government and educational sectors from all over the world. Reg Revans was one of the keynote speakers and recorded by Video Vision, University of Queensland, Australia.

 

The interviewers were: Denis Loaney, Senior Consultant with Coopers and Lybrand – later PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) – and John Mahoney†, Senior Advisor to the Premier, Queensland Government.

 

Video 2: Postgraduate Research Supervision: An Interview with Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt on the Design of Qualitative Studies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsIF8mdHJc8&list=PLQKiYj6ieUZp8vSnoLtDDCiVa_RD0COLh&index=4

 

This video interview was introduced and conducted by Susan Hall at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia, 1998, after a series of Ortrun’s workshops on postgraduate research supervision and action research in theory and practice, including qualitative research design and thesis writing. The focus was on projects in industry and organisation development. Several models, diagrams and frameworks show the importance of philosophical and methodological assumptions underpinning the design of qualitative studies and action research, rather than the use of mere techniques, methods and practices. Supervisors need to make their own research paradigm clear without imposing their theoretical framework on their research students but respecting and supporting students’ values and worldviews.

 

Video 3: ALARA Conversations on Learning Conferences

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZSFqcRRZSE&list=PLQKiYj6ieUZp8vSnoLtDDCiVa_RD0COLh&index=3

 

Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt introduces this video (produced in 2015) and the four experts on Action Learning (AL) and Action Research (AR), representing the Brisbane Group of ALARA (Action Learning and Action Research Association). They are: Pam Kruse, Judith Kearney, Ron Passfield and Bob Dick who discuss the nature, benefits, specific features of ALARA Congresses and Conferences and the differences to most other scientific conferences. They tell their stories of their personal experiences and reflections on various ALARA conferences that were real ‘learning conferences’[2].

 

ALAR Books (© Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt)

1991    Action learning for improved performance

1991    Action research for change and development

1992    Action research in higher education

1992    Professional development in higher education

1996    New directions in action research

2024    Shaping the future of higher education

 

2.2 Postgraduate Research Training and Supervision 

 

These resources were the result of four Academic Staff Development (ASD) programs (1992–1996). They were developed by Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt at the University of Queensland, Griffith University and Southern Cross University, with funds from the Australian Government (through DEET) totalling $400,000. The overall theme was Postgraduate Research Training and Supervision for new and experienced supervisors with contributions from nine universities. The resources include four books; four manuals on conducting workshops for postgraduate supervisors and/or students; and 29 video programs.

 

eBooks

1.     Zuber-Skerritt, O. (Ed.) (1992). Starting research: Supervision and training. Brisbane: The Tertiary Education Institute, University of Queensland.

2.     Zuber-Skerritt, O. & Ryan, Y. (Eds.) (1994). Quality in postgraduate education. London: Kogan Page.

3.     Zuber-Skerritt, O. (Ed.) (1996). Frameworks for postgraduate education. Lismore: Southern Cross University Press.

4.     Ryan, Y. & Zuber-Skerritt, O. (Eds.) (1999). Supervising postgraduates from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB).Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.

 

Manuals 

There is a manual for each program edited by Y. Ryan and O. Zuber-Skerritt in 1998 (2nd edition) and published by Southern Cross University Press, Lismore, NSW, Australia.

1.     First Manual for Conducting Workshops on Postgraduate Supervision

2.     Second Manual for Conducting Workshops on Postgraduate Supervision

3.     Third Manual for Conducting Workshops on Postgraduate Supervision

4.   Fourth Manual for Conducting Workshops on Postgraduate Supervision of Non-English-Speaking Backgrounds

 

These manuals can be edited by the workshop leader and adopted or adapted for the participants in the workshop.

 

The manuals have two appendices: Appendix I with the key contributors and Appendix II with an overview of all topics in each of the four packages consisting of a book, a manual and a series of several video programs. If you are interested in a special topic, e.g., thesis design or writing, you can find it in the matrix in Appendix II.

 

Videos

First series of video programs (produced by Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt, edited by Alison Jardie, Faith Howell, Kym Hosking and Triny Roe) based on recordings of a staff development conference on postgraduate supervision for women at the University of Queensland, Twin Waters Resort, Sunshine Coast, 21-24 April 1992. TV Unit, University of Queensland, 1992 (20-30 minutes each).

 

1.      The Role of the Postgraduate Supervisor

         Estelle Phillips, Ingrid Moses and Peggy Nightingale (17 mins)

2.      How to Identify Major Issues and Concerns Using the Nominal Group Technique

         Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt (30 mins)

3.      Expectations and Standards in Supervision

         Ingrid Moses (20 mins)

4.      Induction into the Research Application Culture

         Millicent Poole (20 mins)

5.      How to Design a Research Project

         Judith Blackshaw (27 mins)

6.      Supervision of the Writing Process in the Sciences

         Trevor Heath (32 mins)

7.      Supervision of the Writing Process in the Social Sciences and Humanities

         Peggy Nightingale (32 mins)

8.      Getting into Print

         Royce Sadler (35 mins)

9.      Creating a Supportive Environment for Postgraduate Study

         Estelle Phillips and Linda Conrad (42 mins)

10.    How to Design Departmental Workshops on Postgraduate Supervision

         David Warren Piper (30 mins)

 

Second series of video programs (produced by Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt, edited by Faith Howell, Glynis Rice and Keith Cox, and based on recordings of a staff development conference on postgraduate research and supervision for representatives from all seven universities in Queensland, Pan Pacific Hotel, Gold Coast, 20-22 September 1993). TV Unit, University of Queensland (20-30 minutes each).

 

1.      Communication in Postgraduate Research, Supervision and Training: A Keynote Address

         Estelle Phillips (22 mins)

2.      From Thesis Writing to Research Application: Learning the Research Culture: A Keynote Address

         Peter Sheehan (36 mins)

3.      Gender Issues in Postgraduate Education

         Linda Conrad and Kate Roberts (21 mins)

4.      Supervision and the Thesis Writing Process

         Nanette Gottlieb (22 mins)

5.      Staff Development in Postgraduate Supervision

         Estelle Phillips, Linda Conrad and Jan Whittle (16 mins)

6.      Managing the Quality of Research Training in Postgraduate Supervision

         Peter Sheehan, Roger Holmes and Millicent Poole (25 mins)

 

Third series of video programs (produced by Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt and Suzanne Pinchen, edited by Suzanne Pinchen, Jason Hargreaves, Ian Wells and Shane Frazer) based on recordings of a staff development conference on postgraduate research and supervision for representatives from the seven Consortium universities in Queensland, Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove, Gold Coast, 27 - 29 September 1995. Griffith Institute for Higher Education, Brisbane (20-30 minutes each).

 

1.         Policy Framework for Research Postgraduate Training at Australian Universities

            Roger Holmes (15 mins)

2.         Establishing a Research Culture in Your University

            Roger Holmes (25 mins)

3.         Sharing Expectations and Needs

            Linda Conrad and Suzanne Pinchen (28 mins)

4.         Creating a Supportive Environment for Local and International Students

            Brigid Ballard (24 mins)

5.         Reflective Literature Review

            Christine Bruce (24 mins)

6.         The Process of Writing and Publishing

            Nanette Gottlieb and Graham MacKay (34 mins) 

 

Fourth series of video programs (produced by Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt and edited by Mindy Thorpe, Glynis Rice and Yoni Ryan) based on recordings of a staff development conference on postgraduate supervision of NESB students (from non-English speaking backgrounds) for representatives from the nine Consortium universities, Ballina Beach Resort, NSW, 29 June - 3 July 1996, hosted by Southern Cross University, Lismore (20-30 minutes each).

 

1.         Alternative Perspectives on Research Supervision and Responsibilities

            Pam Denicolo (41 mins)

2.         Panel I on Problems Faced by Postgraduate NESB Students

            Chaired by Alan Davies (31 mins)

3.         Panel II on Possible Solutions by Supervisors

            Chaired by Zbys Klich (26 mins)

4.         Encouraging the Critical Use of Information

            Gerald Brameld and Christine Bruce (12 mins)

5.         Coping with Cultural Differences: Supervising Chinese Postgraduate Students

            Mary Farquhar (29 mins)

6.         Responsibilities and Limits in the Supervision of NESB Students

            Nick Knight (31 mins)

7.         Learning Assistance or Editorial Intervention?

            Susan Addison (31 mins) 

 

2.3 Australian Playwrights

 

A series of eight video programs entitled Australian Playwrights Speak was designed by Ortrun with a framework and a set of questions to structure the video interviews conducted by the leading academic specialist on each playwright, but interviewers also had the freedom to choose any additional questions. The following is a list of the eight videos on the playwrights and their interviewers (in brackets) with links to the videos.

 

Videos

1.     Louis Nowra (Veronica Kelly)

2.     Dorothy Hewitt (Bill Dunstone)

3.     Jack Hibbert (Paul McGillick)

4.     David Williamson (Peter Fitzpatrick)

5.     Stephen Sewell (John McCallum)

6.     Michael Gow (Gus Worby)

7.     John Romeril (Garreth Griffith)

8.     Alma de Groen (Elizabeth Perkins)

​

Books

Available in the Australian Playwrights Series. Please click on the playwright’s name to see the scanned book free of charge (and for your personal use), or click on the publishers’ link (Brill: sales@brill.com ) to purchase a hard copy.[1]

 

Vol. 1: Louis Nowra (Veronica Kelly)

ISBN 978-90-6203-869-5,

https://brill.com/view/title/27682

Vol. 2: Patrick White (May Brit Akerholt)

ISBN 978-90-6203-930-2, 

https://brill.com/view/title/27689

Vol. 3: Jack Hibberd (Paul McGillick)

ISBN 978-90-5183-003-3, https://brill.com/view/title/27690

Vol. 4: David Williamson (Ortrun Zuber-Skerritt)

ISBN978-90-5183-029-3,https://brill.com/view/title/27691
 

Vol. 5: John Romeril (Garreth Griffith)

ISBN 978-90-5183-524-3, 

 

Vol. 6: Alma de Groen (Elizabeth Perkins)

ISBN 978-90-5183-764-3, https://brill.com/view/title/27693

 

[1] The books on Dorothy Hewett, Stephen Sewell and Michael Gow are out of print and not available any longer.

bottom of page