LETTER: Alice nursing lecturer in top-10

Sir – Alice Springs nursing lecturer Robin Cross (pictured in a training laboratory at the Alice Springs CDU campus) has made the top 10 in a list of Australian university lecturers for the second year in a row.
Mrs Cross, who specialises in the online delivery of Bachelor of Nursing, came ninth among more than 4000 Australian lecturers, and was the top-ranked Charles Darwin University lecturer.
While “chuffed” with the accolade, Mrs Cross said it was more a reflection of an effective teaching team rather than the effort of any individual.
“It’s a testament to the overall quality of the online teaching experience,” Mrs Cross said.
“We work hard to regularly engage with our online students, to interact with them and provide quick and constructive feedback.
“We have strategies in place about responding to online posts and discussion board queries in a timely manner so that [students] never feel they’re studying in an online abyss.”
Mrs Cross rarely has face-to-face contact with her students, who are spread all over Australia, however when she does, she ensures that they have a positive learning environment and a true Territory experience.
Poll organiser UniJobs said the award, now in its sixth year, was designed to reward the efforts of diligent academic staff who have helped enrich the lives of students and work colleagues.
More than 100,000 votes were cast, they said.
CDU chemistry lecturer Dr Vinuthaa Murthy and pharmacy lecturer Dr Robiul Islam also made UniJobs’ list of the top 130 lecturers.
Patrick Nelson
CDU Public Relations