Viola Rosario

Language and Learning Adviser - Deakin University

Graduated in:

1995

Course completed:

Graduate Diploma in Children's Literature

Currently working for:

Deakin University

How long have you been working for this organisation?

Since 2000; initially it was the thought of working with my former lecturers in Children's Literature that attracted me to a position as Online Educational Developer in the Faculty of Arts.

Position title and short job description:

Language and Learning Adviser. Academic Language and Learning Advisers in Australian universities help learners from a range of backgrounds adapt to university learning. At Deakin we are centrally located within the Division of Student Life, so I work with students from all Faculties and in a range of courses. We run workshops on areas of university learning like academic writing and referencing, and work with academics to support more effective learning. This is very much informed by our work with individual students. I learn something from my students every day.

Working highlight so far:

I've had my individual efforts acknowledged before, but it is particularly gratifying to be part of the team piloting PASS (Peer Assisted Study Sessions) which has recently been put forward as a Teaching Exemplar. It's a wonderful example of what we in the Division of Student Life can do to improve student learning when we work with committed colleagues, like those in the Faculty of Business and Law.

What are the things you enjoy most about your job?

I enjoy working with the wide range of students at Deakin and getting to understand their personal and educational backgrounds, because it helps me support the development of their academic language and literacies a bit more effectively. I am also inspired by students who are taking on leadership roles in helping fellow students make the best of their learning experiences: the PASS Learning Leaders, the mature-aged students, the Mentors in the Faculty of Business and Law, the Toastmasters group, and some of the multicultural societies that are coming out and sharing their cultures with the wider community. But most of all, I love working with the many excellent colleagues across Deakin who are so focused on making the student experience even better.

An area in which you have needed assistance:

Finding a role which combines my personal strengths, my qualifications and my years of teaching experience has been difficult. After completing a Masters in Education (TESOL) from Monash University which included early explorations into online learning, I developed some expertise in online teaching and learning. I loved working with academics in that role, but my current role allows me to work with both students and staff, and indulge my passion for supporting more effective university learning more directly.

What do you intend to do in the future?

I love what I'm doing, but am constantly looking for ways to do it better. I'm working on finding time to reflect, research and write about what I'm learning in my role.

#1 tip for current students studying your course:

The Graduate Diploma in Children's Literature was fascinating because the range of theories covered was so intellectually stimulating, while the texts we explored were often a source of great delight. I found that reading multiple times offered multiple pleasures: to get in touch with childlike enjoyment, to reflect on connections to theoretical frameworks, and then with a critical and argumentative eye. For me finding the connections between the intellectual and the emotional brought a richness to my academic writing.