Erst Carmichael

• Biography 
• Publications in referred journals/proceedings 
• Other publications and presentations
• Contact Details 

Erst Carmichael

M.Ed. (Hons), BA.(Hons), Dip. TEFL, Dip. Teach

Biography   

I have been working as a Literacy and Learning lecturer for the Student Learning Unit at UWS since mid 1991, initially part time at Kingswood campus, then full time at peaceful Hawkesbury campus before returning to Kingswood. My research interests are in the development of critical thinking for undergraduate students, and how this is demonstrated in their assignments. I have been involved with the Critical Thinking and Writing Network who have produced various materials including an on-line Blackboard site, to encourage student critical thinking, and organised staff colloquia to discuss and debate this issue. The title of my Masters Honours thesis was: Exploration of critical thinking in environmental subjects, combining my interest in critical thinking and environmental education. I have also been very interested in Students’ First Year Experience, and I coordinated the Student Peer Mentor Program from 1999 - 2003. This program provided small group support for new students in becoming "acculturated" into the university setting, as well as in developing their learning within a subject specific context with the help of a more senior "peer mentor". This program has now been replaced by the highly successful PASS program. I have been a member of the Transition Team since 2004, which provides other first year experience programs such as UniStep, Academic Preparation and semester workshops for students to develop their academic writing and mathematics skills. In 2009 I was one of the academic literacy team members who won an ALTC citation award for our UniStep Literacy program for commencing students.

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Publications in refereed journals/proceedings    

Power C, Carmichael E, Goldsmith R, 2007, Parrot poo on the windscreen: metaphor in academic skills learning, Journal of Academic Language and Learning, vol 1, no. 1, pp 18 - 32

Handa N, Carmichael E, 2007, What has Shakespeare got to do with sustainability? Educating minds while teaching., International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, vol 3, no. 4, pp 29 - 38

Carmichael E, 2004, Evaluating evaluations: A case study in peer mentoring, Language & Academic Skills in Higher Education: Refereed Proceedings of the Biannual National Language and Academic Skills 2003, vol 6,  pp 139-147 

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Other publications and presentations    

Handa, N Power, C Carmichael, E 2010 UniStep: a sustainable approach to developing academic literacy. Presentation at the 23rd International Conference on the First-Year Experience, Maui, Hawaii, 7 - 10 June.

Carmichael, E & Farrell 2009 Secret students’ business: The mysteries of critical thinking, HERDSA International Conference, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, 6 - 9 July

Carmichael, E & Handa 2009 A stepping stone to uni: dress rehearsal for the first semester at university, poster presentation at HERDSA International Conference, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, 6 – 9 July

Carmichael, E Ross, L Baines, J & Burchall, S 2009 Editor and contributor Reaching for Success: Academic Preparation Program. Student Learning Unit, UWS.

Carmichael, E. 2008 Snowball effect: improving international students’ communication skills for professional practice. E-Poster presented at the 3^rd Intercultural Clinical Communication in Health Professional Education Symposium, University of Melbourne, 8 February.

Carmichael, E Baines, J & Heavens, K 2008 Editor and contributor Reaching for Success: Academic Preparation Program, Student Learning Unit, UWS.

Carmichael, E & Goldsmith, R 2008 Reflective Practice in Academic Language and Learning, presentation at NSW/ACT AALL meeting, University of Canberra, ACT, 13 June.

Carmichael, E 2008 Reflective Journals, presentation for UWS College of Health & Science Teaching Fellows, UWS Penrith Campus.

Carmichael, E 2008  PASS: a peer supported pathway to student success, presentation for the Learning and Teaching Week, UWS Penrith Campus.

Carmichael, E & Handa, N 2008. Learning Guides and Learning Resources & Experiences. Presentation for AREP staff at UWS, 8 October.

Carmichael, E Handa, N & Power, C 2008 Learning Guides at UWS. Presentation at the NSW AALL Forum, UNSW, Sydney, 5 December.

Carmichael, E 2006 Editor of Reaching for Success: Academic Preparation Program, Student Support Services, UWS.

Carmichael, E 2006 Transition Programs at UWS, presentation at AALL meeting, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, August.

Carmichael, E 2006 Internal Evaluation Report of the 2003 UWS Student Peer Mentor Program, Student Support Services, UWS.

Carmichael, E 2005 How can students be encouraged to develop their critical thinking in environmental/sustainability subjects? Paper presented at the 12th International Thinking Conference, Melbourne, July.

Carmichael, E 2005 Editor & contributor Writing at University: Nursing Hong Kong Program, UWS.

Carmichael, E 2004 Internal Report on the Student Mentoring Program at UWS, 2002.

Carmichael, E 2003 Internal Report on the Student Mentoring Program at UWS, 2001.

Carmichael, E 2003 Evaluating evaluations: a case study in peer mentoring. Refereed proceedings of the 2003 Biannual Language and Academic Skills in Higher Education Conference, Adelaide, 24 – 25 November.

Carmichael, E 2001 Student Identities in Times of Change, Language and Academic Skills (LAS) Conference, Wollongong, 29 – 30 November

Carmichael, E 2001 Critical thinking in environmental studies. Breakthroughs: Ninth International Conference on Thinking, Auckland, 15th -19th January.

Carmichael, E 2001 Internal Report on the Student Mentoring Program at UWS, 2000.

Berghout-Vanderwal, A Hicks, M McGowan, U Carmichael, E 1999 Position statement: The position of academic language & learning skills advisers/lecturers in Australian Universities, accessed on 30.9.09 from http://aall.org.au/about/

James, B Scoufis, M Farrell, H & Carmichael, E 1999 Unravelling the mysteries of critical thinking. [Video] Bendigo: Video Education Australasia.

Scoufis, M James, B Carmichael, E & Farrell, H 1999 On the track: critical thinking in assignment writing.  [CD Rom]. Bendigo: Video Australasia.

Carmichael, E Craigie, D Driscoll, K Farrell, H James, B & Scoufis, M 1998 Critical Analysis - What is it? (2nd edn.) Kingswood:UWS.

Carmichael, E and the Critical Thinking and Writing Network, 1998 AER Critical Analysis Workbook. Kingswood:UWS.

Carmichael, E & Farrell, H 1997 Student Critical Thinking - Can it be left to Osmosis? HERDSA International Conference: Advancing International Perspectives, Adelaide, 8 - 11 July.

Scoufis, M & Carmichael, E 1996 Hook, Line and Critical Thinker, HERDSA International Conference, Perth University, Perth, 9 - 12 July.

Carmichael, E Driscoll, K & Farrell, H 1995 How to Get an A, International Pacific Rim Conference: The First Year Experience, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 11 - 14 July.

Carmichael, E Craigie, D Driscoll, K Farrell, H James, B & Scoufis, M 1994 Critical Analysis - Unmasking the Process, Conference on Integrating Academic Discourse into the Disciplines, La Trobe University, Melbourne, 21 -22 November. Plenary presentation by Erst Carmichael.

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