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D-G's 2011 Bursary recipients named

2 June 2011

D-G's 2011 Bursary recipients named

Overseas study ... Grant Webb and Rhonda Livingstone with Director-General Julie Grantham

The Department of Education and Training 2011 Director-General's Senior Public Service Excellence Bursaries will fund professional development for two officers, enabling them to study and travel in Canada, New Zealand and Italy.

Director-General Julie Grantham recently awarded the bursaries to Grant Webb, acting principals' capability development coordinator in Central Queensland, and Rhonda Livingstone, acting director of quality assurance and research in the Office for Early Childhood Education and Care (OECEC).

This is the third year the bursaries have been offered. Valued at $10,000 each, they are a professional development initiative for up to two departmental officers to study and travel overseas.

Ms Grantham said she was delighted to present the awards to two such deserving recipients and praised the high quality of all applications received. She said the bursaries provided a wonderful opportunity for recipients to access professional development that not only builds on their own needs but also supports strategic departmental priorities.

Mr Webb will use his bursary to work with Professor Ben Levin at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at University of Ontario to engage with his research on poverty, literacy and equity. He will also visit the two areas in which Professor Ben Levin undertook research which will allow him to engage with teachers and policymakers.

By furthering his knowledge and skills in the area of improving literacy for students from low socio-economic backgrounds, Mr Webb believes he can make a significant contribution to the department's policy and pedagogy development.

Ms Livingstone plans to use her bursary to focus on effectively promoting and measuring quality in ECEC services, identifying criteria to achieve a rating of excellence, assessing submissions for endorsement and funding centres of excellence to promote quality in ECEC services.

Her study will involve liaising with the chief review officer and shadowing review officers in the New Zealand Education Review Office in Wellington and participating in a study tour of the Municipal Early Childhood Program in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy. Both of these world-leading programs are examples of mature models based on the same principles that OECEC is working to initiate in Queensland.

The bursaries are available to all AO8 and senior officers in the department who have a role in the development and delivery of education programs and services. They are awarded annually on the basis of application and merit-based assessment.

The bursary initiative is been funded through a grant from the Queensland Institute of Senior Education Officers (QISEO).

For further information visit the Director-General's Senior Public Service Excellence Bursary web page or contact the senior project officer, Workforce Initiatives, on 323 70698 or via email at rewards.recognition@deta.qld.gov.au.