Emeritus Professor
Stephen Towers
Faculty of Education,
Office of Learning & Teaching (Education)
Biography
Professor Stephen Towers is Professor Emeritus at QUT and has held senior positions at:- QUT
- Edith Cowan University
- Open Learning Network Queensland.
Research interests
- quality in learning and teaching
- transformational change management
- learning organisations.
Stephen's PhD was in the area of organisational adoption and implementation of information and communication technologies.
Positions
2008-2019: Dean of Studies, QUT
- provide a central focus for the university-wide enhancement of meaningful real-world learning environments that deliver positive graduate outcomes and experiences.
- promote evidenced-based, high quality and innovative teaching within the University through strategic planning and policy settings in relation to University key performance indicators associated with courses, curriculum and teaching and learning more generally.
- assure quality of academic standards in teaching, courses and curriculum by monitoring and contributing to national and local quality assurance developments in relation to educational programs and teaching and learning.
2002 - 2008: Director, Academic Programs/Assistant Dean Teaching and Learning, Creative Industries Faculty - QUT
- provide strategic leadership in development of curricula, teaching and learning innovation, and quality assurance across all coursework programs in the Creative Industries Faculty.
- achieve relevant operational performance targets and supervise designated academic and professional staff including annual performance planning and workload allocation.
- lead and promote a teaching and learning culture aligned with the University's strategic objectives.
- chair relevant committees.
- direct operations of the faculty's academic services for staff and students.
- manage academic staffing: recruitment, performance and conflict resolution, and academic development (approximately 70 ongoing and sessional staff).
- supervise eight of the eleven heads of disciplines.
- provide functional responsibility for all student matters and services.
2000 - 2002: Director, Learning and Development Services Centre - Edith Cowan University
- establish, lead and direct the operations of the Learning and Development Services Centre at Edith Cowan University to ensure that the Centre achieves optimum performance in the delivery of all requisite services/products and the professionalism and skills of academic and general staff are enhanced.
- establish the centre, plan strategically, manage change and disestablishment of redundant areas, and manage financial and human resources (35 ongoing positions and up to 20 casual positions).
- provide authoritative advice to the Chancellery and governance committees on teaching, learning, and planning
- deliver and review cost effective services delivered to staff and students across four broad areas: resource development (including flexible delivery and learning services), professional development (academic and professional staff), evaluation services (units, teaching and courses), and major strategic educational projects (internal and external).
Other previous positions
- 1997 - 2000: Deputy Chief Executive - Queensland Open Learning Network
- 1994 - 1996: Doctor of Philosophy - QUT: full-time scholarship sponsored by Queensland State Government.
- 1991 - 1993: Assistant Director - Queensland Open Learning Network.
- 1990 - 1991: Lecturer/Instructional Designer/Project Manager - Division of Distance and Continuing Education, Central Queensland University.
- 1986 - 1989: Project manager/Teacher, Distance Education Centre, WA Ministry of Education.
- 1983 - 1985: Teacher - Bullsbrook District High School, W. A. Ministry of Education.
- Company Director - Pentacorp Publishing and Design Pty Ltd (Western Australia)
Personal details
Positions
- Emeritus Professor
Faculty of Education,
Faculty of Education,
Office of Learning & Teaching (Education)
Research field
Communication and Media Studies
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD (Queensland University of Technology)
Teaching
- teacher
- instructional designer
- developer
- evaluator
- researcher
- project manager
- academic manager.
Stephen has led, managed and participated in many projects associated with the design, development, delivery and management of learning program and environments using various information and communication technologies.
He works closely with the DVC Teaching Quality to promote evidenced-based, high quality and innovative teaching within the University through strategic planning and policy settings in relation to University key performance indicators associated with courses, curriculum and teaching and learning more generally.
Experience
- Towers, S. & Hearn, G. (2005). ECU Advantage Evaluation Report: Unpublished evaluation report of Wireless Mobile Computing at Edith Cowan University, Queensland University of Technology.
- Oliver, R. & Towers, S. (2000). Up time: Information Communication Technology: Literacy and Access for Tertiary Students in Australia. Canberra: Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs.
- Towers, S., Oliver, R., Skippington, P., Farr-Wharton, R., and Brunetto, Y. (1999). Toolboxes for on-line Learning - a national initiative for increasing the quantity and quality of on-line learning resources for the VET sector, Evaluation Report of the ANTA Toolbox Initiative 1998-1999, Australian National Training Authority: Brisbane.
- Jegede, O., Gooley, A. and Towers, S. 1996. Evaluation of a professional development program for audiographic conferencing. Queensland Open Learning Network: Brisbane.
- Gooley, A., Willett, J., Dekkers, J., Towers, S., Parker, H., Latchem, C., McGregor, A., Brown, B. and Durston, B. (1992). Evaluation of Existing and Potential Use of Learning Centres to Delivery Open Learning by a Range of Education/Training Providers. A report commissioned by the Australian Education Council Working Party on a National Education Communications Framework, DEET, Australia.
- Birch, I., Punch, K. and Towers, S. (1988). One Teacher and Multi-grade Schools (A Study Commissioned by UNESCO) Western Australia: University of Western Australia.
Publications
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Stephen, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).