Media Release
20 Feb, 2008
Outstanding teaching Awards
Dr Shiv Ganesh makes sure his teaching is relevant to his students’ way of life and the communities where they live. The
senior lecturer in management communication at Waikato University Management School is one of two recipients of the
School’s annual Outstanding Teaching Award, nominated by students and judged by peers.
‘I like my students to see and feel their learning and will redesign courses to ensure this happens,” says Dr Ganesh.
“For example in one third-year paper I taught I got students to work with Access Hamilton and Webhealth and in each case
there were community results – traffic redesign at the Heaphy Terrace shopping area, and a revamp of an entire website
development strategy.”
He’s not a fan of the power-point presentation and instead uses highly detailed notes to deliver his lectures. “And I
use ‘live’ and collective note taking which requires student input and helps to create better all-round understanding.”
During his 12 years of university teaching Shiv Ganesh has had teaching awards from two US universities - Purdue and the
University of Montana. He is also the recipient of a Marsden Fast Track research grant where he’s looking into the
organisation of the anti-globalisation movement.
Management School dean, Professor Frank Scrimgeour says Dr Ganesh is an energising and engaging teacher who ensures his
students feel a sense of connection and ownership of the courses they do. “At a postgraduate level, he’s certainly
hands-on as a supervisor and this has led to him collaborating with students on research projects and a perfect track
record with postgraduate student success.”
The other Outstanding Teaching Award went to Professor Mark Harcourt from the Department of Strategy and Human Resource
Management. Professor Harcourt is a specialist in employment relations, and his teaching includes putting students in
real-life bargaining simulations and debates covering a variety of workplace scenarios.
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