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The Pinnacle Program

Next information session: Tuesday 10 November, 1-2pm.
Applications for S1 2010 close: Friday 20 November 2009.

What is Pinnacle?

Pinnacle is a program of teaching training for PhD students at ANU, aimed at assisting participants to make the transition to academic in charge of a course.

Students in Pinnacle work closely with an academic on the preparation and delivery of a course, while undertaking other activities within the program.

Participants in the program must have the support of a teaching academic of suitable reputation, who will act as the participant's guide during the program.

Pinnacle Scholarships:
Successful participants receive a scholarship on completion of the one-semester program. Read more...

Typical Pinnacle activities:

• Complete the first three Theory Online modules prior to commencement of the Pinnacle semester.
• Practical teaching activities in the guide's course:
  • Development of the course design (as observer/assistant)
  • Development of assessment material (as observer/assistant)
  • Lecture presentation (as observer on at least 5 occasions)
  • Lecture delivery (on 3 or 4 occasions)
  • Review marking of assessment components (as observer/assistant, for 6-8 submissions)
  • Review marking of examination papers (as observer/assistant, for a range of 6-8 papers)
• Reflection on the guide's course, resulting in a written report.
• Participation in the Pinnacle Group — a Teaching Interest Group (TIG) consisting of all Pinnacle students (about 15 meetings)
• Facilitation of an ANU Teaching Forum event to foster discussion and reflection on teaching practice.
• Development of the student's teaching portfolio, including video of teaching activity, video of reflection on teaching activity, and written reports.

Typical Pinnacle timeline:

Applicants may wish to work as a tutor or demonstrator on the course at the same time. Such arrangements are entirely between the student and the teaching area.

Choosing a guide
Your guide needs to be someone you can get along with, and who knows what they are doing. Here are a couple of links to lists of teaching award winners:

• Carrick Institute Awards
• ANU VC Awards

Your guide doesn't have to be from those lists, however, and doesn't have to be your research supervisor.

Your guide must be the lecturer-in-charge of the course. Hopefully he or she is the person who designed the course and understands how the course components fit together to achieve the course goals.

It would help if your guide understood what is expected of them.

Selection Criteria
It might be useful to consider the things we will be looking for in Pinnacle candidates. Have a look at our selection criteria.

How to apply?
Applications are made online using the Pinnacle registration form. Applications for S1 2010 close on Friday 20 November 2009.

Some time before each semester, we'll hold a Pinnacle information session. Come along to that to have all your questions answered. The next information session is on Tuesday 10 November at 1-2pm, at RSDC.

More information?
For more information on Pinnacle, please contact .

Pinnacle Participants, S2 2009


LtoR: Pablo, Nelia, Emma, Vivien, Dale, Suzanne

Pinnacle Participants, S1 2009


LtoR: Andrew, Aurore, Sukanya, Wendy, Faisal

Pinnacle Participants, S2 2008


LtoR: Carola, Nimeka, Katrina, Maurits, Ashvin, Gabrielle, Raquel, Srinivas