Innovative USC lecturer teaches from Beijing
If teaching students about marketing was an Olympic sport, University of the Sunshine Coast business lecturer Gayle Mayes would be well in the race to win a gold medal.
Ms Mayes, who is spending two weeks in Beijing for the Olympic Games, has organised several live video links with her sport and event marketing classes during their scheduled lecture times.
She will use the University’s interactive computer technology to bring the Beijing Olympics into the classroom.
“USC has amazing technology and, with the flick of a switch, the students will be there in Beijing with me,” she said. “That interactivity will bring the Olympics closer and make it more of a reality for them.”
Ms Mayes plans to integrate her live link sessions with the weekly sports marketing topics that are being discussed in her University classes.
“Students will be encouraged to discuss and ask questions about issues like ticket prices, politics and sport, drugs in sport, security, the cultural, economic, political and environmental impacts of mega events, and the challenges of marketing and managing an international event in China,” she said.
The former Olympic kayaker said she also was investigating linking with classes from several Sunshine Coast schools while she is in China.
Ms Mayes uses experiential education as her main teaching strategy. This approach last year earned her a $10,000 grant from the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
She is set to arrive in Beijing on 3 August and has tickets to numerous events, including the opening and closing ceremonies, kayaking, volleyball, BMX, handball, water polo, gymnastics, triathlons, basketball, judo, diving and hockey.
— Kerry Brown