Higher Ed Heroes
In ‘HigherEd Heroes’, we talk to some of the best teachers about ‘what works’ in their university classrooms in a down-to-earth, jargon-free, and non-technical manner. Our objective is to communicate practical advice from the bottom-up to a broad range of teachers about new ideas they may want to integrate into their classrooms and to stimulate open conversations about their everyday practice. Each episode explores what excites students to learn, what keeps them coming back for lectures, and what makes teaching fun for both teachers and students. We hope that you engage in these conversations and (like us) find something in them which inspires you to make small changes that may reward you and your students in big ways.‘ Higher Ed Heroes’ is convened by The University of Queensland's Dr Seb Kaempf and Dr Al Stark and produced by Anthony Frangi. If you want to listen to the podcast, get more information, or get in touch, please visit: https://itali.uq.edu.au/about/projects/highered-heroes-podcast
Episodes
46 episodes
‘Teaching as Theatre': Engaging in trauma as a form of learning
In this episode, Al and special co-host Lynda Shevellar talk to Lindy Andren and Prof Norm Sheehan (both from the University of Queensland). Their topic is about ‘teaching as theatre’ and how – from their respective student and teacher perspect...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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24:48
‘“Show your working”: Using AI as part of student learning’
In this episode, we talk to Professor Jason Lodge (Educational Psychology and Deputy Associate Dean [Academic] in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at The University of Queensland). Jason shares his way of allowing students t...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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20:22
'Apply first, explain later': using a photo treasure hunt to draw out core academic concepts for student learning
In this episode, we talk to Paul Treschman, who teaches in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences here at UQ. Paul makes his students learn according to the motto ‘apply first – explain later’ and he illustrates this through the ex...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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20:08
Using film documentary making for student learning and assessment
In this episode, we talk to Associate Professor Peter Walters, who is an urban sociologist and an expert in urban community at The University of Queensland. Peter has won numerous awards for teaching excellence and has integrated film documenta...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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15:31
Preparing students for the cognitive and emotional uncertainties they will face in their future professions
In this episode, we talk to Dr Roma Forbes. Roma is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at UQ. And one of motivations that drive her teaching is the question of how to enhance the students’ exp...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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20:01
What can generative AI bring to our classroom?
In this episode, we talk to Dr Dan Levy who teaches courses in quantitative methods, policy analysis, and program evaluation in the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.There are lots of worries, discussions...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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23:30
Catering for students who are struggling or are at the risk of failing
In this episode, we talk to Dr Poh Wah Hillock. Poh is a senior lecturer in the School of Mathematics and Physics here at The University of Queensland. Facing high failure rates in her first year mathematics course, Poh has responded by specifi...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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13:19
Using board games, digital escape rooms, and online scenario games in your classroom
In this episode, we talk to UQ’s Shakira Moss and Russell Richards about how they integrate educational board games, digital escape rooms, and online scenario games into their courses, and even design these games for learning themselves.
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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20:26
The dos and don’ts of PowerPoint presentations
In this episode, we talk to Jo’Anne Langham (UQ Ventures) about how to design your slides in the right way and why it really matters to design with the mind in mind. If you want to avoid death by PowerPoint and move towards designing your visua...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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19:38
Helping students learn through cohort building and a strong sense of belonging
In this episode, we talk with A/Prof Zala Volcic (School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, Australia) about how student learning can be enhanced through care, compassion, and a sense of belonging. By talking about what we woul...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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19:55
Learning across cultures
Peter Lewis teamed up with colleagues from 18 unis across the world to co-teach one common course, in real time and online, for the benefit of cross-cultural learning on topics ranging from COVID to climate change. In this episode, Peter recoun...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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21:56
Integrating regular practical, self-experiential, and collaborative spaces (‘MediaLabs’) into your courses to deepen student learning
In this episode, Dr Seb Kaempf (usually one of our podcast co-hosts) turns interviewee to share with us how he integrates regular, 3-hour-long practical, self-experiential spaces (called ‘MediaLabs’) into his course to deepen student learning. ...
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Season 3
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Episode 13
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19:08
Learning through ‘trench warfare’ and wicked problems: Students as proper consultants with real world business clients
Our guest in this episode is Dr Sarel Gronum (Business School at the University of Queensland), whose Masters students get thrown into proper, several week long, consultancy projects with real world business clients. Besides the challenge of bu...
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Season 3
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Episode 12
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16:33
Reassuring students, reducing uncertainty, and building student confidence and competence
In this episode, we talk to A/Prof Allison Mandrusiak (School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The University of Queensland). Coordinating a cardiorespiratory physiotherapy course, Allie has built a model hospital to replica...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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19:41
The iron law of teaching: Bringing a buzz and energy into the lecture room
In this episode, we talk to Professor Chris Reus-Smit (University of Queensland) about lecturing as a performance art, about the essence of being physical, animated, and enthusiastic in order to draw students into the learning content.
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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22:01
Make yourself uncomfortable: How making the familiar strange helps students learn
In this episode, Al and Seb talk to Dr Rebecca Olive (RMIT Australia) about how students in human movement studies learn by taking on an unfamiliar sport for six weeks. It is about experiencing the strangeness of the familiar, about self-reflec...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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20:29
Higher Ed Heroes: The zen of presentation design and delivery (with Garr Reynolds)
In this episode, Al and Seb talk to Professor Garr Reynolds (University in Osaka) about how to design and deliver powerful presentations, how to avoid death by powerpoint, and how the best learning comes through doing.
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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17:43
Higher Ed Heroes: How can we make those difficult or unpopular topics accessible and fun learning for students?
We have all been there: having to teach a topic which is either difficult to grasp or that we know is unpopular with students. How can make these topics accessible and bring them alive in a fun way to help students learn? Dr Suzanna Fay (The Un...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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21:07
Higher Ed Heroes: Entering the lecture room for the first time
In this episode, Al and Seb talk to Kiri Ingram and Dr Andrew Dougall (both at UQ's School of Political Science and International Studies) about starting out as lecturers, about the nerves, the challenges, imposter syndromes, and the dos and do...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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18:18
Weekly journal writing to help student reflection, build trusting relations and create nourishing environments
In this episode, Al and Seb talk to Dr Fabiane Ramos (School of Culture and Languages & School of Education, UQ) and Dr Laura Roberts (Flinders University) about their use of weekly journal writing as a way to help students reflect about co...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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19:10
Higher Ed Heroes: '20 Minute Moments': Opening up your class to place key lessons
In this episode, Associate Professor Al Stark (usually one of our podcast co-hosts) turns interviewee to share with us what he calls '20 Minute Moments': it's about stopping the lecture, exposing students to a practical, fun, interactive, but u...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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22:35
Higher Ed Heroes: What factors have the biggest impact on student learning? With John Hattie
In this episode, Al and Seb speak to Prof John Hattie (University of Melbourne) about the few key factors that have the biggest impact on student learning. Based on analysis of more than 300 million students from around the globe (the world’s l...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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22:17
Higher Ed Heroes: 'Escape Box' exercise and learning through team work
In this episode, we talk to Dr Leigh Sperka (Lecturer UQ’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences) about the ‘escape box’ exercise and learning through team work.
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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16:03
Higher Ed Heroes: 'Me in a Minute' Video
In this episode, we talk to Dr Karin Sellberg (The University of Queensland), who uses the production of short videos – ‘me in a minute’ – as a form of assessment. How does this exercise work and how does it foster student learning?
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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17:53
Higher Ed Heroes: The centrality of role plays in student learning
In this episode, we talk to Associate Professor Phil Orchard (University of Wollongong), who has designed his courses around simulations and role plays. Why are these so central to Phil's teaching, how do they differ and how can we effectively ...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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22:22