Open courses in Semester 2, 2026
Each semester, you are invited to attend and observe a class from a selection of courses that are made 'open' to UQ staff.
- Search for courses using the filter below (e.g., type 'blended learning' in the bar).
- Book your spot through the following links. Check our FAQs if you have any questions, or contact us.
List of courses 'open' to UQ staff
AGRC1041 – Cell and Tissue Biology for Agriculture & Veterinary Science
ANIM1020 – Applied Animal Biology
BIOM1002 – Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences - II
BISM3208 – Business Information Systems and Analytics Capstone
CHEE7103 – Chemical Engineering ME Design Project
CHEM2060 – Intermediate Chemistry 2
CSSE1001 – Introduction to Software Engineering
ECON2030 – Microeconomic Policy
EDUC3006 – Inquiry Based Pedagogies
EDUC7059 – Foundation of the Science of Learning
HLTH7316 – Critical Appraisal of Research
HMST3103 – Sport and Physical Activity Management: Industry Placement
MATH1050 – Mathematical Foundations II
MATH1052 – Multivariate Calculus and Ordinary Differential Equations
MEDI7100 – Pathology for MD Students
MGTS3301 – Global Strategic Management
MGTS3606 – Global Human Resource Management
PHTY3250 – Physiotherapy Specialities: Cardiothoracic
POLS3206 – Policy Challenges of Asia-Pacific Security
POLS3512 – Global Media, War and Peace
PSYC4191 – Improving Human Performance
PSYC3042 – Psychological Research: Interpretation and Evaluation
SPCH4211 – Transition to Professional Practice
Search open courses by keyword(s)
AGRC1041 Cell and Tissue Biology for Agriculture and Veterinary Science
Associate Professor Deanne Whitworth
School of Veterinary Science
Course overview
- Delivery: 3 x 1-hour lectures, 2-hour practicals
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: large class – approximately 150–190 students, mostly BVSc and BSc
AGRC1041 is a biomedical science course that integrates the structure of cells and tissues with their function.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Traditional lectures – digital platform (VetCloud) – virtual microscopy
AGRC1041 is delivered using a mixed platform of online and face-to-face teaching. Current research and how it informs the content of the course is discussed, and clinical examples that demonstrate the applicability of the course material, help to engage students in their learning.
Lecturer's short bio
Dee Whitworth is a T&R academic in the School of Veterinary Science with research interests in the biology and therapeutic applications of stem cells, and developmental biology in marsupials and monotremes.
Lecture
- Days and times: Monday 1–3pm, Tuesday 4–5pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5, 6, 8, 9, 11-13
- Location: Gatton, Monday 8178-103, Tuesday 8255-105
Practical
- Days and times: Wednesday 10am–12noon,
- 'Open' weeks: 6, 8, 9, 11–13
- Location: Gatton, 8106-213
ANIM1020 Applied Animal Biology
Dr Suresh Krishnasamy
School of Agriculture & Food Sustainability
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: large class – approximately 300 students
This course will give students the necessary understanding on the evolution of the structure of animals and provide a strong base on which to build future knowledge. An understanding of animal anatomy is essential for the understanding of systems within the body.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Traditional lectures
Students are guided through concepts in an interactive manner using an iPad.
Lecturer's short biography
Suresh is a teaching focussed academic with the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability where he plays a key role in supporting the teaching and learning needs of colleagues and students. He also partakes in educational research along with curriculum and program design activities at AGFS. He is particularly interested in the transition of first year students from high school and other avenues into undergraduate education.
BIOM1002 Fundamentals of Biomedical Sciences - II
Dr Judit Kibedi
School of Biomedical Sciences
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture, 2 x 2-hour workshop/lab
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: large class – approximately 260 students
Fundamental anatomy and physiology course restricted to BBiomedSc and BBiomedSc/BSc dual
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Transition pedagogy-informed design–POGIL-based workshops–collaborative learning–critical thinking
Weekly double lectures followed by highly interactive process- and goal-oriented workshops/labs, where students co-construct understanding. Modular course design (4x3-week blocks) allows for repetition of weekly learning activities. 4 exams across semster (low weighted, cummulative assessment). Connections Week fills spare week, providing academic, social and professional engagement opportunities.
Lecturer's short bio
Judit is a teaching-focused academic with a lengthy history of teaching in large, 1st and 2nd year practical classes predominantly for biomedical sciences. Her interests lie particularly in developing students' science communication skills, effective feedback literacy (students) and practices (teachers), and enriching students' experience, sense of belonging in large generalist programs, and capabilities for future sucess (employability).
Lecture
- Days and times: Tuesday 2–4pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9, 10-13
- Location: St Lucia, 23-101
Workshop
- Days and times: 8–10am, 12noon–2pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5, 7, 8, 11, 12
- Location: St Lucia, 49-301 (8am classes), 46-242/243 (12noon classes)
BISM3208 Business Information Systems and Analytics Capstone
Associate Professor Christoph Breidbach
School of Business
Course overview
- Delivery: 3-hour seminar
- Level: undergraduate, mostly BCOM
- Size: medium class – approximately 80 students
Capstone Business Information Systems Course. Focuses on digital transformation in organisation and society, and includes applied 'hackathon' with industry partner ORACLE.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Seminar/discussion–flipped classroom–work-integrated learning
Highly interactive class, small team/group work and one-on-one mentorig with teams through academic and industry mentors.
Lecturer's short bio
Dr Christoph Breidbach isan A/Prof. of Business Information Systems at UQ Business School. An internationally recognised expert in service innovation and digital transformation, he integrates teaching, research, and industry engagement to advance understanding of how digital technologies are transforming professional, financial, and healthcare services.
Seminar/workshop
- Days and times: Wednesday 2–5pm
- 'Open' weeks: 4–9, 10–12
- Location: St Lucia, 46-343
- Notes: Just swing by and say hello.
CHEE7103 Chemical Engineering ME Design Project
Professor Tom Rufford
School of Chemical Engineering
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour workshop
- Level: fifth year, integrated BE/ME
- Size: small class – approximately 30 students.
Capstone chemical engineering design project where teams of 4-5 students design a chemical processing or minerals processing plant.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: project based–team work–specification based grading
In this senior chemical engineering course, I try to create a learning environment that authentically models parts of working as graduate professional engineer. We create topical, relevant design problems for students to solve in teams, then simulate the types of design work they might do as professional engineers. Course grading criteria are written to provide students transparent agency on how to achieve their personal aims for the course.
Lecturer's short bio
Tom is a T&R academic in the School of Chemical Engineering. He's been teaching chemical and petroleum engineering courses > 15 years, and a registered professional engineer in Queensland (RPEQ). In teaching, he tries to create learning environments and assessments that provide authentic experiences for professional practice.
Workshop/design studio
- Days and times: Thursday 8–10am
- 'Open' weeks: 4, 5, 8, 9, 10–12
- Location: St Lucia, 78-224
CHEM1004 Chemistry
Dr Suresh Krishnasamy
School of Agriculture & Food Sustainability
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: large class – approximately 200 students
This course provides an overview of the core concepts of chemistry. Students will understand foundational topics in chemistry, examine its central role in agricultural/environmental contexts, and describe chemical phenomena in both qualitative and quantitative ways. Experience will be gained in laboratory safety and chemistry procedures. Students will also develop their skills in collecting, analysing, and presenting data/information, and work independently and in small groups.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: active learning–in-class problem solving–discussion
Students are guided through concepts and solving of problems in an interactive manner using an iPad.
Lecturer's short bio
Suresh is a teaching focussed academic with the School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability where he plays a key role in supporting the teaching and learning needs of colleagues and students. He also partakes in educational research along with curriculum and program design activities at AGFS. He is particularly interested in the transition of first year students from high school and other avenues into undergraduate education.
Lecture
- Days and times: Tuesday 8am–10am, Friday 12noon–1pm
- 'Open' weeks: 4–9, 10–12
- Location: Gatton, 8178-103
CHEM2060 Intermediate Chemistry 2
Professor Gwen Lawrie
School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour + 1-hour active learning lectures, combination of workshops and practicals
- Level: undergraduate, second year
- Size: medium class – approximately 90 students
This course is required in the chemistry and chemical sciences majors and serves as an elective for students in many other majors and programs. It has a prerequisite of first year chemistry completion.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: multimodal representations–active learning–in-class problem solving–discussion
Students are guided to think about their thinking in chemistry concepts and to build their understanding through modelling processes and formative feedback. Representational competence and chemical reasoning skills are developed using multimodal resources embedded in activities. I try to provide an inclusive environment for students to participate in learning.
Lecturer's short bio
Gwen Lawrie is a teaching-focused academic. Her research explores instructional design to support self-regulated learning in online environments through multimodal representations and formative feedback. Gwen is also a Principal Practitioner (Inclusivity) with ITaLI and a Senior Fellow of the HEA.
Active learning lecture
- Days and times: Monday 10am–12noon, Thursday 1–2pm
- 'Open' weeks: 6–9
- Location: St Lucia, Mon 24-S304, Thu 24-S402
CSSE1001 Introduction to Software Engineering
Dr Paul Vrbik
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture, 1-hour tutorial, 1-hour practical, open help centre
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: large class – approximately 800 students
2 parts: Intro Imperative Programming and Object Oriented Programming.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: socratic method–live coding
I motivate class discussion by introducing a problem for which our current toolset is insufficient. I then use the Socractic method to extract pathways forward and build the new tool in real time.
Lecturer's short bio
Teaching focused academic. Former research is in Symbolic Computation. Current SOTL interest is academic integrity and computer-based testing.
Lecture
- Days and times: Tuesday 10am–12noon
- 'Open' weeks: 5, 6, 12, 13
- Location: St Lucia, 50-T203
- Notes: Week 1 and Week 12 are my personal favourites.
ECON2030 Microeconomic Policy
Professor Ian MacKenzie
School of Economics
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture + 1- hour tutorial
- Level: undergraduate, first/second year
- Size: large class – approximately 300 students
Extends microeconomic theory and demonstrates application to microeconomic policy issues; welfare economics, trade practices legislation, tariff policy and public enterprises.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: interactive lectures–collaborative learning tutorials
I focus on in-class games, reward driven participation.
Lecturer's short bio
Ian MacKenzie is a T&R academic with an AAUT award and a UQ citation.
Lecture
- Days and times: Monday 2–4pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9, 10–12
- Location: St Lucia, 63-384
EDUC3006 Inquiry based pedagogies
Dr Paul Treschman
School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture, 2-hour workshop
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: small class – approximately 40 students
Through engagement in authentic teaching contexts, this course aims to help pre-service teachers use formative assessment practices to improve their teaching and enhance students’ learning.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: active learning–modelling–visible learning–formative assessment–exploratory–self-regulated feedback–peer feedback
Through experiential teaching and learning processes, these pre-service teachers (PSTs) generate visible evidence of their impact on student learning. Then through engaging in self-regulated, peer, and dialogic feedback processes, these PSTs work together to improve their practices and enhance their students’ learning further.
Lecturer's short bio
Paul is a passionate educator with an interest in activating the students in the feedback and learning process. Paul has 25 years teaching experience in secondary and tertiary education, and enjoys exploring ways to enhance the translation of pedagogical research into practice to support student learning.
Lecture
- Days and times: Thursday 8–10am
- 'Open' weeks: 6, 8
- Location: St Lucia, 26-243
Workshop
- Days and times: Thursday 10–12noon
- 'Open' weeks: 6, 8
- Location: St Lucia, 26-233 (Connell Gym)
EDUC7059 Foundation of the Science of Learning
Dr Stephanie Macmahon
School of Education
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture/workshop
- Level: postgraduate
- Size: small class – approximately 30 students
This course explores the philosophical underpinnings and key ideas from the science of learning, and how the principles can be effectively applied into practice in diverse learning contexts.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: active learning–hybrid–collaborative (reflective of the science of learning principles)–student engagement– application to practice
Flipped approach that encourages independent and collaborative online engagement, with emphasis on applying learning into diverse contexts.
Lecturer's short bio
Steph is a Senior lecturer in the School of Education. As the Science of Learning Field of Study Coordinator, and Co-Founder and Program Director for the UQ Learning Lab, Steph engages deeply in the multi-disciplinary literature around how people learn, the factors that affect learning, and how this evidence can be applied into pedagogical practice in school, higher education and adult learning contexts, drawing on her extensive experience in a range of education contexts.
Lecture/workshop
- Days and times: Monday 4–6pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9, 10
- Location: St Lucia, 39A-203
EDUC7212 Educational Research Methods
Associate Professor Ian Hardy
School of Education
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour contact
- Level: postgraduate
- Size: mediumclass – approximately 240 students
This course is about conducting education research in a socially responsive, critically conscious and ethically responsible way to help inform education policy and practice.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: active learning–engagement during lectures–student led workshops/tuts.
I actively encourage student participation/feedback during lectures. Zoom enables text responses, as well as face-to-face (synchronous). Online component varies between groups online and groups face-to-face.
Lecturer's short bio
A/Prof Ian Hardy researches and teaches educational policy and practice at the School of Education. Recent research has focused upon datafication processes in schools and schooling systems more broadly and Higher Education policy and practice.
ERTH1000 Planet Earth: The Big Picture
Dr Gilbert Price
School of the Environment
Course overview
- Delivery: 7 hours - workshop + full-day fieldtrip
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: medium class – approximately 150 students
The course explores concepts as diverse as the origin of the Solar System through to the evolution of life. It will touch on the big geological processes that have shaped our planet, covering topics including plate tectonics, volcanology, earthquakes, natural resources and climate change.
ERTH1000 is recommended for all students in geology, ecology, biology, marine, environmental science and archaeology, and is also appropriate for anyone who wants to know more about the world they live on.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: active learning–blended learning–hybrid Zoom/F2F–Inspera
Pre-pandemic, the course comprised separate lectures and pracs. During the pandemic, the course shifted online virtually without change in general structure (physical prac specimens replaced with digital specimens). Today, the course can be taught completely in online if necessary, but this semester be delivered with a hybrid approach that includes two live Zoom lectures, one live Zoom prac, and one F2F prac on relevant weeks (same prac as the Zoom one but hands-on with physical teaching materials).
The course utilises Inspera for practicals, digital 3D models, physcial specimens (rocks and fossils), in-class interactive and live informal quizzes and surveys.
Lecturer's short bio
Gilbert Price is an Associate Professor in the School of the Environment. He is passionate about online learning and his teaching has thrived since the pandemic. His enthusiasm is driven by the challenge of adapting to the online environment (he loves it so much that he even recently started a new blog aimed at helping other lecturers: www.PandemicTeaching.com).
The Planet Earth course has maintained an average SECaT score of ~4.7 for the past several years including including during the peak of the pandemic. Gilbert has been awarded several faculty and school-based awards for his teaching efforts.
Lecture
- Days and times: Monday 10am–12noon
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9, 10–13
- Location: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/89517349869
Practical
- Days and times: Monday, Wednesday 2–5pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5, 6, 8, 9, 11–13
- Location: St Lucia, 3-228/229
HLTH7316 Critical Appraisal of Research
A/Prof Peter Lewis
School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work
Course overview
- Delivery: 10 x 1-hour lecture, 10 x 1-hour tutorial. Online.
- Level: postgraduate final year research, multidisciplinary course
- Size: medium class – approximately 100 students
Mulitdisciplinary introductory research course for nursing, midwifery, counselling and the odd other disicpline looking at students creating their own research question and then finding evdience to support practice in this area.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Online–student centred–learner engagement required
Interactive online tutorials requiring student input and engagement to drive progress.
Lecturer's short bio
Peter is a TF academic who has been at UQ for 6 years. He is Director T&L for nursing, midwifery, social work and counselling disciplines.
Lecture
- Days and times: Monday 8–9am
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9, 12
- Location: Zoom: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/87336628633?from=addon
- Notes: Lectures not always attended in real time. Week 12 is driven by student questions and not the most engaging session to view.
Tutorial
- Days and times: Tuesday 8–9am, 4–5pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5, 6
- Location: online, contact Peter for Zoom link
HMST3103 Sport & Physical Activity Management: Industry Placement
Dr Graham Lee
School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour workshop
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: large class – approximately 50 students
Intensive preparation for managing nutrition, sport and physical activity organisations or sole trading. Principles and skills learned through workshop pre-readings, discussed in this forum, and practised in-class.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Student centred–iterative problem solving–professional competency–senario based reflective practice
Beginning with the learner’s own knowledge, motivations, and career context, rapid cycles of empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing means that every workshop is framed as a real‑world challenge posed by athletes, coaches, sponsors or community organisations, rather than as an abstract case study.
Lecturer's short bio
Graham is a teaching focused academic in the sociology of physical activity. Their PhD on nonverbal interactions among children during physical activity examines moments of emotional expression, describing how children communicate their experiences and evaluations while participating in physical activities. A strong foundation built through his Masters of Sports Management and extensive experience in various leadership roles, supports their teaching.
Workshop
- Days and times: Wednesday 12noon–2pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9
- Location: St Lucia, 14-217
- Notes: Please introduce yourself before the class.Visitors are welcome to participate as a student, a teaching assistant or to simply observe.
MATH1050 Mathematical Foundations II
Dr Michael Jennings
School of Mathematics and Physics
Course overview
- Delivery: 3 x 1-hour lecture + 2-hour workshop
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: medium class – approximately 150 students
An introductory course which covers fundamental mathematical concepts, useful to students in a wide range of discipline areas. It is the University's equivalent of Queensland high school Specialist Mathematics.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: active learning–daily recaps–build on current knowledge–Unidoodle
Maths is learnt by doing. In this course we use UniDoodle, an audience response system which lets students write equations and sketch graphs. This instantaneous feedback allows us to tailor the course appropriately.
Lecturer's short bio
Michael Jennings is an inspirational and dedicated teacher of mathematics at UQ. He teaches large first-year courses and uses his experiences in both secondary and tertiary systems to engage and inspire students. Michael has won 6 UQ teaching awards as well as 2 national awards. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the UQ College of Peer Observers.
Lecture
- Days and times: Tuesday 4–5pm, Thursday 2–3pm
- 'Open' weeks: 7–9, 10–13
- Location: St Lucia, Tue 7-234, Thu 14-212
- Notes: Please introduce yourself before or after the lecture.
MATH1052 Multivariate Calculus and Ordinary Differential Equations
Dr Poh Hillock
School of Mathematics and Physics
Course overview
- Delivery: 3 x 1-hour lectures, 2-hour applied class
- Level: undergraduate, first year
- Size: large class – approximately 1,200 students
The first part of the course covers ordinary differential equations while the second part covers multivariable calculus. These topics are fundamental to the engineering and physical sciences.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: interactive lectures–collaborative activities during applied classes
Student-lecturer interaction during lectures via questions, use of workbook, students complete workbook as lecturer completes worked examples. Use of document camera and real-time completion of worked examples (i.e. worked examples are not pre-written but solved along with students during lecture).
Lecturer's short bio
Poh received her PhD from The University of Adelaide in the area of Convex Sets with Lattice Point Constraints. More recently, her interests have switched to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in mathematics.
Poh is always on the lookout for practical ideas to help her first year students learn mathematics. Poh has won 3 UQ teaching awards and a national teaching award.
Lecture
- Days and times: Thursday 10–11am, Friday 11am–12noon
- 'Open' weeks: 5–6
- Location: St Lucia, 49-200
MEDI7100 Pathology for MD students
Dr Suja Pillai
School of Biomedical Sciences
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture, 1-hour practical
- Level: postgraduate, first- and second-year medical students
- Size: large class – approximately 300 students
Pathology is the study of disease, linking basic science with clinical practice. It helps understand how normal body functions are disrupted in illness, guiding diagnosis and treatment through the examination of tissues and organs.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Blended learning online–Zoom interactive lectures/practicals– in person practicals for Metro students
Designed distinct learning objectives which reflect the real-world changes seen in clinical practice by transforming the core learning resources into a series of digital resources such as practical handouts/task sheets.
I used annotating tools like SLICE (image-based online teaching tool) to illustrate pathological concepts in an engaging format, and link these to memorable examples thus helping students to learn and understand a complex subject. The annotations created with SLICE can be retained for future reference and offer opportunities for students to revisit these resources throughout their careers, fostering lifelong learning and long-term retention.
Lecturer's short bio
Dr. Suja Pillai is a distinguished leader in Medical Education and Pathology at the School of Biomedical Sciences. Renowned for her innovative approach to teaching and curriculum development, she has been honoured with multiple prestigious accolades, including the Australian Awards for University Teaching Citation , UQ award for Teaching Excellence, the John Pearn Medallion, and a Higher Education Academy Fellowship.
Driven by a passion for excellence, innovation, and student-centered learning, Dr. Pillai is shaping the future of pathology education, equipping the next generation of healthcare professionals with the expertise to make a meaningful impact in medicine and research.
Lecture
- Days and times: Monday 1–3pm, Tuesday 3–5pm
- 'Open' weeks: Monday 28 September (Mid semester break), Tuesday 6 October (Week 10)
- Location: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/83535455952
- Notes: Please provide feedback after the session.
MGTS3301 Global Strategic Management
Associate Professor Stuart Middleton
Business School
Course overview
- Delivery: 3-hour seminar
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: medium class – approximately 100 students
MGTS3301 provides a practice-based introduction to the topic of strategic management in organisations.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: experiential learning–modelling–reflections–peer feeedback and problem solving
The seminar puts students in groups where the deliberate intent is for them to produce AI slop. Individual pre-activities test the ability of students to identify what consitutes AI slop, and an individual post-group activity reflection requires students to provide critical insight on the role of AI in the production of knowledge.
Lecturer's short bio
Stuart uses a range of teaching approaches and techniques to create an interactive learning environment for his students, and also one which provides support and cameraderie for everyone who enters, including his extremely valuable teaching team.
Seminar
- Days and times: Monday 8–11am
- 'Open' weeks: 5–8
- Location: St Lucia, 14-219
- Notes: I would love to have valued peers provide feedback on what I am doing this semester. It is a new approach for me: there will be teething problems. But the more feedback I receive, the better I can make the experience for students in future semesters.
MGTS3606 Global Human Resource Management
Dr Miriam Moeller
School of Business
Course overview
- Delivery: 3-hour seminar
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: medium-large class – approximately 160 students
inclusion–conscious approach–mentors/guest speakers
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: UQ Extend site–engagment activities–f2fworkshops–f2f tutorials–formative quizzes
Create connections before sharing content. Design interactions for contribution, not just for consumption. Contextualise to audiences for clarity.
Lecturer's short bio
Miriam is an Associate Professor in International Business (T&R). Her vision as an educator rests on emphasising equity, diversity and inclusion across learning experiences.
Seminar
- Days and times: Thursday 12noon–2pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9
- Location: St Lucia, 11A-130
PHTY3250 Physiotherapy Specialities: Cardiothoracics
Associate Professor Allison Mandrusiak
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture + 1-hour lecture + 2-hour practical/simulation
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: medium class – approximately 150 students
PHTY3250 is about helping people who have heart and lung conditions, patients in hospital after surgery, and those who are critically unwell in intensive care.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: blended learning–simulations–practicals–experiential learning
Historically, cardiothoracics has been an unappealing field, a lesser-known cousin of the more famous sports or musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Students typically don’t envisage a career as a cardiothoracic physiotherapist, clearing phlegm from a patient’s lungs. This is Allison's challenge – to infuse a ‘breath of fresh air’ into learning about the lungs, and put a pulse into the heart of this course, preparing our future physiotherapists for safe and effective care of patients.
Lecturer's short bio
A/Prof Allison Mandrusiak breathes fresh life into an historically unpopular area of physiotherapy, and proves that clearing phlegm can be surprisingly fun! Her fresh approach has secured her a number of teaching awards, including UQ, national, and an international (Universitas 21) Teaching Excellence Award.
Simulation
- Days and times: Wednesday 10am–12noon
- 'Open' weeks: 6, 8, 9, 10
- Location: St Lucia, Week 4 84a-323; Weeks 6, 8, 9, 10 84a-635
- Notes: Pop in/out during this 2-hour window to see a range of simulation activities.
POLS3206 Policy Challenges of Asia-Pacific Security
Associate Professor Melissa Curley
School of Political Science and International Studies
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour seminar + writing workshops + pre-recorded lectures
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: medium class – approximately 75 students
POLS3206 is a third-year International Relations elective that builds expertise in Asia-Pacific security and policy writing. Through workshops, practitioner-led activities, and authentic assessments, students develop professional policy skills while critically engaging with the ethical use of AI and data validation in policy development.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Academic/practitioner collaboration–interactive problem-based learning–flipped classroom–multi-modal learning activities
Pre-assigned seminar tasks to focus time in class on group work and interaction. Two specialist Writing Workshops by Public Policy practitioner to help student develop writing skills relevant to governmentt and non-profit organisations.
Lecturer's short bio
Dr Curley is an Associate Professor in International relations and a member of the HEA@UQ network. She is interested in research-led learning in the undergraduate curriculum and faciliating and teaching students how to improve the flexibility of their writing for academic, government and policy environments.
Dr Prudence Brown is an academic with rich practitioner experience. She adapts her professional experience to scholarly frameworks and academic debates to create learning experiences grounded in the real world. She is motivated by a love of learning and a desire to share her knowledge and experience with students and have a real impact on public sector effectiveness.
Seminar/workshop
- Days and times: Thursday 12noon–2pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5–9, 10–12
- Location: St Lucia, 11A-130
POLS3512 Global Media, War and Peace
Dr Seb Kaempf
School of Political Science and International Studies
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture, 1-hour tutorial, 3-hour practial MediaLabs
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: medium class – approximately 60 students
The course explores the transforming intersection between infotech/media and violent conflict.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: practical workshops–interactive tutorials–experiential learning–online pre-recorded lectures
Each topic of the course undergoes a particular learning cycle: lecture opens the new topic, students then read up on topic in preparation for the tutorial, tutorial deepens the discussion and then students engage in a self-driven practical experiential learning activity outside contact hours.
Finally, the entire course meets for a 3-hour practical MediaLab where we engage in practically 'taking the lid off' the technoologies and info tech that has been at the centre of the particular topic.
Lecturer's short bio
Seb has been at UQ for 17 years. He has won UQ and national and international awards for teaching excellence and is the convener of the UQx MOOC 'Global Media, War and Technology' which addresses similar issues as the on-campus course POLS3512. He also co-convenes the podcast series 'HigherEd Heroes' which focuses on sharing best teaching practices: https://www.buzzsprout.com/813707
Workshop/MediaLabs
- Days and times: Tuesday 3–6pm
- 'Open' weeks: 6, 8, 12, 13
- Location: St Lucia, 46-343
Lecture
- Days and times: Wednesday 10am–12noon
- 'Open' weeks: 6–8
- Location: St Lucia, 11a-131
- Notes: Feel free to email me (s.kaempf@uq.edu.au)
PSYC4191 Improving Human Performance
Professor Mark Horswill
School of Psychology
Course overview
- Delivery: 4-hour workshop (for 9 weeks)
- Level: undergraduate, fourth year/honours
- Size: medium class – approximately 80 students
PSYC4191 is a fourth year elective in psychology, covering strategies for improving human performance both via training/education and via system design.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: blended learning–Activelearn–question-focussed–interactive demonstrations–weekly quizzes
My approach includes a number of innovations designed to both reduce fail rates to zero and increase student performance and employability. It has resulted in higher grades, high SECaTS, near capacity attendance, as well as excellent student engagement.
Lecturer's short bio
Professor Mark Horswill won the Australian University Teacher of the Year Award 2019 and the international Edx MOOC of the Year 2018 for the UQx course, Crime101x (both awards with Blake McKimmie and Barbara Masser). This course also won the Reimagine Education Star Awards 2018 (Bronze, Social Sciences) and the 2016 Merlot Classics Award.
Professor Horswill was voted 3rd and 5th in the UQ lecturer of the year contest run by Unijobs.com.au in 2009 and 2008. He has won the UQ award for teaching excellence (individual 2009; group 2016). He is a HEA fellow.
Lecture
- Days and times: Friday 12noon–4pm
- 'Open' weeks: 5–7, 11
- Location: St Lucia, 14-116
- Notes: You are welcome to email me your UQ username so I can add you as a guest to our Blackboard Ultra site.
PSYC3042 Psychological Research: Interpretation and Evaluation
Associate Professor Stefanie Becker
School of Psychology
Course overview
- Delivery: 2-hour lecture, 2-hour tutorial
- Level: undergraduate, third year
- Size: large class – approximately 300 students
The course teaches methods of experimental psychology, including how to evaluate published research and identify flaws in the design or execution of research projects.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: interactive lectures–practical exercises– tutorial exercises–tutorial group work
Student engagement is encouraged by including exercises in the lectures where students need to demonstrate that they can apply a new concept (transfer). In addition, some lectures contain a segment called "This week in the media", where I present a research study recently published and discussed in the media, where the students have to figure out what went wrong. This segment usually enjoys high rates of student engagement and demontrates how this course is relevant for everyday life.
Lecturer's short bio
Professor Stefanie Becker is a leading expert in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, with extensive expertise in the subject matter of this course. In addition to her research credentials, she has a strong background in pedagogy and curriculum design, and holds a dual qualification for teaching at the secondary education level.
SPCH4211 Transition to Professional Practice
Dr Adriana Penman
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Course overview
- Delivery: 2 x 2-hour tutorial
- Level: undergraduate, fourth year
- Size: large class – approximately 95 students
This course prepares students for transition to speech pathology practice across diverse contexts, developing skills to analyse and problem-solve ethical issues encountered in professional practice.
Teaching tools and techniques
- Keywords: Flipped classroom–interactive discussions–reflective practice
Flipped approach that encourages collaborative discussion and engagement with an emphasis on applying learning across program to assist with transition to professional practice.
Lecturer's short bio
Adriana is an award-winning educational leader recognised for her innovative use of simulation-based learning to prepare students for practice. She has extensive experience designing and leading curricula that bridge the classroom-to-clinic. Adriana is committed to fostering student success and professional growth through mentorship, curriculum innovation, and evidence-based practice.
Tutorial (large group)
- Days and times: Monday 10am–12noon, Thursday 8–10am
- 'Open' weeks: Monday 7, Thursday 4, 6
- Location: St Lucia, Monday 50-S201, Thursday 84A-623/624
- Notes: Come and introduce yourself to me before the tutorials so I can let the students know that you are joinng us as well.