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
- Update frequency
- every 19 days
- Average duration
- 20 minutes
- Episodes
- 53
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
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 …
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…
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 s…
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 c…
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 t…
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 chall…
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 a…
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 stu…
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 …
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.
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…
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, h…
Higher Ed Heroes: Talking to tutors about being an effective teacher
In this episode, Al and Seb talk to two experienced and excellent tutors, Dr Federica Caso and Robert Arcidiacono, about all things tutoring: how to be an effective tutor, how to guide, how to handle…
Higher Ed Heroes: Techniques to make students read
In the first episode in 2021, Al and Seb talk to Dr Tom Chodor (Monash University) about the ways he has experimented with and ultimately refined different techniques to ensure that students actually…
HigherEd Heroes - Different ways of using simulations and role plays
In this episode, Seb and Al discuss with Associate Professor Matt McDonald (The University of Queensland) everything simulations and role play: different ways they can be employed; how to mark them; …
HigherEd Heroes - How to grab and hold the attention of students in large first year lectures
In this episode, Al and Seb talk to Associate Professor Sarah Percy (The University of Queensland) and Professor David J Hornsby (Carleton University) about about the art of the lecture. In particula…
Higherd Heroes - Scrapping Exams and making students learn through solving practical, real-world problems
In this episode, we are talking to Prof. Lydia Kavanagh (School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, UQ) who decided to get rid of exams in her courses and who instead offers learning exercises wher…
HigherEd Heroes - How to make students learn through researching the impact of real world problems
In this episode, we talk to Dr Kim de Rijke (Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, The University of Queensland) on how he makes his students learn through research activities that focus on the social imp…
HigherEd Heroes - Blake McKimmie on how to redesign your courses around the way students learn
In this episode, Al and Seb talk to Prof Blake McKimmie (School of Psychology, University of Queensland) on how he revamped his courses around the way students learn. They also talk about the crime d…
HigherEd Heroes - Jacqui Bond on how to engage with the emotional aspect of learning
In this episode, Seb and Al talk to Dr Jacqui Bond (School of Pharmacy; The University of Queensland): how teaching is not just about cognition but also - and crucially emotions; how integrating and …