Shows
Higher Ed HeroesSupporting neurodiversity in the classroomWhat learning challenges do neurodiverse students face? What simple, but extremely helpful, adjustments can we as teachers make to support them in their learning? Al and Seb talk about these and other questions with researcher and advocate Brooke Szucs and student Eliza Barry (both from The University of Queensland).
2025-11-1837 minHigher Ed HeroesBreaking down journalistic stereotypes of the courtroomAl Stark and special co-host Kate Lee Koo talk to Dr Richard Murray (UQ’s School of Communication and Arts). Richard teaches social justice storytelling by taking his students to the court rooms. This enables them to encounter different voices, to transform their own views, and to better grasp how news media report on social issues, stereotypes, and crime.
2025-05-1615 minHigher Ed Heroes‘Using storytelling and classical literature to help problem solving’Al and Lynda talk to Prof Kate O’Brien (Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland) about how she draws on classical literature and storytelling as a central avenues for understanding and problem solving, even in the context of large engineering classes.
2025-04-2018 minHigher Ed HeroesImproving student engagement, satisfaction and learning via an AI based educational tool called RiPPLEAl Stark and special co-host Katrina Lee Koo talk to Hassan Khosravi, an Associate Professor in Data Science and Learning Analytics at UQ. In response to ever bigger class sizes and the need for students to have learning tailored for their individual needs, Hassan decided to build RiPPLE, an app for in-class teaching. They also talk about other useful apps and tech that helps student learning in big or small classes.
2025-03-2718 minHigher Ed HeroesThe benefits of seeking in-class feedback from studentsIn this episode, Al and Lynda talk to Associate Professor Morgan Brigg (from the School of Political Science and International Studies at The University of Queensland) about inviting feedback from students in class. Not at the end of a course, but while the course is running. Morgan talks about how it took courage to make himself vulnerable, but also how this practice enabled him to make changes to student learning, and how it positively changed the dynamic in his classroom. Listeners might also be interested in our 2021 recording with John Hattie, the guru on feedback (season 3, episode 3). ...
2025-03-0115 minHigher Ed HeroesIndigenizing the CurriculumIn this episode, we talk to Associate Professor Katelyn Barney and Professor Tracey Bunda (both from The University of Queensland) about indigenizing the curriculum. We talk about the biggest challenges educators face when embarking on this this process as well as some practical and effective steps that can guide them along the way. With special co-host Lynda Shevellar.
2025-02-0820 minHigher Ed HeroesBeing accessible and approachable to studentsIn this episode, we talk to Dr Michael Thai, a Lecturer in Psychology at UQ and an award-winning teacher. Michael shares how he replaced his formal consultation hours with a weekly outdoor picnic. This format enables the breaking down of barriers and a different type of conversation between students and teacher that ultimately has enabled Michael to become a better teacher.
2025-01-1014 minHigher Ed HeroesThe dos and don’ts of learning designIn this episode, we talk to Carrie Finn, an experienced educational designer (Business School, The University of Queensland), about the how to design courses. Carrie not only talks about the most common mistakes uni teachers do when designing their courses, but also how to get it right by following some easy-to-implement steps.
2024-12-0919 minHigher Ed Heroes‘Teaching as Theatre': Engaging in trauma as a form of learningIn 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 perspectives - a particular, traumatic, but deliberately staged event in the classroom profoundly changed students’ lives. Trigger warning: this episode contains references to violence, the brutality of settler colonialism, and traumatic indigenous experiences.
2024-11-1324 minHigher Ed Heroes‘“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 to use AI as part of their essay writing which, in combination with the ‘show me your working’ concept, facilitates student learning.
2024-10-2620 minHigher Ed Heroes'Apply first, explain later': using a photo treasure hunt to draw out core academic concepts for student learningIn 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 example of a photo treasure hunt his students do on campus.
2024-05-0320 min
The Hayseed Scholar PodcastSebastian KaempfProfessor Sebastian Kaempf of the University of Queensland joins the Hayseed Scholar podcast this week.Seb grew up in Germany, with the fall of the Berlin Wall happening when he was entering his teenage years. While it had a big impact on him, he distinctly remembers his parents’ emotional reactions to that moment. He also was a conscientious objector and thus did not serve in the German military but his service was in some ways even more challenging as he notes here. Seb talks about going to uni in Germany before transferring to the LSE for his Bac...
2024-04-121h 37Higher Ed HeroesUsing film documentary making for student learning and assessmentIn 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 documentary making in his courses for both student learning and assessment.
2024-04-1115 minHigher Ed HeroesPreparing students for the cognitive and emotional uncertainties they will face in their future professionsIn 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’ experience, in particular, how to get them better prepared for the uncertainties they will face once they join the workforce.
2024-03-0320 minHigher Ed HeroesWhat 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, and myths surrounding generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, and the impact it has on our teaching. While acknowledging these, Dan identifies the possibilities generative AI can bring to our classrooms, in particular to the way we as faculty teach and the way our students learn.
2024-02-1123 minHigher Ed HeroesCatering for students who are struggling or are at the risk of failingIn 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 specifically designing a support tutorial for her students and by using forms of community building and peer to peer support which help students bond over common struggles and, ultimately, succeed.
2023-11-1413 minHigher Ed HeroesUsing board games, digital escape rooms, and online scenario games in your classroomIn 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.
2023-10-2020 minHigher Ed HeroesThe dos and don’ts of PowerPoint presentationsIn 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 visuals or slides like a pro, this is the episode for you! It offers you small, practical steps that will make a big difference.
2023-09-1719 minHigher Ed HeroesHelping students learn through cohort building and a strong sense of belongingIn 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 would call ‘compassionate pedagogy’, Zala shares many practical ideas of how teachers can build cohorts and generate connections that ultimate help their students learn.
2023-08-2619 minHigher Ed HeroesLearning across culturesPeter 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 recounts how his team built this course step by step, how it has evolved, and what anyone can do to replicate elements of this in their own classroom. Peter is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at The University of Queensland. He has won several awards for his innovation around cross-cultural pedagogy and online...
2023-08-0621 min
ISA - The Teaching CurveTeaching Curve 01 Sebastian Kaempf on Empathy, Creativity, Passion, and CourageToday’s dialogue is with Seb Kaempf of the University of Queensland in Brisbane Australia. I invited Seb because he is the recipient of the ISA’s Deborah Gerner Award for Innovative Teaching in 2020. He was awarded the Australian National Award for Teaching Excellence in 2013, and has earned numerous other teaching honors at UQ. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace consistently recognizes his MOOC “Media War X” as one of the top 10 courses on Conflict Resolution worldwide. With his UQ colleague Al Stark, he hosts a podcast on teaching called HigherEd Heroes. Links referenced in the podcast: Media...
2022-07-2924 minHigher Ed HeroesIntegrating regular practical, self-experiential, and collaborative spaces (‘MediaLabs’) into your courses to deepen student learningIn 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. It’s about enabling students to ‘get their hands’ dirty, to collaborate, research, discuss, and ultimately learn through practice.
2022-07-1919 minHigher Ed HeroesLearning through ‘trench warfare’ and wicked problems: Students as proper consultants with real world business clientsOur 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 building this flagship course and how he had to fine tune his own teaching role within it, Sarel talks about the centrality of ambiguity and ‘trench warfare’ for student learning.
2022-06-2816 minHigher Ed HeroesReassuring students, reducing uncertainty, and building student confidence and competenceIn 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 replicate real clinical practices and even lets her student play cardio karaoke. But central to Allie’s teaching are the ideas of building scaffolding and safety nets into her course that help reassure her students, reduce uncertainty, and build their confidence and competence. Tune in and listen to the tips and tricks from Allie whose teaching was recognized with a UQ excellence award last yea...
2022-06-0319 minHigher Ed HeroesThe iron law of teaching: Bringing a buzz and energy into the lecture roomIn 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.
2022-05-1222 minHigher Ed HeroesMake yourself uncomfortable: How making the familiar strange helps students learnIn 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-reflection, and about the development of (self)compassion.
2022-04-1820 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher 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.
2022-03-2717 min
Law and the Future of WarSpecial Episode: UQ POLSIS Panel Flashpoint: War in Ukraine - Seb Kaempf, Sarah Teitt, Andrew Phillips, Christian Reus-Smit and Lauren SandersSend us a textThis panel, hosted by the UQ School of Political Science and International Studies addresses critical legal, political and international relations issues associated with the Ukraine war. Russia’s declaration of war on Ukraine marks a watershed and raises significant questions.Recorded on Tuesday 8 March, this panel canvasses issues relating to the lawfulness of the invasion, IHL and broader IL implications, strategy and politics surrounding the invasion, and the implications for China. Hosted by Professor Sebastian Kaempf, the panel consists of the following UQ experts:Dr Sarah Teitt...
2022-03-2234 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher 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 University of Queensland) faced these challenges when she first started teaching statistics and probability theory to social science students. Her solution: let her students learn by building these topics around the actor Denzel Washington.
2022-03-0721 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: Entering the lecture room for the first timeIn 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 don'ts.
2022-02-1318 minHigher Ed HeroesWeekly journal writing to help student reflection, build trusting relations and create nourishing environmentsIn 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 course content (and as it relates to their own lives), to build trusting relationships and to foster a nourishing learning environment.
2022-01-2419 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: '20 Minute Moments': Opening up your class to place key lessonsIn 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 ultimately meaningful activity that allows students to learn key lessons.
2022-01-0322 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: What factors have the biggest impact on student learning? With John HattieIn 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 largest evidence-based study), John Hattie identified the key factors that improve student learning. His findings are equally impressive as they are eye-opening, inviting us to rethink what we – as teachers - do in our uni classrooms.
2021-11-1622 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: 'Escape Box' exercise and learning through team workIn 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.
2021-10-2816 min
Fully AutomatedEpisode 34: You Sexy Hacktivist MOOCer, with Sebastian KaempfHello friends!
We are back with another great episode of Fully Automated. In this episode, we step back a little bit from the grander political themes that we are usually preoccupied with, to do an episode on the pedagogical possibilities (and challenges) presented by contemporary technology.
When it comes to online teaching in the discipline of International Relations, there are very few that can claim to have the experience or insight of Dr. Sebastian Kaempf. Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland (Australia), Kaempf is a s...
2021-10-181h 10Fully AutomatedYou Sexy Hacktivist MOOCer, with Sebastian Kaempf
Hello friends!
We are back with another great episode of Fully Automated. In this episode, we step back a little bit from the grander political themes that we are usually preoccupied with, to do an episode on the pedagogical possibilities (and challenges) presented by contemporary technology.
When it comes to online teaching in the discipline of International Relations, there are very few that can claim to have the experience or insight of Dr. Sebastian Kaempf. Senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at the School of Political Science and International Studies at the University of Queensland (Australia), Kaempf is a s...
2021-10-181h 10Higher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: 'Me in a Minute' VideoIn 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?
2021-10-1017 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: The centrality of role plays in student learningIn 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 use different formats in our classroom?
2021-02-0322 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: Talking to tutors about being an effective teacherIn 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 respond to challenging situations, and how to bring a tutorial/seminar alive.
2021-01-2020 minHigher Ed HeroesHigher Ed Heroes: Techniques to make students readIn 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 do the readings before rocking up for class.
2021-01-0420 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - Different ways of using simulations and role playsIn 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; and how they can enable students to learn if done well.
2020-12-1030 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to grab and hold the attention of students in large first year lecturesIn 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 particular, they discuss the tricks and techniques they employ to grab and hold the attention of students in large lectures.
2020-11-2924 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherd Heroes - Scrapping Exams and making students learn through solving practical, real-world problemsIn 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 where students collaborate on solving practical, open-ended, real-world problems.
2020-11-2020 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to make students learn through researching the impact of real world problemsIn 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 impact of real world development projects.
2020-11-0120 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - Blake McKimmie on how to redesign your courses around the way students learnIn 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 drama series Blake produced and which is used week by week to help students navigate through their course.
2020-10-1518 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - Jacqui Bond on how to engage with the emotional aspect of learningIn 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 addressing the emotions of learning enable students to have a more holistic experience.
2020-10-0321 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - James Arvanitakis on learning as a journey and the classroom as both a safe space and a brave spaceIn this episode, Seb and Al talk to Professor James Arvanitakis (Western Sydney University): how he sees his role as a teacher as someone who wants to take his students on a journey and how he designs his classroom as a safe space as well as a brave space.
2020-09-2024 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - Kicking off the new seasonIn this episode, Al and Seb introduce the second podcast season and reflect upon what they have been doing in the classroom both during COVID and outside their current existence as zoom/online teachers.
2020-09-2022 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How students learn through pitching their ideas for a public exhibition on the subject they are studyingIn this episode, Seb and Al talk to Dr Mary Broughton (School of Music) about her students collaborating with the curator of one of the museums in Brisbane to pitch their own ideas for a public exhibition on the psychology of music. The conversation centers around how through this exercise students are offered a more complex and deeper learning experience.
2020-06-1824 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to use scavenger hunts and have students use their own bodies as empirical devices for learningIn this episode, Al and Seb talk to Dr Ryan Williams (School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at The University of Queensland) about making students aware of how the their studies are being embodied and lived in their every environments and spaces.
2020-06-0519 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to use non-traditional forms of participation in the classroomIn this episode, Al and Seb talk to Dr Lynda Shevellar (Senior Lecturer in Social Sciences at the University of Queensland) about to get students who don't feel comfortable speaking to use their bodies to participate in the uni classroom.
2020-05-2221 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to take students out of the classroom and expose them to different forms of learningIn this episode, Seb and Al talk to Dr Simone Smala, Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education at The University of Queensland, about how taking her students out of the classroom and into different institutions and museums helps them understand different forms of learning.
2020-05-1021 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - On the merit and value of the old style lectureIn this episode, Seb and Al talk to Associate Professor Andrew Phillips (School of Political Science and International Studies, UQ) about the value and merit of the traditional, old-style lecture for student learning. They talk about what makes a great lecture stand out, the importance of a narrative arch and storytelling.
2020-05-0121 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to really involve practitioners in the classroomIn this episode, Al and Seb talk to Cameron Parsell, an Associate Professor in the School of Social Sciences at The University of Queensland, about how he not only brings practitioners into his classroom but fully involves them in assignments and making them work with students.
2020-04-1920 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to involve students in the (re)design of your coursesSeb and Al talk to Dr Nic Carah about his experience and practice of involving students in the design and redesign of his courses, and how it has lead him to change his own teaching practices. Nic is Senior Lecturer in the School of Communications and Art, UQ.
2020-04-0722 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to use Lego as a teaching tool in your uni classroomIn this episode, Al and Seb talk to Elske van de Fliert, the Director of the Centre for Communication and Social Change at The University of Queensland, about how her students use Lego as a means to develop ideas and stories, and thereby learn.
2020-03-2520 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to place students in the driving seat during your lecturesIn this episode, Al and Seb talk to Associate Professor Gerhard Hoffstaedter (School of Social Science at The University of Queensland) about the ways in which his students collaborate in lectures, oftentimes even taking the lead during his lectures. In particular, Gerhard points to how the techniques he uses (including Pecha Kucha) open up new possibilities for students to learn.
2020-03-1323 minHigher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - How to use simulations and practical scenarios in your classroomIn this episode, Seb and Al talk to Dr. Caroline Wilson-Barnao (Lecturer in Public Relations in the School of Communications and Arts at the University of Queensland) about how her students learn through practical simulations and crisis scenarios.
2020-02-2822 min
Higher Ed HeroesHigherEd Heroes - Yay, we're live! But what's this all about?In this opening episode, Al and Seb talk about what their new podcast is all about and what you can expect from this series. And they share a few gems you might find useful in your uni classroom.
2020-01-1415 min