Overview
Background
As I am a teaching-focussed academic, my research interests centre on teaching and learning. Specifically, I want to understand how undergraduate students learn in a conceptually challenging discipline like physiology. However, the primary purpose of any T&L research is not simply to improve our knowledge and disseminate findings, although that is important. Instead, the primary aim of our research must always be to improve student learning outcomes. It is essential not only that we do research in T&L, but that we also incorporate those research findings into our teaching and curriculum design, and encourage others to do so too. Currently my research is pursuing three major themes: (1) promotion of the metacognition of learning; (2) how we promote the development of undergraduate science students ‘scientific’ skills, encompassing science communication, scientific reasoning and critical thinking; and (3) innovations in assessment and feedback to support student learning.
Availability
- Associate Professor Kay Colthorpe is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
- Postgraduate Diploma, The University of Queensland
Research interests
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Metacognition of learning
The current major focus of my research group is the promotion of metacognition of learning through the development and evaluation of ‘meta-learning’ assessment tasks. These tasks have enabled us to identify (i) the self-regulation of learning that undergraduate students perform; (ii) the relationships between the self-regulatory strategies used by students, learning outcomes and academic resilience; (iii) the conceptually challenging aspects of physiology and students’ approaches to dealing with those difficult concepts. Collectively, this work has been the basis of multiple honours and undergraduate research projects. The findings have been fed back into curriculum design, with meta-learning tasks now specifically designed as educational interventions, to prompt students to develop their metacognitive skills and to undertake more advanced forms of self-regulation.
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Scientific skill development
It is clear that undergraduate students need to develop a variety of skills to successfully complete their programs of study, to improve their employability and to develop into lifelong learners. For science students these include the information literacy skills that will allow them to develop the ability to access, manage and integrate multimodal information, the skills to create, understand and communicate scientifically reasoned arguments, and the critical thinking skills that enable them to become adept problem-solvers. I believe that inquiry-based laboratory classes are particularly vital to facilitate the development of students’ research and problem-solving skills. These classes are the basis for a number of aspects of my research. We have been extensively evaluating their impact, both overall and specifically, including the evaluation of undergraduate science students development of (i) scientific argument skills in oral presentations ; (ii) understanding of the nature of science; (iii) scientific literacy ; and (iv) use of evidence. My research group continues to examine these themes in ongoing research on inquiry-based laboratory classes.
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Assessment and feedback
Recently there has been strong impetus to encourage all students studying biomedical science to develop the attributes of scientific thinking, through the development of skills such as critical thinking, information literacy and problem-solving skills, and an ability to create and communicate scientific arguments. My research has focused on development and evaluation of innovative assessment tasks and feedback practices which both encourage and provide an evidence base for the achievement of those outcomes. My research has had a major focus on feedback, with a multi-faceted view on the ways in which feedback are provided (including from both academics and peers), the value of that feedback, and the students’ responses to feedback. This work has identified the type and nature of effective feedback, and has encompassed the extensive use of feedback analytics to identify patterns of effective feedback provision and use. In addition, the value of feedback to and from peers, and its contribution to the development of students’ abilities to critique their work and that of others has been investigated.
Works
Search Professor Kay Colthorpe’s works on UQ eSpace
2019
Conference Publication
Challenges and opportunities in the new blended learning paradigm
Vasudeva, S., Colthorpe, K.L. and Anderson S.T. (2019). Challenges and opportunities in the new blended learning paradigm. The Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2-4 October 2019.
2016
Journal Article
Oral administration of green plant-derived chemicals and antioxidants alleviates stress-induced cellular oxidative challenge
Beaven, Elizabeth A., Colthorpe, Kay L., Spiers, Jereme G., Chen, Hsiao-Jou Cortina, Lavidis, Nickolas A. and Albrecht, Julie (2016). Oral administration of green plant-derived chemicals and antioxidants alleviates stress-induced cellular oxidative challenge. Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology, 27 (5), 515-521. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2016-0006
2015
Journal Article
Student Interaction with a Computer Tablet Exam Application Replicating the Traditional Paper Exam
Cheesman, Matthew J., Chunduri, Prasad, Manchadi, Mary Louise, Colthorpe, Kay and Matthews, Ben (2015). Student Interaction with a Computer Tablet Exam Application Replicating the Traditional Paper Exam. Mobile Computing, 4, 10-21. doi: 10.14355/mc.2015.04.002
2014
Journal Article
A simple way to cultivate referencing habits in first year biology students
Chunduri, Prasad, Lluka, Lesley, Kinna, Genevieve, Good, Jonathan, Zimbardi, Kirsten and Colthorpe, Kay (2014). A simple way to cultivate referencing habits in first year biology students. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 22 (2), 75-84.
2014
Journal Article
Editorial
Rowland, Susan, Colthorpe, Kay and Beames, Stephanie (2014). Editorial. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 22 (4), i-ii.
2014
Journal Article
Editorial – Welcome to volume 22, numbers 4 & 5
Rowland, Susan, Colthorpe, Kay and Beames, Stephanie (2014). Editorial – Welcome to volume 22, numbers 4 & 5. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 22 (4).
2014
Journal Article
Editorial
Rowland, Susan, Colthorpe, Kay and Beames, Stephanie (2014). Editorial. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 22 (5)
2013
Conference Publication
Developing students' advanced scientific thinking skills through effective inquiry-based physiology practical classes
Zimbardi, K., Colthorpe, K., Kibedi, J. and Long, P. (2013). Developing students' advanced scientific thinking skills through effective inquiry-based physiology practical classes. IUPS 2013: International Union of Physiological Societies XXXVII Congress, Birmingham, UK, 21-26 July, 2013. Oxford, UK: London Physiological Society.
2013
Conference Publication
Student self-assessment of the development of advanced scientific thinking skills during inquiry-based physiology practical classes using an innovative e-learning tool for annotating videos
Zimbardi, Kirsten, Colthorpe, Kay, Kibedi, Judit and Long, Phil (2013). Student self-assessment of the development of advanced scientific thinking skills during inquiry-based physiology practical classes using an innovative e-learning tool for annotating videos. IUPS 2013: IUPS & ADInstruments Teaching Workshop, Bristol, UK, July 18-21, 2013. Bristol, UK: University of Bristol.
2013
Conference Publication
Enhancing feedback provision and use through in situ audio commenting
Colthorpe, K. L., Zimbardi, K., Dekker, A., Hay, P., Engstrom, C., Bugarcic, A., Long, P., Lluka, L. J., Chunduri, P., Worthy, P. and Marrington, J. (2013). Enhancing feedback provision and use through in situ audio commenting. IUPS 2013: International Union of Physiological Societies XXXVII Congress, Birmingham, UK, 21-26 July, 2013. Oxford, UK: London Physiological Society.
2013
Conference Publication
Enhancing feedback provision and use to promote learning through assessment
Colthorpe, Kay, Zimbardi, Kirsten, Dekker, Andrew, Hay, Peter, Engstrom, Craig, Bugarcic, Andrea, Long, Phil, Lluka, Lesley, Chunduri, Prasad and Worthy, Pete (2013). Enhancing feedback provision and use to promote learning through assessment. 36th HERDSA Annual Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, 1-4 July, 2013.
2012
Conference Publication
Examining the use of in-situ audio annotations to provide feedback to students
Dekker, Andrew, Zimbardi, Kirsten, Long, Phil, Hay, Peter, Engstrom, Craig, Bugarcic, Andrea, Colthorpe, Kay, Lluka, Lesley, Chunduri, Prasad, Marrington, Justin and Worthy, Peter (2012). Examining the use of in-situ audio annotations to provide feedback to students. SoLAR Southern Flare Conference, Sydney, Australia, 29-30 November 2012.
2012
Journal Article
Mobile learning materials as a 'prompt' for participation in physiology practical classes
Ernst, Hardy, Harrison, John and Colthorpe, Kay (2012). Mobile learning materials as a 'prompt' for participation in physiology practical classes. International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 6 (1), 25-37. doi: 10.1504/IJMLO.2012.046880
2012
Conference Publication
UQMarkUP: effective feedback and consistent assessment for large cohorts with e-learning enabled ‘in situ’ commenting
Colthorpe, K., Dekker, A., Zimbardi, K., Long, P., Lluka, L. J., Chunduri, P., Bugarcic, A., Hay, P., Engstrom, C., Worthy, P. and Marrington, J. (2012). UQMarkUP: effective feedback and consistent assessment for large cohorts with e-learning enabled ‘in situ’ commenting. 2nd Annual CUBEnet Forum, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 10-11 December 2012.
2010
Conference Publication
Evaluating student outcomes in the biomedical sciences through capstone courses
Matthews, K.E., Andrews, Victoria, Thorn, Peter, Curlewis, Jon and Colthorpe, Kay (2010). Evaluating student outcomes in the biomedical sciences through capstone courses. 33rd HERDSA Annual Conference, Melbourne , Australia, 6-9 July 2010.
2010
Conference Publication
Becoming a scientist: The development of students’ skills in scientific investigation and communication through a vertically integrated model of inquiry-based practical curricula
Farrand-Zimbardi, Kirsten, Colthorpe, Kay L., Good, Jon P. and Lluka, Lesley J. (2010). Becoming a scientist: The development of students’ skills in scientific investigation and communication through a vertically integrated model of inquiry-based practical curricula. 2010 Annual Conference of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL 2010), Liverpool, U.K., 19 - 22 October.
2010
Conference Publication
The development of a vertically integrated model of inquiry-based practical curricula to help students to learn to ‘think like a scientist’
Lluka, Lesley J., Colthorpe, Kay L., Good, Jon, Chunduri, Prasad G. and Farrand-Zimbardi, Kirsten (2010). The development of a vertically integrated model of inquiry-based practical curricula to help students to learn to ‘think like a scientist’. 2010 Annual Conference of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL 2010), Liverpool, U.K., 19 - 22 October 2010.
2010
Conference Publication
Student learning outcomes in the biomedical sciences: The role of capstones
Matthews, Kelly E., Andrews, Victoria, Colthorpe, Kay, Curlewis, Jon and Thorn, Peter (2010). Student learning outcomes in the biomedical sciences: The role of capstones. International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference (ISSOTL10) incorporating the 18th Improving Student Learning Symposium, Liverpool, U.K., 19-22 October 2010. Indiana, IN, U.S.A.: International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
2010
Conference Publication
Using oral assessment tasks to guide the development of scientific reasoning skills in undergraduate science students
Colthorpe, Kay L., Farrand-Zimbardi, Kirsten and Kibedi, Judit (2010). Using oral assessment tasks to guide the development of scientific reasoning skills in undergraduate science students. 2010 Annual Conference of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL 2010), Liverpool, U.K., 19 - 22 October 2010.
2010
Conference Publication
Capstones under construction: A work-in-progress
Matthews, K.E., Andrews, Victoria, Colthorpe, Kay L., Thorn, Peter and Curlewis, Jonathan D. (2010). Capstones under construction: A work-in-progress. The 2010 Assessment Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.A., 25-26 October 2010.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Kay Colthorpe is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Current projects in the Biomedical Education Research Group include:
- Student learning in the sciences - How do science students learn? How can this learning be facilitated, improved and made more efficient?
- How do students deal with difficult concepts in biomedical science? What makes those concepts difficult to learn?
- Enhancing study strategies and learning: evaluating how students regulate their learning and the value of meta-learning tasks for improving learning?
- Developing self-evaluation: student’s ability to self-evaluate is critical to academic success. Can we enhance the process of self-evaluation through collaborative tasks?
- Development of professional identity in biomedical science students
- Graduate destinations and employability of biomedical science students
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Current projects in the Biomedical Education Research Group include:
- Student learning in the sciences - How do science students learn? How can this learning be facilitated, improved and made more efficient?
- How do students deal with difficult concepts in biomedical science? What makes those concepts difficult to learn?
- Enhancing study strategies and learning: evaluating how students regulate their learning and the value of meta-learning tasks for improving learning?
- Developing self-evaluation: student’s ability to self-evaluate is critical to academic success. Can we enhance the process of self-evaluation through collaborative tasks?
- Development of professional identity in biomedical science students
- Graduate destinations and employability of biomedical science students
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Investigating the Impact of Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT Software) on Student Learning in the Sciences: A Comparative Study between the University of Queensland, Australia, and the University of Abuja, Nigeria.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Deanne Gannaway
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Doctor Philosophy
Developing Professional Identity of Biomedical Science Students
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Louise Ainscough, Dr Lisa Akison
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Doctor Philosophy
The diagnostic assessment of critical thinking to inform teaching design
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Stephanie Macmahon
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Improving learning experience on the adaptive learning platforms through learning analytics and student feedback
Principal Advisor
Media
Enquiries
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