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
2020
Conference Publication
Biomedical science students’ challenges and strategies to understanding feedback
Parfrement, Bradley, Kibedi, Judit, Colthorpe, Kay and Ainscough, Louise (2020). Biomedical science students’ challenges and strategies to understanding feedback. Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Online, 30 September-2 October 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
From lemons to lemonade: students’ resilience when managing challenge
Kibedi, Judit, Ainscough, Louise and Colthorpe, Kay (2020). From lemons to lemonade: students’ resilience when managing challenge. Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Online, 30 September-2 October 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
Thrown in the deeper end: first year students learning online
Ainscough, Louise, Kibedi, Judit and Colthorpe, Kay (2020). Thrown in the deeper end: first year students learning online. Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Online, 30 September-2 October 2020.
2020
Journal Article
Learning how to learn: can embedded discussion boards help first-year students discover new learning strategies?
Ainscough, Louise, Leung, Richard and Colthorpe, Kay (2020). Learning how to learn: can embedded discussion boards help first-year students discover new learning strategies?. Advances in Physiology Education, 44 (1), 1-8. doi: 10.1152/advan.00065.2019
2020
Journal Article
Professional identity of undergraduate occupational therapy students
Gray, Harrison, Colthorpe, Kay, Ernst, Hardy and Ainscough, Louise (2020). Professional identity of undergraduate occupational therapy students. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 4 (1). doi: 10.26681/jote.2020.040102
2019
Journal Article
Biomedical science students’ intended graduate destinations
Panaretos, Christian, Colthorpe, Kay, Kibedi, Judit and Ainscough, Louise (2019). Biomedical science students’ intended graduate destinations. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 27 (9), 1-16.
2019
Journal Article
Biomedical science students’ intended graduate destinations
Panaretos, Christian, Colthorpe, Kay, Kibedi, Judit and Ainscough, Louise (2019). Biomedical science students’ intended graduate destinations. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 27 (9), 1-16.
2019
Conference Publication
Does working in academically diverse groups influence student perceptions?
Samantzis, Montana, Colthorpe, Kay, Ainscough, Louise and Kibedi, Judit (2019). Does working in academically diverse groups influence student perceptions?. Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2-4 October 2019.
2019
Conference Publication
Disparate development of student understanding and execution of the conventions of scientific writing
Kibedi, Judit, Colthorpe, Kay and Mi, Jia Dai (2019). Disparate development of student understanding and execution of the conventions of scientific writing. Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 26-28 September 2018.
2019
Conference Publication
Influences shaping biomedical science students’ graduate destinations
Panaretos, Christian, Colthorpe, Kay, Kibedi, Judit, Ainscough, Louise and Langfield, Tracey (2019). Influences shaping biomedical science students’ graduate destinations. Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 26-28 September 2018.
2019
Conference Publication
Let's not keep in private: schooling background and student preparedness transitioning into university.
Rutenberg, Izaak, Ainscough, Louise, Colthorpe, Kay, Langfield, Tracey and Kibedi, Judit (2019). Let's not keep in private: schooling background and student preparedness transitioning into university.. Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, Adelaide, SA, Australia, 26-28 September 2018.
2019
Conference Publication
Characterizing university students’ self-regulated learning behavior using dispositional learning analytics
Ainscough, Louise, Leung, Richard, Colthorpe, Kay and Langfield, Tracey (2019). Characterizing university students’ self-regulated learning behavior using dispositional learning analytics. 5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’19), Valencia, Spain, 26-28 June 2019. Valencia, Spain: Universitat Politècnica València. doi: 10.4995/head19.2019.9153
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
Editorial
Rowland, Susan, Colthorpe, Kay and Beames, Stephanie (2014). Editorial. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 22 (5)
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).
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.
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Kay Colthorpe is:
- Available for supervision
Looking for a supervisor? Read our advice on how to choose 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
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: 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
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Doctor Philosophy
Navigating Changing Learning Environments: Supporting Self-Regulated Learning in Biomedical Science
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Jason Lodge, Dr Louise Ainscough
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
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2026
Doctor Philosophy
Exploring the Evolving STEM Professional Identity Journey of Regional Queensland Teachers
Associate Advisor
Media
Enquiries
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