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
2009
Conference Publication
Creating physiology graduates who “think and sound like scientists”
Farrand, Kirsten, Kibedi, Judit, Colthorpe, Kay L., Good, Jon and Lluka, Lesley J. (2009). Creating physiology graduates who “think and sound like scientists”. Third National Attributes Graduate Project Symposia, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 9 July 2009.
2008
Conference Publication
Do students with a strong preference toward the reading/writing learning style underperform in student-centred, inquiry-based laboratory classes?
Good, J. P., Ernst, H., Farrand, K. and Colthorpe, K. (2008). Do students with a strong preference toward the reading/writing learning style underperform in student-centred, inquiry-based laboratory classes?. 31st Annual Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) Conference, Rotorua, New Zealand, 1-4 July 2008.
2008
Conference Publication
Enhancing students’ learning experience through mLearning; using VODcasts to motivate and engage students?
Hardy, Ernst, Good, Jonathon, Colthorpe, Kay, Myatt, Paula and Andrews, Trish (2008). Enhancing students’ learning experience through mLearning; using VODcasts to motivate and engage students?. Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) 2008 International Conference, Rotorua, New Zealand, 1-4 July 2008. Milperra, NSW, Australia: Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia.
2005
Conference Publication
The effectivness of increased learning interactivity in large-class lectures
Ernst, H. G. G. and Colthorpe, K. L. (2005). The effectivness of increased learning interactivity in large-class lectures. Effective Teaching and Learning Conference, Logan Campus, 4-5 Nov. 2004. Logan, Australia: Griffith Institute for Higher Education.
2005
Conference Publication
Using Increased interactivity and student presentations during Physiology laboratory sessions to improve active learning and conceptual understanding
Colthorpe, K. L. and Ernst, H. G. G. (2005). Using Increased interactivity and student presentations during Physiology laboratory sessions to improve active learning and conceptual understanding. Effective Teaching and Learning Conference, Logan Campus, 4-5 Nov. 2004. Logan, Australia: Griffith Institute for Higher Education.
2000
Journal Article
Adrenoceptor subtype involvement in suppression of Prolactin secretion by Noradrenaline
Colthorpe, KL, Nalliah, J, Anderson, ST and Curlewis, JD (2000). Adrenoceptor subtype involvement in suppression of Prolactin secretion by Noradrenaline. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 12 (4), 297-302. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2826.2000.00450.x
1998
Journal Article
Hypothalamic dopamine D1 receptors are involved in the stimulation of prolactin secretion by high environmental temperature in the female sheep
Colthorpe, KL, Anderson, ST, Martin, GB and Curlewis, JD (1998). Hypothalamic dopamine D1 receptors are involved in the stimulation of prolactin secretion by high environmental temperature in the female sheep. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 10 (7), 503-509. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2826.1998.00230.x
1997
Conference Publication
Are dopamine D1 receptors in the VMH involved in prolactin secretion during stress?
Colthorpe, K. L., Anderson, S. T., Martin, G. B. and Curlewis, J. D. (1997). Are dopamine D1 receptors in the VMH involved in prolactin secretion during stress?. Australian Society for Reproductive Biology , Canberra, ACT Australia, 29 September - 1 October 1997.
1997
Conference Publication
Role of noradrenaline as a prolactin release-inhibiting factor in sheep
Nalliah, J. R., Anderson, S. T., Colthorpe, K. L. and Curlewis, J. D. (1997). Role of noradrenaline as a prolactin release-inhibiting factor in sheep. Australian Society for Reproductive Biology , Canberra, ACT Australia, 29 September - 1 October 1997.
1996
Journal Article
Localization and characterization of dopamine d1 receptors in sheep hypothalamus and striatum
Colthorpe K.L. and Curlewis J.D. (1996). Localization and characterization of dopamine d1 receptors in sheep hypothalamus and striatum. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 8 (7), 561-568. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2826.1996.49210.x
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
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