Science education c

By blending real-world skills, active student learning and engagement, and deep disciplinary knowledge, our researchers are finding new ways to foster the next generation’s passion for science.

Through collaboration across UQ and other institutions worldwide, our experts produce world-class educational programs and highly employable graduates.

We research the best ways to empower and engage our students as leaders and creators of knowledge. We also use the latest technology to build teaching tools and activities that bring science learning to life across Queensland and beyond.

Researchers in this cross-disciplinary theme use quantitative and qualitative methods to understand how well new educational experiences work for students and academics.

Research impacts

Teaching evolution with card and online gaming

Creativity is a critical part of science, according to UQ Science researchers, who are behind a colourful card game that teaches evolutional theory. The researchers developed Go Extinct!, a popular game centred around the evolutionary tree of land vertebrates, which is coupled with an online platform focused on the evolutionary trees of different Australian animal and plant groups. The game has been adopted by several science and education institutions, including the National Science and Technology Centre Questacon.

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Saving reefs through citizen science

The benefits of increasingly popular citizen science programs extend well beyond helping researchers to collect data, a UQ study has shown. Working with organisations in the Reef Citizen Science Alliance, UQ Science researchers found that more than half the people attending a citizen science event were likely to adopt new actions to help reefs. Our researchers worked with participants in the UQ-led ReefBlitz event, which annually brings together multiple citizen science programs to help Queensland communities collect information relevant to reef health.

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Using 3D printing to educate tomorrow’s vet students

3D-printed models of dog skulls are helping UQ vets to improve the quality of life for animals and educate tomorrow’s veterinary students. The models, showcased at the World Science Festival, are the result of a collaboration between UQ Library’s Digital Scholars Hub and UQ Science researchers. Our experts used the skulls to help children understand how dogs with short noses can suffer from the condition brachycephalia, creatin better educational outcomes for future veterinary students and healthier animals.

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Setting study expectations with the GetSet Quiz

The Getset Quiz is a compulsory quiz for students entering their first year of science at UQ, designed to determine their understanding of key concepts in subjects studied at school. The quiz was developed by UQ Science academics with colleagues from the UQ Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology. It allows students to discover areas where they may need revision, directs them to resources and sets study expectations. It also feeds information back to first-year lecturers, so they can tailor their lectures to their students’ needs.

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Seeing 3D geometries with immersive visualisation

Science students can view and interact with virtual fossils, minerals and landscapes by using a range of immersive visualisation eLearning tools. UQ Science researchers developed 3D models, interactive tours and gigapixel imagery, which greatly expand access to teaching materials and aid in the visualisation of complicated 3D geometries. By visiting the UQ Immersive Visualisations website, students interact with and annotate models and images, and submit them electronically for assessment and feedback. Academics have integrated the models into everyday teaching and use them to take undergraduates on "virtual fieldtrips" to remote outback areas.

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Building science communication skills online

The Communication Learning in Practice for Scientists (CLIPS) website offers essential science communication information for science students looking to share their ideas with the world. The UQ-developed resource provides instructional videos, best-practice examples, self-driven modules and comprehensive tutorials, helping students to better communicate scientific concepts in academia and the workplace. CLIPS provides students with a rich and colourful learning experience in a mobile-friendly, easy-to-navigate and always-available format.

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Developing science leaders through mentoring

The UQ Leadership and Mentoring Program in Science (LaMPS) was created to prepare students for a career in science by developing their interpersonal and leadership skills. The extracurricular program mixes online modules with face-to-face events and covers topics including the psychology of leadership theory, emotional intelligence, the difference between leadership and management, how to lead yourself and others, and peer mentoring.