A passion for creating innovative and practical ways to motivate students to learn and take risks by simulating real-life events has seen two QUT academics nationally recognised for their unique teaching styles.
Professor Rebekah Russell-Bennett and Dr Kerri-Ann Kuhn have received the prestigious Australian Government Office for Teaching and Learning (OLT) award for outstanding contribution to student learning.
Professor Russell-Bennett developed a unique teaching tool that used role play simulation in QUT's core marketing subject.
Known as QUTopia, it combines experimental learning, teaching analytics and systematic methods to inspire entrepreneurship and creativity.
Central to their teaching approach was to give students the inspiration to learn more within a digital setting but Professor Russell-Bennett said she took quite a risk when it was introduced in 2005.
"I didn't sleep the night before as I was thinking maybe I had bitten off more than I could chew and that it would be all a disaster but it was fantastic," she said.
"I always had a passion for practical applications of theory and I love seeing how the students rise to the challenge of inventing, making and marketing a new product through QUTopia."
Dr Kuhn is the Australian Editor for the Journal for Advancement of Marketing Education and is an expert in digital marketing and electronic gaming.
She used her expertise to help develop the mechanics behind QUTopia.
"The role play simulation assists students to integrate real world activities with their classroom learning, supporting them to be job ready when they graduate," Dr Kuhn said.
Professor Robina Xavier, Executive Dean of the QUT Business School, said QUTopia had been used to teach students for the past nine years and had influenced 5000 students and 1200 businesses.
"Professor Russell-Bennett and Dr Kuhn were awarded the citation for stimulating students' active learning, using role-play simulations and for building relationships between alumni, the marketing industry and current students," she said.
QUTopia had also become its own brand and logo with its own Facebook page, online silent auctions for purchasing a market stall and QUTopia TV.
Students had also developed QUTopia TV - a youtube-type site.
Media contacts:
Debra Nowland, QUT media officer (Tue/Wed/Thur), 07 3138 1150 or media@qut.edu.au or Rose Trapnell, QUT media team leader, 07 3138 2361 or 0407 585 901.
