Change One Thing Challenge recipients
Showcasing recent recipients of the Change One Thing Challenge and the excellence they bring to teaching.
2025 grant recipients
Celebrating our 27 Change One Thing Challenge 2025 recipients.
Associate Professor Eileen Lueders
Faculty of Science
Inventing a 'Hot Seat' activity for psychology seminars
Eileen’s “Hot Seat” activity in 4th-year psychology seminars enhanced communication skills and confidence by having students answer spontaneous questions, creating a supportive and engaging learning environment.
Profile: Eileen Lueders
Dr Nuddy Pillay
Business School
Utilising FeedbackFruits for team-based learning
Nuddy used FeedbackFruits in a Team-Based Learning course to ensure fair recognition of individual efforts through AI-supported peer assessments, improving teamwork skills and fostering constructive feedback.
Profile: Nuddy Pillay
Dr Alex McAuley
Faculty of Arts and Education
Providing students with choice in Classics and Ancient History
Alex revitalised the Classical Tragedy course with creative assignments, allowing students to choose various formats, fostering engagement and personalised learning, and replacing traditional exams.
Profile: Alex McAuley
Blair Sowman
Faculty of Science
Improving lab inductions with AI-generated video
Blair modernised lab inductions with AI-generated videos covering safety and equipment usage, including interactive quizzes, enhancing engagement and knowledge retention.
Profile: Blair Sowman
Selena Donaldson
Faculty of Science
Relocating a weekly clinic to an aged-care setting
Selena relocated a weekly clinic to an aged care setting, providing Speech Language Therapy students with hands-on experience and enhancing their understanding and confidence in real-life environments.
Profile: Selena Donaldson
Dr Pippa Bresser
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
Bringing a 'sales pitch' session to medical imaging
Pippa transformed a Medical Imaging course exercise into a brainstorming and ‘sales pitch’ session using AI-generated images, encouraging creativity and collaboration.
Profile: Pippa Bresser
Dr Judy Thomas
Faculty of Science
Introducing movement-based activities in tutorials
Judy introduced movement-based activities in tutorials, such as “Game, Set, Match” and “Think, Pair, Walk, and Share,” to reduce sitting time and increase engagement and active learning.
Profile: Judy Thomas
Dr Minh Kieu
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Enriching data analytics skills in Civil Engineering
Minh enriched Civil Engineering courses with individualized datasets and AI tutoring, fostering authentic problem-solving and improving data analytics skills.
Profile: Minh Kieu
Dr Andrew Hall
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Applying real-world applications to theoretical concepts
Andrew enhanced the Acoustics for Engineers course with live lab demonstrations, helping students understand real-world applications of theoretical concepts.
Profile: Andrew Hall
Dr Nicole Perry
Faculty of Arts and Education
Encouraging creative assessment in a Folktales course
Nicole’s “Interpreting Folktales” course featured a creative assessment where students developed their own folktale characters, enhancing their understanding of folktales and improving writing skills.
Profile: Nicole Perry
Dr Courtney Ruha
Faculty of Science
Using Gen-AI to connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications
Courtney’s project in chemistry courses used AI to design artwork and posters, connecting theoretical knowledge with practical applications and fostering teamwork and research skills.
Profile: Courtney Ruha
Xin Cheng
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Promoting hands-on creativity and sustainability in the Design Programme
Xin’s prototyping kit, using locally sourced materials, promotes hands-on creativity and sustainability in the Design Programme, enhancing critical thinking and research skills through collaborative prototyping.
Profile: Xin Cheng
Amanda Di Ienno
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Improving teamwork in ENGGEN courses
Amanda improved teamwork in the ENGGEN course series with Team Charters, Feedback Fruits evaluations, and Team Debriefs, fostering better team dynamics and conflict resolution.
Profile: Amanda Di Ienno
Dr William Lee and Dr Jesin James
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND DESIGN
Developing post-test reflection quizzes for self-regulated learning
William and Jesin introduced non-invigilated post-test reflection quizzes in ELECTENG 101, promoting self-regulated learning and deeper understanding, and improving student engagement.
Profiles: William Lee, Jesin James
Associate Professor Anne Gaskett
Faculty of Science
Revamping BIOSCI207 through highlighting the diversity of sex and reproduction
Anne revamped BIOSCI207 by highlighting the diversity of sex and reproduction, using diverse examples and themed outfits to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment.
Profile: Anne Gaskett
Dr Hazim Namik
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Utilising Inspera’s Numerical Simulation Questions to improve assessment and feedback
Hazim improved MECHENG 222 with Inspera’s Numerical Simulation Question Type, providing fairer assessments and better feedback, leading to increased participation and higher scores.
Profile: Hazim Namik
Associate Professor Nawawi Chouw
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Applying real-life situations and analogies to complex concepts
Nawawi transformed “Structural Dynamics” teaching by using real-life situations and analogies, making complex concepts more relatable and engaging for students.
Profile: Nawawi Chouw
Dr Reza Arjmandi
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Enhancing CHEMMAT 205 with computational modelling and live demos
Reza enhanced CHEMMAT 205 with computational modelling and live demos, providing valuable tools for solving engineering problems and improving student engagement.
Profile: Reza Arjmandi
Associate Professor Christopher Squire
Faculty of Science
Fostering active participation through interactive poster sessions
Christopher engaged students in China with interactive poster sessions on drug molecules, fostering active participation and collaboration, and plans to implement this model in first-year biochemistry at UoA.
Profile: Christopher Squire
Dr Udayangi Muthupoltotage
Business School
Enhancing students' technical proficiency and critical thinking with Gen-AI
Udayangi integrated Generative AI into data analytics coursework, enhancing students’ technical proficiency and critical thinking for AI-integrated workplaces.
Profile: Udayangi Muthupoltotage
Dr Chris McMillan
Faculty of Arts and Education
Introducing a Personal Learning Survey to foster a collaborative learning
Chris introduced a Personal Learning Survey to foster a collaborative learning environment and enhance student engagement by understanding their backgrounds and learning preferences.
Profile: Chris McMillan
Associate Professor An Hertogen
Auckland Law School
Fostering active learning through written and oral briefings
An transformed the International Economic Regulation course with written and oral briefings, ensuring thorough reading and enhancing presentation skills.
Profile: An Hertogen
Dr Anthony Gampell
Faculty of Science
Bridging classroom learning with real-world sustainability practices
Anthony’s SUSTAIN Citizenship Portfolio bridges classroom learning with real-world sustainability practices, enhancing coursework and developing practical skills.
Profile: Anthony Gampell
Dr Andrea Kolb
Faculty of Engineering and Design
Equipping students with essential research writing skills through an inquiry-based intervention
Andrea’s initiative equips students with essential research writing skills through an inquiry-based intervention, significantly improving writing performance.
Profile: Andrea Kolb
Dr Kathryn Jones
Faculty of Science
Improving engagement via an interactive guessing game
Kathryn’s interactive guessing game in her Cellular Regulation course enhanced student engagement, creative thinking, and factual recall.
Profile: Kathryn Jones
Associate Professor Stephanie Budgett and Leila Boyle
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
Leveraging Interactive Oral Assessments to enhance engagement and preserve academic integrity
Stephanie and Leila’s Interactive Oral Assessment in STATS 150 enhanced student engagement and preserved academic integrity, boosting confidence and pass rates.
Profiles: Stephanie Budgett, Leila Boyle
Dr Ofer Marmur
Faculty of Science
Addressing common misconceptions of complex mathematical concepts
Ofer’s method of incorporating both expert and student perspectives in lectures enhanced engagement and understanding of complex mathematical concepts.
Profile: Ofer Marmur
2024 grant recipients
Heartfelt congratulations to our Change One Thing Challenge 2024 award recipients!
Dr Abhinaw Sai Erri Pradeep
Faculty of Engineering
An ‘improvement pledge’ in postgraduate engineering course
Abhinaw introduced an ‘improvement pledge’ in postgraduate engineering course on research implementation and dissemination, fostering among students personal growth in presentation skills and stakeholder engagement, and culminating in a rich, collaborative discussion board.
Richelle Hewin
Business School
Richelle crafted a novel approach to enhance business communication
Drawing from Second Language Acquisition techniques, Richelle crafted a novel approach to enhance business communication among her non-native English speakers. Utilising Zoom transcriptions and recordings of her own script presentations, she provided a native English benchmark, enabling students to refine their pronunciation by modelling it after hers, and so bolstering their verbal skills for business proficiency.
Associate Professor David Moreau
Faculty of Science
Dynamic, interactive visualisations to demystify statistical concepts
David spearheaded the creation of dynamic, interactive visualisations to demystify statistical concepts for psychology students. His user-friendly Shiny apps in R, praised for inclusivity and supporting diverse learning styles within a culturally responsive framework, have been adopted in multiple courses.
View David’s profile page
Associate Professor Marian Macken
Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries
Reimagining an undergraduate course on architectural media
Marian has reimagined an undergraduate course on architectural media by incorporating the body as a measure for space. Her innovative full-scale drawing exercises actively involve students’ physical presence, deepening their understanding of spatial concepts and transforming architectural drawing into a dynamic learning process.
Dr Sara Buttsworth
Faculty of Arts
An icebreaker that doubles as a theoretical framework application
Sara introduced an icebreaker that doubles as a theoretical framework application, engaging students with ‘moral panic’ concepts through collaborative exercises, fostering interactive learning, systematic thinking, and – lots of laughing.
View Sara’s profile page
Dr Sonia Fonua
Faculty of Science
Emphasising relational learning and active engagement
Sonia has revitalised ENVSCI 303, emphasising relational learning and active engagement. Her shift from policy briefs to teamwork and discussion assessments has led to better attendance and student performance, fostering critical thinking in environmental communication within a collaborative learning space.
View Sonia’s profile page
Dr Subeh Chowdhury
Faculty of Engineering
Enhancing the transport curriculum with experiential on-site learning
Subeh enhanced the transport curriculum with experiential on-site learning, where students apply design and CPTED principles to improve campus transport safety. This project sharpened their practical skills and teamwork, equipping them for real-world professional practices.
View Subeh’s profile page
Dr Asma Shakil
Faculty of Science
Incorporating real-world client projects and a public showcase
Asma redefined the computer science capstone course by incorporating real-world client projects and a public showcase of developed software, boosting student engagement and employability. The course now emphasizes creative collaboration and industry networking. Additionally, to inspire excellence, high-performing student teams get awarded at the event.
View Asma’s profile page
Dr Thomas Loho
Faculty of Engineering
An assignment that connects theory to daily objects
In CHEMMAT 121, Thomas introduced ‘Material Matters,’ an assignment that connects theory to daily objects. Students photograph items, analyzing their properties, which fosters active learning and highlights materials science’s everyday relevance.
View Thomas’ profile page
Dr Andrea Kolb
Faculty of Engineering
Enhancing employability skills through Gen-AI
Andrea’s educational initiative in the Chemical & Materials Engineering program creatively uses Gen-AI for text-to-image transformation, bolstering students’ employability skills. Engaging in psychometric assessments and 3D prototype creation, students enhance their creativity and gear up for real-world engineering challenges, encouraging practical application and ethical AI usage.
Cynthia Orr
Faculty of Education and Social Work
Enhancing a Children’s Literature course by integrating Perusall
Cynthia enhanced her Children’s Literature course by integrating Perusall tasks, making discussions graded and interactive. This method increased student engagement with literary theories and texts, and with personalized feedback, it improved dialogue and raised submission scores.
Nikki Chamberlain
Auckland Law School
Introducing a practical client consultation exercise
Nikki refreshed the Law of Family Property class by introducing a practical client consultation exercise, where she role-played the client in 15-minute Zoom sessions. This engaging assessment allowed students to practice legal advising in a realistic setting, enhancing their analytical skills and preparing them for their future careers with a personal touch.
View Nikki’s profile page
Dr Marie-Anne Thelen
Faculty of Science
Applying New Zealand’s health and safety standards in practical lab
Marie-Anne crafted an assignment for exchange chemistry students from China, aimed at applying New Zealand’s health and safety standards in practical lab work. This enhances their English language skills, preparing them for their final semester at the University of Auckland and ensuring they are ready for the laboratory environment.
Dr Priyanka Dhopade
Faculty of Engineering
Enriching thermofluids lectures through video and variety
Priyanka enriched her thermofluids lectures with YouTube videos featuring a spectrum of presenters, fostering inclusivity and offering students a variety of role models. This approach not only broadens understanding but also addresses the underrepresentation in engineering, inspiring students of all backgrounds.
Kevin Jia
Faculty of Engineering
Developing students' data visualization abilities
Kevin transformed the ENGSCI 263 course by adding a practical PowerBI component, giving students the chance to develop their data visualization abilities through an interactive dashboard project. This has not only improved the course’s logistics optimization project with valuable feedback but has also equipped students with a practical set of skills, increasing their job prospects.
View Kevin’s profile page
Elizabeth Oliphant, Dr Sara Hanning, Dr Trudi Aspen
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
Enhancing a Pharmacy course through an interactive, collaborative session
Elizabeth, Sara, and Trudi have enhanced PHARMACY 702 by introducing an interactive session with university and clinical multidisciplinary staff. This collaboration lets students actively participate in medicine administration and nutritional product tasting, deepening their practical understanding of the subject.
View Sara’s profile page
View Trudi’s profile page
2023 grant recipients
We are pleased to announce the recipients for the Change One Thing Challenge for 2023.
Associate Professor Alys Longley
Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries
Enabling students to creatively explore their home environments
Alys created an assignment for her Dance 101/G students to explore their home environments in creative ways during COVID. She gave them freedom and focus to create low-stakes work, taking more risks and engaging in new learning.
View Alys’ profile page
Dr Igor' Kontorovich
Faculty of Science
Getting students talking and thinking mathematically
Igor’ designed a set of activities for his first-year math course to get his students talking and thinking mathematically. He asked them to work in groups, make up dialogues, and critique fake solutions. Math got more interactive and social.
View Igor’s profile page
Jayden Houghton
Auckland Law School
Asking students to create quizzes based on a course text
Jayden asked his students to create quizzes based on a reading for his law course. He wanted them to read more carefully and critically. He also used the quizzes as extra teaching material for future students while testing a new teaching method for law.
Dr Jesin James
Faculty of Engineering
Exploring indigenous perspectives on data sovereignty
Jesin added the indigenous perspective on data sovereignty to her ELECTENG 101 course. She taught her students how data collection and processing affect different cultures and values, helping prepare them to be more culturally aware engineers. Feedback from her students was positive!
View Jesin’s profile page
Dr Sonia Fonua
Faculty of Science
Boosting the confidence and number of Māori and Moana Pacific tutors
Sonia started the Teina Project to boost the confidence and number of Māori and Moana Pacific tutors in the School of Environment. She followed the values of manaakitanga and whakawhanaungatanga to support and mentor these students, making them feel valued and welcomed in their roles.
View Sonia’s profile page
Dr Lynne Park
Faculty of Arts
Using Perusall to promote engagement with course readings
Lynne used Perusall, a social annotation tool, to make her students read and comment on the text more actively. She improved their understanding and classroom discussions. As Perusall became a pre-lecture activity, her students came to class more ready and eager to talk and analyse the readings.
View Lynne’s profile page
Mareike Schmidt
Faculty of Arts
Fostering collaboration and technology skills through podcasting
Mareike asked her students to record a podcast in her language course. She fostered collaboration and technology skills, giving them a chance to work autonomously in a team environment.
Dr Paramvir Singh
Faculty of Science
Motivating and engaging students through song
Paramvir wrote and sang two original songs about computer programming for his ENGGEN 131 class of >1,000 students. He released them as music videos to motivate and engage his students in online learning.
Dr Pedram Hekmati
Faculty of Science
Utilising 3D modeling to teach multivariable functions
Pedram used 3D graphs and models of minimal surfaces to help calculus students understand multivariable functions better. He showed them how calculus connects to real-world applications.
Dr Rajshri Roy
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
Following a fad diet for a bit of fun
Rajshri asked her students to work in teams and follow a fad diet for a week. They had to create a nutritious recipe and share it online using technology and social media. A traditional assignment became more dynamic and fun.
Waruna Weerasekera
Faculty of Science
Using online polling tools for student engagement
Waruna wanted to get more students involved in his live lectures. He used an online polling tool to let them ask questions or make comments anonymously, enhancing student engagement in synchronous teaching sessions.
Associate Professor Lokesh Padhye
Faculty of Engineering
Identifying concepts that students find troublesome
Lokesh identified the concepts that his students found troublesome in environmental engineering. Using feedback videos to explain such concepts better and help overcome the difficulties, he made the abstract concepts more relatable and clear.
Dr Yantao Song
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
Teaching the use personal protective equipment (PPE)
Yantao developed an e-learning course in Canvas to teach students how to use personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly. She enabled over 2,000 students from different faculties and universities get their N95 respirator tested in a time and resource-pressing situation.
Dr Elizabeth Peterson
Faculty of Science
Tailoring the content of a tutor training workshop
Elizabeth used survey data to find out what new tutors needed and wanted to know about their role. She then tailored the content of a tutor training workshop and designed scenarios to address their concerns, building tutor confidence in creating more inclusive classrooms.
Page updated 25/03/2025 (added 2025 winners)