Julie Karel
Faculty of Engineering
Building student confidence through genuine connections
Julie’s classroom is interactive, engaging and involved – students learn through activities likened to pub quizzes and escape rooms with a focus on collaboration and curiosity.
What are you doing differently in your field that you believe is driving real change?
You never stop learning. I endeavour to be a lifelong learner and hope to instil the same in my students. I aim to inspire them to think about the materials in the world around them so that for instance when they pick up their mobile phone, they’re not just responding to a text message but considering the materials and functionalities that enable them to do that. I take the theories the students learn and show them how they relate to materials and devices they use daily.
My approach in the classroom is based on student engagement. If the students are actively involved in class and having fun, they will learn more. In-class activities include a ‘pub quiz’ type format to put students in teams and work through problems, competing against each other. I also created an in-class escape room type activity. The students worked in teams using props to build an ‘escape room’, where the clues were based on the content for the week. The students then attempted to ‘escape’ from the other rooms built by their colleagues. I design creative assessment tasks such as recording a podcast or video to develop communication skills, particularly to a non-technical audience.
You never stop learning. I endeavour to be a lifelong learner and hope to instil the same in my students. ”
How do you help students build confidence, not just knowledge?
There are two things I try to do. First, I push them out of their comfort zone while still ensuring they have the support and resources to accomplish the task required of them. I might ask them to do something very challenging, but I will always be there to answer questions, guide and support them along the way.
Secondly, I think you can build confidence in them by being vulnerable. If they see someone in my position talking about struggles and doubts that I had at their level, it gives them the confidence to continue to pursue their dreams, despite the inevitable pitfalls.
What do you hope your students remember about you 10 years from now? What mindset do you want your students to carry into their careers?
Stay curious. Technology is changing fast, and I’ll never be able to teach them what they need to know to do their jobs in 10 years. The only thing I can instil in them is the ability to teach themselves what they don’t know.
What’s the biggest myth about university education you wish more people would rethink?
University education is ‘not’ – you go to a lecture, someone talks at you for two hours, and then you leave and learn everything on your own. It is dynamic, exciting and collaborative. Learning happens everywhere and with everyone. It’s fresh and constantly evolving.
What motivates you to continue pushing boundaries in your work?
I like doing things that scare me. They have been the only things in my life that were worthwhile.