QUT - Academic profiles - Dr Subhashni Appanna

Biography

Dr Subhashni Appanna brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to advancing science education in both secondary and tertiary settings. Commencing the educational journey as a secondary Science and Mathematics teacher, Subhashni currently holds the position of Science Education Lecturer in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education, and Social Justice, as well as the School of Teacher Education and Leadership. Passionate about unravelling the complexities of science teaching and learning, her research focuses on addressing the pervasive issue of student dissatisfaction in school science. With a keen interest in emotional experiences within the classroom, her PhD research identified student emotions associated with science inquiry activities, shedding light on the nuanced interplay of emotions in the learning process. A recipient of recent SEED grants exploring the intersection of emotion and epistemic cognition in preservice science teachers and attitudes towards AI in teaching and learning, Subhashni actively contributes to vital inquiry for the advancement of science education. Recognised for her excellence, she received nominations for the David Gardiner Teacher of the Year Award and the 2023 Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence. As a member of the STEM Education Research Group and Teachers and Teaching Research Group within her Faculty, Subhashni collaborates with like-minded scholars to further enrich the academic landscape. Additionally, her role as a reviewer for various Q1 academic journals underscores her commitment to scholarly rigour. Driven by a passion for developing quality preservice science teachers, Subhashni aims to equip them with pedagogical content knowledge and an understanding of student emotional experiences, fostering responsive teaching practices in the dynamic landscape of 21st-century education. Her unwavering dedication is fuelled by the support of her family, students, past students, colleagues, and mentors, collectively inspiring her to navigate the challenges of emotion research and practice in science education.

Pronouns: she / her

+61 7 3138 8685

s.appanna@qut.edu.au

View location details(QUT staff and student access only)

QUT alumni

Currently accepting research students

Personal details

Positions

Lecturer in Education (Science)
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Education

Qualifications

PhD (Queensland University of Technology)

Professional memberships and associations

QUT STEM Education Research Group

QUT Teachers and Teaching Research Group

Australasian Science Education Research Association

Science Teachers Association of Queensland

Teaching

EUN122 Curriculum and Pedagogy 3: Assessment

EUN120 Curriculum and Pedagogy: Foundations

EUB107 Introduction to Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment

EUB154 Foundations of Science

EUB324 Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment 2: Science

EUB420 Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment: Innovation

Experience

I have tertiary and secondary school teaching experience and taught at a secondary school (years 7-12) in Queensland for 5 years and in universities in Fiji and Queensland for 4.5 years. I have recently contributed to supporting new researchers in the Vacation Research Experience Scheme at STEL and developing preservice teachers. In addition, I have demonstrated leadership in developing and operationalising the Quality Teaching Performance Assessment at QUT. I have also been involved in research within high school classrooms in Queensland under grants such as DECRA and the ARC research schemes. My recent research projects focus on exploring the Interplay of Emotion and Epistemic Cognition when Preservice Science Teachers Search Information Online and on Attitudes and Responses to AI in Teaching and Learning.

Publications

QUT ePrints

For more publications by Subhashni, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).

View more publications

Filter publications:

2024

Bellocchi, A., Mills, R., Arthars, N., Tomas, L., Appanna, S., Davis, J. & Rebollo de Campos, P. (2024). Preservice science teachers' epistemic cognition during online searching. Research in Science Education. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/253244

2023

Appanna, S., Bellocchi, A. & Davis, J. (2023). Understanding student emotion to inform responsive science inquiry teaching practices. 46. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/250626

2022

Bellocchi, A., Davis, J., Mills, R., Arthars, N. & Appanna, S. (2022). Preparing Australian Science Students for the Post-Truth World: Research-Based Pedagogies for Developing Student's Epistemic Cognition. Teaching Science, 68(4), 35–52. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/236616

2021

Appanna, S. (2021). Understanding student emotion to enhance science inquiry practices.

2019

Bellocchi, A., Davis, J., Olson, R. & Appanna, S. (2019). Understanding social bonds during science inquiry using V-Note software. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 14(3), 769–796. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/130809

2011

Appanna, S. (2011). Embedding Indigenous Perspectives in Teaching School Science. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 40, 18–22.

2008

Appanna, S. (2008). A review of benefits and limitations of online learning in the context of the student, the instructor and the tenured faculty. International Journal on E-Learning: Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education, 7(1), 5–22.

2006

Appanna, S. & Vuki, V. C. (2006). Bioerosion Patterns and Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Echinometra sp. A (green white tip) ecomorph on Nukubuco Reef, Fiji. Proceedings of the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium, 28 June-2 July 2004, Okinawa, Japan, 938–945.
Appanna, S. (2006). Foraging behavior, substrate preference and influence of Echinometra sp. A on the carbonate budget of Nukubuco Reef, Fiji Islands. Micronesica, 38(2), 191–205.

2004

Appanna, S., Vuki, V. C. & Cumming, R. L. (2004). Variation in abundance and spatial distribution of ecomorphs of the sea urchins, Echinometra sp. nov A and E. sp. nov C on a Fijian reef. Hydrobiologia, 518, 105–110.

2003

Appanna, S. & Vuki, V. C. (2003). A Novel Method of Assessing Bioerosion by the Sea Urchin Echinometra sp. A on a Fijian Reef. The South Pacific Journal of Natural Science, 21(1), 25–30.
Appanna, S. (2003). Sea urchin ecology : an annotated bibliography. University of the South Pacific.

2001

Appanna, S. (2001). Abundance, spatial distribution and bioerosion of sea urchins, Echinometra spp on the Nukubuco Reef, Suva, Fiji.

2000

Vuki, V. C., Appanna, S. & Naqasima, M. R. (2000). Vanuatu. In Sheppard, C. (Ed.), Seas at the millennium : an environmental evaluation (pp. 737–749). Elsevier Science Inc..

A complete list of publications is available at: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/s.appanna

Supervision

Looking for a postgraduate research supervisor?

I am currently accepting research students for Honours, Masters and PhD study.

You can browse existing student topics offered by QUT or propose your own topic.

View student topics

Dr Subhashni Appanna