Prof. David Kember
Professor in Curriculum Methods & Pedagogy
Contact Details
Publications
Most highly cited publications
- Kember, D. (1997). A reconceptualisation of the research into university academics’ conceptions of teaching. Learning and Instruction, 7(3), 255-275.
- Biggs, J., Kember, D. & Leung, D.Y.P. (2001). The revised two factor Study Process Questionnaire: R-SPQ-2F. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, 133-149.
- Kember, D. & Gow, L. (1994). Orientations to teaching and their effect on the quality of student learning. Journal of Higher Education, 65(1), 58-74.
- Gow, L. & Kember, D. (1993). Conceptions of teaching and their relationship to student learning. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 63, 20-33.
- Kember, D. & Kwan, K.P. (2000). Lecturers’ approaches to teaching and their relationship to conceptions of good teaching. Instructional Science, 28, 469-490.
- Kember, D. & Gow, L. (1991). A challenge to the anecdotal stereotype of the Asian student. Studies in Higher Education, 16(2), 117-128.
- Kember, D. & Gow, L. (1990). Cultural specificity of approaches to study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 60, 356-363.
- Kember, D. (2000). Misconceptions about the learning approaches, motivation and study practices of Asian students. Higher Education, 40(1), 99-121.
- Kember, D. (1995). Open learning courses for adults: A model of student progress. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
- Kember, D. (2000). Action learning and action research: Improving the quality of teaching and learning. London: Kogan Page.
- For a complete listing of publications and citations, see Google Scholar.
Books
- Kember, D. & Ginns, P. (2012). Evaluating teaching and learning: A practical handbook for colleges, universities and the scholarship of teaching. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge.
- Kember, D. (2007). Reconsidering open and distance learning in the developing world: Meeting students’ learning needs. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge.
- Kember, D. with McNaught, C. (2007). Enhancing university teaching: Lessons from research into award winning teachers. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge.
- Kember, D., Ma, R.S.F., McNaught, C. and 18 excellent teachers (2006). Excellent university teaching. Hong Kong: Chinese University Press.
- Kember, D. et al. (2001). Reflective teaching and learning in the health professions. Oxford: Blackwell Science.
- Kember, D. (2000). Action learning and action research: Improving the quality of teaching and learning. London: Kogan Page.
- Kember, D. (1995). Open learning courses for adults: A model of student progress. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
- Kember, D. & Murphy, D. (1994). 53 interesting activities for open learning courses. Bristol: Technical and Educational Services.
- Kember, D. & Kelly, M. (1993). Improving teaching through action research. N.S.W.: HERDSA Green Guide No. 14.
- Kember, D. & Murphy, D. (1992). Tutoring distance education and open learning courses. N.S.W.: HERDSA Green Guide No. 12.
- Kember, D. (1991). Writing study guides. Bristol: Technical and Educational Services.
Selected recent publications
- Kember, D., Hong, C. & Ho, A. (2012). From model answers to multiple perspectives: Adapting study approaches to suit university study. Active learning in higher education, 14(1), 23-35.
- Kember, D. & Leung, D.Y.P. (2011). Disciplinary differences in student ratings of teaching quality. Research in Higher Education, 52(3), 278-299.
- Kember, D., Hong, C., Ho, Amber & Ho, Amaly (2011). More can mean less motivation: applying a motivational orientation framework to the expanded entry into higher education in Hong Kong. Studies in Higher Education, 36(2), 209-225.
- Kember, D., McNaught, C., Chong, F. C.Y., Lam, P. & Cheng, K.F. (2010). Understanding the ways in which design features of educational websites impact upon student learning outcomes in blended learning environments. Computers and Education, 55, 1183-1192.
- Kember, D. & Watkins, D. (2010). Approaches to learning and teaching by the Chinese. In Bond, M.H. (ed.) The Oxford handbook of Chinese psychology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Kember, D. (2009). International students from Asia. In Tight, M., Mok, K.H., Huisman, J. & Morphew, C. (eds.). Routledge international handbook of higher education. Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge.
- Kember, D. (2009). Promoting student-centred forms of learning across an entire university. Higher Education, 58(1), 1-13.
- Kember, D. (2008). Nurturing generic capabilities through a teaching and learning environment which provides practise in their use. Higher Education, 57(1), 37-55.
- Kember, D., Hong, C. & Ho, A. (2008). Characterising the motivational orientation of students in higher education: A naturalistic study in three Hong Kong universities. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 78, 313-329.
- Kember, D., McKay, J., Sinclair, K. & Wong, F. (2008). A four category scheme for coding and assessing the level of reflection in written work. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 33(4), 369-379.
- Leung, D.Y.P., Ginns, P. & Kember, D. (2008). Examining the cultural specificity of approaches to learning in universities in Hong Kong and Sydney. Journal of Cross Cultural Psychology, 39(3), 251-266.
Research areas
I am probably best known for research with qualitative methods, but also have many publications with sophisticated quantitative techniques such as structural equation modeling, so am strong on mixed method work. I have also been one of the pioneers for the use of action research and action learning as a mechanism for enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in higher education.
My research interests are diverse. The following areas have been particularly highly cited:
- student approaches to learning and the influence of teaching and assessment on them;
- the Chinese and Asian learner;
- motivation;
- reflective thinking;
- teachers’ beliefs about and approaches to teaching;
- action learning and research for teaching quality improvement;
- adult education.
Background
My links to Launceston date back to 1982 to 1985 when I was a Lecturer in Instructional Design in what was then the Tasmanian College of Advanced Education. I subsequently worked in Hong Kong for 25 years, initially at the Polytechnic University and then Chinese University. I ended up as a Professor in Higher Education at the University of Hong Kong, the highest ranked university in Australasia. I spent six years running an inter-institutional initiative, operating across the eight universities in Hong Kong, known as the Action Learning Project, which supported 90 action research projects in which teachers introduced a wide variety of initiatives aiming to improve the quality of student learning.
