BMGT, MSc (Edinburgh), PhD (Auckland), SFHEA
Email: qian.liu@otago.ac.nz
Phone: +64 3 479 7758
About Qian
I provide academic development support to staff and students, teach within the programmes offered by HEDC, and research in the field of higher education. Prior to this role, I was a professional practice fellow (eLearning) in a medical school, postdoc research fellow in a business school, assistant researcher in a policy research institute, and training specialist in an oil and gas company. I completed my doctoral research within three years at the University of Auckland and the thesis received Dean's List award. I gained a Master of Science degree from the University of Edinburgh, and a Bachelor of Management degree from a Chinese university.
Research interests
My research revolves around learning and teaching in higher education. My doctoral study investigated the adoption of learning technologies by academics. Since then, I have conducted research into approaches to academic development, employability development pedagogies, vicarious learning via videoed tutorials, student video production, and more recently non-institutional technologies and learning analytics. However, I don't think previous research experience should define my future research interests: I try to keep an open mind and learn a bit of everything when I can.
Methodologically I am a mixed-methods researcher by training. I use the most appropriate method(s) to answer the research question, be they qualitative, quantitative, or a combination of several. Epistemologically, I find a constructivist stance best explains the reality I perceive. I update my research projects regularly on ResearchGate.
Supervision
I am available for postgraduate supervision. I have benefited greatly, both personally and professionally, from my doctoral supervision experience. It's only fair that I provide the same experience, if not better, to my students. I view research a journey that extends our capabilities, reshapes how we think, and possibly allows us to create new knowledge. As a supervisor, I cannot control the journey, but I will be an honest and trustworthy travel companion. Please get in touch if you would like to have a chat about your research ideas.
Current PhD students
Anjin Hu - Technology in authentic assessment in higher education
Qin An – The function and integration of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) in Business English classroom teaching
Current postgraduate students (MHEd, PGCertHighE, PGDipHighE)
Dr John Egbuji, MHEd, Sequential OSCE in pre-clinical learning of medicine
Dr Sheena Townsend, MHEd, Assessment for learning and feedback literacy
Past students
2023 Dr Mandy Wilkinson, PGCertHighE, Enhancing student learning through use of Moodle
2021 Alice Parata, PGCertHighE (CLED), The clinical learning environment: a contextual perspective on clinical teaching
Research Grants
Principal investigator (PI)
2021 University Teaching Development Grant, University of Otago
Analytics-informed design: Using learning management system recorded data to enhance course development (NZD 9,036; Qian Liu [PI], Tehmina Gladman [CI] and Rebecca Grainger [CI])
2020 Medical Education Research Fund, Otago Medical School
Capturing the invisible: An investigation of the use of non-institutional elearning tools and resources by medical students (NZD 5,296; Qian Liu [PI], Rebecca Grainger [CI], Tehmina Gladman [CI], Phil Blyth [CI] and Anthony Ali [CI])
2020 HERDSA NZ Grant, HERDSA NZ branch
Capturing the invisible: The use of non-institutional elearning tools and resources by undergraduate students in New Zealand universities (NZD 1402; Qian Liu [PI], Rebecca Grainger [CI], Tehmina Gladman [CI], Susan Geertshuis [CI] and Sally Eberhard [CI])
Co-investigator (CI)
2023 Linsell Richards Education Foundation Fund, New Zealand Society of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (NZSOHNS)
Development of student-centred, sustainable Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Teaching (NZD 20,000; Patrick Dawes [PI], Steve Gallagher [CI] and Qian Liu [CI])
2023 Medical Education Research Fund, Otago Medical School
Acceptability of cognitive bias modification for ethnic stereotyping (CBM-S) among medical students: a qualitative study (NZD 12,687; Jerry Hsu [PI], Zaine Akuhata-Huntington [Co-PI], Qian Liu [CI], Lis Heath [CI], Stuart Chambers [CI], Chris Lin [CI])
2023 University Teaching Development Grant, University of Otago
Development of student-centred, sustainable Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Teaching (NZD 5,000; Patrick Dawes [PI], Steve Gallagher [CI] and Qian Liu [CI])
2022 Quality Improvement Grant, University of Otago
Enhancing doctoral supervisor training content and delivery (NZD 9,987; Vijay Mallan [PI], Qian Liu [CI] and Ruth Toumu’a [CI])
2021 Medical Education Research Fund, Otago Medical School
The influence of students’ perceived learning autonomy support on approaches to learning (NZD 4,561; Tehmina Gladman [PI], Qian Liu [CI], Diane Kenwright [CI] and Rebecca Grainger [CI])
2018 Ako Aotearoa Co-funded Project, Ako Aotearoa and University of Auckland
Embedding Employability in the Curriculum: Strategies for the development of future-ready employability attributes within advanced and research-informed programmes (NZD 300,000; Susan Geertshuis [PI] and Qian Liu [Research Fellow])