Rate My Professor Karin Mills

Karin Mills serves as an Associate Lecturer and Lecturer (Teaching Scholar) in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University, with a focus on midwifery education. She is based at the Coffs Harbour campus in room M1.35. Her academic qualifications include a Diploma of Applied Science (Nursing), a Graduate Diploma in Midwifery from the University of Tasmania, and a Master of Midwifery from Flinders University. In her role, Mills contributes to the Bachelor of Midwifery program, serving as a key contact for midwifery practice experience units such as MPE3A. Her teaching emphasizes innovative pedagogical approaches tailored to midwifery students, particularly in foundational courses.

Mills co-presented at the 2023 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoLT) Symposium at Southern Cross University on the topic 'Assessment using Digital Storytelling for first-year Midwifery students,' alongside Lisa Charmer from the Faculty of Health and Amanda Evans from the Centre for Teaching and Learning. This presentation, which received the 'Most thought-provoking contribution' award by popular vote, explored the shift from traditional assessments to authentic alternatives in the unit MIDW1003 - Foundations of Midwifery. The assessment involves students creating short video presentations on the history of midwifery in Australia, contemporary midwifery practices, women's rights in healthcare access, and historical and current challenges impacting maternal health outcomes and public health strategies. Digital storytelling humanizes sensitive subject matter, evaluates high-order thinking skills, develops transferable soft skills, and aligns with the university's academic model by producing assessable artifacts. The presentation discussed student feedback, challenges faced, and motivations for adopting this method, particularly in the context of Generative Artificial Intelligence use by students. Mills' work demonstrates a commitment to authentic assessment strategies that enhance skill acquisition and educational readiness in midwifery education.