Rate My Professor Kim Balnaves

Kim Balnaves is an Associate Lecturer in the School of Education at Curtin University, where she also serves as a coordinator and researcher. She holds a Doctor of Education. Her research specializations include higher education, teaching methods, educational technology, learning through serious games, and the development of learning cultures. Balnaves possesses expertise in online education, online learning, e-learning, technology enhanced learning, teaching and learning, and collaborative learning. She has been involved in studies exploring student relationship engagement systems at Curtin University and the integration of digital technologies in pedagogy.

Balnaves has contributed key publications to her field. These encompass 'Informal Game Play in the Classroom: Utilisation and Integration of the Metalanguage of Games' (2023), examining game metalanguage in middle years classrooms; 'World Building for Children's Global Participation in Minecraft' (2018), on developing virtual worlds for global child participation; 'That cute creeper just blew up my house: Lessons in resilience in Minecraft games' (2021); 'Digital Technologies and Online Learning in Higher Education (Australia)' (2020), a chapter in Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies; 'Imagining the Enculturation of Online Education' (2013), presented at ASCILITE; 'Spawning in Concordia: A Tale of Digital Literacies in Virtual Worlds' (2019); 'Narrative, games and the oral literacy revolution' (2007); and 'Children's digital play and wellbeing' (2025). Her Google Scholar profile lists these and additional works with interests in education, games, play, and computer child interaction. In recognition of her efforts, she received Citations for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning from the Faculty of Humanities at Curtin University. Balnaves coordinates units such as EDUC1020: Teaching and Learning in the Digital World and EDUC1017: The Professional Educator - Developing Teacher Identity.