Rate My Professor Polly Lai

Dr. Polly Lai, recognized as Associate Professor and serving as Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Teaching and Learning at Southern Cross University, Australia, is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She holds a PhD in Learning Sciences and Technology from the University of Sydney, a Master of Learning Sciences and Technology from the University of Sydney, and a Master of Commerce in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from the University of Western Australia. Her distinguished career includes a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the Learning and Cognition Lab, led by Regents Professor Michelene Chi at Arizona State University, USA, followed by academic appointments at the University of New South Wales and Queensland University of Technology prior to joining Southern Cross University.

Dr. Lai's research specializations encompass technology-enhanced learning, productive failure, STEM education, embodied learning, learning and instruction, and educational technology. At Southern Cross University, she has led significant university-wide projects, including the Student-Centered Model transition for the Faculty of Business, Law and Arts and The Hotel School, as well as the HEA Fellowship Programme. Since 2019, she has mentored over 300 academic staff in curriculum design, learning innovation, and HEA fellowship applications. She serves as Associate Editor of the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology and has received the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Research Grant Award, while leading a Council of Australasian University Leaders in Learning and Teaching-funded project on hybrid learning spaces. Her expertise in productive failure has resulted in invitations to review for journals such as Instructional Science and the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning. Dr. Lai has published extensively, including journal articles and a book chapter. Key publications include 'Collaborative co-design to reimagine teaching practices in hybrid spaces' (with K. Hill and R. Greenaway), 'Investigating learning designers' perceptions of student cognitive engagement in hybrid learning environments' (2023), 'Using low-to-high structured learning sequence with peer-based activities' (2023, with F. Hussain), and 'Enhancing Digital Financial Advisory Skills through Video-based Presentation Assessments' (2024).