About Us

The Computer Science Education Research Group (CSER), based at the University of Adelaide in the School of Computer Science, aims to promote research and scholarship both within the field of computer science education and more broadly in the higher education sector.

CSER is home to the CSER Digital Technologies MOOC program, through which we provide open, free online professional learning in digital technologies for Australian teachers. We are grateful for the support of our partners. Google Australia initiated this project with us, and remain genuine collaborators in our program. Digital Careers made our Next Steps MOOC possible. The Department of Education and Training are supporting our expansion of this program, enabling us to take our program from the offering of MOOCs alone, to a national facilitated professional learning program, with expanded MOOC resources and the introduction of a National Lending Library.

If you would like to talk with your local project officer, or arrange a professional learning event for your school or area, please complete the CSER Professional Learning Contact Request and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Meet the team

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  • Project officers
    photo of Karen Butler

    Karen Butler
    Project Officer (South Australia)

    I am an educator currently on secondment to the Learning Improvement Division in DECD, South Australia. I am currently a Project Officer for Primary Years Learners focussing on Learning Technologies. I am very interested in ways to ensure all learners have opportunities to be critical, creative and active producers as well as consumers of information and communication technologies.

     

    Sue Carter

    Sue Carter
    Project Officer (Northern Territory)

    Sue Carter has worked in NT Education for 30 years starting out as a primary school classroom teacher in Nhulunbuy in 1986. Her experiences include early childhood and primary teaching, PE specialist, Teacher Librarian and ICT specialist completing a Master's degree in Technology in 1997.

     

    Celia Coffa

    Celia Coffa
    Project Officer (Victoria)

    Celia is an experienced educator, eLearning Coach and Google Certified Innovator. In 2015 Celia was awarded the 2015 DLTV Educator of the Year Award for her dedication, advocacy and innovation in digital learning and teaching across her school and beyond.

     

    Meridith Ebbs photo

    Meridth Ebbs
    Project Officer (New South Wales)

    Meridith’s background is in corporate and school education K-12. Meridith has a passion for evolving pedagogy, innovation and revolutionising education to lead to increased student engagement. Meridith has experience in both independent and public sector education and teacher professional development.

     

    Peter Lelong

    Peter Lelong
    Project Officer (Tasmania)

    Peter Lelong has been a Digital Technologies educator supporting all three jurisdictions in Tasmania. He is an Apple Distinguished Educator (2004) and a Google Educator. He works with teachers and students across all year levels and curriculum areas from F – 12.

     

    Robin McKean WA Project Officer

    Robin McKean
    Project Officer (Western Australia) 

    Robin has worked as a Deputy Principal, teacher and education consultant in WA, supporting schools to make effective use of ICT across all learning areas and improve learning outcomes.

     

    Lauren Stanhope

    Lauren Stanhope
    Project Officer (Queensland)

    As a Digital Technologies Teacher in a Queensland Primary School, I will be able to share my first hand experiences of teaching Digital Technologies with you. I'm very excited about the new Digital Technologies curriculum and I'm looking forward to sharing what I've learnt with other educators in Queensland.

     

    Tonu Falusi

    Toni Falusi
    Project Officer (Australian Capital Territory)

    Toni is an experienced K-10 educator. Her passion for Digital Technologies has guided her teaching career as an ICT Co-ordinator and also a few years as a Teacher Librarian. Currently finishing a Master of Information and Communication Technology in Education and she is looking forward to working alongside Schools in ACT as they implement the curriculum.

     

    Ben Jucius

    Ben Jucius
    Project Officer (South Australia)

    Ben has been a Specialist Digital Technologies teacher for the last 10 years at Victor Harbor R-7 School.

     

    Laura Ferguson

    Laura Ferguson
    Project Officer (Queensland)

    Laura is an experienced secondary school teacher with experience in Digital Technologies, Design and Technologies and STEM. Laura has also worked in the Queensland government as a Project Leader in Online Learning and Senior Project Officer in Digital Pedagogies. She has a passion for coding, robotics, VR and gamification with a focus on engaging students to be creators and developers of technology.

     

    Helen Kardiasmenos

    Helen Kardiasmenos
    Project Officer (New South Wales)

    Helen is our Sydney based Project Officer working collaboratively with Meridith Ebbs and Toni Falusi to support NSW schools. In this role, she works with schools across Sydney to guide and support them in implementing Digital Technologies and the K-6 and Tech Mandatory Science and Technology curriculum documents. Helen is also the Junior School Technology Mentor at PLC Sydney, where she works side-by-side with teachers to mentor and teach Digital Technologies across K-6. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience having worked in both teaching and leadership roles across a range of public and independent schools in Sydney over the last 10 years, in classroom and specialist capacities. Helen has worked as an eLearning Advisor or sessional academic for the University of Swinburne in the Master of Teaching (Primary) and Bachelor of Education (Primary) programs. She also has a Master of Education (Knowledge Networks and Digital Innovation) from CSU. 

     

  • Coordination
    Susie Barber

    Susie Barber
    Project Manager

    Susie Barber coordinates and communicates with our Project Officers and key stakeholders and schools across Australia. Susie has worked in education policy, program and project delivery at both national and state level. Her interest in education and sustainable career pathways for young people has resulted in her working on career and employment related projects as well as skills training and mental health and wellbeing programs. Susie is currently undertaking a Master of Education at the University of Adelaide.

    Eva Plaza
    Administrative Assistant

    Eva is the main contact for queries and feedback.

    Eva Plaza

  • Academics

    Prof Katrina Falkner
    Deputy Dean - Students for ECMS, University of Adelaide 

    Katrina is Lead Project Coordinator of the CSER Digital Technologies Education Program, and is Founder and Director of the CSER Group, leading research into Computer Science Education and Computational Thinking.

    Contact Katrina 

     

    Rebecca Vivian

    Dr Rebecca Vivian
    Research Fellow, School of Computer Science, University of Adelaide 

    Rebecca Vivian leads CSER's K-12 Digital Technologies research stream and is education designer and content developer for the Digital Technologies Education Program. Rebecca brings her expertise in learning sciences, educational technology and primary school teaching.

    Contact Rebecca

     

    Nick Falkner

    Associate Professor Nick Falkner
    Associate Professor, School of Computer Science, University of Adelaide

    Nick Falkner is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computer Science and leads CSER's Learning Analytics research stream, in addition to the Networks stream of the Centre for Distributed and Intelligent Technologies. Nick is currently leading the development of our new Digital Technologies MOOC for teachers of Years 9 and 10. 

    Contact Nick

     

    Dr Claudia Szabo
    Associate Dean - Diversity & Inclusion, School of Computer Science, University of Adelaide

    Claudia Szabo is a Lecturer and leads CSER's Software Engineering research stream, as well as the Complex Systems stream of the Centre for Distributed and Intelligent Technologies. Claudia leads the development of our Next Steps: Years 7 & 8 MOOC. 

    Contact Claudia