Dr Raoul Adam ~ Senior Academic Developer

Dr Adam is an academic developer in the Centre for Education and Enhancement at JCU. He has extensive experience in educational leadership and design as former Director of Teaching and Learning at Southern Cross University and a Senior Lecturer in Education at James Cook University. He has led whole of faculty transitions in curriculum, assessment, pedagogy and managed projects in Artifical Intelligence, HyFlex and Blended Learning, and critical and creative thinking.

His qualifications include a Bachelor of Secondary Education (Hons) from the Queensland University of Technology, a Master of Education by Research (Hons) from James Cook University, a Postgraduate Certificate of Cognitive Science and a PhD in cultural cognition from the University of Queensland, and a Senior Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy.

Dr Adam is a previous recipient of the overall JCU teaching citation and a national ALTC Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. He has consulted for many organisations including the United Nations and Australian Council for Educational Research on curriculum, pedagogy, and wicked problems. 

His research focuses on metacognition and epistemological development in contested cultural contexts. He has published, presented, and consulted extensively in this field. His framework for critical, creative and consilient thinking (i.e. Big Little Thinking) has been used in diverse secondary and tertiary contexts in Australia and overseas.

Key Links

Big Little Thinking (BLT): This website includes a framework and set of resources for teachers and leaders who facilitate thinking through 'wicked problems' and social issues in contested spaces.

Education for Wicked Problems and the Reconciliation of Opposites: A Theory of Bi-relational Development: This book is the culmination of conceptual and empirical research into ways of knowing and being in relation to dyads (e.g. nature/culture; conservative/liberal; local/global; spirit/matter)

Interactive Rubric for Written Communication: Dr Adam and his team designed this website to support first year students' academic literacy.

Subject Transition Framework: Dr Adam and his team designed JCU's transition framework to support teaching and learning during the calendar transition.

Interests

Research

• Dr Adam conducts research in developmental epistemology (i.e. how we know) in order to inform pedagogy (i.e. how to teach for complex knowing). He applies these theoretical interests in diverse fields including religious-secular dialogue, teacher identity, academic development, and conflict resolution.

Experience

• 2023 - Senior Academic Developer, James Cook University (Cairns)
• 2016 to 2021 - Senior Lecturer, Southern Cross University (Gold Coast)
• 2019 to 2020 - Direct of Teaching and Learning (FoE), Southern Cross University (Gold Coast)
• 2015 to 2016 - Adjunct Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Cairns)
• 2010 to 2015 - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Cairns)
• 2008 to 2009 - Lecturer, James Cook University (Cairns)
• 2007 - Lecturer, University of Queensland (Brisbane)
• 2005 to 2007 - Lecturer & Tutor (Casual), University of Queensland (Brisbane)
• 2000 to 2003 - Secondary School Teacher, Townsville Grammar School (Townsville)
• 1997 to 1999 - Secondary School Teacher, Annandale Christian College (Townsville)

Awards

• 2018 - Senior Fellowship Higher Education Academy
• 2011 - HERDEC Publications Performance Award
• 2010 - Faculty Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching & Learning, JCU
• 2009 - Highest Ranked Subject, JCU
• 1992 - Philip-Fox Bursary for Study of Law
• 2010 - National Citation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, ALTC
• 2010 - Overall JCU Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching and Learning, James Cook University
• 2008 - Dean's List for Outstanding Thesis, University of Queensland

Memberships

• Queensland College of Teachers
• Australian Teacher Educator Association
• International Association for the Psychology of Religion
• Faith Development Research Network

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU.

Journal Articles

• Adam R (2015) Bi-relational design: a brief introduction and illustration. Journal of Learning Design, 8 (1). pp. 1-20
• Adam R and Chigeza P (2014) Beyond the binary: dexterous teaching and knowing in mathematics education. Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 16 (2). pp. 108-125
• Adam R (2012) Conceptualising the epistemic dimension of academic identity in an age of Neo-liberalism. Education Research and Perspectives, 39. pp. 70-89
• Adam R (2012) An exploration of the epistemic dimension of preservice teachers' identity. Online Journal Of New Horizons In Education, 2 (2). pp. 1-27
• Adam R (2011) An epistemic theory of religious fundamentalism. International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society, 1 (1). pp. 81-95

Books

• Adam R (2016) Education for Wicked Problems and the Reconciliation of Opposites: a theory of bi-relational development. Routledge, Abingdon, UK

Book Chapters

• Adam R, Whitehouse H, Stevenson R and Chigeza P (2019) The socioecological (un)learner: unlearning binary oppositions and the wicked problems of the Anthropocene. In: Touchstones for Deterritorializing Socioecological Learning: the Anthropocene, posthumanism and common worlds as creative milieux. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Switzerland, pp. 49-74
• Adam R (2013) 'The Devil Wears Nada': The Simpsons and the demythologisation of the apocalypse. In: Small Screen Revelations: apocalypse in contemporary television. The Bible in the Modern World, 50. Sheffield Phoenix Press, Sheffield, UK, pp. 179-202
• Adam R (2010) "Schooling for Hard Knocks": using scenario-based learning (SBL) for behaviour management skills in pre-service teacher education. In: Preparing Graduates for the Professions Using Scenario-Based Learning. Post Pressed, Mt Gravatt, QLD, Australia, pp. 97-110

Conference Papers

• Adam R (2011) Engaging the epistemic dimension of preservice teachers' identity: a pedagogical tool. Proceedings of 2011 ATEA Conference: policy, perspectives, partnerships. 3-6 July 2011, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
• Adam R (2010) The design and implementation of a first year literacy initiative for pre-service teachers: a preliminary review. Proceedings of Australian Teacher Education Association Conference. In: ATEA 2010 Australian Teacher Education Association Conference, 4-7 July 2010, Townsville, QLD, Australia
• Jackson C, Taylor P and Adam R (2010) Practical challenges and possibilities for the integration of academic literacy in a first year subject. Proceedings of Australian Teacher Education Association Conference. In: ATEA 2010 Australian Teacher Education Association Conference, 4-7 July 2010, Townsville, QLD, Australia

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 19+ research outputs authored by Dr Raoul Adam from 2008 onwards.