Introduction

Sandra Elsom (known as Sandie) is a Lecturer in Technology Education at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She has also spent four semesters as Visiting Lecturer at Koblenz University of Applied Sciences in Germany. Passionate about supporting learners, Sandie’s primary focus is on helping students develop foundational skills for university. Her teaching experience spans diverse topics including ICT, academic writing and critical thinking.

Sandie’s current PhD research centres on the application of game-based learning in higher education. This research investigates the potential of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) to enhance student learning. In earlier years, she led the development of “The Universal Student”, an ARG designed to address the challenges of alienation, isolation and confusion commonly experienced by first-year university students.

Sandie’s work also explores strategies for supporting students with specific needs, such as Tourette Syndrome. She co-authored a journal article detailing the experience of university staff supporting a student with severe Tourette Syndrome. The article offers recommendations for educators working with students facing similar challenges.

In addition to her research and teaching work, Sandie is a keen advocate for the use of artificial intelligence in Education. She designs and delivers professional development workshops for university staff and teachers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to integrate AI tools and technologies into their pedagogical practices, and into their lives outside work as well.

Beyond her emphasis on pedagogy and student support, Sandie engages with the broader landscape of academia. Her work critiques the challenges involved in working in neoliberal university structures and advocates for embracing the concept of the university as an ‘infinite game’, and promoting an ethics of care, rest and friendship within academic practice.