Teaching Spotlight: Dr Kelly Choong

The Teaching Spotlight is a regular feature that highlights the outstanding contributions of educators at ECU. Each edition of this series focuses on an individual who exemplifies excellence in teaching—whether through innovative practices, student engagement, curriculum development, or mentorship. By sharing their stories, strategies, and insights, The Teaching Spotlight aims to celebrate teaching excellence, inspire peers, and foster a culture of continuous improvement in learning and teaching across the university.

This edition’s Teaching Spotlight features Senior Lecturer Dr Kelly Choong who joined ECU in 2020 after working at several universities in Southeast Queensland. He is the Course Coordinator for the Bachelor of Communication and Academic Coordinator International in the School of Arts and Humanities. 

Curious to hear more about his methods and impact? Let’s hand it over to Kelly to tell us more!

Kelly, what does learning and teaching mean to you? What role does active learning play in your approach?

Learning and teaching to me is a reciprocal process where both teacher and student learn and discover different meanings in knowledge and make them relevant to their lives, disciplines, and future practice. I believe that the more we learn, the more we realise how much we don’t know. I advocate the teaching of critical thinking, discovery, and connection as the bedrock of learning. Active learning is central to my approach as it transforms students into active participants instead of passive recipients. I encourage students to justify their discussions, creative solutions, and collaborations rather than ask me for the ‘right’ answers, showcasing their comprehension and independence of their learning journey.

How would you describe your teaching practice in three words and why?

Inclusive: Students of diverse background and identity can participate fully and freely, and exchange ideas and opinions as part of critical analysis and view the world beyond their own lens. 

Engaging: Motivating students to think and participate actively, apply, and connect what they learn to their own experiences. 

Reflective: Instead of relying on teachers for the answers, through peer feedback and self-evaluation students can improve their learning outcomes and build on their knowledge and understanding.

What advice would you give yourself at the start of your teaching journey?

Enjoy the teaching and learning journey, and not just the outcomes.

What is a classroom moment you are most proud of?

Recently, I overheard students in my class using key content concepts and terminology while providing peer feedback. I felt incredibly proud! It was a rewarding moment, particularly as this is a new unit built around pass/fail grading and a strong emphasis on feedback and learning. Their ability to not only grasp the concepts for their own work but also apply them meaningfully to evaluate a peer’s work showed real depth of understanding. It felt like a ‘Yoda moment’, a sign that the learning approach was genuinely taking hold.

What’s a piece of meaningful feedback from a student that has stuck with you?

An ex-student once told me that while working through a particularly tough task, it hit her that it felt just like one of those tedious activities she had reluctantly done in my class. But this time, she tackled it with confidence. She said, ‘It was one of those “I hate Kelly” moments, but I’m glad you made us do it. Keep challenging your students.

Do you have a go-to active learning activity in your teaching that encourages engagement with students?

My go-to active learning activity is to chat with the students about what is in the news at the start of the class. Depending on what I have learned about the group and what they are into, it could be anything from the latest technological trend, entertainment gossip, politics, or big headline stories. I ask students to share their opinions, and over time, some even start bringing their own news to the table. It is a great way to break the ice, get students talking, and help everyone feel more comfortable speaking up. I have found it really helps students relax, connect with each other, and get into the swing of the tutorial activities.

About Kelly

Dr Kelly Choong, PhD, BBus (Marketing), MBus (Research), is a Senior Lecturer in Advertising and researcher at ECU. Having worked at several universities in Southeast Queensland since 1999, Kelly joined ECU in 2020 as the Advertising Coordinator and now serves as Course Coordinator for the Bachelor of Communication (F35) and Academic Coordinator International in the School of Arts and Humanities. He is currently collaborating with his communication colleagues to trial feedback-focused units as part of the Curriculum Transformation Program, where the emphasis is placed on student learning and reflection rather than grades.

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn.