Section: Overview
Overview
Key publications
Research funding
Supervising & teaching
Career

Key details

Areas of expertise

  • Learning and teaching
  • First year experience
  • Physiology education
  • Assessment
  • Block model

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

About Kathy Tangalakis

Kathy's career focus has been on enhancing the first year student learning experience and outcomes for diverse student cohorts in biomedical and health-related courses. Her contribution to learning and teaching has been recognised internationally, nationally and institutionally with numerous awards. Kathy is currently researching how Victoria University's innovative Block Model has impacted on commencing student outcomes in STEM.

Kathy is also co-chair of the National Biomedical Assessment Collaboration, whose aim is to build a national Assessment Framework which will allow mapping of, and improvements to, the quality of assessments in the biomedical and biosciences. Kathy is currently undertaking a project, funded by the The Physiological Society UK and in collaboration with the Australian Council for Educational Research, to use the Assessment Framework to improve assessment of the core concepts of Physiology within curricula.

Qualifications

  • BSc (Hons), University of Melbourne, Australia, 1988
  • PhD, University of Melbourne, Australia, 1992

Key publications

Year Citation
2024 Tangalakis, K., Hoang, C. H., Knight, E., Hurley, P., Jackson, J., & Hildebrandt, M. (240101). Differentiation through innovation in the contemporary higher education environment: The case of the Victoria University Block Model . Innovations in Education and Teaching International,

doi: 10.1080/14703297.2024.2329192

2024 Irvine, S., & Tangalakis, K. (240101). An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Nursing Students' Experiences of Group Work in Block Model Teaching.. Nursing education perspectives,

doi: 10.1097/01.nep.0000000000001234

2023 Harkin, K., Apostolopoulos, V., Tangalakis, K., Irvine, S., Tripodi, N., & Feehan, J. (230401). The impact of motivational interviewing on behavioural change and health outcomes in cancer patients and survivors. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas, 170 (9-21).

doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2023.01.004

2023 Moro, C., Douglas, T., Phillips, R., Towstoless, M., Hayes, A., Hryciw, D. H., Lexis, L., & Tangalakis, K. (230101). Reply to Surapaneni. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(4), (754-754).

doi: 10.1152/advan.00165.2023

2023 Estaphan, S., Wadley, G. D., Todd, G., Towstoless, M., Hryciw, D. H., Lexis, L., Hayes, A., & Tangalakis, K. (230101). Unpacking and validating the physiological adaptation core concept of physiology. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(4), (831-837).

doi: 10.1152/ADVAN.00083.2023

2023 Sinnayah, P., Ambler, T., Kelly, K., Konjarski, L., Tangalakis, K., & Smallridge, A. (230101). Reviewing the literature: Collaborative professional learning for academics in higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International,

doi: 10.1080/14703297.2023.2227614

2023 Etherington, S. J., Moorhouse, A. J., Paravicini, T. M., Towstoless, M., Hayes, A., Hryciw, D. H., Lexis, L., & Tangalakis, K. (230101). Unpacking and validating the cell membrane core concept of physiology by an Australian team. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(3), (575-581).

doi: 10.1152/ADVAN.00143.2022

2023 Chopin, L. K., Choate, J., Rathner, J. A., Towstoless, M., Hayes, A., Hryciw, D. H., Lexis, L., Tangalakis, K., Bakker, A., & Beckett, E. (230101). Unpacking and validating the cell-cell communication core concept of physiology by an Australian team. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(3), (443-452).

doi: 10.1152/ADVAN.00145.2022

2023 Perry, B. D., Cameron, M. S., Cooke, M. B., Towstoless, M., Hryciw, D. H., Hayes, A., Lexis, L., Tangalakis, K., Etherington, S., & Gaganis, V. (230101). Unpacking the renal system component of the structure and function core concept of physiology by an Australian team. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(3), (453-460).

doi: 10.1152/ADVAN.00150.2022

2023 Brown, D., Uebergang, T., Masters, N., Towstoless, M., Hayes, A., Hryciw, D. H., Lexis, L., Tangalakis, K., Bakker, A., & Beckett, E. (230101). Unpacking the movement of substances core concept of physiology by an Australian team. Advances in Physiology Education, 47(3), (514-520).

doi: 10.1152/ADVAN.00149.2022

Research funding for the past 5 years

Please note:

  • Funding is ordered by the year the project commenced and may continue over several years.
  • Funding amounts for contact research are not disclosed to maintain commercial confidentiality.
  • The order of investigators is not indicative of the role they played in the research project.

Improving Assessment Across the Sciences Using an Assessment Framework
From: Australian Council of Deans of Science
Other investigators: Prof Alan Hayes
For period: 2022-2023
$29,734

Inside the Black Box of the Block Model: First-Year STEM
From: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE)
Other investigators: Ms Jennifer Jackson, Prof Peter Noonan, Prof Ian Solomonides
For period: 2019-2020
$39,544
Assessing the Core Concepts of Physiology within an Assessment Framework
From: The Physiology Society UK
For period: 2019-2021
$19,801

Supervision of research students at VU

Available to supervise research students

Not available for media queries

Completed supervision of research students at VU

No. of students Study level Role
2 PhD Associate supervisor
1 Master of Research Associate supervisor

Completed supervision of research students at VU

Students & level Role
PhD (2) Associate supervisor
Master of Research (1) Associate supervisor

Key academic roles

Dates Role Department / Organisation
Jun 2018 - Present
Deputy Head of Scholarship & Professional Learning
First Year College, Victoria University
Jan 2014 - Dec 2016
Head of Discipline (Medical Physiology)
College of Health & Biomedicine, Victoria University
Jan 2014 - Dec 2016
First Year Champion
College of Health & Biomedicine
Jan 2015 - Dec 2015
Course leader, Bachelor of Biomedicine
Victoria University
Jan 2009 - Dec 2012
Academic Coordinator (Teaching & Learning)
School of Biomedical Sciences, Victoria University
Jan 2008 - Dec 2010
Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Sciences)
Victoria University
Show more academic roles
Dates Role & Department/Organisation
Jun 2018 -
Present
Deputy Head of Scholarship & Professional Learning
First Year College, Victoria University
Jan 2014 -
Dec 2016
Head of Discipline (Medical Physiology)
College of Health & Biomedicine, Victoria University
Jan 2014 -
Dec 2016
First Year Champion
College of Health & Biomedicine
Jan 2015 -
Dec 2015
Course leader, Bachelor of Biomedicine
Victoria University
Jan 2009 -
Dec 2012
Academic Coordinator (Teaching & Learning)
School of Biomedical Sciences, Victoria University
Jan 2008 -
Dec 2010
Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Sciences)
Victoria University
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Awards

Year Award
2019

David Jordan Teaching Award - The Physiological Society, UK

2018

Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Programs that Enhance Student Learning (H5P Blended Learning Team) - Victoria University

2016

Michael Roberts Medal for Excellence in Physiology Education - Australian Physiological Society

2016

Australian Awards for University Teaching - Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning - Australian Government

2016

Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Programs that Enhance Student Learning (First Year Champion Team) - Victoria University

2014

Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Programs that Enhance Student Learning (Collaborative Biomed Team) - Victoria University

2011

Vice-Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence in Learning & Teaching – Higher Education (Individual) - Victoria University

2011

Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award (Individual) - Faculty of Health, Engineering & Science, Victoria University

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Keynote and invited speeches

Year Title/Description
2017

Michael Roberts Lecture

Australian Physiological Society, Victoria, Australia

2016

Student Supported Peer Learning: Peer mentoring programs in different contexts.

ComBio Conference, Brisbane, Australia

Professional memberships

  • Member, Australian Physiological Society
  • Member, The Physiological Society UK
  • Member, The American Physiological Society