Professor Roy Tasker

• Biography
• Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise
• Grants / Current Projects
• Awards and Recognition
• Publications
• Contact Details

Biography

After graduating from the University of Queensland in 1978 he obtained his PhD in synthetic inorganic chemistry at the University of Otago in 1982. Following teaching positions at Brisbane Grammar School, the University of Tasmania, and the University of Adelaide, he was appointed as a Foundation Lecturer at the University of Western Sydney in 1985. He is now Professor of Chemical Education with primary teaching responsibilities at first-year level, and research interests in the use of molecular-level visualisation and interactive multimedia for learning chemistry.

Areas of Research / Teaching Expertise

His interests are in how and what students learn in chemistry using interactive multimedia resources – in particular, from learning designs that develop student mental models of the molecular world.

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Awards and Recognition

2011: Prime Minister's Award for Australian University Teacher of the Year.

2008: Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation for an outstanding contribution to student learning through "the use of interactive multimedia resources to develop a deep understanding of chemistry by progressively refining a student’s mental model of the molecular world."



2007: appointment as co-chair of the 2007 Gordon Research Conference on Visualisation in Science & Education at Bryant University, RI, USA from 1 – 6 July.



2005: Invitation by the UK Higher Education Academy to present a two-week lecture tour on Molecular-Level Visualisation in Chemical Education to eight UK universities and the Royal Society of Chemistry.



2002: Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) Chemical Education Division Medal - one of only seven awarded in it's then 21-year history.



1992: the inaugural UWS Nepean Award for Excellence in Tertiary Teaching.

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Projects

Roy's interests are in how and what students learn using interactive multimedia resources – in particular, from learning designs that develop their mental models of the molecular world.

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Publications

Research & Development Publications in Chemical Education

A. Publications on the Effectiveness of the VisChem Resources and Learning Design

1. Tasker, R., & Dalton, R. (2008). Visualising the Molecular World: The Design, Evaluation, and Use of Animations. In Gilbert, J.K., Reiner, M., Nakhleh, M. (Eds.) Visualisation: Theory and Practice in Science Education. Series: Models and Modelling in Science Education Vol. 3, Chapter 6, pp103 - 132. ISBN 978-1-4020-5266-8 Springer.
   http://www.springer.com/west/home/education?SGWID=4-40406-22-173670362-detailsPage=ppmmedia%7Ctoc
   
2. Tasker, R., & Dalton, R. (2006). Research into Practice: Visualisation of the Molecular World Using Animations. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 7(2), 141 - 159.
   See http://www.rsc.org/Education/CERP/index.asp
   
3. Tasker, R. (2005) Using Multimedia to Visualise the Molecular World: Educational Theory into Practice. In Pienta, N., Cooper, M., Greenbowe, T. (Eds.) Chemists’ Guide to Effective Teaching Chapter 16 (pp195 – 211). ISBN 0-13-149392-2 Prentice Hall, NJ.
   
4. Tasker, R., Dalton, R., Sleet, R., Bucat, B., Chia, W. and Corrigan, D. (2002). Description of VisChem: Visualising Chemical Structures and Reactions at the Molecular Level to Develop a Deep Understanding of Chemistry Concepts. Retrievable from the Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC) Learning Designs Web site:
   http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/exemplars/info/LD9/index.html
   Last accessed on Wednesday, 9 January 2008.
   
5. Tasker, R. (1996) Assessment of Molecular-Level Models of Ionic Solutions: A Case Study. In Nightingale, P., Te Wiata, I., Toohey, S., Ryan, G., Hughes, C. (1996) Assessing Learning in Universities UNSW Press, Sydney.
   

B. Recent Research on Student Engagement with Online Learning Resources

1. Tasker, R., Miller, J., Kemmett, C., and Bedgood, D.R. (2003). Analysis of Student Engagement with Online Chemistry Modules Using Tracking Data. In G. Crisp, D. Thiele, I. Scholten, S. Barker and J. Baron (Eds), Interact, Integrate, Impact: Proceedings of the 20th Annual Conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Conference. University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 7 – 10 December 2003, p 505 - 514.
   
2. Velázquez-Marcano, A., Williams, V., Ashkenazi , G., Tasker, R., Williamson, K. (2004). The Use of Video Demonstrations and Particulate Animations in General Chemistry. Journal of Science Education and Technology. 13:3, September 2004, p 315 – 323. ISSN 1059-0145 (Paper) 1573-1839 (Online)
   

C. Educational Interactive Multimedia Resources Produced with CADRE design and Published Internationally by WH Freeman & Co., New York.

1. Tasker, R., Bell, J., & Cooper, M. (2003) Integrated Web Site with the textbook General Chemistry. An American Chemical Society Project. Bell, J. (ed)
   See http://www.whfreeman.com/acsgenchemhome/, click on “Web Companion”.
   
2. Jones, L., & Tasker, R. (2002) CD, workbook, and Web Site. Bridging to the Lab: Media Connecting Chemistry Concepts with Practice. See http://bcs.whfreeman.com/bridgingtothelab/ and view the FREE SAMPLE.
   
3. Tasker, R. (2001) CD and Web Site for ChemCom — Chemistry in the Community. An American Chemical Society Project. Heikkinen H (ed.) 4th Ed.
   See http://bcs.whfreeman.com/chemcom5e/ and go to “Interactive ChemCom Media for Instructors and Students”.

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