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Dr Katrina Falkner
To link to this page, please use the following URL: Biography/ Background
Awards & Achievements
Teaching Interests
In 2012 I will be taking Study Leave and so will not be involved in any teaching activities. During this year, I will be exploring research areas related to teaching, including the use of problem based learning, collaborative learning and the design of appropriate assessment in collaborative activities, and understanding student motivation. Research InterestsSoftware Architecture ResearchMy discipline research is in the areas of Software Architecture and Distributed Systems. Specifically I am interested in software architectures and architectural approaches applied in the development of distributed systems, including functional and non-functional properties, such as system evolution, flexibility and scalability. My recent work involves the application of Model Driven Engineering techniques within Distributed Real-time Embedded Systems, and the use of MDE techniques within Defence areas.
Current Research Staff
Current Research Students
Past Research Students
Education ResearchMy education research interests include transition support for first year students, supporting international students, and cooperative learning strategies. I am interested in exploring new ways of improving student engagement and motivation, and apply these ideas within my courses. I am the leader of the Computer Science Education Research Group (CSER) based in the School of Computer Science. The CSER group aims to promote research and scholarship both within the field of Computer Science Education and more broadly in the Higher Education sector. The goal of CSER is to understand how we can improve the teaching and learning of computing, and how contemporary issues in higher education, such as the use of new technologies can impact upon the teaching and learning environment. I am a founding member of the Education Research Group of Adelaide (ERGA), which provides opportunities for collaboration and dissemination of education research across South Australia. ERGA runs an annual education research conference, which provides academics with a venue to discuss new and innovative education strategies and new problems needing solutions.
Current Research Staff
Current Research Students
Research FundingReview of Model Driven Software Engineering Practice. K. Falkner, DSTO Research Contract ($225,000) (2011-2012)To complement the System Execution Modelling (SEM) and Model Driven Development (MDD) research, the construction of a representative implementation of a combat management system will be initiated. Known as the reference Combat Management System, or refCMS, this will be developed in order to demonstrate how modern software engineering principles can be utilised to create and manage a software product line (SPL) for distributed combat management systems. Representative software components will be deployed on standards-compliant middleware, utilising MDD, SEM and SPL software development practices. Review of Model Driven Software Engineering Practice. K. Falkner, DSTO Research Contract ($46,500) (2011)The development of complex software systems for Defence applications is undergoing a step change in the philosophy and methodology used, with the trend moving toward the use of Model Driven Development (MDD) and Continuous Integration and Test frameworks, such as System Execution Modelling (SEM) Environments. There is a need for defence organisations to understand the issues and benefits that arise out of the use of such approaches, and how to leverage the techniques to best effect. This project endeavours to address these needs through the implementation of an execution modelling computing environment, contribution (where possible) towards the development of a generic combat system execution model and collaborative research into generic execution modelling techniques needed for combat system performance analysis. It will also contribute to the development of a laboratory visualisation tool suite that will be used within the SEM laboratory environment. Review of Model Driven Software Engineering Practice. K. Falkner, DSTO Research Contract ($70,000) (2010)The development of complex software systems for Defence applications is undergoing a step change in the approach and methodology used, with the trend moving toward the use of Model Based Systems Engineering and Model Driven Development. There is a need for defence organisations to understand the issues and benefits that arise out of the use of such approaches, and how to leverage the techniques to best effect. Further, in order to work with the complex, component-based systems required in Defence, there is a need for current Computer Science graduates to develop skills in modern software architecture techniques, including Model Driven Architecture and Model Driven Development. This project endeavours to address both these aims by initiating research into innovative and best-practice course delivery and assessment mechanisms for an honours-level course suited to the areas of model driven architecture and model driven development. In order to provide an authentic learning environment, this project will involve the development of real-world case studies that can be used in the teaching and assessment of these techniques. A deeper understanding of the relevant software practices will be a direct spin-off of this work, with a particular emphasis on distributed realtime systems in the maritime environment. Sustained Sessional Teacher Support, K. Falkner, T. Rainsford, C. Kestell, J. Denier, University Learning and Teaching Performance Fund Grant ($50,000) (2009-2010)Sessional teachers play a crucial role within the University system, acting as the main point of contact with the University for many first year students, and providing the majority of one-on-one learning opportunities. However, sessional teachers are often untrained and underprepared for their role. The requirements of these teachers are complex, in that they must quickly transition from student expectations to those of a teacher. They must provide appropriate support for our diverse classes, encompassing international and domestic students, high school leavers and adult learners, who are each dealing with their own transition concerns. Within this environment, sessional teachers must offer both generic approaches to academic study as well as discipline- and course-specific support. This project proposes the development of a sustained sessional teacher support programme that provides exposure to relevant pedagogical approaches, and opportunities for community reflection on the nature of pedagogy within a discipline-specific context. Full list of Grant Funded Projects Publications
Some of my recent publications: K. Falkner and N. Falkner, Integrating Communication Skills into the Computer Science Curriculum. Accepted for SIGCSE 2012, Raleigh, USA, February 29-March 3, 2012. K. Falkner, Embedding Communication Skills in the Study of the Discipline. In A. Patil, H. Eijkman and E. Bhattacharyya (Eds), New Media Communication Skills for Engineers and IT Professionals: Trans-National and Trans-Cultural Demands, IGI Global, USA in press (2012). K. Falkner, Engaging Large First Year Classes. In Engineering Education: an Australian Perspective, MultiScience Publishing, 532 pp, October 2011. K. Falkner, Integrating Communications Skills with Discipline Content. In ergo, 2(1): 5-14, February 2011. K. Falkner and K. Le Lievre, From student to teacher: building professional development resources for sessional teaching staff. In Proceedings of the 21st Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference (AAEE 2010), Sydney, Australia, December 2010. K. Le Lievre and K. Falkner, A change of direction: helping postgraduate students become effective sessional teachers. In Proceedings of the 5th Education Research Group of Adelaide Conference (ERGA 2010), Adelaide, Australia, September 2010, pp 52. K. Falkner, Engaging Large First Year Classes. In Proceedings of the 20th Australasian Association for Engineering Education Conference (AAEE 2009), Adelaide, Australia, December 2009. K. Falkner and E. Palmer, Developing Authentic Problem Solving Skills in Introductory Computing Classes. In Proceedings of the 40th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE 2009), March 2009, Chattanooga, TN, USA. (Also in SIGCSE Bulletin 41(1):4-8, March 2009). P. Nguyen, K. Falkner, H. Detmold and D.S. Munro, A Domain Specific Language for Execution Profiling & Regulation. In Proceedings of the 32nd Australasian Computer Science Conference (ACSC 2009), Wellington, New Zealand, January 19-23, 2009.
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