Raoul Adam

Dr Adam is an academic developer in the Centre for Education and Enhancement at JCU. He has extensive experience in educational leadership and design as former Director of Teaching and Learning at Southern Cross University and a Senior Lecturer in Education at James Cook University. He has led whole of faculty transitions in curriculum, assessment, pedagogy and managed projects in Artifical Intelligence, HyFlex and Blended Learning, and critical and creative thinking.

His qualifications include a Bachelor of Secondary Education (Hons) from the Queensland University of Technology, a Master of Education by Research (Hons) from James Cook University, a Postgraduate Certificate of Cognitive Science and a PhD in cultural cognition from the University of Queensland, and a Senior Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy.

Dr Adam is a previous recipient of the overall JCU teaching citation and a national ALTC Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. He has consulted for many organisations including the United Nations and Australian Council for Educational Research on curriculum, pedagogy, and wicked problems.

His research focuses on metacognition and epistemological development in contested cultural contexts. He has published, presented, and consulted extensively in this field. His framework for critical, creative and consilient thinking (i.e. Big Little Thinking) has been used in diverse secondary and tertiary contexts in Australia and overseas.

Key Links

Big Little Thinking (BLT): This website includes a framework and set of resources for teachers and leaders who facilitate thinking through 'wicked problems' and social issues in contested spaces.

Education for Wicked Problems and the Reconciliation of Opposites: A Theory of Bi-relational Development: This book is the culmination of conceptual and empirical research into ways of knowing and being in relation to dyads (e.g. nature/culture; conservative/liberal; local/global; spirit/matter)

Interactive Rubric for Written Communication: Dr Adam and his team designed this website to support first year students' academic literacy.

Subject Transition Framework: Dr Adam and his team designed JCU's transition framework to support teaching and learning during the calendar transition.