Professor Katrina Falkner FTSE
Executive Dean, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide (SA)
Professor Katrina Falkner is a top 100 innovator completely transforming computer science education. Her work directly addresses inequities in access to technology, helping to build a fairer Australia.
In 2013, 95% of teachers had no education in computer science. Katrina decided to turn this around. Her wildly successful computer science ‘massive open online course’ (MOOC) shows teachers how computer science works and highlights its importance for children’s futures.
Based on rigorous research, the MOOC blends computer science into any subject for an enjoyable learning experience. It has reached 45,000 Australian educators and more than two million students.
Katrina’s research shows that teachers are inspired and empowered by the course, moving rapidly from uncertainty to confidence in teaching computer science.