Associate Professor Chinthaka Balasooriya's educational activities are predominantly based within the Medicine program. He facilitates learning for medical students within small group sessions known as Scenario-group-sessions. He also convenes Phase 2 (years 3 and 4) of the Medicine program. He conducts training of staff who are new to teaching in this format, and leads the Formative Peer Review of Teaching project. He also conducts executive training in medical education for colleagues from overseas universities.
Chinthaka's research addresses contemporary challenges in medical education and has resulted in the design of a number of educational innovations. His work has been published in a range of international journals. These publications include 20 peer-reviewed journal publications, 4 book chapters and 21 conference presentations / posters. He is has also supervised three PhD students to completion and continues to supervise doctoral projects.
Learning and Teaching Awards and Grants
- Australian Learning & Teaching Council Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning
- UNSW Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence
- Award for Teaching Excellence, UNSW Medicine
- Award for all round achievement in Teaching and Research, SPHCM, UNSW
- UNSW Postgraduate ARC award for excellence in postgraduate supervision
- Inaugural Fellow of the Scientia Education Academy and am a Fellow of the Australia & New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators.
- Recipient of 12 educational grants including a Category 1 research grant from the Heart Foundation of Australia.
Chinthaka is a Scientia Academy Fellow and an Education Focused academic providing leadership and vision in learning and teaching across UNSW and in the higher education sector.
Email [email protected] to enquire if Chinthaka is available to mentor you.
Conditions for mentoring facilitation
- one-on-one mentoring
- group mentoring
Mentor details
Faculties
- Medicine & Health
Academic level
- Lecturer A
- Lecturer B
- Lecturer C
- Lecturer D
Learning and teaching skills
- Student learning
- Assessment and feedback
- Formative peer observation of teaching
- Evaluation
- General teaching methods
Experience developing applications for
- Faculty learning and teaching award
- Faculty learning and teaching grant
- UNSW Award for Teaching
- National learning and teaching award
Mentoring discipline
- Mentoring within own/and across disciplines
General experience
- Establishing and building networks
- Deciding on career priorities
- Supporting critical reflection through listening and asking questions