Teaching Strengths
Ms Katrina McLachlan
Online Course Facilitator
Adelaide University Online and Learning Futures
Academic
I am the Online Course Facilitator for the Bachelor of Journalism, Bachelor of Digital Media and Bachelor of Communications and have responsibility for leading the development and delivery of online teaching for UniSA Online students in those programs. My role involves working closely with divisional staff at UniSA to provide high-quality online teaching to undergraduate students and to coordinate the day-to-day activities of online tutoring staff.As a digital media storytelling specialist with more than 25 years’ experience as a journalist, media adviser, digital media creative and corporate communications manager I have an intimate knowledge of the South Australian, Australian and international media, political, education and business landscapes and bring this industry focus to my work as a Teaching Academic.Throughout my career I have experienced massive changes in journalism and digital media creation, business models and publication forms along with significant changes in Higher Education curriculum design and delivery. Digitisation is revolutionising modes of, and opportunity for, learning and as Professor Glyn Davis, in his book The Australian Idea of a University, argues, “experimentation, innovation and resilience are the only way Australia’s universities will endure”. Many academics would be overwhelmed with the need for ongoing innovation but as a working professional, industry connected teaching academic who has been part of the talented teaching team at UniSA Online since before the launch of the first programs, I see this changing landscape as an enormous opportunity.The University of South Australia has always been an innovative, outward-looking institution known for its strong and engaged research and its graduate employment outcomes and so my research focus is on the design and delivery of authentic and engaging learning experiences that prepare digital media and journalism graduates for professional practice.As a media professional I am passionate about news, storytelling and entrepreneurial media business models. As an academic, I combine my working industry knowledge with my educational experience and research findings to implement authentic and engaging learning experiences for students to build both their technical skills and their professional practice capabilities.I have been a member of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health Mindframe Education Advisory Board overseeing the MindFrame guidelines for the responsible reporting of mental health and suicide. I am a judge and social media manager for the MEAA Walkley South Australian Media Awards (2003-present) and a member of many professional organisations including MEAA Women in Media and Women in Innovation.As an industry-focused teaching academic, in a discipline that is always changing, I strive to constantly update my professional practice skills and knowledge and embed best-practice approaches into my curriculum development and teaching practice. This professional practice has included being a co-developer and director of the entrepreneurial digital media storytelling business Stories Well Told that works with a range of clients and creative agencies across Australia. Working on a range of digital media projects for clients further motivates me to deliver authentic learning experiences that will genuinely prepare UniSA students for rewarding and successful careers in digital media and digital journalism.
PhD ongoing “Let’s get real: Developing authentic, industry relevant curricula in journalism and media communication.”
McLachlan, K. & Tippett, N. (2024). Kickstarting creative collaboration: placing authentic feedback at the heart of online digital media education. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 49(2), pp. 246-261.
Katrina McLachlan and Neil Tippett (pre-publication) "Feedback for learning: Fostering student engagement in online education."
Courses I teach
- COMM 1074 UO News Reporting (2025)
- COMM 1086 UO Emerging Media Contexts (2025)
- COMM 2088 UO Writing for Digital Media (2025)
- COMM 2104 UO Innovations in Visual Journalism (2025)
- COMM 2107 UO Social Media for Journalists (2025)
- COMM 3073 UO Feature Writing (2025)
- COMM 1074 UO News Reporting (2024)
- COMM 2088 UO Writing for Digital Media (2024)
- COMM 2091 UO Media Law and Ethics (2024)
- COMM 3073 UO Feature Writing (2024)
- COMM 3075 UO Communication Management in Practice (2024)
- GRAP 2036 UO Digital Media Project 2 (2024)
Programs I'm associated with
- XBDM - Bachelor of Digital Media
- MBJR - Bachelor of Journalism and Professional Writing
- XBJO - Bachelor of Journalism
- XBCD - Bachelor of Communication
Available For Media Comment.