Professor Lorelle Burton

Professor Lorelle Burton is recognised as one of Australia’s best teachers of psychology. She is a registered psychologist and has received multiple teaching excellence awards, both locally and nationally. Lorelle received the USQ Award for Teaching Excellence in 2001. In 2004, she was awarded the Pearson Education and Australian Psychological Society Early Career Teaching Award. In 2006, she received a Carrick Australian Citation “For excellence in delivering nationally recognised teaching practices and resources that inspire first-year students to actively engage in learning processes and develop critical thinking skills” and an individual Carrick Australian Award for Teaching Excellence in Social Sciences.

Lorelle has developed innovative teaching practices and resources that help first-year students adapt to the demands of academic life. Lorelle has authored multiple psychology textbooks, including a market leading first year Australian psychology textbook and a widely adopted textbook about writing essays and research reports in psychology. Students say Lorelle’s teaching practices and her passion inspire a love of learning, which helps them develop the critical thinking and self-directed learning skills required for academic success.

Lorelle’s focus on self-directed learning has resulted in a significant improvement in the ability of students to critically engage in learning opportunities. Her nationally recognised teaching practices and resources give students the skills necessary to become independent and life-long learners and are used as a model across the University. Lorelle is passionate about providing a learning environment that caters for the diverse learning needs of students, and her student-centred approach incorporates teaching practices that help equip her students with the attitudes and skills they need to experience success.

Professor Burton is currently Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) in the Faculty of Sciences and works closely with her colleagues to ensure all students receive the best possible learning platform. Lorelle currently leads two national research projects and has served on learning and teaching committees and boards at both the local and national level. Lorelle also currently leads USQ collaborations with various community groups to promote community capacity building and well-being.