Dr Donkin was awarded a Degree of Biomedical Science from the University of South Australia in 2000 and completed a PhD in Lumbar intervertebral disc infection: pathology, prevention and treatment at The University of Adelaide in 2006.
While studying for her PhD she found her passion for teaching, completing a Graduate Certificate in Education (Higher Education) from the University of Adelaide in 2004 and recently was awarded Senior Fellow Higher Education Academy (SFHEA, 2019).
She has held positions in national and international universities teaching in nursing, medicine and biomedical sciences. She is the Program Coordinator for Medical Laboratory Science and teaches Histology and Haematology, in the discipline of Biomedical Sciences and Integrated Medical Science in the Bachelor of Medical Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Dr Donkin has a research interest in biomedical education developing adaptive eLearning modules, virtual microscopy, pathology and work integrated learning with her publications available from the USC Research Bank. She was awarded an Advanced Quality Teaching award in 2015, a Highly Commended ABLE Award – Advancing the Blended Learning Environment in 2017 and another ABLE Award – Advancing the Blended Learning Environment in 2018, along with SFHEA in 2019.
Dr Donkin is appointed on the editorial Board of BMC Medical Education (Q1 Journal) as Sectional Editor for ‘Approaches to Teaching and Learning’ and has membership with the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists, Histotechnology Group of Queensland, CSIRO Science in Schools and Centre for Health Education Scholarship.
Research students
- Dr Daisy Atwell, PhD candidate University of the Sunshine Coast
- Julie Creen, PhD candidate University of the Sunshine Coast
- Cameron Burton, Masters candidate University of the Sunshine Coast
Research grants
| Project name | Investigators | Funding body | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utilising virtual microscopy with online blended learning to enhance first year student engagement and learning. | Donkin, R; Kearney, J; Simon, G; Ford, J; Yule, H; Farah, C; Rakesh, K. | C-SALT Exploratory Learning and Teaching Grant USC $10,000 | Virtual microscopy in histology and haematology |
| Virtual patient case studies as a training resource to develop critical thinking for self-directed learning in a distributed program. | Donkin, R; Holmes, M; Simon, G; Ford, McAleer, A; Askew, E. | C-SALT Enhancement Learning and Teaching Grant USC $20,000 | Virtual microscopy for distributed teaching programs |
Research areas
- biomedical education
- pathology
- work integrated learning
MLS210 Advanced Haematology - Moderator
Teaching areas
Rebecca's specialist areas of knowledge include histology, pathology, infection, medical, nursing, haematology, biomedical science.