I earned a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Geography from the University of Zagreb in 2007, including a secondary school placement, and began working there as a teaching assistant in 2008. I joined Bournemouth University in 2016. Since 2017 I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
My teaching philosophy is rooted in Vygotsky’s constructivism, where I believe that knowledge is built upon existing understanding through social interaction and collaborative learning. I integrate the Socratic method to foster critical thinking, encouraging students to engage with course material through inquiry and dialogue. By emphasizing active learning and real-world application, I aim to create a student-centered environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and students are empowered to connect theoretical concepts with practical experiences.
I have received the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education Excellence Award three times (2011, 2014, 2016) for outstanding work with students. In 2016, I was awarded the “Brdo” Award for Best teaching assistant at the Geography Department, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, by the Students’ Council. Additionally, I received the “You’re Brilliant” Award four times from the Students’ Union at Bournemouth University, in recognition of my positive impact on students’ academic experience.
Units (modules) I have taught:
- Principles of regionalisation
- Environmental history
- Geography of Africa
- The Mediterranean
- Southeastern Europe
- Residential field trip
- International field trip
- Human geography
- Urban social geography
- Contemporary topics in geography
- Geographic research skills
- Sustainable development in practice (on-line)
- Frontiers of Sustainability science (on-line)
