Elke is an experienced educator and researcher with international work and research experience. She is an applied linguist who brings her expertise to solving language-related problems in contexts such as language education, cross-cultural curriculum development, and postgraduate supervision and assessment practice. At the University of Canberra Elke has held several senior leadership positions as Associate Dean International, Head of School, HDR (Higher Degree by Research) students Convenor, and Program Director TESOL. She serves currently as Associate Dean (Research & Development) in the Faculty of Education. Prior to joining the University of Canberra in 2007, she held university teaching and research positions in New Zealand (University of Otago), Australia (Australian National University) and Germany (University of Münster). She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate coursework and research students.

In the local context she supports the ACT Community Language Schools Association and the Canberra Languages Network (CLN). She also acts as an advisor on the Tertiary Working Party for the Sydney Institute for Community Languages Education (SICLE). In the international context, Elke has worked as a consultant in contexts as diverse as the University of the South Pacific (Fiji) and the University of Dammam (Saudi Arabia). Elke is also Research Ambassador for Germany for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). As Deputy Chair of the Community of Associate Deans Research in Education (cADRE) Elke helps to facilitate and guide collaborative educational research on shared issues and promote a culture of research cooperation.

Areas of Teaching and Supervision

Elke's key teaching activities focus on applied linguistics, language acquisition, language teaching methodology, sociolinguistics, and research methods. She currently supervises four PhD candidates in the areas of language education and applied linguistics. Elke has successfully supervised more than ten doctoral students, many of whom came from neighbouring countries such as PNG, Vietnam or Indonesia. In 2016 Elke was awarded the University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Supervision of Higher Degree by Research Candidates in recognition of her experience in best practice research supervision.

Research Interest

Elke's key research activities focus on: 

• blended and independent language learning and their relationship with learner autonomy and motivation
• community language learning 
• feedback and assessment practices and peer learning in postgraduate supervision practice
• curriculum development