Kim Balnaves

Kim Balnaves is an Associate Lecturer at the School of Education, Curtin University, within the Faculty of Humanities. She holds a role in the Office of the Provost and is affiliated with the university’s Perth campus. Her research focuses on Higher Education, Teaching Methods, and Educational Technology, with a particular emphasis on Game-Based Learning and digital ethnography. She explores how platforms like Minecraft foster student agency, voice, and authentic learning experiences, particularly among middle school children.

Her work includes analyzing intercultural competencies through global Minecraft participation and the development of pedagogical tools for virtual learning environments. Recent research involves digital ethnography to study children’s agency in virtual worlds, as seen in her contributions to conferences like ECGBL and ISTE. She has also presented at the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) and the European Conference on Game-Based Learning (ECGBL).

Kim’s research highlights the intersection of digital literacies, resilience in gaming contexts, and the enculturation of online education. She has published in proceedings of major conferences, including ASCILITE and the Australian Association for Research in Education. Her 2023 work examines the integration of game metalanguage in classrooms, while earlier studies (2005–2013) explored narrative structures in games and manga’s cultural impact.

Grants and advising details are not explicitly stated in the provided text. Kim is involved with initiatives like the Game Changers network, evidenced by her webinar participation on Minecraft-based learning. No formal awards are listed, but her active conference contributions reflect her scholarly engagement.