Project Team

Since 1993 Professor Cooper has worked on numerous research and education projects in the area of acute care, including simulation approaches, assessment measures, leadership and teamwork tools and education evaluations. He has a track record in funded research and project management with 29 recent grant awards. Over the last 10 years he has focused on the management of patient deterioration and has successfully completed a range of studies examining nurses, midwives and paramedics’ abilities to manage the acutely ill, all of which have had a significant impact on learning outcomes. His 100+ publications include text books on clinical skills, games for teaching and learning in the health sciences, and peer review journal publications in emergency and education fields. These include simulation education, team leadership, patient deterioration, research methods and systematic reviews.

Ruben Hopmans has developed a number of online platforms that are similar to the First2Act project. One major project was the TAC/VWA Early Intervention Physiotherapy Framework (EIPF) training environment, where physiotherapists work through online video modules that cover a range of outcomes stipulated by the TAC/VWA. This 2-3 hour program has been completed by 1700+ physiotherapists.

Other projects include an online cognitive performance indicator that measures changes in a persons cognition over time. The aim is to provide evidence for early recognition of cognitive diseases such Parkinson’s.

Ruben has a variety of development experience such as the development of an online game about the deforestation of Borneo for Geography Teachers Association of Victoria and visualisation design work for History Teachers Association of Victoria ‘Revolutions in History’ book series to match the new Australian Curriculum.