Biography

After working as a secondary school teacher (English and History) for a number of years, I began my University career in January 2006. I have taught and coordinated Education courses in the areas of: critical pedagogies, philosophies of education, History curriculum and pedagogies, literacies, education as a professional career, assessment, and professional experience.

My most recent work analyses representations of Indigenous Australians and British heritages in History curriculum across the twentieth century.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Southern Queensland, 2011
• Graduate Certificate Practice of Tertiary Teaching, University of Newcastle, 2008
• Master of Education, Deakin University, 2005
• Bachelor of Education, Queensland University of Technology, 2002
• Bachelor of Arts, Queensland University of Technology, 2002

Research

Research keywords

• Critical Pedagogy
• History Curriculum
• Student-Academic Research

Research expertise

I have recently completed my PhD, Constructing history: Selective representations of Indigenous Australians and British heritages in Queensland History curriculum. The research was conducted through a bricolage approach, encompassing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), historical methodologies, visual analysis techniques and framed within an understanding of hegemony as espoused by Gramsci and Althusser. The thesis analysed representations of Indigenous Australians and British heritages in History textbooks across selected time periods of the twentieth century.

I conduct research on academic and undergraduate student research partnerships. This explores the power relationships, cognitive benefits and socialising impacts that occur when academics and students work together, outside of official university courses.

Beginning teacher induction is an area I have researched, specifically investigating the connection between expectations of professional support and the realities beginning teachers experience in a school setting.

Languages

• English

Fields of Research

Memberships

Body relevant to professional practice.

• Member - Australian College of Educators

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Critical Pedagogy
• English curriculum
• History curriculum

Teaching expertise

I have the following broad university teaching expertise: supervisor of Honours and Masters students; course coordination of first, second and third year courses; lecturing and tutoring of courses across secondary, primary and middle school degree programs. I have also coordinated programs for Research Higher Degree students who wish to embark on an academic career.