Improving Regional Low SES Students' Learning and Wellbeing. This study aims to address the learning and wellbeing needs of over 7000 predominantly low socio-economic status students in regional Australia by researching the conditions that enable refinement and extension of a successful curricular and wellbeing program. The current low educational performance of this student cohort has significant negative effects on individual employment prospects and broader national productivity. Their under- ....Improving Regional Low SES Students' Learning and Wellbeing. This study aims to address the learning and wellbeing needs of over 7000 predominantly low socio-economic status students in regional Australia by researching the conditions that enable refinement and extension of a successful curricular and wellbeing program. The current low educational performance of this student cohort has significant negative effects on individual employment prospects and broader national productivity. Their under-achievement and disengagement from schooling also contribute to many antisocial, harmful short-and long-term outcomes for individuals, with significant health and other costs to the broader community. Outcomes from the project have the potential to improve these current outcomes and to be applicable to similar settings.Read moreRead less
Marginalised students: enhancing life choices through engaging educational policies and practices. This project explores the provision of existing alternative/flexible learning pathways in Queensland for young people who have become disengaged from mainstream schooling. It seeks to assess educational principles and practices that work in such sites so as to develop a framework of educational ‘best practice’ that may inform this sector.
Quality teaching work and reducing educational inequalities. This project aims to investigate school-based teaching policies and practices using innovative design-based research, to collaboratively develop quality teaching that meets complex, contextual student needs in high poverty communities. Teachers' work in primary schools in high poverty areas is increasingly driven by standards and testing demands. High levels of teacher anxiety and fatigue are apparent in such schools. This project will ....Quality teaching work and reducing educational inequalities. This project aims to investigate school-based teaching policies and practices using innovative design-based research, to collaboratively develop quality teaching that meets complex, contextual student needs in high poverty communities. Teachers' work in primary schools in high poverty areas is increasingly driven by standards and testing demands. High levels of teacher anxiety and fatigue are apparent in such schools. This project will study teaching work in six educationally disadvantaged contexts and identify the different pedagogic approaches that produce sustained increases in student learning. The project intends to develop a collaborative knowledge model that will enhance teacher professionalism and student learning attainment, with highly valuable benefits for the Australian community and economy.Read moreRead less
Educational leadership and turnaround literacy pedagogy. This project will provide new ways of thinking about school reform for improving literacy achievement in high poverty contexts. The project will examine the ways in which new forms of educational leadership are developing in South Australian public schools and its effects on school culture, pedagogy and student literacy learning.