Orcid ID: 0000-0003-1167-1371
Current Position:
Teacher Education Research
Director, AfGT Management Team
Member, AfGT Consortium Executive Group
Centre for Program Evaluation
Melbourne Graduate School of Education
University of Melbourne
Honorary Professor
College of Arts & Education
Victoria University
Brief bio:
I am currently working in Teacher Education Research in the Centre for Program Evaluation, Melbourne Graduate School of Education.
Prior to working in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, I was employed at Victoria University from April 2012 to July 2017, where I occupied the role of Director of Learning & Teaching from January 2013 to December, 2016.
I was awarded sabbatical leave from Victoria University from February 1 to May 31, 2017. One of the projects in which I participated during this time was the Australian Institute of Teaching & School Leadership (AITSL)-funded national consortium led by the University of Melbourne to develop a Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) for Initial Teacher Education. Upon leaving VU in July 2017, I have continued to work in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education in the following projects:
- Assessment for Graduate Teaching Consortium (AfGT)
- Evaluation of the Professional Learning Communities Initiative (DET, Vic)
- Differentiated Support for School Improvement Initiative (DET, Vic)
- Evaluation of the Professional Practice Elements (DET, Vic)
- Framework for Assessing Teacher Evaluation Tools Project (Commonwealth DET)
- Principals Australia Institute evaluation framework
- Evaluation of the Professional Development Program for Qualifications related to the National Disability Insurance Scheme
- Atlantic Fellows Social Equity program.
In an earlier move from La Trobe University to Victoria University in April 2012, I taught the units: Educational Leadership for Social Justice, Education Research Design & Methods in the Master of Education, and Health Education units for primary and secondary pre-service teachers in the B Ed P-12.
Whilst at La Trobe University, I was awarded the following awards:
- Teaching Excellence Award for Postgraduate Teaching by the Faculty for Regional Development in 2001;
- Faculty of Education Award for University Teaching for a Program that Enhances Learning (team award) in 2006, and
- Faculty of Education Teaching Excellence Award in 2011.
My professional experience includes:
- teaching in primary schools (including as a classroom teacher, a specialist physical education teacher and as a drama specialist);
- special education (including as a classroom teacher and as a Special Education Consultant in the Gippsland Region);
- community education (with a community volunteers agency, project work in technology education, and as a loss and grief educator in a regional palliative care organisation);
- vocational education (including adult literacy in prisons, and Indigenous education programs in TAFE institutes, and workplace training with the Uncle Tobys Company), and in
- higher education (including the establishment and co-ordination of an academic skills support service and bridging program to support students from equity groups, international teaching, and teaching duties at La Trobe University’s Albury-Wodonga Campus.
My attributes include attention to detail, combined with insights and knowledge amassed during a diverse professional career; flexibility; patience; resilience; a preparedness to ‘have a go’ and to encourage others to do so as well; a capacity for working collegially and creatively within known parameters; determination; and an ability to re-frame seemingly negative events into something with at least some positive aspects. I also put boundaries around my work to ensure that I have a healthy work-life balance.