Dr Jodie Miller is an Associate Professor in mathematics education, in the School of Education at the University of Queensland, where she is currently the Deputy Head of School. Her research focuses on improving the educational outcomes of students most at risk of marginalisation in school, particularly in the fields of Mathematics and Indigenous education.
Jodie is internationally recognised for her research in early algebraic thinking and evidenced based strategies to support engagement in mathematics in primary school settings. She leads research projects with a focus on classroom and mathematical practices, teacher professional development, culturally responsive teaching, and examining student understanding. This research has been conducted in countries including Australia, New Zealand, and Germany.
In addition to this, Jodie’s recent research collaborations focus on examining excellence in Indigenous education. This work is co-led with Dr Marnee Shay, where the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are brought to the forefront to re-imagine the notion of excellence in Indigenous education.
Professor Martin Mills's research interests include the sociology of education, social justice in education, alternative schooling, gender and education, school reform and new pedagogies. Martin’s work in these areas has been significant in contributing to international and national debates on these topics. His recent co-authored books include Re-engaging young people in education: learning from alternative schools and Boys and schooling: Beyond Structural Reform.
He is a Fellow of Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA), the immediate Past President of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), holds a Visiting Professorship at Kings College London and is a Life Member of Clare Hall Cambridge University. Martin has also been on a number of government advisory committees, for example, the Equity Advisory Group to the Queensland Studies Authority. Substantial policy advice has also been provided through the numerous government reports that he has co-authored, the most recent of which are a report to the Australian Capital Territory government on the alternative provision of schooling in that Territory and a report to the Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment on disengagement in Queensland Schools.
Literacy, teacher education, literacy and intellectual disability, teaching and learning in higher education
Associate Professor Karen Moni has had extensive experience teaching and researching in the field of English and literacy education. Her research interests include adolescent literacy and literature, literacy and young adults with intellectual disabilities, teacher education and teaching and learning in higher education. Dr Moni is also the Exectiuve Director of Latch-On a research and teaching program focusing on literacy and young adults with intellectual disabilities and continues to research in the area of intellectual disability
Christy is registered pharmacist with more than 17 years’ experience as a clinical educator and educational researcher, in both academic and clinical settings. Her clinical education experiences have been underpinned by my formal postgraduate qualifications, Master of Education (Clinical Education) and Doctor of Philosophy (Pharmacy Education). Her Doctor of Philosophy (University of Queensland, 2014) examined pharmacy curriculum and its influence on professional identity formation. This research has served as a platform for an ongoing research program in workplace learning in medical and health professional education, which has been recognised internationally.
Rebecca Olson is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Queensland, cutting-edge translational qualitative researcher, mentor and award-winning educator with expertise in the sociologies of health and emotions. As Director of SocioHealthLab, she leads an interdisciplinary collective of researchers, health professional educators and practitioners interested in doing health and healthcare differently: more socially aware, more relational, more inclusive and more just. As Director of Teaching and Learning in the School of Social Science, she prioritises collaborative, reflexive, creative and emotions-centred practices in higher education. With over 75 scholarly publications – as well as news media and creative video productions – Rebecca is a prolific contributor to public debate. With research interests spanning medicinal cannabis and health professions education to climate anxiety, Olson is internationally renowned for bringing sociological insight to complex challenges related to emotions, wellbeing, healthcare and caregiving.
Nalini has more than 25 years’ experience in innovative design and delivery of medicine and health programs in several countries. Her medical education research focusses on curriculum and assessment design, digital and inclusive education, and integration of biomedical sciences into health professional programs. She has a particular interest in educational technologies (including AI) and cognitive load, and curricular approaches that support positive learning behaviour, wellbeing, critical thinking and professional development. Nalini's research also includes medical imaging diagnositics and the use of AI.
Nalini is the co-founder of the Health Universities Initiative, which frames a whole-of-university approach to student success and wellbeing. She has several awards (Faculty, Vice-Chancellor, Australian Award for University Teaching) for her contributions to higher education. Nalini is the Chair of the International Program for Anatomical Education (FIPAE) of the IFAA, and an Associate Editor of Anatomical Sciences Education (Impact Factor, 7.2). Nalini is a Board Member and Fellow of ANZAHPE, Fellow of the Scientia Education Academy, and Fellow of HERDSA.
Nalini currently supervises 5 PhD students in the following topics:
Health Advocacy in Medical Education: Evaluation of current practice and implications for medical programs
Cosmetic female surgery: A consumer-driven evaluation of demand and its implications for medical education
Fetal and Embryological Collections: A paradigm to examine the ethical practice of informed consent
Anatomical Education: The role of digital-based pedagogies in future practice
Liver and Gallbladder Imaging in Paediatric Patients: Developing a pipeline for diagnostic automation
Nalini currently supervises 4 reseach honours students on the following topics:
Relationship-based support interventions in medical programs
An evaluation of intersex education in medicine programs in Australia
Left ventricular compaction: evaluation of MRI diagnostic criteria
VR in biomedical sciences education: current scope of practice
The School of Education is one of the most productive and high profile schools of education in Australia.
Professor Peter Renshaw's research has focussed on learning and teaching processes both at school and tertiary level. With a team of colleagues in the School of Education at UQ, he is currently investigating the quality of teaching and assessment practices in schools across Queensland. In two current ARC projects, with his co-researchers (Dr Ray Brown and Dr Elizabeth Hirst) he is investigating how teachers group and label students, and the effects of these practices on learning outcomes. These projects are framed by a sociocultural theory of education that foregrounds the social and cultural construction of knowledge and identity, and the responsibility of educators to create challenging, inclusive and supportive learning contexts for diverse groups of students. Professor Renshaw was President and Secretary of Australian Association for Research in Education and a member of the Executive for over a decade (1991-2002). He currently is on the International Advisory Board of CICERO Learning, an interdisciplinary research centre at the University of Helsinki, Finland. He has active collaborations with European researchers in the Netherlands and Sweden, studying how teachers deal with student diversity and how they provide inclusive contexts for learning in multicultural classrooms.
Dr Vicente Chua Reyes, Jr. is with the School of Education, University of Queensland, Australia. He is co-editor of the Policy and Leadership Studies Working Papers Series of the National Institute of Education (Singapore). He is a Fellow of the Centre for Chinese Studies of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the National Taiwan Normal University and the University of Macau (China). He is also a Visiting Academic at the Institute of Education, University of London. Vicente has experience in educational settings spanning Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, Spain, Italy, the UK and the US. Vicente used to be a Teaching/School Principal for an elementary and high school in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Vicente taught humanities in high school (Philippines and Singapore) and in elementary school levels (Philippines and Spain). Trained as a political scientist, his current research interests are in comparative education. Vicente also pursues inquiries into the application of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education, educational leadership, research methodologies as well as investigating the phenomenon of corruption alongside governance in educational reform.
Dr Emily Ross is a Lecturer in the School of Education at The University of Queensland. She has extensive experience in curriculum implementation, supporting school leadership teams and teachers to implement some of the most exciting and cutting-edge curriculum initiatives. She has led the design and implementation of key curriculum and assessment initiatives for the state of Queensland and at a national level. Emily's doctoral research on curriculum interpretation and implementation has shaped government policy in Queensland. It has influenced the method and messaging for implementation support of the Australian Curriculum, and the professional development and resources that have been developed to aid teachers in the curriculum planning work. After completing her doctoral studies, Emily was asked to lead the project for the renewal of the QCAA Australian Curriculum website, including the redevelopment of over 500 curriculum support resources.
Emily's expertise in curriculum development and implementation has continued to be drawn upon by several national organisations, including the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and Education Services Australia. Through these organisations, she has been invited to continue to serve on Advisory Groups and National Expert Panels to support the development and delivery of the Australian Curriculum and resources to support its implementation in Australian schools.
Previously, Emily held senior leadership positions at the QCAA, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and the interim National Curriculum Board, as well as in Queensland government and independent schools. Emily’s research focuses on curriculum and assessment policy and its implementation, particularly in areas of STEM education.
Dr. Steven Rynne is an Associate Professor and Program Convenor for Sports Coaching with the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at The University of Queensland, Australia. The major theme that runs throughout Steven’s work is learning in sport. Within this broad theme he has worked and conducted research with a variety of peak domestic and international sporting bodies aimed at fostering high performance through learning (e.g. how elite coaches learn their craft) and understanding outcomes for sport participants (e.g. sport for reconciliation). Steven teaches undergraduate and graduate students, is a cycling coach and registered HPE teacher, and has been immersed in junior and community sport settings for more than two decades.
Associate Professor Christine Slade PhD GCProfLearning BA (Com Plan & Devt) PFHEA MPIA ATCL
Assessment and Academic Integrity
In my role as Associate Professor in Higher Education, in the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation (ITaLI) I contribute to the UQ strategic priorities, with leadership in assessment and academic integrity. I have been a member of the UQ Assessment Sub-committee since 2016. I have leadership responsibilities in the delivery of the UQ Academic Integrity Action Plan and the UQ Assessment Action Plan 2022-2027 and facilitate professional learning activities for academic staff through workshops and resources.
In late 2019, I was a member of the TEQSA National Academic Integrity Workshop team, with Professor Tracey Bretag (Leader), Dr Guy Curtis and Dr Margot McNeill, delivering 19 workshops across Australia. These workshops brought together representatives of higher education providers to help strengthen institutional detection, prevention and responses to breaches of academic integrity. The team also developed an Academic Integrity Toolkit for the sector, based on workshop feedback, which was launched recently in the TEQSA webinar . In February 2020 I co-facilitated (with Dr McNeill) two similar academic integrity workshops in New Zealand at the request of the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities and contributed expertise to workshops at University College London on assessment design that strengthens student authorship verification. The corresponding research has been published online by HERD
Towards Digital Maturity
Engaging in technology is part of everyday life, more so during COVID-19. I advocate for the inclusion of digital aspects in curricula and support educators and students in building their digital capabilities for learning and professionals in the workplace. Since 2012 I have advanced folio pedagogies to facilitate students using ePortfolios to demonstrate learning over time, reflect on their developing practices, and to showcase their digital brand to wider audiences. Important aspects of these practices is understanding and applying digital ethics and eProfessionalism principles when engaging online. Therefore, I am a member of the international Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-based Learning (AAEEBL) Taskforce on Digital Ethics and ePortfolios which has produced guiding ethical principles, strategies and scenarios for institutions, educators, administrators and students. I also partnered with the UQ Library to develop a new eProfessionalism digital essentials module for educators and students to use when building their online presence. I have a particular interest in Digital Healthcare and work with international academics and industry representatives to advance student preparation for clinical placements and future work.
Teaching
I have been a lecturer, course coordinator and tutor over a number of years. both in the discipline fields of planning and community development, and teaching and learning. My background is in social planing and I am a member of the Planning Institute of Australia. My PhD thesis critiqued the capacity of local government to address complex, contemporary sustainability challenges through two food security case studies. In 2017-2018 I contributed to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programs in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and in 2019 I contributed to Faculty of Science Employability courses for STEM students preparing for entering their professions. I currently teach into international development courses delivered through the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Awards and Recognition
I received a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning in the 2022 Awards for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for my sustained leadership in providing all students with an equitable and trustworthy assessment enviroonment through scholarship, policies, staff professional learning, and sharpening students' ethical decision-making.
In May 2018 I was recognised as a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) UK for inter/national and institutional teaching and learning thought leadership and sustained strategic impact, as measured by the UK Professional Standards Framework. I mentor both academic and professional UQ staff in the development of their fellowship applications as part of the new HEA@UQ program.
Research Interests
My research and teaching interests include innovative pedagogies, assessment and academic integrity, digital curriculum, ePortfolios and ethics. I have written a number of journal articles and other publications, and presented at national and international conferences about my research and practice (see the 'Publications' tab above).
Dr. Simone Smala is a senior lecturer in teacher education, educational psychology and multilingualism in education. Drawing from a background as a middle years and secondary teacher, Simone now focuses her research on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in bilingual, immersion and TESOL settings, and the emerging world of Generative AI in K-12 education. Simone's research is based in socio-cultural learning theories, educational policy and blended learning.She publishes in both English and German and has extensive research connections in Europe and the USA.
Dr Leigh Sperka is a Lecturer in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences. She graduated with First Class Honours from the Bachelor of Health, Sport and Physical Education in 2013 and completed her Doctor of Philosophy in 2018.
Her research focuses on the outsourcing of education. This includes investigating decision-making around the practice, how outsourcing impacts curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, and student perspectives of outsourced lessons.
In her teaching, she emphasises the importance of creating an inclusive environment in Health and Physical Education that allows all students to participate and experience success. Students are at the centre of her teaching. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has been awarded:
U21 Health Sciences Teaching Excellence Award (2021)
UQ Commendation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2020)
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences Awards for Teaching Excellence (2020)
Associate Professor Stahl's research interests focus on the relationship between education and society, socio-cultural studies of education, student identities, equity/inequality, and social change. Currently, his research projects and publications encompass theoretical and empirical studies of youth, sociology of schooling in a neoliberal age, gendered subjectivities, equity and difference as well as educational reform.
To date his scholarship has focused upon:
· Social and educational inequalities
· Learner Identities
· Student mobilities
· Masculinities
· Widening participation
He holds a PhD in Education (University of Cambridge), a Masters degree in International Education (New York University) and a Bachelors Degree in Secondary Education and English (Indiana University). He is a member and SIG Convener for the Australian Association of Researchers in Education (AARE) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA).
Associate Professor Stahl was awarded a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) from the Australian Research Council (2017-2019) where he researched the relationship between extreme disadvantage, masculinities and widening participation. In 2019, he was ranked by The Australian newspaper as one of the top 40 researchers in Australia who were less than 10 years into their career. Dr. Stahl is particularly interested in qualitative research methods, visual research methods and ethnography. At the University of Queensland, Dr. Stahl's teaches at the Undergraduate, Masters and PhD levels.
His research has been published in a range of international journals, including the Pedagogy, Culture and Society, the Journal of Educational Policy and Gender and Education. His books include Identity, neoliberalism and aspiration: educating white working-class boys (2015, Routledge), Ethnography of a neoliberal school: building cultures of success (2018, Routledge), Working-class masculinities in Australian higher education: policies, pathways and progress (2021, Routledge) and Gendering the First-in-Family Experience: Transitions, Liminality, Performativity (2022, Routledge) co-authored with Sarah McDonald.
He has held leadership positions in the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE).
Prior to working as a researcher, Stahl taught in secondary schools in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Dr Heather Stewart has been a journalist for 20 years, including almost a decade with the ABC in news and current affairs and covering content for ABC Radio National. She is a Walkley award winner and two times nominee and her work received a Gold and Bronze Medal in the New York Festival world's best radio documentary and for social equity coverage.
As a media, marketing and communication contractor and consultant in the mining, oil and gas, education, and the not for profile and public sectors in Queensland and Federal government departments she has honed her digital skills preparing integrated marketing communication plans and advertising campaigns and mentored executives in business digital transformation.
in 2016, she received a peer nomination for teaching innovation at TAFE Queensland where she ran two iterations of the Advanced Accelerated Diploma of Marketing positioning mature age student teams with small and medium businesses to create business plans and integrated marketing campaigns.
She completed her PhD at the University of Queensland in 2018 conducting a longitudinal study into the impact of technological change on ABC journalists and journalism while teaching students in media and communication at UQ and QUT.
Joining UQ as a teaching and learning academic in 2006, she has coordinated courses and received a UQ Teaching and Learning Excellence Award. She was the joint winner of the UQ Vice Chancellor's Award, a high commendation in the UQ Trailblazer award for her teaching model empowering students to tell First Nation stories in an informed way. She co-led the United Nations World Press Freedom Day Indigenous Voice Communication for Social Change Forum at UQ in 2010.
She currently is a Post Doc Researcher at The University of Queensland,with Associate Professor Sarah Jane Kelly and Associate Professor Remi Ayoko.
As Chief Investigator she is leading the Digital First Business Transformation Project and the Rapid Transition to Online Learning study with partners in eight regions. She is the leader of a team in a bilateral Australia Indonesia Centre SRR PAIR grant investigating the impact of COVID-19 on Indonesia's Small and Medium Enterprises.
Heather is a Visiting Professor at Universitas Indonesia.
Heather specialises in digital media, marketing and communication change management, journalism work practice research, digital transformation in the media, work-integrated learning, and change management, and best practice for coverage of mental health and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories.
In 2020, she supported the Service Learning Online Internship Program at Griffith University as a research assistant and cofacilitator with a focus on mental health and well-being, digital inclusivity, environmental sustainability, and all abilities inclusivity. The pilot project is the subject of a book chapter and series of research publications.
Dr Stewart is a UQ Mental Health Champion and First Responder supporting students and staff. If you are in need of support please email heather.stewart@uq.edu.au
Dr Michalis Stylianou is a senior lecturer with the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at The University of Queensland. His research interests focus around creating active and healthy schools using comprehensive and coordinated approaches that involve school staff, parents, and the community. Michalis is also a member of the Active Healthy Kids Australia research working group, a collaboration among Australian children’s physical activity and health researchers who advocate for actions to increase the physical activity levels among Australian children using the Physical Activity Report Card for Children and Young People as the core monitoring metric.
