Dr Stevie-Jae Hepburn is a Lecturer in initial teacher education (ITE) in the School of Education at the University of Queensland. Her approach to educational program design, review, and evaluation in professional and educational contexts is guided by the principles of andragogy, collaborative practice, and learning with, from, and about others.
After gaining experience as a classroom teacher and curriculum coordinator across jurisdictions in Queensland and abroad, Stevie directed her attention to educational leadership, health and wellbeing resources in schools and ITE. Her doctoral research investigated the impact of an integrated approach to health and wellbeing for teachers during the pre-service and early career period. Stevie’s research is influenced by her interest in Public Health, Health Promotion and Salutogenic Theory and the use of health promotion strategies to address the social determinants of health and influence job satisfaction, stress management, burnout and career trajectory.
Stevie's research experience in collaborative practice spans both health disciplines and education. She investigated the impact of interprofessional education resources on promoting interprofessional collaborative practice across the continuum of health professionals' education, as well as student learning and experience on placement in rural and remote communities.
Stevie is currently focused on exploring the role of collaborative practice between school community stakeholders (e.g., parents/carers, school-based health professionals, teachers), schools as health-promoting workplaces, and preparedness for practice during the pre-service and early career period.
Dr Carmen Mills is an Associate Professor in Teaching, Learning and Classroom Pedagogy in the School of Education at The University of Queensland, where she is the Director of Teaching and Learning. Her research interests are informed broadly by the sociology of education. She has an international reputation for significant research contributions in the areas of social justice in education, schooling in disadvantaged communities and teacher education for the development of socially just dispositions. As a socially critical researcher, informed by the work of Pierre Bourdieu and others, she is concerned to explore questions related to whose interests are served by the social arrangements evident in educational contexts and how these arrangements might be structured more equitably. She is experienced in undertaking empirical research with others from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, bringing her particular experience in interviewing and observation, her empirical interest in equity and social justice, as well as her understanding of Bourdieuian theoretical concepts, to these research teams.
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.
