After graduating with my teaching degree in Sydney, I began my teaching career at Chafford Hundred Campus (now Harris Academy) in Thurrock, England. It was here that my interest in the integration of technology into education first took shape. Chafford Hundred was one of the first 1:1 laptop schools in England, and I quickly became…
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About me
I am a committed, knowledgeable and capable mid-career researcher and leader. I have extensive experience in a wide range of education contexts (primary, secondary, tertiary, corporate and vocation) as an academic, practitioner and policy-maker. I have a significant body of funded grants, high quality published research and an extensive network of professional and academic contacts,…
In Memoriam: Margaret Currie
Recently, Margaret Mary Currie, my mother in law, passed away. I’d known Margaret for more than 20 years – since Liz and I first got together at university, and, much like her husband, David, Margaret was a constant in Liz and I’s ever-changing life: living overseas, returning home, buying a house, getting a dog, having…
Getting ‘Meta’: Designing Learning About Learning Design
In today’s rapidly changing educational landscape, the need for professionals skilled in learning design is growing at an unprecedented pace. According to recent studies, the learning design industry is expected to grow by up to 7% over the next three years, as industries across various sectors recognize the value of well-designed learning experiences. This includes…
Understanding Action Research and Data Analysis: A Workshop Overview
Action research is a powerful approach for educators and professionals looking to create real-world, practical improvements. During a recent workshop, we explored the fundamentals of action research and how to effectively analyze the data it generates. Here’s a summary of the key takeaways. What is Action Research? Action research is a cyclical, participatory process designed…
Poisoning the well of the digital commons
The idea of the tragedy of the commons is well established; I think the term was first coined in the mid 20th century, but the idea is much older. Simply put, it’s the concept that if people are given free access to a resource, humans being humans, the resource will get overused and eventually destroyed…
What’s wrong in academia (part 43)
Firstly, I haven’t really written 42 previous posts about what’s wrong with academia – although I probably could have. This is just another one of those posts – that I see quite often on various social media platforms -where an academic is going to have a whinge. It’s an ongoing series, I guess. And let’s…
The pleasure of expertise
I was recently invited to facilitate an event held at Our Lady of Mercy College, Parramatta. It was hosted by Learning Environments Australia, who are an organisation with an interest in designing school environments – so a mix of architects and educators. I must admit I hadn’t heard of them before, which was a shame,…
What’s the value?
So, last week, I announced that I had, with Springer, published an edited collection about Civics and Citizenship Education. Publishing a new book is always a big deal, but this one was a little bit different – as I mentioned in my previous post, this book was a collection of summaries that had been generated…
Book Release: An Introduction to Civics and Citizenship Education
It’s not often you publish two books in two weeks! I recently also released a book about civics and citizenship education – but this is a book with a difference. Here’s an extract from the introduction: As I intimated above, this book is different to other sole author or edited books. The reason for that…