Investigating literary knowledge in the making of English teachers. This project aims to create new understanding of the role of literary knowledge within subject English. English education is mandated in Australian schooling; however, subject content as well as teachers’ knowledge and pedagogical approaches are highly contested, particularly regarding the teaching of literature. Using a national survey, focus group interviews and a longitudinal study, the project aims to provide new understandi ....Investigating literary knowledge in the making of English teachers. This project aims to create new understanding of the role of literary knowledge within subject English. English education is mandated in Australian schooling; however, subject content as well as teachers’ knowledge and pedagogical approaches are highly contested, particularly regarding the teaching of literature. Using a national survey, focus group interviews and a longitudinal study, the project aims to provide new understandings of the literary knowledge that early career teachers need, of the impact of curricula and professional practice on disciplinary knowledge, and about the operation of literary studies across school and university. Significantly, it plans to use ‘literary sociability’, an innovative methodology, to generate empirical and conceptual perspectives on literary studies in Australia that will be of value internationally.Read moreRead less
Teaching and testing second language pragmatic skills. This project aims to develop understanding of what it means to be communicatively proficient in English as a second language. Drawing on research in second language acquisition, pragmatics and language testing, the project will develop a set of language tests to assess learners’ ability to use English appropriately in everyday situations. The tests will then be used to evaluate the effectiveness of language instruction in developing this abi ....Teaching and testing second language pragmatic skills. This project aims to develop understanding of what it means to be communicatively proficient in English as a second language. Drawing on research in second language acquisition, pragmatics and language testing, the project will develop a set of language tests to assess learners’ ability to use English appropriately in everyday situations. The tests will then be used to evaluate the effectiveness of language instruction in developing this ability. Outcomes will include a set of novel language tests and valuable information about effective language instruction. The project will inform the extent to which migrants possess the pragmatic skills needed to live and work in Australia and how they can be helped to acquire these skills.Read moreRead less
School autonomy and parent engagement in disadvantaged communities. This project aims to examine public secondary schools’ engagements with parents in disadvantaged communities. Through policy analysis and case studies, the project seeks to advance knowledge about how school autonomy reforms are potentially reshaping meanings and practices associated with public schooling. Expected outcomes include enhanced knowledge about the shifting nature of schooling reform in Australia and insights into ev ....School autonomy and parent engagement in disadvantaged communities. This project aims to examine public secondary schools’ engagements with parents in disadvantaged communities. Through policy analysis and case studies, the project seeks to advance knowledge about how school autonomy reforms are potentially reshaping meanings and practices associated with public schooling. Expected outcomes include enhanced knowledge about the shifting nature of schooling reform in Australia and insights into evolving relationships between governments and citizens in public service delivery. Intended benefits include insights to inform future policy design and implementation at school and system levels.Read moreRead less
School autonomy reform and Australian public education. This project aims to provide an evidence base for policymakers and practitioners that articulates how Australian public schools at an individual and system level engage with school autonomy reform. The project expects to generate an evidence base and new knowledge in the form of dilemma cases, position papers and a practice framework to support social justice through school autonomy reform. This evidence base will produce national economic ....School autonomy reform and Australian public education. This project aims to provide an evidence base for policymakers and practitioners that articulates how Australian public schools at an individual and system level engage with school autonomy reform. The project expects to generate an evidence base and new knowledge in the form of dilemma cases, position papers and a practice framework to support social justice through school autonomy reform. This evidence base will produce national economic and social benefits for Australian communities by identifying the requisite knowledge and practices that will enable key stakeholders to mobilise school autonomy in ways that produce just outcomes for all students.Read moreRead less
Precarious housing, housing assistance and wellbeing. Australia’s housing system is undergoing a major transformation, marked by growing precariousness that has now spread across all housing tenures. The wellbeing impacts of this are not well-understood. This project aims to develop a contemporary conceptualisation of housing precariousness as a multidimensional experience that exists in potentially variable ways for renters, owners and the marginally housed. Using mixed methods and cross-countr ....Precarious housing, housing assistance and wellbeing. Australia’s housing system is undergoing a major transformation, marked by growing precariousness that has now spread across all housing tenures. The wellbeing impacts of this are not well-understood. This project aims to develop a contemporary conceptualisation of housing precariousness as a multidimensional experience that exists in potentially variable ways for renters, owners and the marginally housed. Using mixed methods and cross-country analyses, the project expects to produce new evidence on pathways in and out of precariousness, as well as the coping strategies and wellbeing of the precariously housed. This is expected to offer major benefits by informing housing assistance policies that promote the wellbeing of Australians.Read moreRead less
Promoting Child and Carer Wellbeing and Placement Stability in Kinship Care. Kinship care is the fastest growing out-of-home care placement in Australia, yet least supported. This project aims to implement and evaluate an attachment and trauma-based program for kinship carers, explore its suitability for cultural adaptation for Indigenous families and co-design practical resources to promote program sustainability and trauma-informed practice. This project is Australia’s first randomised trial o ....Promoting Child and Carer Wellbeing and Placement Stability in Kinship Care. Kinship care is the fastest growing out-of-home care placement in Australia, yet least supported. This project aims to implement and evaluate an attachment and trauma-based program for kinship carers, explore its suitability for cultural adaptation for Indigenous families and co-design practical resources to promote program sustainability and trauma-informed practice. This project is Australia’s first randomised trial of a tailored program for kinship carers and expects to generate vital knowledge on evidence-based support. Via implementing an innovative program for kinship carers in statutory child protection, this project should build capacity for research-based practice and benefit family wellbeing and placement outcomes in kinship care.Read moreRead less
Reducing health disparities for culturally and linguistically diverse peoples. This project aims to develop a greater understanding of migrants and the factors that predict poor health outcomes related to blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections. The delayed access by migrants to healthcare from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds results in late diagnosis, low treatment uptake, and poorer health outcomes, with enhanced risk of infection and increased burden on the h ....Reducing health disparities for culturally and linguistically diverse peoples. This project aims to develop a greater understanding of migrants and the factors that predict poor health outcomes related to blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections. The delayed access by migrants to healthcare from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds results in late diagnosis, low treatment uptake, and poorer health outcomes, with enhanced risk of infection and increased burden on the health system. The data collected in this project will assist in developing health services to meet these needs.Read moreRead less
Heritage diplomacy and One Belt One Road. This project aims to address China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, utilising the concept of heritage diplomacy to interpret the role culture plays in shaping trade and diplomatic relations. This project expects to develop new knowledge about 21st Century diplomacy and the political drivers of heritage preservation today. Expected outcomes of the project include collaborations with OBOR think tanks and universities in Australia, China and Central A ....Heritage diplomacy and One Belt One Road. This project aims to address China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, utilising the concept of heritage diplomacy to interpret the role culture plays in shaping trade and diplomatic relations. This project expects to develop new knowledge about 21st Century diplomacy and the political drivers of heritage preservation today. Expected outcomes of the project include collaborations with OBOR think tanks and universities in Australia, China and Central Asia, and an open access-mapping database based on international heritage documentation standards. This should significantly assist Australian and heritage international agencies understand the large-scale forces and pressures that shape their future conservation policies in the region.Read moreRead less
Being a Transnational Muslim in Australia in an Era of Hyper-Security. Muslims have been the focus of significant policy articulations around security and integration in a hypersecuritised environment. This project aims to investigate how Australian Muslims are negotiating increased surveillance and public hostility and how this impacts on their sense of belonging. Working with members of four disparate Muslim communities in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, the project will examine the va ....Being a Transnational Muslim in Australia in an Era of Hyper-Security. Muslims have been the focus of significant policy articulations around security and integration in a hypersecuritised environment. This project aims to investigate how Australian Muslims are negotiating increased surveillance and public hostility and how this impacts on their sense of belonging. Working with members of four disparate Muslim communities in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, the project will examine the varied manifestations of national and transnational belonging for conceptions of identity and social inclusion. In addition to generating new knowledge in the sociology of religion and migration studies, this project will also yield novel data for better policy and practice both locally and internationally.Read moreRead less
Exploring Wellbeing Outcomes in the Aquatic and Recreation Industry. This project aims to investigate the impact on individual wellbeing through use of public aquatic and recreation centres in Australia. Through the use of mixed methods across multiple locations, the project expects to generate new knowledge on the effect on users of different management and service models for the provision of aquatic and recreational infrastructure. Expected outcomes include a quantifiable measure of social and ....Exploring Wellbeing Outcomes in the Aquatic and Recreation Industry. This project aims to investigate the impact on individual wellbeing through use of public aquatic and recreation centres in Australia. Through the use of mixed methods across multiple locations, the project expects to generate new knowledge on the effect on users of different management and service models for the provision of aquatic and recreational infrastructure. Expected outcomes include a quantifiable measure of social and emotional wellbeing that can be utilised by centre management and government. This will help assessment of best practice for maximising community wellbeing, and can guide investment decisions by state and local government.Read moreRead less