Five Griffith University teaching and education leaders are among the 14 Education Horizon research grant winners announced in the 2024 round.
Dr Andrew Rixon, Dr Loraine McKay, Dr Michelle Ronksley-Pavia, Professor Christine Edwards-Groves and Dr Stephanie Malone will lead their projects over the course of the next two years to improve the study journeys and lives of future teachers and students. The total value of these Griffith-led research projects is more than $475,000.
Dr Andrew Rixon’s research project ‘Catalysing innovation and educational leadership in the age of Generative AI’ is valued at $146,850.80. The project will equip education leaders with tools and supportive environments to champion transformational teaching practices that deliver positive outcomes, such as reducing teachers’ workload and augmenting innovative learning strategies.
Dr Loraine McKay’s project ‘The affordances and constraints of the Turn to Teaching (TTT) program: Strategies to strengthen the effectiveness of midcareer change teacher preparation’ is valued at $98,027. The cross-institutional multi-case study aims to illuminate the affordances and constraints of the TTT program, and appraise the implications of these for ITE providers, employers and employment-based pathways into teaching.
Dr Michelle Ronksley-Pavia’s project ‘Building teacher capability to leverage Generative AI to personalise learning for neurodiverse students: Inclusion for students with learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental conditions’ is valued at $131,034. This project aims to explore and understand applications of GAI through co-designing a comprehensive ‘cognitive kit’ (including professional development) for leveraging GAI while also advancing teacher capabilities in both GAI and SB-DI. This will promote high quality instruction for this vulnerable population to address disengagement and underachievement.
Professor Christine Edwards-Groves’ project ‘Leading beyond the gate: The role of school leaders establishing schools in new communities’ is valued at $59,431. This project will shed light on the experiences of school leaders establishing schools in new communities across SEQ, identifying their challenges and supporting factors. This research and its outcomes may inform policy and programming recommendations related to recruitment and support, and provide personalised professional learning, system wellbeing structures, community partnership models and succession planning to enable school leaders to establish strong community partnerships.
Dr Stephanie Malone’s research project is titled ‘Supporting mathematics outcomes: What strategies work to support the word-based mathematical problem solving of Autistic students in the classroom?’ and is valued at $40,643.80. This proposed mixed-methods project will ascertain which of these strategies are effective for Autistic children, and what the practical implications are from the teacher’s perspective for supporting Autistic learners in the classroom. Combined, these findings will enable differentiated support to facilitate mathematical success for both Autistic and non-Autistic learners.
The Queensland Government Education Department’s $1.25 million Education Horizon research grant scheme supports the delivery of high-quality research aligned with the department’s research priorities, which are in turn strongly aligned with and underpinned by the department’s Equity and Excellence: realising the potential of every student strategy.
