The University of Western Australia

The future of the next generation is in our hands.

Our researchers are at the cutting edge of some of the most pressing issues impacting learners, teachers and educational leaders. We are future-focussed, improving the educational outcomes of learners in Australia and beyond through theory-led and practical research initiatives. Our key areas of expertise include:

• Digital technologies and pedagogies
• Diversity and inclusivity
• Early years
• Literacy education
• Science and STEM Education
• Teacher education

Teaching, learning and assessment experts:

Elaine Chapman, Vaille Dawson, Christine Howitt, Fiona Mayne, Peter Merrotsy, Gerardine Neylon, Grace Oakley, Mark Pegrum, Gemma Scarparolo, Jennifer Shand

Research in education must be able to make a difference.

Our researchers are dedicated to generating transformative new knowledge about policy, leadership and sociology that has both theoretical and practical impact. Our key areas of expertise include:

• Education politics and governance
• Educational improvement and system change
• Globalisation and comparative education
• History of education
• Leadership for learning

We seek to harness critical knowledge, skills and dispositions to generate evidence-informed debate and improvement across all sectors of education. We are a diverse and vibrant group of scholars who use interdisciplinary perspectives and methods to examine the big issues in Australian education and beyond.

Educational policy, leadership and sociology experts:

Simon Clarke, Tanya Fitzgerald, Tom O’Donoghue, Lesley Vidovich, Ren-Hao Xu, Wei Zhang

For young people to flourish in everyday real-world contexts, positive mental health is critical.

Childhood and adolescent mental health problems are a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and disability worldwide. Confronting the challenge of managing mental health and emotional wellbeing efficiently and effectively to ensure that young people can be shifted from pathological trajectories and reach their full potential is therefore a priority. Schools and other educational settings are uniquely positioned to meet this challenge and to address the key mental health and emotional wellbeing needs of children and adolescents.

Our research applies a range of quantitative and qualitative research approaches to understand mental health and to develop innovative best practice based mental health programs that educate, support and prevent adverse mental health in young people. Our key areas of expertise include:

• Interventions using 3-D animation techniques
• Loneliness and friendships
• Neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood and adolescence
• Promoting positive wellbeing in schools
• Worry and cognitive distortions in children and adolescents
• Youth suicide prevention

Mental health and wellbeing in education experts:

Ken Glasgow, Stephen Houghton, Simon Hunter

Key projects: