Research projects and grants

Primary teachers' adaptive expertise in interdisciplinary maths and science

This project aims to improve theoretical and practical understandings of the nature and development of teachers’ adaptive expertise in interdisciplinary mathematics and science in primary education.

Conceptual PlayLab

Fleer’s Conceptual PlayLab aims to test ground-breaking play-based models for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics to young children.

Exploring problem-based learning in school-based STEM education

The aim of this project is to generate research-informed principles of practice for a Problem Based Learning (PBL) model of school-based Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Education.

Q Project

The Q Project is an Australian first study to investigate how research evidence is used in schools, and how to support educators to better use that evidence as part of their work.

Leading Virtual Learning Teacher Course

This project is a world first in developing and implementing a curriculum diagnostic system based on the emerging psychometric field of Epistemic Network Analysis.

Learning through languages: Plurilingual pedagogy in the English classroom

A small-scale professional learning and research project to guide teachers and schools to work with a plurilingual approach.

Challenging Homophobia in Rugby Union

Research to examine homophobia within the context of the culture of rugby union.

Informal sport as a health and social resource for diverse young people

This research investigates the contribution of informal sports participation to the well-being of diverse young people and considers how governments, sport and health agencies can support this participation.

Australian teachers’ ethical dilemmas regarding climate change in the midst of ecological crisis

This project examines the ethical dilemmas teachers may encounter when teaching about climate change, and devise responses to those dilemmas.

Setting up for success: reengaging young parents with education

A project to identify ways to provide education to young parents who have discontinued their formal education.

A novel transformational model for school food education in Pacific coastal communities

This scoping study will inform the design of a novel model of community engaged food education in the Pacific.

Islamic Schooling in Australia and Indonesia: A Collaborative Documentary Film

This project explores the similarities, differences, challenges, and educational successes of two Islamic schools, one in Melbourne, Australia and another in Semarang, Indonesia.

Quasi-experimental research on Home Based Parenting Education Program

A project to assess the effectiveness of the Home Based Parenting Education Program in Nepal.

Data-smart schools: enhancing the use of digital data in secondary schools

This project aims to investigate the use of digital data in schools to identify ways to improve its capture and use.

Kids co-designing sustainable and healthy environments

A project to develop an online toolkit that local councils, early childhood centres, and/or schools can use to engage children and young people in co-designing healthy and sustainable environments.

Family Violence Prevention in Victorian Muslim Communities

Building Babies Brains (Bfor3) and Literacy Acquisition for Pre-Primary Students (LAPS) 2020 Project

A project to evaluate Bfor3 and LAPS programs, and to help design teacher professional learning program and classroom teaching approaches to facilitate implementation.

M-cubed: Money, meaning and maths for learners with cognitive disability

Project to develop an assessment tool for evaluating the effectiveness of programs targeting money skills for learners with cognitive disability.