University of South Australia Postgraduate Awards (USAPA) - School of Education (PhD in New Pedagogy Studies Education)

The School of Education at the University of South Australia is seeking applicants for a PhD in New Pedagogy Studies Education. The PhD is associated with an Australian Research Council Discovery project 'Toward An Australian Culturally Responsive Pedagogy'. The successful applicant will be awarded a University of South Australia Postgraduate Award (USAPA) which includes a stipend for 3 years and a Research Training Program fee scholarship for up to 4 years full-time equivalent. This scholarship is available to Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia or New Zealand citizens. The School of Education has a strong research environment focused on social justice and is deeply committed to world-class research performance. It is expected that the individual selected for this program will be highly competitive in the academic job market after completing this program. The ARC Discovery research project will produce new knowledge about how schools, teachers in collaboration with Aboriginal communities contribute to reconciliation and social cohesion in Australia through producing culturally responsive citizens. The study will provide a Culturally Responsive Pedagogy framework for new and existing teachers to engage with the Australian Curriculum and to meet Professional Teachers Standards while addressing education disparity. The aim of this project is to examine how teachers enact culturally responsive pedagogy in Australian mainstream middle school classrooms. Specifically this will entail a multi-sited action research project in 7 mainstream schools, augmented by analysis of policy texts, and additional evidence about school structures, and school culture. The project will develop an Australian theory for culturally responsive pedagogy that draws on International and Australian Indigenous Studies, Policy Sociology, New Pedagogy Studies, and new empirical work in schools. The PhD project will involve data collection and data analysis of teacher enactment of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in order to better understand teacher experiences. A strong interest in Aboriginal Education, Critical Theory and Action Research is preferred.