Trudy Ambler | Victoria University Australia (original) (raw)
Papers by Trudy Ambler
British Journal of Educational Studies, Sep 24, 2023
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Dec 21, 2023
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Mar 1, 2014
Innovations in Education and Teaching International
The creation and renovation of learning spaces is currently a priority for educators working in h... more The creation and renovation of learning spaces is currently a priority for educators working in higher education. While indoor learning environments continue to develop, one place rarely considered as integral to learning, teaching and research is the outdoor campus. The research reported in this paper used photographic images and autobiographical stories to explore the contribution of the outdoor campus to student learning. The findings indicate that students, who frequented outdoor campus places and made use of the facilities and the landscape, were afforded opportunities for holistic and transformative learning that contributed to a sense of wellbeing and belonging. The outdoor campus is a precious resource because it influences the overall student learning experience and impacts on the quality of graduates.15 page(s
The Curriculum Journal, 2021
Coolabah, 2011
This paper is an introduction to a new model for inclusive practice in education. It sprang from ... more This paper is an introduction to a new model for inclusive practice in education. It sprang from a 2010 Learning and Teaching Fellowship which called for strategies to address the under representation of Indigenous and other low Socio Economic Status groups in higher education in Australia. We have since realised that it can be adapted and developed in a wide range of other contexts and could be relevant in many other countries.
Professional Development in Education, 2019
Professional learning is an essential component of the institutional conditions required for a hi... more Professional learning is an essential component of the institutional conditions required for a high-quality first-year student experience. Initiatives to improve students' determinative first year in higher education have expanded but one area notably absent in the literature pertains to professional learning tailored to meet the needs of academics teaching first-year students. The aims of this study were to explore what academics need to do and understand to effectively teach first-year students and design professional learning that would support them in their teaching role. Evidence-based practice was the methodology chosen for the project as this enabled relevant literature to inform academic practice. Findings from the study revealed that professional learning is intrinsic to being an academic. To be effective teachers and make a positive impact on first-year students' learning necessitates that academics have an ability to draw on key knowledge, skills and attributes. However, these constructs are not finite and to be responsive to the evolving needs of students, professional learning for academics should be multi-faceted, ongoing and integral to everyday practice. Based on these findings two frameworks are presented that could be used by staff teaching first-year students to guide their professional learning.
International Journal of Bias, Identity and Diversities in Education, 2019
The technological divide that incarcerated students experience when undertaking tertiary studies ... more The technological divide that incarcerated students experience when undertaking tertiary studies via Distance Education (DE) separates them from other university students. The aim of this article is to research the problems incarcerated students have accessing technology for the purpose of study and to understand the technological facilities needed to support their learning. Quantitative and qualitative survey data was collected for the study from students in the New South Wales Corrective Services (NSWCS) and from Prison Education Officers (PEOs) employed by NSWCS. The surveys explored the educational and technological concerns, present and future, of this cohort of diverse students and examined the perspectives of the PEOs. Findings from the research highlight that incarcerated students engaged in study felt it made them feel positive about their future, inspired them to continue studying after their prison term, and they would recommend further study to fellow prisoners. Preparin...
The Australian Educational Researcher, 2016
The use of mentoring for staff development is well established within schools and the business se... more The use of mentoring for staff development is well established within schools and the business sector, yet it has received limited consideration in the higher education literature as an approach to supporting learning for academics. In this study located at one metropolitan university in Australia, an online questionnaire and one-on-one semi-structured interviews were used to explore academics' experiences of mentoring, with a view to understanding the broader benefits mentoring might offer to the academic community. Findings from the study highlight that in an era where change is pervasive tertiary education providers should consider implementing mentoring as a valuable approach for supporting the work of academics. The academics in this research explained that through mentoring, they learnt how to build professional relationships and friendships; it helped them develop a sense of personal satisfaction; acted as a catalyst for career and leadership enhancement; expanded understandings of teaching and research and as a consequence of engaging in self-reflection it opened up new ways of thinking about their work.
Studies in Educational Evaluation, 2016
Abstract Assessing and demonstrating value for money to agencies funding professional learning ne... more Abstract Assessing and demonstrating value for money to agencies funding professional learning networks is a universal challenge. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a narrative-based approach to evaluation called story-building that can be employed to complement other more traditional approaches to evaluation. Story-building goes beyond the anecdotal by constructing individual reflective stories, a collective story and a value creation story that are authentic and resonate with stakeholders because they tap into the specific and particular knowledge of practitioners. A key characteristic which sets story-building apart from other approaches is that it collects and collates both individual and collective evidence of a network’s impact from different sources. Members of the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory Promoting Excellence Network created and implemented this rigorous approach to evaluation and found story-building to be an effective practice to demonstrate the value and impact of a network.
Teacher Development, 2016
Anecdotal and empirical evidence indicates that mentoring can be a successful strategy for suppor... more Anecdotal and empirical evidence indicates that mentoring can be a successful strategy for supporting professional learning, yet limited literature exists on approaches to mentoring designed specifically for academics working in higher education. The aim of this study was to create an approach to mentoring tailored to the needs of academics and underpinned by evidence from the literature. Participatory action research was chosen as the methodology for the project as this enabled a process of inquiry to be embedded within academic practice. The outcome was the development of the Spectrum Approach to Mentoring (SAM). This three-step approach is goal orientated, and encompasses mentoring relationships that may be ongoing and sustained over time through to those that are short-term and aligned with a particular task or focus. SAM provides a suite of resources that can be used by academics to promote valuable opportunities for professional learning through the initiation of mentoring relationships.
Professional Development in Education, 2015
Teachers are an important influence on students’ learning, and therefore the opportunity for teac... more Teachers are an important influence on students’ learning, and therefore the opportunity for teachers to learn and develop is something of interest to educators internationally. This article reports on a research project involving six primary school teachers who participated in one-on-one and small group interviews to explore the opportunities for professional learning bound up in their daily work in classrooms. The findings highlight that teachers’ day-to-day stories are a source of professional learning. These stories are uniquely contextualised within diverse classrooms and schools. When teachers tell a story they use narrative to capture and structure their experiences, describe the specific details of the teaching situation and explain the reasons behind the actions and decisions taken during practice. What teachers learn from interpreting their narratives is as varied and infinite as the experiences from which they are created. The way the everyday is organised and interpreted by teachers in schools and classrooms is something to which policy-makers and school administrators should be very attentive because it can make a positive difference to both student and teacher learning.
Peer Review of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 2013
This chapter explores communication between university teachers in the context of peer review. Na... more This chapter explores communication between university teachers in the context of peer review. Narrative data from in-depth one-on-one interviews and open questionnaires were used by the authors to examine specific experiences that teachers in the study identified as impacting on the quality of peer-to-peer interactions. The findings indicate that collegiality, affect, attitude and spaces are central to the ways in which the teachers communicated with each other to create constructive opportunities for learning. The outcomes from the research are helpful to anyone considering the use of peer review as an approach to enhancing learning and teaching in the University sector.
Peer Review of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 2013
Peer review of teaching at higher education institutions can mean many things to different indivi... more Peer review of teaching at higher education institutions can mean many things to different individuals, faculties, universities and governments. In this chapter we cover a broad canvas, drawing upon the expertise of international academics as well as the results of studies at several different universities around the world. The result is an incisive analysis of a range of issues relating to peer review. We begin by exploring the wide varieties of peer review mechanisms and then focus on the central aspect of any peer review method: how to establish trust between the participants. Next we examine the tension between peer reviews for evaluative versus formative purposes, and provide a case study on how that gap can be closed. We follow this with some practical advice on the role of educational developers in helping set up successful peer review programs, and suggestions for areas of training for participants. We close with a proposal that peer review be seen as an important subject for inquiry-based scholarship.
Description This paper describes the processes involved in establishing and conducting the pilot ... more Description This paper describes the processes involved in establishing and conducting the pilot and initial phase of a research led learning and teaching project that is designed to facilitate and support collaborative working relationships between schools and ...
Studies in Higher Education, 2014
Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This artic... more Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This article explores some of the reasons why this is the case, looking specifically at the participatory action research methodology. The authors’ experience of seeking ethics approval for a project intended to introduce peer review as an enhancement process is described. Initially, ethics clearance was denied. Details are provided of the iterative process that ultimately resulted in ethics approval, with particular reference to the differing views regarding the concepts of ‘coercion’ and ‘confidentiality’.
Teacher Development, 2012
Many teachers use their own work as the basis for research and this can be a complex and confront... more Many teachers use their own work as the basis for research and this can be a complex and confronting task. It demands merging the roles of teacher, researcher and research participant. These roles may not speak with one voice. Some voices are faint, mere echoes; other voices convey a more confident sense of the different roles. This paper draws on a range of autobiographical vignettes that were used to bring together the fractured voices that emerged during an inquiry-focused research project in a primary school. The paper contributes to understandings about the place and practice of using autobiographical writing in teachers’ professional learning and argues that autobiographical vignettes can provide a starting point for enhancing learning by acting as a catalyst for reflection and self-study. Self-knowledge is vital for teachers because it paves the way for shaping and continuing to shape what teachers know about themselves as learners and what they might learn about teaching.
Studies in Higher Education, 2012
Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This artic... more Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This article explores some of the reasons why this is the case, looking specifically at the participatory action research methodology. The authors' experience of seeking ethics approval for a project intended to introduce peer review as an enhancement process is described. Initially, ethics clearance was denied. Details are provided of the iterative process that ultimately resulted in ethics approval, with particular reference to the differing views regarding the concepts of ‘coercion’ and ‘confidentiality’.
British Journal of Educational Studies, Sep 24, 2023
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Dec 21, 2023
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Mar 1, 2014
Innovations in Education and Teaching International
The creation and renovation of learning spaces is currently a priority for educators working in h... more The creation and renovation of learning spaces is currently a priority for educators working in higher education. While indoor learning environments continue to develop, one place rarely considered as integral to learning, teaching and research is the outdoor campus. The research reported in this paper used photographic images and autobiographical stories to explore the contribution of the outdoor campus to student learning. The findings indicate that students, who frequented outdoor campus places and made use of the facilities and the landscape, were afforded opportunities for holistic and transformative learning that contributed to a sense of wellbeing and belonging. The outdoor campus is a precious resource because it influences the overall student learning experience and impacts on the quality of graduates.15 page(s
The Curriculum Journal, 2021
Coolabah, 2011
This paper is an introduction to a new model for inclusive practice in education. It sprang from ... more This paper is an introduction to a new model for inclusive practice in education. It sprang from a 2010 Learning and Teaching Fellowship which called for strategies to address the under representation of Indigenous and other low Socio Economic Status groups in higher education in Australia. We have since realised that it can be adapted and developed in a wide range of other contexts and could be relevant in many other countries.
Professional Development in Education, 2019
Professional learning is an essential component of the institutional conditions required for a hi... more Professional learning is an essential component of the institutional conditions required for a high-quality first-year student experience. Initiatives to improve students' determinative first year in higher education have expanded but one area notably absent in the literature pertains to professional learning tailored to meet the needs of academics teaching first-year students. The aims of this study were to explore what academics need to do and understand to effectively teach first-year students and design professional learning that would support them in their teaching role. Evidence-based practice was the methodology chosen for the project as this enabled relevant literature to inform academic practice. Findings from the study revealed that professional learning is intrinsic to being an academic. To be effective teachers and make a positive impact on first-year students' learning necessitates that academics have an ability to draw on key knowledge, skills and attributes. However, these constructs are not finite and to be responsive to the evolving needs of students, professional learning for academics should be multi-faceted, ongoing and integral to everyday practice. Based on these findings two frameworks are presented that could be used by staff teaching first-year students to guide their professional learning.
International Journal of Bias, Identity and Diversities in Education, 2019
The technological divide that incarcerated students experience when undertaking tertiary studies ... more The technological divide that incarcerated students experience when undertaking tertiary studies via Distance Education (DE) separates them from other university students. The aim of this article is to research the problems incarcerated students have accessing technology for the purpose of study and to understand the technological facilities needed to support their learning. Quantitative and qualitative survey data was collected for the study from students in the New South Wales Corrective Services (NSWCS) and from Prison Education Officers (PEOs) employed by NSWCS. The surveys explored the educational and technological concerns, present and future, of this cohort of diverse students and examined the perspectives of the PEOs. Findings from the research highlight that incarcerated students engaged in study felt it made them feel positive about their future, inspired them to continue studying after their prison term, and they would recommend further study to fellow prisoners. Preparin...
The Australian Educational Researcher, 2016
The use of mentoring for staff development is well established within schools and the business se... more The use of mentoring for staff development is well established within schools and the business sector, yet it has received limited consideration in the higher education literature as an approach to supporting learning for academics. In this study located at one metropolitan university in Australia, an online questionnaire and one-on-one semi-structured interviews were used to explore academics' experiences of mentoring, with a view to understanding the broader benefits mentoring might offer to the academic community. Findings from the study highlight that in an era where change is pervasive tertiary education providers should consider implementing mentoring as a valuable approach for supporting the work of academics. The academics in this research explained that through mentoring, they learnt how to build professional relationships and friendships; it helped them develop a sense of personal satisfaction; acted as a catalyst for career and leadership enhancement; expanded understandings of teaching and research and as a consequence of engaging in self-reflection it opened up new ways of thinking about their work.
Studies in Educational Evaluation, 2016
Abstract Assessing and demonstrating value for money to agencies funding professional learning ne... more Abstract Assessing and demonstrating value for money to agencies funding professional learning networks is a universal challenge. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a narrative-based approach to evaluation called story-building that can be employed to complement other more traditional approaches to evaluation. Story-building goes beyond the anecdotal by constructing individual reflective stories, a collective story and a value creation story that are authentic and resonate with stakeholders because they tap into the specific and particular knowledge of practitioners. A key characteristic which sets story-building apart from other approaches is that it collects and collates both individual and collective evidence of a network’s impact from different sources. Members of the New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory Promoting Excellence Network created and implemented this rigorous approach to evaluation and found story-building to be an effective practice to demonstrate the value and impact of a network.
Teacher Development, 2016
Anecdotal and empirical evidence indicates that mentoring can be a successful strategy for suppor... more Anecdotal and empirical evidence indicates that mentoring can be a successful strategy for supporting professional learning, yet limited literature exists on approaches to mentoring designed specifically for academics working in higher education. The aim of this study was to create an approach to mentoring tailored to the needs of academics and underpinned by evidence from the literature. Participatory action research was chosen as the methodology for the project as this enabled a process of inquiry to be embedded within academic practice. The outcome was the development of the Spectrum Approach to Mentoring (SAM). This three-step approach is goal orientated, and encompasses mentoring relationships that may be ongoing and sustained over time through to those that are short-term and aligned with a particular task or focus. SAM provides a suite of resources that can be used by academics to promote valuable opportunities for professional learning through the initiation of mentoring relationships.
Professional Development in Education, 2015
Teachers are an important influence on students’ learning, and therefore the opportunity for teac... more Teachers are an important influence on students’ learning, and therefore the opportunity for teachers to learn and develop is something of interest to educators internationally. This article reports on a research project involving six primary school teachers who participated in one-on-one and small group interviews to explore the opportunities for professional learning bound up in their daily work in classrooms. The findings highlight that teachers’ day-to-day stories are a source of professional learning. These stories are uniquely contextualised within diverse classrooms and schools. When teachers tell a story they use narrative to capture and structure their experiences, describe the specific details of the teaching situation and explain the reasons behind the actions and decisions taken during practice. What teachers learn from interpreting their narratives is as varied and infinite as the experiences from which they are created. The way the everyday is organised and interpreted by teachers in schools and classrooms is something to which policy-makers and school administrators should be very attentive because it can make a positive difference to both student and teacher learning.
Peer Review of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 2013
This chapter explores communication between university teachers in the context of peer review. Na... more This chapter explores communication between university teachers in the context of peer review. Narrative data from in-depth one-on-one interviews and open questionnaires were used by the authors to examine specific experiences that teachers in the study identified as impacting on the quality of peer-to-peer interactions. The findings indicate that collegiality, affect, attitude and spaces are central to the ways in which the teachers communicated with each other to create constructive opportunities for learning. The outcomes from the research are helpful to anyone considering the use of peer review as an approach to enhancing learning and teaching in the University sector.
Peer Review of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 2013
Peer review of teaching at higher education institutions can mean many things to different indivi... more Peer review of teaching at higher education institutions can mean many things to different individuals, faculties, universities and governments. In this chapter we cover a broad canvas, drawing upon the expertise of international academics as well as the results of studies at several different universities around the world. The result is an incisive analysis of a range of issues relating to peer review. We begin by exploring the wide varieties of peer review mechanisms and then focus on the central aspect of any peer review method: how to establish trust between the participants. Next we examine the tension between peer reviews for evaluative versus formative purposes, and provide a case study on how that gap can be closed. We follow this with some practical advice on the role of educational developers in helping set up successful peer review programs, and suggestions for areas of training for participants. We close with a proposal that peer review be seen as an important subject for inquiry-based scholarship.
Description This paper describes the processes involved in establishing and conducting the pilot ... more Description This paper describes the processes involved in establishing and conducting the pilot and initial phase of a research led learning and teaching project that is designed to facilitate and support collaborative working relationships between schools and ...
Studies in Higher Education, 2014
Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This artic... more Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This article explores some of the reasons why this is the case, looking specifically at the participatory action research methodology. The authors’ experience of seeking ethics approval for a project intended to introduce peer review as an enhancement process is described. Initially, ethics clearance was denied. Details are provided of the iterative process that ultimately resulted in ethics approval, with particular reference to the differing views regarding the concepts of ‘coercion’ and ‘confidentiality’.
Teacher Development, 2012
Many teachers use their own work as the basis for research and this can be a complex and confront... more Many teachers use their own work as the basis for research and this can be a complex and confronting task. It demands merging the roles of teacher, researcher and research participant. These roles may not speak with one voice. Some voices are faint, mere echoes; other voices convey a more confident sense of the different roles. This paper draws on a range of autobiographical vignettes that were used to bring together the fractured voices that emerged during an inquiry-focused research project in a primary school. The paper contributes to understandings about the place and practice of using autobiographical writing in teachers’ professional learning and argues that autobiographical vignettes can provide a starting point for enhancing learning by acting as a catalyst for reflection and self-study. Self-knowledge is vital for teachers because it paves the way for shaping and continuing to shape what teachers know about themselves as learners and what they might learn about teaching.
Studies in Higher Education, 2012
Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This artic... more Many educational researchers have experienced challenges in obtaining ethics approval. This article explores some of the reasons why this is the case, looking specifically at the participatory action research methodology. The authors' experience of seeking ethics approval for a project intended to introduce peer review as an enhancement process is described. Initially, ethics clearance was denied. Details are provided of the iterative process that ultimately resulted in ethics approval, with particular reference to the differing views regarding the concepts of ‘coercion’ and ‘confidentiality’.