Donna Mathewson Mitchell | Charles Sturt University (original) (raw)
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Distant Connections was an exhibition in response to the Chifley Home. The Chifley Home is a home... more Distant Connections was an exhibition in response to the Chifley Home. The Chifley Home is a home museum situated in Bathurst, NSW to document the life of Prime Minister Ben Chifley. The artworks were created by students enrolled in a visual arts curriculum subject delivered by distance in a teacher education program at CSU. Australian history was explored, interdisciplinary connections examined and museums engaged with as sites of learning. Through research into Australia in the 1930s-1950s, the exhibition arrived at a new benchmark for teacher education in utilizing social history as a vehicle for art education. It established new knowledge about how museums can be used as resources and sites for learning. As the first art exhibition at Chifley Home the exhibition contributed new interpretations and expressive responses to the collection
Creativity Policy, Partnerships and Practice in Education, 2018
Contact zones are social spaces and sites of encounter where different cultures meet and power is... more Contact zones are social spaces and sites of encounter where different cultures meet and power is negotiated (Pratt, 1991). In this chapter, the concept of contact zones is used as a theoretical resource to examine a creative educational partnership, exploring links between higher education, cultural organizations and schools with focus on making connections and engaging community. In drawing on this example, the challenge of developing and maintaining collaborations is addressed. The possibilities of creative thinking and emergent approaches are examined in the context of contact zones that come into play and need to be creatively negotiated. While the example is local and place-based, implications for partnership work are examined. Ways to prioritize spaces for creativity within increasingly determined educational contexts are a focus.
International Journal of Art & Design Education, 2016
Research in visual arts education is often focused on philosophical issues or broad concerns rela... more Research in visual arts education is often focused on philosophical issues or broad concerns related to approaches to curriculum. In focusing on the everyday work of teaching, this article addresses a gap in the literature to report on collaborative research exploring the experiences of secondary visual arts teachers in regional New South Wales, Australia. Drawing on qualitative data gathered through a process of educational connoisseurship and educational criticism, discussion focuses on visual arts teaching as a particular professional practice that is complex, intricate, emergent and adaptive. In drawing on themes emerging from the research, examples of unplanned aspects of teachers’ work that disrupt linear logics about teaching practice are examined. The article concludes by raising issues for further consideration and research.
Arts Education Policy Review, 2014
Protein interaction networks are an important part of the post-genomic effort to integrate a part... more Protein interaction networks are an important part of the post-genomic effort to integrate a part-list view of the cell into system-level understanding. Using a set of 11 yeast genomes we show that combining comparative genomics and secondary structure information greatly increases consensus-based prediction of SH3 targets. Benchmarking of our method against positive and negative standards gave 83% accuracy with 26% coverage. The concept of an optimal divergence time for effective comparative genomics studies was analyzed, demonstrating that genomes of species that diverged very recently from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. mikatae, S. bayanus, and S. paradoxus), or a long time ago (Neurospora crassa and Schizosaccharomyces pombe), contain less information for accurate prediction of SH3 targets than species within the optimal divergence time proposed. We also show here that intrinsically disordered SH3 domain targets are more probable sites of interaction than equivalent sites within ordered regions. Our findings highlight several novel S. cerevisiae SH3 protein interactions, the value of selection of optimal divergence times in comparative genomics studies, and the importance of intrinsic disorder for protein interactions. Based on our results we propose novel roles for the S. cerevisiae proteins Abp1p in endocytosis and Hse1p in endosome protein sorting.
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2014
Pastoral Care in Education, 2013
Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 2013
ABSTRACT
Teachers and Teaching, 2016
Abstract Contemporary research conversations about the utility of practice theories to profession... more Abstract Contemporary research conversations about the utility of practice theories to professional education support the reconceptualisation of pre-service teacher education in ways that provide strong preparation for continued professional learning. This paper reports on an empirical inquiry that introduced a theoretically informed practice-based intervention in a pre-service teacher education course in order to judge the utility of such an approach for student learning. Innovations within the Study of Teaching programme illustrate the bringing together of pedagogies of observation, pedagogies of enactment, and pedagogies of reflection toward an integrated theory of teacher education that focuses on the teaching body as a central site for research and for the building of preparatory knowledge and skill for ongoing learning. Data was collected from pre-service teachers involved in the programme through video and audio recordings along with individual and focus group interviews, questionnaires and student reflection on video recordings. These were analyzed within an emerging theoretical framework derived from both practice-theoretical literature and international empirical research into core practices. Initial findings suggest that a focus on practice within pre-service teacher education may enhance traditional understandings of ‘practice-based’ approaches that situate the study of practice outside of the university, in school settings. These findings have implications for the ongoing reform of teacher education in increasingly regulated contexts framed in terms of teacher quality.
Inquiry into the affordances of a reflective focus on embodied practice in an undergraduate teach... more Inquiry into the affordances of a reflective focus on embodied practice in an undergraduate teacher education program investigated the use of digital recordings of pre-service teachers learning and practising ‘core practices’ of teaching over time. Using a case study from this inquiry, we argue that reflection on and repeated observation of digital video recordings of practice teaching can support preservice teachers to focus on and improve particular aspects of their practice. We suggest that within a practice-theoretical approach to teacher education, such recordings can effectively support continuing growth towards attainment of teaching competence and expertise, beyond the limitations of generic professional standards, and provide a basis for defensible judgments of teaching proficiency. As real-time complex representations, video recordings ensure that the non-linguistic and relational and affective dimensions of teaching can be evidenced and highlighted for reflection, thus op...
In investigating relationships between museums and schools, this presentation examines what is co... more In investigating relationships between museums and schools, this presentation examines what is concealed within public discourse through an exploration of how implicit forms of power operate to create, maintain and silence barriers to engagement on the part of school-based educators. In the analysis extant research from the museum and education fields will be drawn upon and pertinent readings will be extracted to illuminate different conceptions of how interactions between museums and schools enact, construct, enable and constrain educational opportunities. Based on this analysis, suggestions are made for approaches to the development of museum/school relationships that make explicit the determining nature of social practices and increase the visibility of previously under-represented school-based perspectives.
We live in a time in which education in every form is exploring the possibilities of e-learning. ... more We live in a time in which education in every form is exploring the possibilities of e-learning. In the higher education context, discussions about the nature of online technologies, and how to utilise their affordances for teaching and learning, proliferate. Such discussions are tied to the central question of ‘what is the project of a contemporary university?’ This leads to a myriad of questions such as: In an era of MOOCS, digital platforms and pre-prepared online interactions, what does the institution add that is of value? What is the currency of higher education? Is this current movement a crisis or can it be seen as a liberating force, creating spaces for innovation and creative practice in university settings? Does change allow us to let go of previous ways of thinking and address issues of new forms of local, national and global communities? Does this change allow us to blur the boundaries of disciplines and ideas and see our work through the lens of hybridisation? How do w...
Australian Art Education, 2010
Teachers in Visual Arts classrooms regularly address the subject matter of artistry. However, the... more Teachers in Visual Arts classrooms regularly address the subject matter of artistry. However, the practices of teachers are themselves examples of artistry. A conception of teaching as artistry recognizes the complex and relational nature of teaching as a professional practice that develops over time. In exploring the artistry of teaching, this paper presents a relational framework for investigating teaching practice. The framework is used to investigate the potential impact of current educational reforms in Australia on the artistry of teaching. Discussion explores implications for the teaching profession, for secondary visual arts teaching and for initial teacher education. Introduction: The position of teachers in educational reform in Australia Since 2008 there has been a strengthening national presence in education in Australia. The reform agenda has encompassed testing through NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy); accountability of schools through publica...
Australian Art Education, 2003
Australian Art Education, 2013
This paper reports on a research forum for secondary visual arts teachers working in rural and re... more This paper reports on a research forum for secondary visual arts teachers working in rural and regional areas of New South Wales. Teachers attended from a range of schools, and the focus was on understanding, articulating, and researching teaching practice. The program drew on the skills and knowledge of university academics, arts practitioners, and visual arts teachers and involved research presentations, art making, and focus group discussion with the aim of repositioning and developing knowledge in the nexus of these experiences. The outcomes included data about teaching practice in rural and regional areas; the development of professional relationships; and capacity building for research collaboration.
Distant Connections was an exhibition in response to the Chifley Home. The Chifley Home is a home... more Distant Connections was an exhibition in response to the Chifley Home. The Chifley Home is a home museum situated in Bathurst, NSW to document the life of Prime Minister Ben Chifley. The artworks were created by students enrolled in a visual arts curriculum subject delivered by distance in a teacher education program at CSU. Australian history was explored, interdisciplinary connections examined and museums engaged with as sites of learning. Through research into Australia in the 1930s-1950s, the exhibition arrived at a new benchmark for teacher education in utilizing social history as a vehicle for art education. It established new knowledge about how museums can be used as resources and sites for learning. As the first art exhibition at Chifley Home the exhibition contributed new interpretations and expressive responses to the collection
Creativity Policy, Partnerships and Practice in Education, 2018
Contact zones are social spaces and sites of encounter where different cultures meet and power is... more Contact zones are social spaces and sites of encounter where different cultures meet and power is negotiated (Pratt, 1991). In this chapter, the concept of contact zones is used as a theoretical resource to examine a creative educational partnership, exploring links between higher education, cultural organizations and schools with focus on making connections and engaging community. In drawing on this example, the challenge of developing and maintaining collaborations is addressed. The possibilities of creative thinking and emergent approaches are examined in the context of contact zones that come into play and need to be creatively negotiated. While the example is local and place-based, implications for partnership work are examined. Ways to prioritize spaces for creativity within increasingly determined educational contexts are a focus.
International Journal of Art & Design Education, 2016
Research in visual arts education is often focused on philosophical issues or broad concerns rela... more Research in visual arts education is often focused on philosophical issues or broad concerns related to approaches to curriculum. In focusing on the everyday work of teaching, this article addresses a gap in the literature to report on collaborative research exploring the experiences of secondary visual arts teachers in regional New South Wales, Australia. Drawing on qualitative data gathered through a process of educational connoisseurship and educational criticism, discussion focuses on visual arts teaching as a particular professional practice that is complex, intricate, emergent and adaptive. In drawing on themes emerging from the research, examples of unplanned aspects of teachers’ work that disrupt linear logics about teaching practice are examined. The article concludes by raising issues for further consideration and research.
Arts Education Policy Review, 2014
Protein interaction networks are an important part of the post-genomic effort to integrate a part... more Protein interaction networks are an important part of the post-genomic effort to integrate a part-list view of the cell into system-level understanding. Using a set of 11 yeast genomes we show that combining comparative genomics and secondary structure information greatly increases consensus-based prediction of SH3 targets. Benchmarking of our method against positive and negative standards gave 83% accuracy with 26% coverage. The concept of an optimal divergence time for effective comparative genomics studies was analyzed, demonstrating that genomes of species that diverged very recently from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. mikatae, S. bayanus, and S. paradoxus), or a long time ago (Neurospora crassa and Schizosaccharomyces pombe), contain less information for accurate prediction of SH3 targets than species within the optimal divergence time proposed. We also show here that intrinsically disordered SH3 domain targets are more probable sites of interaction than equivalent sites within ordered regions. Our findings highlight several novel S. cerevisiae SH3 protein interactions, the value of selection of optimal divergence times in comparative genomics studies, and the importance of intrinsic disorder for protein interactions. Based on our results we propose novel roles for the S. cerevisiae proteins Abp1p in endocytosis and Hse1p in endosome protein sorting.
Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 2014
Pastoral Care in Education, 2013
Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 2013
ABSTRACT
Teachers and Teaching, 2016
Abstract Contemporary research conversations about the utility of practice theories to profession... more Abstract Contemporary research conversations about the utility of practice theories to professional education support the reconceptualisation of pre-service teacher education in ways that provide strong preparation for continued professional learning. This paper reports on an empirical inquiry that introduced a theoretically informed practice-based intervention in a pre-service teacher education course in order to judge the utility of such an approach for student learning. Innovations within the Study of Teaching programme illustrate the bringing together of pedagogies of observation, pedagogies of enactment, and pedagogies of reflection toward an integrated theory of teacher education that focuses on the teaching body as a central site for research and for the building of preparatory knowledge and skill for ongoing learning. Data was collected from pre-service teachers involved in the programme through video and audio recordings along with individual and focus group interviews, questionnaires and student reflection on video recordings. These were analyzed within an emerging theoretical framework derived from both practice-theoretical literature and international empirical research into core practices. Initial findings suggest that a focus on practice within pre-service teacher education may enhance traditional understandings of ‘practice-based’ approaches that situate the study of practice outside of the university, in school settings. These findings have implications for the ongoing reform of teacher education in increasingly regulated contexts framed in terms of teacher quality.
Inquiry into the affordances of a reflective focus on embodied practice in an undergraduate teach... more Inquiry into the affordances of a reflective focus on embodied practice in an undergraduate teacher education program investigated the use of digital recordings of pre-service teachers learning and practising ‘core practices’ of teaching over time. Using a case study from this inquiry, we argue that reflection on and repeated observation of digital video recordings of practice teaching can support preservice teachers to focus on and improve particular aspects of their practice. We suggest that within a practice-theoretical approach to teacher education, such recordings can effectively support continuing growth towards attainment of teaching competence and expertise, beyond the limitations of generic professional standards, and provide a basis for defensible judgments of teaching proficiency. As real-time complex representations, video recordings ensure that the non-linguistic and relational and affective dimensions of teaching can be evidenced and highlighted for reflection, thus op...
In investigating relationships between museums and schools, this presentation examines what is co... more In investigating relationships between museums and schools, this presentation examines what is concealed within public discourse through an exploration of how implicit forms of power operate to create, maintain and silence barriers to engagement on the part of school-based educators. In the analysis extant research from the museum and education fields will be drawn upon and pertinent readings will be extracted to illuminate different conceptions of how interactions between museums and schools enact, construct, enable and constrain educational opportunities. Based on this analysis, suggestions are made for approaches to the development of museum/school relationships that make explicit the determining nature of social practices and increase the visibility of previously under-represented school-based perspectives.
We live in a time in which education in every form is exploring the possibilities of e-learning. ... more We live in a time in which education in every form is exploring the possibilities of e-learning. In the higher education context, discussions about the nature of online technologies, and how to utilise their affordances for teaching and learning, proliferate. Such discussions are tied to the central question of ‘what is the project of a contemporary university?’ This leads to a myriad of questions such as: In an era of MOOCS, digital platforms and pre-prepared online interactions, what does the institution add that is of value? What is the currency of higher education? Is this current movement a crisis or can it be seen as a liberating force, creating spaces for innovation and creative practice in university settings? Does change allow us to let go of previous ways of thinking and address issues of new forms of local, national and global communities? Does this change allow us to blur the boundaries of disciplines and ideas and see our work through the lens of hybridisation? How do w...
Australian Art Education, 2010
Teachers in Visual Arts classrooms regularly address the subject matter of artistry. However, the... more Teachers in Visual Arts classrooms regularly address the subject matter of artistry. However, the practices of teachers are themselves examples of artistry. A conception of teaching as artistry recognizes the complex and relational nature of teaching as a professional practice that develops over time. In exploring the artistry of teaching, this paper presents a relational framework for investigating teaching practice. The framework is used to investigate the potential impact of current educational reforms in Australia on the artistry of teaching. Discussion explores implications for the teaching profession, for secondary visual arts teaching and for initial teacher education. Introduction: The position of teachers in educational reform in Australia Since 2008 there has been a strengthening national presence in education in Australia. The reform agenda has encompassed testing through NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy); accountability of schools through publica...
Australian Art Education, 2003
Australian Art Education, 2013
This paper reports on a research forum for secondary visual arts teachers working in rural and re... more This paper reports on a research forum for secondary visual arts teachers working in rural and regional areas of New South Wales. Teachers attended from a range of schools, and the focus was on understanding, articulating, and researching teaching practice. The program drew on the skills and knowledge of university academics, arts practitioners, and visual arts teachers and involved research presentations, art making, and focus group discussion with the aim of repositioning and developing knowledge in the nexus of these experiences. The outcomes included data about teaching practice in rural and regional areas; the development of professional relationships; and capacity building for research collaboration.
In research about the practice of teaching, little attention is paid to the teaching body, that i... more In research about the practice of teaching, little attention is paid to the teaching body, that is the physical body that engages in the act of teaching (Estola & Elbaz-Luwisch, 2003). Likewise, in a field dominated by professional standards, there is scantopportunity to explore the embodied nature of teaching and the place of memory and
personal story as part of the developing professional identity of teachers. The lived experience of teaching and the living embodiment of teaching experience as a journey through place and time is effectively silenced. In drawing on traditions of memory work introduced in the work of Frigga Haug (1987) and adapted by Beals et al (2013),
Davies and Gannon (2006), Onyx and Small (2001), Somerville (2007), and Ovens and Tinning (2009), I have used memory work as a scaffolding methodology in a research project focused on accessing and analysing the embodied practice of teaching in the specialist area of visual arts teaching. Drawing on an aspect of this research, in this chapter memory work is explored as a participatory practice of
research co-creation within a larger research project. Reporting data from the study I present a range of memories shared by visual arts teachers in relation to their earliest experiences of teaching. Analysis and discussion of this data reveals themes related to: relocation and dislocation; professional preparedness; disruption and challenge;
identity formation; learning place and forming community. The chapter concludes by examining the implications of memory work for teaching practice, for the preparation of teachers and for collaborative arts-based research. The significance of memory work and the use of story for accessing embodied practice, enabling reflection and facilitating pedagogical transformation is investigated.