Teacher Professional Learning and Practice Hub

We work collaboratively to develop engaging learning, teaching and research environments that empower educators to expand their professional knowledge and skills for their own benefit, and for their ākonga, colleagues and whānau. We aim to inspire and support educators to become the best they can be.

To achieve our vision we believe it is critical that we:

• Attract and retain key staff
• Attract high quality and diverse ākonga across a range of programmes
• Work collaboratively with our partner communities
• Provide qualification pathways for ākonga
• Be at the nexus of scholarship, learning and teaching

The focus of our work is on:

• Teacher professional learning – mentoring, self-efficacy, identity, ethical professional practice, agency, teacher beliefs
• Enhancing  students’ learning and achievement – classroom talk, assessment for learning (AfL) , self-regulated learning,  learner agency, equity, motivation to learn

The work that we do occurs within a variety of contexts:

• Higher education
• Postgraduate / undergraduate study
• Initial teacher education
• Compulsory schooling
• Practicum
• Work based / experiential learning.

Sandra Chandler
Sandra Chandler’s teaching and research interests include inquiry into professional practice, supervision and mentoring in the practicum, and using exemplars in higher education. In her leadership role as Director of the BEd (Tchg) Primary programme, key focus areas are programme design, development and delivery, and student experience in the programme.

Dr Maree Davies
Senior Lecturer, Maree Davies teaching and research interests focus is on all aspects of adolescence. In particular within the contexts of learning and teaching in secondary and middle schools. She has a particular interest in promoting critical thinking to be accessible for all adolescent learners, through peer to peer interaction. She has recently developed a critical thinking talk model, called Street Smarts, which includes opportunities for students to share their street experiences, whilst maintaining the rigour of the cognitive, ethical and metacognitive aspects of critical thinking.

Associate Professor Helen Dixon
Associate Professor Helen Dixon’s teaching and research interests focus on all aspects of AfL and self-regulated learning within the contexts of higher education / postgraduate study or compulsory schooling. She also has a particular interest in the role beliefs, including efficacy beliefs, affect teacher or student motivation.

Dr Esther Fitzpatrick
Dr Esther Fitzpatrick researches issues of ethnic/cultural identity development in multi-ethnic communities, bicultural practice, and decolonising strategies (methods and pedagogy). She investigates the complexity of professional identity using Derrida’s concept of hauntology. She uses various critical innovative pedagogies, including writing as a method of inquiry and arts-based methods, in her teaching and research.

Associate Professor Lexie Grudnoff
Associate Professor Lexie Grudnoff’s teaching and research focuses on new teacher professional learning. She has a particular interest in how teachers learn to teach for equity, the role of practicum in pre-service teacher learning, the process of transition and development of new teachers' experience when starting to teach, and the induction and mentoring of beginning teachers.

Associate Professor Eleanor Hawe
Associate Professor Eleanor Hawe’s teaching and research interests are focused on assessment (in particular assessment for learning as a pedagogical practice) and self-regulated learning. More specifically she has carried out studies into the use of exemplars, peer review, feedback and self-monitoring.

Dr Paul Heyward
Dr Paul Heyward is Associate Dean and Head of Initial Teacher Education at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland, where he has worked since 2005. Paul’s research interests include the ethics of teaching, teacher identity, effective professional supervision and drama in education. He has led initial teacher education programme developments, directed an initial teacher education Graduate Diploma programme, and taught across a range of courses in education, professional studies and the arts.

Dr Camilla Highfield
Dr Camilla Highfield is currently Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Auckland. Camilla’s research interests are in the arts, schooling improvement, the intersection of gender and leadership, middle leadership in secondary schools and culturally responsive teaching and leadership.

Dr Vivienne Mackisack
Dr Vivienne Mackisack’s teaching and research interests focus on student teacher professional learning and development, supervision/mentoring and professional practice. She also has a particular interest in School-University-Student Teacher practicum partnerships.

Dr Brian Marsh
Brian Marsh’s doctoral work focussed on the nature of the student-teacher relationship. He has interests in the nature of classroom dynamics and strategies for building effective teaching and learning relationships with students.

Dr Lyn McDonald
Lyn McDonald’s teaching and research interests focus on Initial Teacher Education and teacher expectations. She teaches in both the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary) programme and the Honour’s programme

Heather O’ Neill
Heather O’ Neill is a Professional Teaching Fellow in the School of Learning, Development and Professional Practice and a fully certificated and registered teacher. She teaches on the B.Ed programme. Her teaching areas include: assessment, diversity/equity, culturally responsive/sustainable practice, theories of learning and development, professional practice.

Jan Scoulding
Jan Scoulding is currently the Associate Principal at Te Papapa School in Auckland. Jan is on a three-year seconded role to the University of Auckland working as a Professional Teaching Fellow and also course co-coordinator for the BEd Primary Teaching Degree. Jan’s research interests are in mentoring for beginning teachers and educational leadership in the primary school context. She also has a particular interest in how ITE institutions and schools can work together to bridge the gap between the realm of pre-service teaching and the transition to full registration.

Tessa Tupai
Tessa Tupai’s teaching and research interests focus on enhancing professional practice for educational equity within the contexts of primary schooling and higher education. She also has a particular interest in the role of critical reflection in student learning.