Biography
Associate Professor Matthew Thomas, SFHEA is the Director of Professional Experience. His research is focussed on enhancing initial teacher education, the sociology of time and education, surveillance capitalism and human rights.
Read more on Matthew's profileBiography summary
Associate Professor Matthew Krehl Edward Thomas (BA [Hons] La Trobe, GCertHELT, GCertAIB Deakin, GDipEd, PhD UniMelb) SFHEA is the Director of Professional Experience at Deakin University, Australia. Matthew’s research critiques the networks in which educators are formed and works to enhance pedagogical practices at a system level. He enables this by focusing on the conditions which enhance the development of highly capable, relational teachers for a more equitable society. He is a former schoolteacher with a background in leadership, strategy, and negotiation. Matthew lectures in research, curriculum and pedagogy. In addition, he leads international humanitarian projects through global immersion programs focused on teacher performance. Central to his work is a commitment to enhancing initial teacher education through a critical exploration of dominant power structures, such as the sociology of time and education, human rights, and surveillance capitalism.
Research interests
- Initial Teacher Education
- Sociology of Time & Education
- Human Rights
- Surveillance Capitalism
Affiliations
- Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA)
- British Education Research Association (BERA)
- European Educational Research Association (EERA)
- Victorian Institue of Teaching (VIT)
- Higher Education Academy (HEA)
- DeakinTeaching and Learning Academy (The Academy)
Teaching interests
- Research Methodology & Methods
- Global Experience & Intercultural Understanding
- Pedagogy
- Curriculum
Units taught
Currently Teaching
- EDX703/4 - Research Paper
- EDX705/6 - Minor Thesis
Previously Taught
- EDX707 - Research Project
- EDX701 - Research Design Development and Method
- EPR783 - Reflecting On Professional Experience
- EPR781 - Planning For Learning In Professional Experience
- EEE751 - Teaching: Promoting Successful Learning
- EEE752 - Planning and assessment with diverse learners
Knowledge areas
Ask me about?
- Sociology of Time and Education
- Initial Teacher Education
- Human Rights
- Surveillance Capitalism
Conferences
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Thomas, M. K. E. (2023). (Trans) Cultural Time in Education: From New Hebrides to the Republic of Vanuatu International BaTEG (Bamberg Teacher Education for a Global World) 2023, (Trans)cultural learning in teacher education, Bamberg, Germany.
- Bearman, M. Corrin, L. Taylor, D. Thomas, M.K.E. (2023) Sustainability of teaching and learning innovations in higher education. HERDSA, Brisbane
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Thomas, M. K. E., Downes, N, Johnstone, K. Heyting, E. (2023). Safer Learners Everybody’s business: The case for child safe training in ITE, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds Campus.
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Black, R. Garrard, R, Thomas, M.K.E. (2023). Education for Social Justice: Academic resistance in Critical Times, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds Campus.
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Thomas, M.K.E. Robertson, N. Mooney, A. (2023). Things we didn’t see coming: How to overcome the crisis in teacher education? Deakin University, Waurn Ponds Campus.
- Thomas, M. K. E., & Whitburn, B. (2021). Assessment for Inclusion: Off the clock and just in time What is assessment for inclusion?, Deakin University, Melbourne Campus.
- Thomas, M. K. E., & Whitburn, B. (2019). Risks in TIme to Inclusive Educational Rights Education in an Era of Risk – the Role of Educational Research for the Future, Hamburg, Germany.
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Skourdoumbis, A., Rowolle, S., & Thomas, M. K. E. (2019). Using the Bourdieuian notion of ‘Economism’ to theorize education policy representations of innovation and creativity Educational Research and Educational Policy-Making, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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Skourdoumbis, A., & Thomas, M. K. E. (2019). Teaching As Improvisation: New Education Policy Directions Of Pedagogy. Education in an Era of Risk – the Role of Educational Research for the Future, Hamburg, Germany.
- Thomas, M. K. E., & Whitburn, B. (2018). TIES: The Inclusive Education Summit, Deakin University, Waterfront Campus.
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Thomas, M. K. E. (2017). The Erosion of the Public: From Romper Stomper to Woof-Woof Summer Institute in Qualitative Research:Putting Theory to Work.
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Thomas, M. K. E. (2017). Temporality and Diffraction: Visual Possibilities. Summer Institute in Qualitative Research: Putting Theory to Work, Manchester Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.
- Thomas, M. K. E., McKnight, L., & Bellingham, R. (2016). Symposium: In defence of the dark arts: merging theory and method to transfigure education research Australian Association for Research in Education, Melbourne, Australia.
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Thomas, M. K. E. (2016) Left behind: What possibility remains for a pedagogy of insurrection in the current Australian context Australian Association for Research in Education Annual International Conference, AARE, Melbourne, Australia MCG, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Thomas, M. K. E. (2013). Manufacturing consensus: does pedagogy shape what is common sense? AARE 2013: Shaping Australian Educational Research. Australian Association for Research in Education Annual International Conference, Adelaide.
- Thomas, M. K. E. (2011). The Empty Child: The Reproduction Of Culture Through Schooling. AARE Conference 2011, Hobart, Tasmania.
Professional activities
Research groups
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Innovating Teacher Education (ITE)
Prioritises the co-production of research-informed partnerships and alliances across the eco-systems of educational provision that includes early childhood, school and higher education. Innovating Teacher Education
Awards
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2023 Vice Chancelors Award, Safer Learners: Education & Employability Award; Development of curricula, resources or services that reflect a command of the field.
- 2022 Faculty Teaching & Learning Award: Teaching and Learning innovations that inspire.
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2019 SFHEA Senior Fellow: Global Recognition HEA Fellowship demonstrates a personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education.
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2017 ESRI REDI inaugural Travelling Fellow: Education and Social Research Institute (ESRI) & Research for Educational Impact (REDI)
- 2016 RCA Award: Research Coaching Australia Faculty Award
Projects
Current Projects:
- Teacher Performance & Development
- Safer Learners
- Lifelong AI Tutor (Machine Learning in Higher Education)
- Chronopolitics
- Improving Mentoring in Teacher Education (TAPPs)
- Implementing a Multi-Provider Professional Practice Model in Victorian Regional Communities
- Graduate Certificate of Secondary Digital Technologies
- Global Immersion Experience' for Pre-Service Teachers
- National Immersion Experience' for Pre-Service Teachers
Past Projects:
- Critical Times: Producing the global graduate in a pandemic
- Access Quality Teaching
- Horsham Wimmera Multi-Provider Teaching Academy of Professional Practice
- Study and Pilot testing of a Multi-Provider Teaching Academy & Professional Practice Model for workforce creation in Rural Victoria
- What a difference a school makes: Effective schools serving vulnerable communities
- Global Immersion Experience's for Pre-Service Teachers
- National Exceptional Teaching for Disadvantaged Schools Review: NETDS
- Inclusive education is a Right, right? (Brill)
- The Inclusive Education Summit Conference Committee
- Graduate Teacher Conferences (GTC)
- Higher Education Partnership and Participation Program (HEPPP)
- Twilight Seminar Series: Diversity and Inclusion
- National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE)
- Melton & Wyndham: Strengthening Connections between School, Young People, Parents and Community.
- Educational Consciousness: Pop Up Schools
- Koorie Inclusive School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)
Publications
The 'Butterfly Effect' of Mentoring Practices in School-University Partnerships
Amanda Mooney, Matthew Thomas, Damian Blake
(2024), pp. 141-160, Creating, Sustaining, and Enhancing Purposeful School-University Partnerships: Building Connections Across Diverse Educational Systems, Berlin, Germany, B1
Resisting neoliberalism: teacher education academics navigating precarious times
Bronwyn Wood, Bronwyn Wood, Ros Black, Ros Black, Lucas Walsh, Lucas Walsh, Kerri Garrard, Kerri Garrard, Margaret Bearman, Margaret Bearman, Matthew Thomas, Matthew Thomas, Juliana Ryan, Juliana Ryan, Nadia Infantes, Nadia Infantes
(2024), pp. 1-16, Teaching in Higher Education, London, Eng., C1
The plague years in Australian higher education
Matthew Thomas, Ben Whitburn
(2023), pp. 168-184, Building the Post-Pandemic University : Imagining, Contesting and Materializing Higher Education Futures, London, Eng., B1
Teaching as regulated improvisation
Matthew Thomas, Matthew Thomas, Andrew Skourdoumbis, Andrew Skourdoumbis, Ben Whitburn, Ben Whitburn
(2023), Vol. 50, pp. 1149-1163, Australian Educational Researcher, Berlin, Germany, C1-1
Producing the global graduate: academic labour and imagined futures in critical times
Ros Black, Matthew Thomas, Margaret Bearman
(2023), pp. 1-18, Pedagogy Culture and Society, London, Eng., C1
Being critical of the student achievement problem in Australia
Andrew Skourdoumbis, Matthew Thomas, Shaun Rawolle
(2023), pp. 1-17, The Australian Educational Researcher, Berlin, Germany, C1
K Barnes, A Ashlee, A Mukankusi, J Pacitto, A Rabi, M Thomas, N Ullah, R Zazai, A Zhao
(2023), Educational Research for Policy and Practice, C1
Ontological Assessment Decisions in Teaching and Learning
B Whitburn, M Thomas
(2022), pp. 74-84, Assessment for Inclusion in Higher Education: Promoting Equity and Social Justice in Assessment, London, Eng., B1
The emotional transition to online teaching: grief, loss, and implications for academic development
D Taylor, M Bearman, S Scarparo, M Thomas
(2022), Vol. 27, pp. 176-190, International Journal for Academic Development, London, Eng., C1
Risks in time: to inclusive educational rights
Ben Whitburn, Matthew Thomas
(2021), Vol. 47, pp. 37-50, Inclusive education is a right, right?, Leiden, The Netherlands, B1
Artificial Intelligence, Neoliberalism and Human Rights
Matthew Thomas, Leechin Heng, Peter Walker
(2021), Vol. 47, pp. 186-199, Inclusive education is a right, right?, Leiden, The Netherlands, B1
Matthew Thomas, Leechin Heng, Peter Walker
(2021), Vol. 47, pp. 1-8, Inclusive education is a right, right?, Leiden, The Netherlands, B1
Westworld and Marxism: When Violent Delights Meet Revolutionary Ends
Matthew Thomas, Trevor McCandless
(2021), Vol. 15, pp. 9-20, Unlocking Social Theory with Popular Culture : Remixing Theoretical Influencers, Berlin, Germany, B1
Living with pandemics in higher education: People, place and policy
M Thomas, T Gonondo, P Rautenbach, K Seeley, A Shkurti, A Thomas, H Westlake
(2021), pp. 47-58, Living with Pandemics: Places, People and Policy, Cheltenham, Eng., B1
A Right to be Included: The Best and Worst of Times for Learners with Disabilities
Ben Whitburn, Matthew Thomas
(2021), Vol. 23, pp. 104-113, Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, Stockholm, Sweden, C1
B Fox, M Bearman, R Bellingham, A North-Samardzic, S Scarparo, D Taylor, M Thomas, M Volkov
(2021), Vol. 52, pp. 2077-2092, British Journal of Educational Technology, C1
School-wide positive behaviour support as evidence-making interventions
T Corcoran, M Edward Thomas
(2021), Vol. 111, pp. 108-125, Research in Education, C1
Equity through exceptional teaching: National Exceptional Teaching for Disadvantaged Schools (NETDS)
Lynette Longaretti, Matthew Thomas
(2021), Melbourne, Vic., A6
Inclusive Education Is a Right, Right?
Matthew Thomas, Leechin Heng, Peter Walker
(2021), Leiden, The Netherlands, A7
Matthew Thomas, Matthew Thomas
(2020), pp. 134-149, Post-qualitative research and innovative methodologies, London, Eng., B1
The vitality of theory in research innovation
Matthew Thomas, Robin Bellingham
(2020), pp. 1-16, Post-qualitative research and innovative methodologies, London, Eng., B1
Time, power and education. Zeit, macht und bildung
Matthew Thomas, Ben Whitburn
(2020), pp. 187-210, Frontiers in time research – Einführung in die interdisziplinäre Zeitforschung, Wiesbaden, Germany, B1
Post-Qualitative Research and Innovative Methodologies
Matthew Thomas, Robin Bellingham
(2020), London, Eng., A7
Critical videographic research methods: researching teacher's lives and work post '9/11'
M Thomas, Julianne Moss
(2019), pp. 83-102, Video-based research in education : cross disciplinary perspectives, Abingdon, Eng., B1
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the pedagogy of misdirection
Matthew Thomas, Bernadette Walker-Gibbs
(2019), pp. 130-137, Teachers and teaching on stage and on screen : dramatic depictions, Bristol, Eng., B1
Robin Bellingham, Matthew Thomas, Karen Charman, Mary Dixon, Jayson Cooper
(2019), pp. 77-91, Re-imagining education for democracy, London, Eng., B1
M Thomas, B Whitburn
(2019), Vol. 40, pp. 159-173, British Journal of Sociology of Education, C1
Evaluation of the Koorie Inclusive School Wide Positive Behavioural Support (KISWPBS) Pilot.
Tim Corcoran, Matthew Thomas
(2019), Geelong, Vic., A6
Success and failure in higher education on uneven playing fields
Bernadette Walker-Gibbs, Rola Ajjawi, Emma Rowe, Andrew Skourdoumbis, Matthew Thomas, Sarah O'Shea, Sue Bennett, Brandi Fox, Peter Alsen
(2019), [Bentley, W.A.], A6
P Rodd, K Sanders, R Bellingham, M Thomas, A Skourdoumbis, M Rahimi
(2017), Geelong, Vic., A6
Towards a Footscray Curriculum
K Charman, M Dixon, R Bellingham, M Thomas, J Cooper
(2017), Footscray, Vic., A6
S Rawolle, C Ure, J Blackmore, A Gallant, R Gorur, A Keddie, J Moss, A Nolan, J Rowlands, A Skourdoumbis, M Thomas, R Tytler, R Webster
(2016), Geelong, Vic., A6
The empty child: the reproduction of culture through schooling
M Thomas
(2011), pp. 1-19, AARE 2011: Researching Across Boundaries. Proceedings of the Australian Association for Research in Education Annual Conference, Hobart, Tas., E1-1
A Jones, S Majowicz, V Edge, M Thomas, L MacDougall, M Fyfe, S Atashband, S Kovacs
(2007), Vol. 388, pp. 54-65, Science of the Total Environment, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1
A role of high impact weather events in waterborne disease outbreaks in Canada, 1975-2001
M Thomas, D Charron, D Waltner-Toews, C Schuster, A Maarouf, J Holt
(2006), Vol. 16, pp. 167-180, International Journal of Environmental Health Research, London, Eng., C1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Other Public Sector Funding
Success and Failure in Higher Education on uneven playing fields.
A/Prof Bernadette Walker-Gibbs, Prof Rola Ajjawi, Dr Emma Rowe, A/Prof Andrew Skourdoumbis, A/Prof Matthew Thomas, A/Prof Sarah O'Shea, Prof Sue Bennett
NCSEHE National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Research
- 2018: $23,281
- 2017: $7,906
Koorie Inclusive School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) Evaluation
A/Prof Tim Corcoran, A/Prof Matthew Thomas
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2019: $94,178
- 2018: $18,073
Graduate Teacher Conferences: Design, Implementation and Evaluation.
Prof Julianne Moss, Mrs Kate Harvie, Dr Jacqui Peters, Mrs Kate Moncrieff, Dr Julie Arnold, Dr Cassandra Iannucci, Dr Claire Stonehouse, A/Prof Bernadette Walker-Gibbs, A/Prof Matthew Thomas, Prof Amanda Mooney, Dr Emma Rowe, Dr Brandi Fox
Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2022: $238,011
- 2021: $582,596
- 2020: $344,395
- 2019: $244,037
- 2018: $182,564
Developing the National Exceptional teaching for Disadvantaged Schools Program.
Prof Dianne Toe, Dr Lynette Longaretti, Dr Julie Arnold, A/Prof Matthew Thomas
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2020: $106,250
National Exceptional Teaching for Disadvantaged Schools 2021.
Prof Dianne Toe, Dr Lynette Longaretti, Dr Julie Arnold, A/Prof Matthew Thomas
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2021: $83,430
Study and Pilot testing of a Multi-Provider Teaching Academy of Professional Practice Model for workforce creating in Victorian Rural and Regional.
Prof Damian Blake, Prof Amanda Mooney, A/Prof Matthew Thomas, Prof Dianne Toe, Mrs Edwina El Hachem
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2021: $150,000
Access Quality Teaching
Dr Lynette Longaretti, A/Prof Matthew Thomas, Dr Claire Charles, Prof Dianne Toe, Dr Julie Arnold
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2023: $83,750
- 2022: $87,325
- 2021: $90,000
Improving Mentoring in Teacher Education.
A/Prof Matthew Thomas, Prof Amanda Mooney, Dr Kate Johnstone, Prof Damian Blake, Dr Trent Brown, Dr Kellie Tobin
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2023: $75,000
- 2022: $75,000
Innovative ITE intervention to address teacher workforce supply.
Prof Amanda Mooney, Prof Damian Blake, Dr Kellie Tobin, Dr Adam Usher, Dr Cheryl Ryan, Mrs Juliet Erekson, A/Prof Matthew Thomas
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2023: $160,000
- 2022: $50,000
Design and delivery of a Graduate Certificate of Secondary Digital Technologies.
A/Prof Julianne Lynch, Prof Andrew Cain, Dr Jo Raphael, Dr George Aranda, Dr Sunil Aryal, A/Prof Chathu Ranaweera, Dr Carly Sawatzki, A/Prof Matthew Thomas, Dr Guy Wood-Bradley, A/Prof Glenn Auld, Dr John Cripps Clark, Prof Linda Hobbs
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2024: $101,948
- 2023: $529,906
Implementing a Multi-Provider Professional Practice Model in Victorian Regional Communities.
A/Prof Matthew Thomas, Prof Damian Blake, Dr Kate Johnstone, Mrs Edwina El Hachem, Dr Lynette Longaretti
DETVic Grant - Research - Department of Education and Training Victoria
- 2023: $208,330
Industry and Other Funding
Wyndham & Melton: Strengthening Connections between School, Young People, Parents and Community
Dr Piper Rodd, Dr Robin Bellingham, A/Prof Matthew Thomas, A/Prof Andrew Skourdoumbis
The Salvation Army
- 2016: $100,000
Supervisions
Kristian Kirkwood
Thesis entitled: The pedagogical potential of digital games to enhance the learning of spelling for English Second Language Learners in a Persian Gulf State
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Jiqing Sun
Thesis entitled: Beyond shallow teaching: implementing a gamified learning activity in a mathematics classroom
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education