Research interests
Education leadership
Educational business and governance
Education policy
Applied learning
Social justice and equity in education
Research supervision
Principal supervisor for:
2018
Reem Hashem
Thesis entitled: Interrogating the paradox: Distributed leadership and the 'Sheikhocracy' in Jordanian school leadership. Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education. Princicipal supervisors Prof Karen Starr and Prof. Damian Blake.
2017
Helen Hughes
Thesis entitled: Exploring principals’ purposes, experiences and perceptions of teacher appraisal in Victorian independent schools.
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education.
2017
Mohd Fauzi Bin Kamarudin
Thesis entitled: Restructuring in higher education: A case study in an Australian university. DOctor of Philosophy, School of Education.
2016
Elspeth McGavin
Thesis entitled: Risk in the VET practitioner’s teaching experience and professional identity. Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education
2012
Jean Claude Ah-Teck
Thesis entitled: Mauritian principals’ responses to Total Quality Management concepts in education.
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education
Leanne Ronalds (Cause)
Thesis entitled: The development of international mindedness in an Australian primary school.
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education.
Current:
Susan Stanton
Thesis entitled: Canadian Educators' Perspectives on the Future of Occupational Therapy Teaching
Associate Supervisor
Jan Gregory
Thesis entitled: Australian princpals experiences in implementing instructional leadership in regional VIctoria. Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education.
2020
Junny Ebenhaezer Sin
Thesis entitled: Pedagogy of effective Asia literacy for undergraduate business students in Australia. Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education.
2016
Gregg Weaver. Thesis entitled: Principalship as negotiated practice: A Bourdieuian analysis. Doctor of Philosophy, School of Education.
Affiliations
Australian College of Educators (Fellow)
Australian Council for Educational Leaders (Fellow)
Australian Institute of Company Directors (Advanced Graduate and Fellow)
Association of School Business Officials International, International Board representative
Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, Editorial Board
Teaching interests
Course Director, Graduate Cetificate, Education Business Leadership
PhD supervision
Masters by research supervision: EXR 790; EXR 796; EXR 797
Knowledge areas
Education leadership
Education business leadership
Education governance
Education policy and practice
Equity and social justice
Adult and Professional Learning
Professional activities
Member, Global Issues Committee, Association of School Business Officials International (ASBOInt)
Editorial Advisory Board member, Association of School Business Officials International (ASBOInt)
Editorial Board member, Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy
Research groups
Applied learning, professional education and training
Awards
Fellow, Australian Council for Educational Leaders
Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors
Fellow, Australian College of Educators
Fellow, International Economic Development and Research Center, HK
Telstra Business Women's Awards, Australian and Victorian winner, 2004, not-for-profit sector
Projects
Polesel, J., Starr, K., Blake, D. (2012 - 2016). Innovative partnerships. Australian Research Council Linkage Grant with Partner Organisations: 1. Association of Independent Schools NSW, 2. Catholic Education Commission of South Australia, 3. NSW Education and Communities State Training Services, 4. Department of Education and Children's Services South Australia, 5. Catholic Education Commission of NSW, 6. Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, 7. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Victoria, 8. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. $340,000 and $189,000 from partners = $529,000.
Prof Karen Starr, Dr Trace Ollis, Dr Jennifer Angwin, Dr Cheryl Ryan: Learning for life program: Neighbourhood houses, adult learning and transition to higher education. 2016: $29,800
Publications
Imported policy ideals and distributed leadership in Jordanian schools
R Hashem, K Starr
(2022), Educational Management Administration and Leadership, London, Eng., C1
What future for school business leadership? Recent change and looming possibilities
K Starr
(2021), Vol. 35, pp. 108-116, Management in Education, London, Eng., C1
Education policy, neoliberalism, and leadership practice: a critical analysis
K Starr
(2019), New York, N.Y., A1
'Nothing to lose and everything to gain': Neighbourhood Houses and later life learners
T Ollis, C Ryan, K Starr, U Harrison
(2018), Vol. 50, pp. 19-38, Studies in the Education of Adults, C1
Learning across the lifespan: lifelong learning in neighbourhood houses in Australia
T Ollis, Karen Starr, Cheryl Ryan, Ursula Harrison
(2018), Vol. 58, pp. 449-479, Australian journal of adult learning, Footscray, Vic, C1
J Polesel, M Klatt, D Blake, K Starr
(2017), Vol. 30, pp. 283-298, Journal of education and work, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Second chance learning in neighbourhood houses
T Ollis, K Starr, C Ryan, J Angwin, U Harrison
(2017), Vol. 57, pp. 13-35, Australian Journal of Adult Learning, C1
Small rural school leadership: creating opportunity through collaboration
K Starr
(2016), pp. 43-56, School leadership in diverse contexts, Abingdon, Eng., B1
Women Academics and Work-Life Balance: Gendered Discourses of Work and Care
K Toffoletti, K Starr
(2016), Vol. 23, pp. 489-504, Gender, Work and Organization, C1
T Ollis, K Starr, C Ryan, J Angwin, U Harrison
(2016), Melbourne, Vic., A6
Education game changers: leadership and the consequence of policy paradox
K Starr
(2015), Lanham, Md., A1
Principals' perceptions about resistance to implementing major decisions for changes
K Starr
(2015), pp. 129-147, Decision making in educational leadership : principles, policies and practices, New York, NY, B1
Educational leadership, change and the politics of resistance
K Starr
(2015), pp. 1-6, Encyclopedia of educational philosophy and theory, Singapore, B1
The effects of major change: a case study in an Australian university
M Kamarudin, K Starr
(2014), Vol. 6, pp. 1-10, Journal of the World Universities Forum, Champaign, Ill., C1
The influences and implications of PISA: An Australian perspective
K Starr
(2014), Vol. 10, pp. 19-30, AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice, Alexandria, VA, C1
Implications of radically transformational challenges confronting education business leadership
K Starr
(2014), Vol. 6, pp. 99-110, Business education & accreditation, Hilo, Hawaii, C1
Interrogating conceptions of leadership: school principals, policy and paradox
K Starr
(2014), Vol. 34, pp. 224-236, School Leadership & Management, Abingdon, Eng., C1
J Ah-Teck, K Starr
(2014), Vol. 52, pp. 833-849, Journal of educational administration, Bingley, England, C1
K Starr
(2014), pp. 265-276, Global Conference on Business and Finance Proceedings (2014 : Honolulu, Hawaii), Honolulu, Hawaii, E1
Communicating change in organizational restructuring: a grounded theory case study
M Kamarudin, K Starr, A Abdullah, K Husain
(2014), Vol. 155, pp. 496-501, i-COME 2014 : Communication, Empowerment and Governance: The 21st Century Enigma : Proceedings of the International Conference on Communication and Media 2014 (i-COME), Langkawi, Malaysia, E1
K Starr
(2013), pp. 149-162, Developing effective part-time teachers in higher education: new approaches to professional development, Abingdon, Eng., B1
Striving for educational equity and 'world-class quality' schools in Mauritius in global times
K Starr, J Ah-Teck
(2013), Vol. 5, pp. 1-16, Global studies journal, Altona, Vic., C1
Principals' perceptions of 'quality' in Mauritian schools using the Baldrige framework
K Starr, J Ah-Teck
(2013), Vol. 51, pp. 680-704, Journal of educational administration, Bingley, England, C1
Fighting forn future farm women nonpartisan league
K Starr
(2012), Vol. 18, pp. 227-246, Women and Politics, B1-1
J Ah-Teck, K Starr
(2012), Vol. 18, pp. 1-16, International journal of learning, Altona, Vic., C1
Problematizing 'risk' and the principalship : the risky business of managing risk in schools
K Starr
(2012), Vol. 40, pp. 464-479, Educational management, administration & leadership, London, England, C1
An exploratory study of ethical dilemmas faced by academic leaders in three Australian universities
N Cranston, L Ehrich, M Kimber, K Starr
(2012), Vol. 27, pp. 3-15, Journal of educational leadership, policy and practice, Hamilton, New Zealand, C1
The increasing importance and imperative of the school business manager
K Starr
(2012), Vol. 34, pp. 39-41, Australian Educational Leader, Strawberry Hills, NSW, C1
(Un)ethical practices and ethical dilemmas in universities : academic leaders' perceptions
L Ehrich, N Cranston, M Kimber, K Starr
(2012), Vol. 40, pp. 99-114, International studies in educational administration, Penrith, N. S. W., C1
Measuring and improving the effectiveness of Deakin University's inclusive support programs
K Starr, J Ingleby
(2012), Geelong, Vic, A6
Keynote address. Leadership for education business
K Starr
(2012), Kaleidoscope – be the Change Conference 2012, Adelaide, S. Aust., E1-1
Keynote address. Eight imperatives for school business managers
K Starr
(2012), TSAA/AAGSA Annual Conference : Inspired to Lead, Hobart, Tas., E1-1
The future leadership agenda in education : preparing to be ahead of the game
K Starr
(2012), PDN 16th Annual Conference on Educational Leadership - Ahead of the Game, Gold Coast, Qld., E1-1
Ethical tensions and academic leaders
L Ehrich, M Kimber, N Cranston, K Starr
(2011), Vol. 43, pp. 50-69, Higher education review : the international journal for policy and practice in post school education, London, England, C1
Principals and the politics of resistance to change
K Starr
(2011), Vol. 39, pp. 646-660, Educational management, administration & leadership, London, England, C1
'Distributed' leadership off to a bad start
K Starr
(2011), pp. 1-2, Australian educational leader, Winmalee, N. S. W., C1
K Starr, K Toffoletti
(2010), Geelong, Vic., A6
Leadership and the teaching of English in Australia
C Durrant, K Starr
(2009), pp. 21-33, English for a new millennium : leading change, Kent Town, S. Aust., B1
K Starr
(2009), pp. 57-67, English for a new millennium : leading change, Kent Town, S. Aust., B1
Principals, politics and change : confronting school resilience to radical renewal
K Starr
(2009), pp. 1-17, AERA 2009 : Disciplined inquiry : education research in the circle of knowledge, San Diego, Calif., E1
The small rural school principalship : key challenges and cross-school responses
K Starr, S White
(2008), Vol. 23, pp. 1-12, Journal of research in rural education, Orono, Me., C1
Whose risk? 'Managing' risk in school leadership
K Starr
(2008), pp. 1-19, AARE 2008 : Climates: Education for Sustainable Futures, Brisbane, Queensland, E1-1
Small school leadership: the leading across effective small schools
S White, K Starr
(2008), Geelong, Vic., J1
Principal 'disengagement' : are the solutions addressing the problem?
K Starr
(2007), pp. 331-348, Teaching leaders to lead teachers : educational administration in the era of constant crisis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, B1-1
K Starr
(2007), Vol. 6, pp. 189-198, International journal of knowledge, culture and change management, Altona, Vic., C1-1
K Starr
(2006), Social Sciences Conference 2006 : The first international conference on interdisciplinary social sciences, University of the Aegean, Rhodes, Greece, E1-1
Sauce for the goose? Deconstructing the boys-in-education push
J Gill, K Starr
(2000), Vol. 21, pp. 323-333, Discourse : studies in the cultural politics of education, St. Lucia, Qld., C1-1
Gender and schooling : still making the difference?
K Starr, J Gill
(1999), pp. 90-99, Contesting the curriculum, Katoomba, NSW, B1-1
K Starr
(1998), Vol. 9, pp. 1-12, South Australian educational leader, Adelaide, S. Aust., C1-1
Devolution : a part of the privatisation agenda?
K Starr
(1995), Vol. 6, pp. 1-1, South Australian educational leader, Adelaide, S. Aust., C1-1
K Starr
(1994), Vol. 5, pp. 1-5, South Australian educational leader, Adelaide, S. Aust., C1-1
Education for social justice research project
K Starr, B Moore
(1994), Vol. 7, pp. 1-9, Critical pedagogy networker, Melbourne, Vic., C1-1
K Starr
(1991), Vol. 2, pp. 1-10, South Australian educational leader, Ad, C1-1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Innovative partnerships for youth engagement in education and work
Prof John Polesel, Prof Jack Keating, Prof Karen Starr, Prof Damian Blake, Mr David Gallagher, Mr David Michaels
ARC Linkage - Projects Rnd 2
- 2015: $44,000
- 2014: $48,000
- 2013: $44,000
Other Public Sector Funding
Leading across Effective Small Schools-2007
Prof Karen Starr, A/Prof Simone White
Dept Ed Tender - Leading across Effective Small Schools-2007 - Department of Education
- 2010: $71,363
- 2009: $167,076
- 2008: $238,440
- 2007: $260,940
A program to develop School Business Managers' Leadership Capacity
Prof Karen Starr
DEECD Grant - Research - Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
- 2010: $114,000
Leadership for Business Managers
Prof Karen Starr, A/Prof Peter Smith, Dr Elizabeth Stacey
DEECD Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
- 2011: $227,488
Innovative partnerships for youth engagement in education and work
Prof John Polesel, Prof Jack Keating, Prof Karen Starr, Prof Damian Blake, Mr David Gallagher, Mr David Michaels
DEECD Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
- 2015: $25,200
- 2014: $25,200
- 2013: $25,200
Learning for life program: Neighbourhood houses, adult learning and transition to higher education
Prof Karen Starr, A/Prof Trace Ollis, Dr Jennifer Angwin, Dr Cheryl Ryan
Higher Education Participation & Partnerships Program
- 2016: $29,800
Supervisions
Mohd Fauzi Bin Kamarudin
Thesis entitled: Restructuring in Higher Education: A Case Study in an Australian University
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Helen Dorothy Hughes
Thesis entitled: Exploring Principals' Purposes, Experiences and Perceptions of Teacher Appraisal in Victorian Independent Schools
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Elspeth Mary McGavin
Thesis entitled: Risk in the VET Practitioner's Teaching Experience and Professional Identity
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Leanne Ronalds
Thesis entitled: The development of international mindedness in an Australian primary school
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Chan Ming Ah-Teck
Thesis entitled: Mauritian Principals' Responses to Total Quality Management Concepts in Education
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Susan Jennifer Stanton
Thesis entitled: Canadian Educators' Perspectives on the Future of Occupational Therapy Teaching
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Junny Ebenhaezer
Thesis entitled: Pedagogy of effective Asia literacy for undergraduate business students in Australia
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Janet Gregory
Thesis entitled: Australian Principals' Experiences in Implementing Instructional leadership in Regional Victoria
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Reem Hashem
Thesis entitled: Interrogating the Paradox: Distributed Leadership and 'Sheikhocracy' in Jordanian Schools Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education
Gregg Edward Weaver
Thesis entitled: Principalship as Negotiated Practice: A Bourdieuian Analysis
Doctor of Philosophy (Education), School of Education