Dr Maria Nicholas

2023 – Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research and Innovation: Early Career Researcher Award, Deakin University

2022 – Research Innovator Award, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University

2021 – Faculty Teaching and Learning Award, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University. For innovative use of 360-degree video of classroom practice in an undergraduate Initial Teacher Education literacy unit. Recipients: Maria Nicholas, Aubrey Comben, Christian Bass & Stephen Newnham

2017 – Vice-Chancellor's Prizes and Awards for Outstanding Contributions: Deakin University Award for Teaching Excellence. For providing highly supportive Cloud learning through strategic partnerships and premium digital resources, effectively preparing students for placement. Recipients: Maria Nicholas, Denise Simons, Rebecca Claire, Lisa Bell, Rosemarie Garner, Stephen Newnham & Glenn Mcnolty

2016 – Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University

2013 – Faculty Teaching Excellence Award for Early Career Teaching, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University

Associate Investigator: Australian Research Council - Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child: https://www.digitalchild.org.au/

Member of the Strategic Research Centre in Education: Research for Educational Impact (REDI)

Maria has an interest in students' learning and education in pre-school, primary and secondary school settings, including high-ability and gifted teaching and learning, most especially as it relates to children's/students' literacy development (specialising in the learning and teaching of reading in the pre-school and primary years). Maria's interests also include digital literacies, teaching approaches, and the role of mediation in child/student development and learning.

2022 – Keynote speaker for Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools' (MACS) "Pathways to Improved Literacy" program of professional learning ; and delivery of two webinar presentations for the program: "Theories of Reading" and "The Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) model: Teaching approaches for Reading and Writing".

Winch, G. & Holliday, M., with Nicholas, M. (2020). Chapter 10: Learning to Read: The Child before School. In Winch et al. (Eds.), Literacy: Reading, Writing and Children's Literature (6th ed.) (pp. 153–170). Docklands, Australia: Oxford University Press.

"Teaching Approaches and the Gradual Release of Responsibility Framework" - Instructional video: Nicholas, M., 2018, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=974dcaZdjLs>

"New app turns learning ABCs into child's play" - Media Release: http://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/media-releases/articles/new-app-turns-learning-abcs-into-childs-play

• Professional Learning - High Ability Education and Learning in partnership with the Centre for Higher Education Studies, DET: Dr Maria Nicholas, A/Prof Andrew Skourdoumbis, A/Prof Linda Hobbs, Dr Shaun Bangay, Dr John Cripps Clark, Dr Seamus Delaney, Dr Sophie Mckenzie, Dr George Aranda, Miss Ondine Bradbury, Dr Guy Wood-Bradley
• Deakin's Nyaal: using 360 degree videos of classroom practice to facilitate immersive teaching/learning experiences, in partnership with local primary schools.
• Doctoral thesis (2020): "Mothers' interactions with two-year-olds when reading printed and electronic texts" : https://dro.deakin.edu.au/view/DU:30136545 
• "Transition: A Positive Start to School" - Early Childhood and Primary School cross-sector State-wide Professional Learning: Associate Prof Liz Rouse, Prof Christine Ure, Prof Andrea Nolan, Mrs Rosemarie Garner, Dr Maria Nicholas