Research programs
The School of Education is an active contributor to global education research and theory. Our research is essential to the success and growth of education programs at Deakin and around the world.
Innovating teacher education
Innovating teacher education 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. Research in this theme draws upon mixed methods, that include novel and innovative theoretical positions and solutions.
Being and becoming learners
This program of local, national, and international research explores innovative, creative and ethical ways in understanding and engaging diverse learners within early childhood, schooling, home and communities. Our research explores children, young people and adult voice, agency and lived experiences to enhance understanding of the ecologies in which they live, learn and play. We work in partnerships to inform progressive, democratic and responsive solutions enabling safe and secure communities, meaningful learning, sustainable worlds, and improved health and wellbeing.
Transforming professional lives, learning and learnership
This focus area addresses professional learning across workplaces, early years, schools, vocational education and training and higher education. We examine the reflective practices of educators and leaders who, as research practitioners, contribute to knowledge production for their professional field and practice. The program examines leadership capacity building for transformative organisational change, and research-based advocacy that informs policy for socially just education.
Educating for sustainable and just digital societies
This research program explores the profound ways that digital technologies are changing how we live, work and learn. It investigates the implications of these transformations for individuals, institutions, systems and societies. The program develops new philosophies, theories and methodologies to address the challenges that emerge as a consequence of digital change, seizing the research and education opportunities afforded by new engagements between the human and the digital. Intersecting areas of research focus examine how digital technologies are changing society and can be changed through innovative approaches dedicated to achieving more sustainable and just digital futures.
Transforming curriculum, assessment and pedagogy
Contemporary learning is complex and dynamic, posing both perennial and emergent challenges to inclusive, socially just, and sustainable education. This research program engages critically and creatively with policy and practice. It investigates curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment topics across formal and informal contexts, including early childhood education, primary education, secondary education, vocational education and training, higher education and community settings.
Regenerating education for uncertain futures
This research program aims to explore, inform and enact educators’ roles in the world's complex, uncertain future. We are committed to walking together for healing country and engaging with First Nation ways of knowing to guide education for uncertain futures. We envision a regenerative and fair world in which we achieve a balance between planet, peoples, and multi-species thriving. Our research promotes global perspectives on education for long-term sustainability of complex living systems.
Learn more about our research
Want to know more about our programs of research? Get in touch with our experts.
Email the School of Education
Choose Deakin for your higher degree in education
The School of Education at Deakin offers higher degree by research (HDR) students a supportive research community and a strong culture of collaboration and inclusiveness.
We have a large and diverse cohort of doctoral candidates studying both on and off campus. Our team of expert supervisors and academics ensure ongoing support and guidance at all stages of your research career. Informative research seminars are also held throughout the year across all campuses.
We're lauded as above world standard
Excellence Research in Australia (ERA) identifies research excellence within Australia’s higher education institutions based on national and international benchmarks.
In the Australian Research Council (ARC)’s 2018 national ERA assessment, Deakin University gained a score of 4 out of 5 (‘above world standard’) for education, illustrating the capacity, reputation and impact of Deakin's educational researchers.
In its inaugural Engagement and Impact Assessment, which presents the outcomes of its nationwide assessment of university research engagement and impact, the ARC also gave Deakin University the highest possible rating ('high') for research impact in the discipline of education.
Our HDR disciplines
Our teaching and research groups conduct research in a number of different disciplines. Find out more about the groups and their supervisory expertise below.
- Applied Learning Professional Education and Training
- Arts Education
- Curriculum, Pedagogy and Professional Learning
- Early Childhood
- Education, Leadership, Governance and Policy
- Health and Physical Education
- Humanities
- Inclusive Education
- Language, Literacies and Learning
- Mathematics Education
- Science, Technology and Environmental Education
- TESOL, EAL/D and Languages
If you’d like to study a master's or PhD at the School of Education, find
Contact our HDR coordinators
Our HDR coordinators will be happy to help you with any enquiries you might have regarding studying at the School of Education, choosing a discipline or finding a supervisor.
HDR Coordinator
Dr Andrew Skourdoumis
+61 3 9244 6673
Email Dr Skourdoumbis
HDR Coordinator
Dr Trace Ollis
+61 3 5227 1489
Email Dr Trace Ollis
My supervisors are first class and the opportunities for networking and collaboration make being a distance student both positive and rewarding.
Adrian Farnham
HDR student
Breaking new ground in educational research
Deakin researchers are involved in a number of innovative education research projects.
- Deakin’s Chair in Education Professor Amanda Keddie received a prestigious Fulbright Senior Scholarship to work with world-renowned gender, relationships and equity experts in the United States to conduct research into how schools can help change the story on gendered violence.
- Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow Associate Professor Ly Tran led a team that conducted research on reciprocal intercultural supervision, resulting in the publication of a series of guides that support three key stakeholders in higher degree research: international candidates, supervisors and research training managers.
- Professor of New Media Education Julian Sefton-Green brought teachers together to develop strategies to research what the children at their schools did with digital media at home and with friends. This culminated in the development of the Researching the Everyday Digital website – a useful resource for all Australian teachers.
- A team led by Chair in Science Education and Alfred Deakin Professor Russell Tytler is working as part of a major national program to increase the study of science and technology in secondary education. They've developed a trailblazing 'representation construction'-guided inquiry pedagogy. It's achieving dramatic improvements in student performance and influencing science educators around the world.
Representations in STEM education
Developing diagrams and visual representations can lead to huge improvements in student performance and engagement in STEM subjects. Deakin researchers are taking their findings to schools across the country.
Our research centres and groups
Research for Educational Impact
Research for Educational Impact (REDI) aspires to be a leading national and international centre in education research. Underpinned by strong equity principles, REDI is formed around four distinctive programs that address key contemporary education issues:
- children, young people and their communities
- curriculum, assessment and digital learning
- education, governance and policy
- science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.
REDI collaborates in interdisciplinary research that crosses all sectors: kindergartens, schools, universities, vocational education and training and community education.
Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning (CRADLE)
CRADLE focuses on investigating quality assessment in higher education and practices that can be enhanced through emerging digital environments.
The centre is led by Foundation Director Professor David Boud. It collaborates on research in significant areas of assessment innovation, credentialing and the use of evidence of learning.
Centre for Teaching and Learning Languages (CTaLL)
The Centre for Teaching and Learning Languages (CTaLL) research program focuses on the development of innovative teaching and learning across the TESOL, EAL/D and languages teaching education sectors in Australia and internationally.
Their research is framed by socio-cultural perspectives on languages, culture and identity in education, and the nexus between communication, language awareness and languages curriculum, pedagogy and practice.
Building on the extensive expertise of the languages, EAL/D and TESOL discipline team, CTaLL provides specialist units of contemporary theory, pedagogy and practice cross undergraduate and postgraduate teaching courses.
Contact us
General enquiries
Email general enquiries