Australian Research Council Discovery Grant successes for Faculty of Education

Professor Marcia McKenzie and team secured $522,345 for the project Slow emergencies, policy change, and hopeful futures for young people, aimed at addressing the combined impacts of climate change, artificial intelligence, and pandemics on young people in Australia. The research focuses on catalysing the development of education and youth policies that respond to these 'slow emergencies'.

The project will provide significant benefits in enabling young people to be healthy and thriving instead of hopeless in facing the future. This has longer term benefits to Australia, including in protecting the environment and building a secure and resilient nation. The research team includes Dr Sarah Truman from the Faculty and Professor Sam Sellar (UniSA).

Professor McKenzie (pictured right) said:

“This project addresses the declining mental health and wellbeing of young people, particularly regarding their experiences of ‘de-futuring’ in the context of slow emergencies, such as climate change. Through the project’s participatory policy making methods, young people will instead drive education policy change to address how these issues are affecting them.”

Associate Professor Gavin Slemp and team have been awarded $327,202 for a three-year project Supporting Early-Career Teacher Wellbeing and Retention. The project expects to generate new knowledge of how teachers use proactive strategies to optimise their job demands and resources, and test whether such interventions can draw on artificial intelligence to support teachers during the early-career stages. The research team includes Associate Professor Rebecca Collie (UNSW), and Professor Dr Arnold Bakker (Erasmus University Rotterdam).

Professor Slemp (pictured right) said:

“The project leverages insights from three distinct studies, employing longitudinal modelling, daily-diary, and intervention-based methods. Our aim is to investigate whether various proactive behavioural work design strategies can assist teachers in managing the stress associated with the early stages of their careers. Upon completion, we aspire for the research to uncover additional pathways to teacher wellbeing and retention.”

Professor Marek Tesar, Dean of the Faculty of Education, said:

"We’re thrilled about our ARC Discovery grant success and proud to be leading research that will have a real impact in Australia. These projects tackle crucial challenges in education: preparing youth for an uncertain future and supporting early-career teachers. These successes are an important part of our Faculty’s innovative research agenda that shapes education policy and practice for the benefit of future generations.”