Supervision topics

Lyn Yates is Foundation Professor of Curriculum in the Graduate School, and has a general interest in students wanting to work on matters relating to knowledge, social identities and the changing world. She has a new ARC-funded project that is about to begin, and would especially welcome students who wish to take on a topic related to this (and who would be able to benefit by interaction with other researchers and students and activities working on the project). The project is:

1. School knowledge, working knowledge and the knowing subject: a review of state curriculum policies 1975-2005

This project will investigate over the past three decades of major policy change how each state constructs central curriculum concerns for the 21st century: the nature of knowledge, the academic/vocational couplet, and what they assume about students and their differences and the types of citizens they are setting out to produce.

Possible doctoral or masters projects related to this project would include:

• A parallel investigation of curriculum emphases and changes in the independent school sector or the Catholic Education sector, or in a particular school
• A parallel investigation of commonwealth policy initiatives over the same period
• Life history study of influential curriculum leaders or theorists in Australia
• A related investigation of the media treatment of these issues taking the same time frame.
• A related investigation of TAFE or community college policy over the same period.

If you are about to make an application to undertake a research degree in the Graduate School and would be interested in taking on a topic for your thesis that relates to this project, please contact Lyn Yates.