Criterion Conferences

David Roy is a lecturer in Education at the University of Newcastle.

His research interests are in diverse learners, creative arts pedagogy and inclusion in education. He was nominated for the 2006 Saltire/TES Scottish Education Publication of the Year and won the 2013 Best New Australian Publication for VCE Drama and/or VCE Theatre Studies. His most recent text is ‘Teaching the Arts: Early Childhood and Primary’ (2015) published by Cambridge University Press.

Tom March began his career in education in as a high school English teacher who loved using technology to engage students in authentic learning challenges. While a teacher, Tom served as Head of English, IT Coordinator and district technology mentor and was selected at Teacher of the Year. After a decade in the classroom, Tom received a fellowship at San Diego State University where he collaborated with Professor Bernie Dodge to develop the WebQuest. Since those early days, Tom has been “working the Web for education” by designing online curriculum, developing eLearning environments for teachers and combining evidence-based pedagogies with classroom savvy to produce new conceptual frameworks for authentic learning and ICT integration. Since 2015, Tom has worked with Hobsons as their Director of Innovation where he continues to support scalable continuous improvements in teaching and learning, all focused on making learning more real, rich and relevant for every student.

David Roy is a lecturer in Education at the University of Newcastle.

His research interests are in diverse learners, creative arts pedagogy and inclusion in education. He was nominated for the 2006 Saltire/TES Scottish Education Publication of the Year and won the 2013 Best New Australian Publication for VCE Drama and/or VCE Theatre Studies. His most recent text is ‘Teaching the Arts: Early Childhood and Primary’ (2015) published by Cambridge University Press.

Deborah is the Director of Teaching and Learning at Pymble Ladies’ College where she works across the K – 12 landscape with a focus on the College’s strategic vision for personalised learning, particularly the way in which a school wide approach to learning design and assessment reform may achieve ambitious outcomes both for students and staff. Prior to taking up this role in October 2014 she was Director of Innovation in Learning at Inaburra School where she previously served as Head of English.

Bianca Hewes is the Head Teacher, Teaching and Learning at the Manly Selective Campus of the Northern Beaches Secondary College; she has been a high school English teacher since 2005. Bianca started to experiment with PBL in 2010 and is regarded as a leading practitioner in the field.

Sue is a Head of Junior School at MLC School in Sydney. She has 30 years of experience as an educator, in single sex and co-educational schools. She is skilled in working alongside teachers to enhance curriculum and its delivery. With her ‘boots and all’ approach to innovation and change, she aims to take good to great; informed to expert; instructor to inquirer; education for all yet specific to each individual, whether that individual be a student or an educator. Sue enjoys walking alongside those willing to step outside their comfort zone, to go beyond the expected, developing the capacity for critical and creative thought about what matters in this new and innovative world.

With her dedicated staff, Sue is leading the way in personalising learning; and in measuring and optimising growth for students of all levels of ability.

Education today is high stakes. Students compete on a global stage and they need new skills to prepare them for further study and jobs. Schools that are hubs of innovation and reflective practice can meet these needs.

Having worked in education for nearly 30 years, Carolyn has a breadth and depth of experience that is hard to match. In a career that has seen her work across all sectors including primary, secondary and tertiary, Carolyn has developed her expertise in learning design, assessment and professional development across a variety of single sex and co-educational environments.. With qualifications in ICT, Gifted Education and IB consultancy, Carolyn has extensive experience in developing and implementing innovative curriculum design that meets the unique needs of a variety of learners. Focusing on goal setting and critical reflection, Carolyn is skilled in leading teams through a process of innovation and design to achieve improved outcomes for all.

Alinda Sheerman is the Head of Information Services and Teacher Librarian at Broughton Anglican College, Menangle Park, NSW.

She was initially trained as a primary teacher and taught in both State and Independent schools and then part time in country schools in New South Wales across many subject areas K-10. Alinda then attained a Masters Degree in Teacher Librarianship at Charles Sturt University and has taught in school libraries for 23 years.

Her main passion is in the area of pedagogical change especially in the integration of technology to differentiate learning and to make it relevant and collaborative. This was initially achieved in her school through the introduction of Guided Inquiry as a collaborative research pedagogy for students, teacher and teacher librarian and this has been integrated right across the school – both Primary and Secondary. She has conducted action research into this pedagogical change over many years. At Broughton many teachers now use technology to assist in collaboration, differentiation and assessment.

In 2011, Alinda was awarded a NSW Quality Teaching Award from the NSW Minister for Education and the Australian College of Educators NSW.

In 2012, Alinda was selected to be the 2012 SLANSW Teacher Librarian of the Year and subsequently the 2012 ASLA Australian Teacher Librarian of the Year.

Benjamin Evans is originally from London, and was educated at Durham and Cambridge Universities in the UK. He has taught Chemistry for 18 years, in three Schools in the UK and is now the Director of Teaching and Learning at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, writes a blog (mostly on education) at www.thingsbehindsunblog.wordpress.com and can be found on Twitter as @thingsbehindsun. As an adopted Australian, he is a great advocate of the food, wine and coffee of the nation, less so its general approach to education and obsession with reality TV.

Leanne Woodley works as an education consultant for AIS, NSW. She has taught students with special needs and learning difficulties for over twenty years. She has a Masters of Education with a focus on adolescents with special needs. She also has qualifications in gifted education and working with students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Leanne works collaboratively with teachers to support the in diversification of learning and teaching, assessment experiences and programs to cater for students with learning difficulties, disabilities and challenging behaviours in a variety of educational settings.

Her passion in education has led to the exploration of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to improve and optimise learning for all students. In 2015 she to travel to the USA to study and develop a deeper understanding of UDL implementation.

Tim Waugh is an educator with extensive, cross-sector teaching and leadership experience in regional and metropolitan settings. Recognised as an educational innovator, he is currently leading a system-wide initiative aimed at enhancing pedagogical practice and student outcomes in Mathematics. A former independent education consultant with a passion for developing teacher capacity, Tim is currently a Teacher Educator/Curriculum and Pedagogy Advisor with the Catholic Schools Office, Lismore

Samantha Donoghue is a Leader of Pedagogy for the Catholic Schools Office, Lismore and has extensive teaching experience within primary education. She also currently coordinates Positive Behaviour Support across the Diocese, is an active Peer to Peer observer and her action research article “Will my mum see this?” was published with the Australian Educational Leader journal in 2013. Samantha’s work with both students and teachers continues to promote and enhance quality teaching and learning within her own Professional Learning Community and across the Diocese.

Merrick Brewer is currently the Head of Learning & Teaching at St Andrews Christian School, a P to 12 Campus located in Wantirna, Australia. After only 1 year in the role, Merrick has a passion for understanding ways of catering for the varied needs of students and identifying pathways that can best cater for these individual learning needs. Merrick’s desire to ensure that all students experience success has led him to uncover strategies that all teachers are able to implement in an effective and efficient manner. Merrick also believes that students’ passions and interests hold the key to unlocking their learning potential. An engaging presenter, he is keen to share his experience with others. Merrick was recently awarded the NEiTA Inspirational Teaching Award in the Innovation category and is a recognised author.

Leanne Woodley works as an education consultant for AIS, NSW. She has taught students with special needs and learning difficulties for over twenty years. She has a Masters of Education with a focus on adolescents with special needs. She also has qualifications in gifted education and working with students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Leanne works collaboratively with teachers to support the in diversification of learning and teaching, assessment experiences and programs to cater for students with learning difficulties, disabilities and challenging behaviours in a variety of educational settings.

Her passion in education has led to the exploration of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework to improve and optimise learning for all students. In 2015 she to travel to the USA to study and develop a deeper understanding of UDL implementation.

Kelly Ryan is the Director of Learning Culture at the Berwick Campus of St Francis Xavier College in Victoria. St. Francis Xavier College is a multi-campus Catholic school of over 2500 students. The Berwick Campus is home to 1000 Year 7-9 students. Kelly has been in education for 15 years and in educational leadership for 12 having completed her Masters in School Leadership through Monash University. Kelly is a technology and humanities teacher who has a passion for learning and teaching strategies that enable all students to participate in learning. St. Francis Xavier College has a strong focus on differentiation in order to meet learning needs of all students. Kelly has been heading up the work being done at the Berwick campus to embed differentiation and to promote a collegiate approach to teacher development in this area.

Brenda Dalheim has over 30 years of experience in education and training, within a variety of settings. Through these experiences Brenda has gained expertise across a broad spectrum of education including; classroom teaching, special education and early literacy intervention (in classrooms, coordination of programs in schools, research and lecturing), professional development training, curriculum design and implementation and research.

Brenda has also worked as a consultant for the Catholic Education Office Melbourne and Visible Learning. In this role, she facilitated professional learning, across the Eastern states of Australia, working with the whole school and school leadership teams to enable them to use data to drive their teaching and to improve outcomes for all students.

Currently, Brenda works in at Independent Primary school, Claremont College as Head of Learning Support, coordinating learning support within a co-teaching model through integration of all students and quality differentiation in the classroom.

Janelle Ford, MLMEd, Bed (Primary), Dip Teach (Infants), MACE Janelle is the recipient of a Quality Teaching Award from The NSW Minister for Education & The Australian College of Educators, An Outstanding Professional Award from The Professional Teachers Council NSW, she is Accredited at the level of Professional Excellence through ISTAA, and she has a Highly Accomplished Teacher medal through BOSTES.

Janelle is the Deputy Principal at Claremont College. She together with Doug Thomas (Principal) have been instrumental in leading the changes from single cell classrooms to flexible learning spaces, and from single teacher classrooms to teams of staff co-teaching. Janelle has led the cultural changes and job-embedded professional learning at Claremont College. At the core of our co-teaching is differentiation for all students according to their needs. Janelle will take you through the structural and cultural changes required within a co-teaching model to achieve differentiation at every level.

The Principal (Doug Thomas) and Deputy Principal’s (Janelle Ford) leadership has been critical to the Claremont College journey, creating an environment in which staff can step up and offer leadership as they are able. They have brought gifts and strengths out of a team of quality people, leveraging their capacities to work together in quite different ways.

Doug and Janelle bring complementary gifts and strengths to their own work: together they are more than the sum of their parts, modeling this possibility to staff, enabling them in turn to create quality teams with their colleagues, students and the parent community. (Peter Kaldor, New River Leadership, 2016)

Doug is Principal of Claremont College, an Australian leader in environmental education and one of a small number of schools that have significantly reduced its carbon footprint, particularly in energy consumption, as well as innovation and design. Claremont is recognized for its classroom’s innovation and design obtaining various awards including, a a Darch Horse Architectual Award (2014) and Highly Commended by CEFPI (2014).

Doug’s other interests include; creating schools and inclusive, flexible classrooms that maximise teaching and learning, supporting and promoting teacher professional learning and feedback, visible learning, technology, global connections, student resilience, and developing parent programs. Additionally, Claremont is receiving world-wide attention for the implementation of an innovative co-teaching model, linked to a school based research project. At least once a year, Doug travels to Mumbai and North India where he assist teachers in slum schools with their teaching and developing various school programs and community projects.

Jonathan Saurine calls himself an educational engineer because he collaborates to design, build and implement all manner of solutions to improve K-12 education. He is an accomplished educator, thought leader and science writer with more than 20 years of experience in secondary and tertiary education. He has taught Chemistry and Physics for many years and is currently the Director of Learning Innovation at Kincoppal – Rose Bay School in Sydney. Jonathan has a passion for education and has research interests in learning psychology, the future of education and instructional design. He is the author of Quarkology and the Quark Institute and puts educational research into practice by leveraging innovative technologies to improve learning and teaching.

Virginia’s experience and passion for early years education has spanned the last 22 years where she has worked as an Early Childhood Teacher, Pre-School Director and for the past nine years as Head of Early Learning to Year 2 at Pulteney Grammar School. Pulteney is a co-educational ELC – Year 12 Independent Anglican city school in Adelaide. Pulteney’s Learning and Performance Culture places students at the heart of everything they do. Virginia’s interest in Growth Mindset has stemmed from the School’s focus on personalised growth and development and seeking ways to enhance student learning.