Highlights from the 2023 School of Education Postgraduate Research Conference

On Saturday 17^th of September, many of our PhD students attended and participated in the School of Education Postgraduate Research Conference 2023 held at the University of Queensland. The occasion offered a dynamic platform for exchanging ideas and insights about education and research. Our students had the opportunity to present their investigations with students and academics.

The conference’s theme for this year was “Meeting Places”, which was selected by the Organising Committee to underscore the importance of creating spaces that facilitated collaboration, community-building, and knowledge sharing. They stated, “Meeting Places recognises that learning is not solely an individual pursuit but a social process that unfolds in various contexts, including physical classrooms, the natural world, and virtual environments.”

By bringing together multiple students from different Australian universities, including Griffith University, The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Deakin University, and the University of Sydney, the event commenced with an introductory discussion panel, followed by open sessions in five different rooms. These explored diverse topics such as Inclusive Education, Self-regulated Learning, Higher Education, and Leadership and School Governance.

Some of our PhD students shared their thoughts and experiences with us and all of them agreed in the great opportunity this conference meant to them. Bradley Hall, one of our students researching within the physical educational field, said:

“I particularly enjoyed listening to the presentations on the effects of sports participation on high school students’ mental health and the evaluation of a sexuality and relationship education program. These presentations ignited my curiosity for knowledge in health, physical education, and well-being. The UQ conference allowed me to delve into presentations related to my field of interest and connect with fellow HDRs both within and outside Griffith University.”

Carolyn Wade, whose research focuses on where school leaders and parent stakeholders come together, had the opportunity to share my research in the session titled “Leadership, School Governance and School Improvement”.  She said: “It was a fantastic experience to engage with fellow researchers and academics who are equally passionate about understanding and enhancing the meeting places of educational stakeholders”.

 

 

Sammanie Kandamb, one of our students, used this conference to connect with fellow researchers and academics equally passionate about understanding and enhancing the educational landscape. This student said: “I look forward to playing a more significant role in future meeting places and contributing to dynamic insights in education”.

Along similar lines, Lucena Miranda stated: “I was thrilled to see what education researchers are up to these days”. The conference offered students a unique opportunity to meet like-minded researchers and academics who share their passion for understanding and improving the educational landscape. Other students attending this conference were Maria Fernanda Larrea, Lulud Oktaviani, Franklin Li and Danson Zheng. GIER is proud to have such a diverse and passionate cohort of PhD students who are already making their mark in their respective fields.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit the program and conference abstracts here.