Staff Profile

Career Summary

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Teaching (Honours), University of Western Sydney, 30/04/2005
• Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), University of Western Sydney

Research

Research keywords

• Aboriginal Studies
• Aboriginal communities and ICT
• Aboriginal education
• Aboriginal pedagogy
• Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples
• Pedagogy
• Quality Teaching
• Working with Aboriginal communities

Research expertise

I have worked within Aboriginal education since the early 1990's from an Aboriginal education worker in schools through to doing a PhD in pedagogical practices to support Aboriginal students.

Key areas of expertise and interest in my work include:

* Engagement of Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge (ACK) in supporting Aboriginal students

* Aboriginal education

* Aboriginal pedagogical practices

* Working with Aboriginal communities

* Engaging ACK into teaching practices

* NSW Quality Teaching framework

* Comparative Indigenous cultures

* Use of Information Communication Tools (ICT) in supporting education

Peer Reviewed Journal Publication

Donovan, M., & Heitmeyer, D. (2000) “To Get the Black Point Across: Linking Technology to Aboriginal Voices” Edited G. Partington in online journal and conference articles. Perth, Edith Cowan University Press.

Donovan, M. (2002) “Outcamps: Education Centres to Suit the Needs of Indigenous Communities” Common Ground Publishing, Altona, Victoria.

Donovan. M., (2003) “To Watch, Hear and Re-Learn: Electronic Revitalisation Tools for the Gumbaynggir Aboriginal Language. “ Common Ground Publishing, Altona, Victoria.

Donovan, M., (2007) “Do Aboriginal Knowledge and Western Education Mix? (To get Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge in schools to make all the kids smile)” In The International Journal of the Humanities, edited by Tom Nairn & Mary Kalantzis, Common Ground Publishing, Melbourne. 5 (5), 99-104.

Donovan, M., (2009) Quality Teaching and Aboriginal students, a NSW model, in the Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, edited by Andrew Gunstone, Monash University, Churchill, Victoria. 12 (1-4),104-115.

Donovan, M., (2011) Aboriginal landscapes and their place in the classroom, In The International Journal of Science in Society, edited by Bill Cope and Michael Peters, Common Ground Publishing, Melbourne, 12 (3), 243-252.

Donovan, M., (in press) Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge it lives in my town. Urban communities and engagement of Aboriginal students, Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra.

Peer Reviewed Book Chapter

Donovan, M., (2007) “Can Information Communication Technological Tools Be Used to Suit Aboriginal Learning Pedagogies?” edited by Laurel Evelyn Dyson, Max Hendriks and Stephen Grant, in Indigenous People and Information Technology, Idea Publishers

Research Grants

Assoc. Prof James Ladwig; Mr Michael Donovan; Dr Wendy Amosa, 2006-2007, “Quality teaching and the cultural knowledge of Aboriginal students in NSW”. NSW Department of Education and Training, Research Grant $50,000

Michael Donovan, 2007-2008 “Analysis of the effectiveness of the NSW Quality Teaching framework in increasing Aboriginal students' educational outcomes”. Australian Research Council, Research Grant $60,000

Michael Donovan, 2007, “Travel to the 5th International Conference on the New Directions in Humanities at the American University, Paris France” University of Newcastle, Umuliko Research Grant $7000

Michael Donovan, 2008 “When Aboriginal language comes to Schools does Aboriginal culture follow?” University of Newcastle Equity Research Fund $23,000

Dr Wendy Elsworth, Michael Donovan, 2010-2011 “Regional Partner Research Team of Stronger Smarter Learning Communities; NSW Hunter Central Coast Region Evaluation Case Study, The Stronger Smarter Institute, Research Grant

$170,011

Dr Wendy Elsworth, Michael Donovan, 2010-2011, “Regional Partner Research Team of Stronger Smarter Learning Communities; North & Western Regional NSWEvaluation Case Study, The Stronger Smarter Institute, Research Grant

$121,856

Michael Donovan, 2010- 2011 , “Situational analysis of key aspects of the well being of Aboriginal residents in the Upper Hunter Valley” Analysis Case Study, Coal & Allied, Rio Tinto Coal Australia, Research Grant $46,300

Languages

• Aboriginal English, So Described

Fields of Research

Memberships

Other

• Aboriginal Community representative - NSW Board Of Studies Aboriginal Education Advisory Comittee

Appointments

Administrative

Administrative expertise

I have worked in many various administrative roles within the Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies in the academic and Aboriginal support roles within the school. Academically I have been a course coordinator across a series of courses within the school in both undergraduate and course Masters Courses. I have been the academic coordinator within the School and have organised the academic course and staff workloads to maintain these course. I have re-established the Aboriginal research centre within Wollotuka and co-ordinated the research arm of the school including establishing the schools confirmation process and various Aboriginal student and staff research workshops.

I have been the Indigenous Support Coordinator this position manager the Indigenous support staff within Wollotuka and support the social and academic needs of the 300 to 350 Indigenous students at the University of Newcastle. I have also worked as the promotional officer for Wollotuka which included visiting schools and career expos to engage Indigenous students into considering applying to the University of Newcastle.

I coordinate the schools Aboriginal education course that includes approximately 1000 education students per each year across 3 campuses. This course in a mandatory element for all education students including 2nd year Primary school education students, 4th year Early childhood and secondary education students and Masters of Teaching students.

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Aboriginal Studies
• Aborignal education
• Comparative Indigenous cultures
• Human Rights and Indigenous Peoples
• Working with Aboriginal communities

Teaching expertise

I teach across a variety of Aboriginal Studies areas and have taught in the entire program presented by Wollotuka School of Aboriginal Studies. Currently I teach across a series of course within Aboriginal Studies including education, human rights, traditional Aboriginal society and comparative Indigenous cultures. I am also teaching in the Masters Coursework program. These courses include,

• ABOR1370 Working with Aboriginal Communities
• ABOR3120 Contemporary Aboriginal Society
• ABOR2380 Interpreting the law: Aboriginal customary law & Western law
• ABOR3500 Aboriginal education policy & issues
• ABOR1330 Traditional Aboriginal society
• ABOR3250 Comparative Indigenous culture 2
• ABOR3380 Human rights & the worlds Indigenous Communities
• ABOR1110 Introduction to Aboriginal society
• ABOR6006 Switching Black power back on in Indigenous learning