Postgraduate Profile

Mrs Julie Mundy-Taylor

PhD Candidate, School of Humanities & Social Science
Client Services Librarian : Ourimbah Campus Library, University of Newcastle

Faculty/Division: Education and Arts
Phone: + 61 2 4348 4225
Fax: + 61 2 4348 4215
Email: Julie.Mundy-Taylor@newcastle.edu.au
Location: Ourimbah Campus Library, Room A2.53
Campus: Ourimbah Campus, Newcastle

Current Research

PhD Thesis title: Traditional storytelling versus augmented storytelling: current debates in the field

The aim of the research is to examine children’s responses to different styles of storytelling and to determine whether various conditions need to be met for them to be able to comprehend stories told in the traditional style. The conditions examined will be: age appropriateness of the story, duration of storytelling sessions, familiarity with the art of storytelling and the individual storyteller, and the familiarity with folktales and traditions of different cultures.
It is expected that the group of children who are exposed to storytelling for an hour each week for 10 weeks, will respond to stories more actively and have a stronger comprehension of the meaning of the story than the comparison group who are told stories on only two occasions, a fortnight apart. The development of a “sense of story” will be monitored and analysed.

Research Publications

Lyons, Gordon; Cassebohm, Michele; Mundy-Taylor, Julie
" 'Stretching': a simple strategy for improving the quality of life of children and young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties"
The SLD Experience, Volume 61, Number 1, Autumn 2011 , pp. 8-12(5)

Mundy-Taylor, Julie " Utilising the PAL technique: the power of traditional storytelling to encourage oral history responses – a workshop" 
The Oral History Association of Australia (Qld Inc.) Annual conference, Old Stories, New Ways,  28-30 September 2007. Available here and click on the 'book' icon for pdf.

Mundy-Taylor, Julie “The research story” [working title] CC Research Newsletter, Semester 1, 2009, Ourimbah (In press: May 2009 publication)

Mundy-Taylor, Julie “More than just entertainment: evidence for the multilevel benefits of engaging visiting professional storytellers in the school community”  Australian Learning Communities Network International Conference, Brisbane 24-27 September 2006. Available here   

Mundy-Taylor, Julie “Traditional versus augmented storytelling: current debates in the field: a report on a PhD study” The Storyteller , December 2007.

Research Activites

Cross-Cultural storytelling program - using storytelling and performance to promote University Library services and develop a culturally aware, and racially inclusive, multi-sector campus”. Tandem storytelling with Julie Mundy-Taylor and Stuart McMinn (Gibalee)  CC Campus Information Day, August 2011 

The 2nd National Indigenous Family & Community Strengths Conference. Newcastle Dec 1, 2009. Julie Mundy-Taylor & Annie Vanderwyk  "Measuring the impact of Cross-cultural storytelling as a vehicle for the development of a culturally aware and racially inclusive, multi-sector campus."

“Cross-Cultural storytelling program – using storytelling and performance to promote University Library services and develop a culturally aware, and racially inclusive, multi-sector campus”. South-East Asian theme: CC Campus Information Day, August 2009 and Kids Day Out, November 2009.

Central Coast Campus Research Support Scheme 2009 Funding Grant to Julie Mundy-Taylor (Library), Annie Vanderwyk (Gibalee) - Cross-cultural storytelling program - building on the success of the 2008 Aboriginal Australian program

Cross-Cultural storytelling program – using storytelling and performance to promote University Library services and develop a culturally aware, and racially inclusive, multi-sector campus”. Aboriginal theme: CC Campus Information Day, August 2008 and Kids Day Out, November 2008

Australian Learning Communities Network International Conference, Brisbane 24-27 September 2006.  More than just entertainment: evidence for the multilevel benefits of engaging visiting professional storytellers in the school community

Meat and Livestock Australia, Annual Team-building day, Royal Sailing Yacht Club of Australia, Sydney,  October 2006. Storytelling as a team-building activity

University of Newcastle School of Humanities and Social Science Postgraduate Symposium, November 2 2006 More than just entertainment: evidence for the multilevel benefits of engaging visiting professional storytellers in the school community

Ourimbah Campus Research Seminar Series. September 2007 “Traditional versus augmented storytelling: current debates in the field” :the RHD process

The Storytelling Guild of Australia (NSW Branch) Workshop paper, The NSW Writer’s Centre, Rozelle, September 2007 Traditional versus augmented storytelling: current debates in the field – the PhD experience for storytellers

The Oral History Association of Australia (Qld Inc.) Annual conference, Old Stories, New Ways,  28-30 September 2007. Utilising the PAL technique: the power of traditional storytelling to encourage oral history responses – a workshop

Tutoring/Lecturing

  • EDUC2065 Play and Learning  (Guest lecture -  The value of storytelling to young children)  Semester 1, 2011
  • EDST2200c: English K-6 Curriculum (Guest lecture -Storytelling in Schools) Semester 1, 2004
  • HUMA3660c: Making and Telling Stories  (Guest lecture 3 weeks – The how and why of storytelling) Semester 2, 2004
  • BUSN3470c: Knowledge management (Guest lecture – Organisational storytelling) Semester 2, 2008

Qualifications

  • 2004- PhD Candidate, School of Humanities and Social Science
  • 1991 Graduate Diploma in Children’s Literature, University of Technology Sydney
  • 1982  Graduate Diploma in Information Management – Librarianship, University of New South Wales
  • 1981 Bachelor of Arts, University of New South Wales

Employment History

  • October 2005 – current Ourimbah Campus Library, University of Newcastle           Client Services Librarian                  
  • April 1999 – October 2005 Ourimbah Campus Library, University of Newcastle      Various positions
  • August 1998 – Current  The Tale Teller (Owner/Operator)
    Professional storytelling service and Children’s Literature Consultancy
  • March 1996 – December 1997 Goulburn Valley Regional Library
    (casual status) – Various positions   
  • September 1989 – August 1995 Goulburn Valley Regional Library
    Children’s and Young Adult Services Librarian

Membership of Professional Networks

  • Accredited Member:  Storytelling Guild of Australia
  • Member: Children’s Book Council of Australia (NSW)