Biography

Dr Sharon Cooper is a lecturer in Academic Development for the Centre for Teaching and Learning. She started work at The University of Newcastle as a research assistant in 1998, became a casual academic in 2003, and was appointed as a permanent academic staff member in 2005. Between 1996 and 2004, Sharon worked as a casual and temporary secondary mathematics teacher. Until 2011, she worked as a lecturer for the School of Education, where she developed expertise in coordination of large foundation courses, and the first year experience. Sharon became the Director of Student Experience for the School. Since 2011, for the Centre for Teaching and Learning, she has been working with academics in various ways to improve teaching and learning across the University.

Sharon’s primary research interest is in sociology of education, particularly the politics of Australian education. Her primary method of research is discourse analysis.

Qualifications

• PhD, University of Newcastle, 2003
• Master of Educational Studies, University of Newcastle, 1998
• Bachelor of Education (Mathematics)(Hons), University of Newcastle, 1996

Research

Research keywords

• First year in higher educaton
• Politics of education
• Sociology of education
• Teaching in higher education

Research expertise

Teaching and Learning Project Grant ‘Establishing effective and sustainable links between enabling and undergraduate programs by examining the transition of ELFS students’ with Erica Southgate, Anna Bennett, Keryl Kavanagh, Rosalie Bunn & Cheryl Williams (2011)

Member of the Educational Research Institute Newcastle’s (ERIN) Research Program Teacher Change: Problems and Possibilities (2010)

Chief Investigator of ‘The Howard years and reform in Australian education: An analysis of political rhetoric and its relationships to change’ (Funded by a University of Newcastle Early Career Researcher Grant of $8533) (2009-2010)

Teaching and Learning Project Grant ‘Planet university: An academic and emotional survival guide for first-year students’ with Jill Scevak, Robert Cantwell, Greg Preston, Dianne Kirby & Teresa Dluzewska (2009)

Chief investigator along with Robert Parkes and Rachel Burke for ‘Media and Education Policy’ (MAPS) (Funded by the University Internal Grants Scheme) (2007 - 2008)

Chief investigator for ‘An investigation into mathematics teachers' choice of teaching strategy and the factors that influence them’ (Working title; Funded by a University of Newcastle Early Career Researcher Grant of $10000) (2006 - 2007)

Research assistant for ‘Systemic Implications of Pedagogy and Achievement in NSW Public Schools’ (SIPA) (2004 - 2006) with Jennifer Gore, James Ladwig, Thomas Griffiths and Wendy Amosa

Research assistant for ‘The Impact of Productive Pedagogy on the Socialisation of Beginning Teachers’ (2004 - 2005) with Jennifer Gore and Cheryl Williams

Research assistant for ‘Educational Governance and Social Inclusion and Exclusion’ (EGSIE) (1998 – 2000) with James Ladwig, Jennifer Gore (University of Newcastle) and Bob Lingard (University of Queensland)

Languages

• English

Fields of Research

Memberships

Committee/Associations (relevant to research).

• Member - Australian Curriculum Studies Association

Awards

Honours.

Recognition.

Administrative

Administrative expertise

Small and large course coordination

Director, Student Experience (includes the First Year Experience) (School of Education) (2010)

First Year Experience Coordinator (School of Education) (2008 – 2010)

Chair of the Student Experience Team (School of Education) (2008 – 2010)

Consultant for the Girls’ Summer School (Equity and Diversity Unit) (2007, 2008)

Conference organising committee, Pedagogy in Practice (2004 – 2006)

Policy development working party memberships

Teaching

Teaching keywords

• Assessment practice
• Curriculum design and development
• Foundations of education
• Higher education
• Primary and secondary education
• Reflective practice
• Teaching and learning

Teaching expertise

From 2003-2010 my teaching areas have been in sociology, politics and foundations of education, and pedagogy, curriculum and assessment design as they relate to teacher education both generally, and mathematics teacher development. During this time I taught across 16 university courses, both undergraduate and postgraduate, and was responsible for the design and coordination of many of these. I have been sole or co-coordinator of large first-year courses typically with over 700 enrolments, giving me particular expertise in the ‘first-year experience’ and in effectively leading a team of teaching staff of up to fourteen.

Although continuing interest and research in sociology of education and educational politics, from 2011 my teaching focus is in higher education, particularly in course design, assessment, effective management of large courses, teaching strategies and reflective practice. I am responsible for the development of teaching and learning focused workshops and events for academic staff (full-time and sessional), as well as providing tailored support for the improvement of teaching and learning across all disciplines of the University.