Dr Leanne Fray
Postdoctoral Fellow
School of Education
- Email:leanne.fray@newcastle.edu.au
- Phone:(02) 4913 8715
Career Summary
Biography
After working as a teacher in public schools following her undergraduate training in teaching and social science, Leanne completed her PhD in 2013. Her thesis examined the sociological construction of risk in relation to the organised out-of-school activities of children in Australia since the 1950s. Leanne has worked on other research projects at the University across such disciplines as health and social sciences, including the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Leanne has extensive experience in qualitative research methods including focus group facilitation, data analysis, and the use of NVivo qualitative software. She has provided substantial and sustained research support to the Aspirations Longitudinal Study and has recently managed a number of HEPP-funded projects investigating the aspirations of students for specific higher education fields of study. Dr Fray is a member of the Teachers and Teaching Research Centre at the University of Newcastle
Qualifications
- PhD (Leisure and Tourism), University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Social Science (Recreation & Tourism), University of Newcastle
- Bachelor of Social Science (Honours), University of Newcastle
Keywords
- Equity
- Qualitative research methods
- Student aspirations
- Thematic analysis
Fields of Research
| Code | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 130399 | Specialist Studies in Education not elsewhere classified | 40 |
| 130299 | Curriculum and Pedagogy not elsewhere classified | 40 |
| 139999 | Education not elsewhere classified | 20 |
Professional Experience
UON Appointment
| Title | Organisation / Department |
|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Fellow | University of Newcastle School of Education Australia |
| Casual Academic | University of Newcastle School of Education Australia |
Invitations
Speaker
| Year | Title / Rationale |
|---|---|
| 2019 |
NSW Department of Education, Future Skills Conference The aspirations for Vocational Education and Training of students in regional and remote locations |
Teaching
| Code | Course | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDUC1038 |
Foundations of Secondary Education School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Lecturer, Tutor | 1/02/2017 - 31/07/2017 |
| EDUC1038 |
Foundations of Secondary Education School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Tutor | 28/02/2019 - 31/07/2019 |
| EDUC1038 |
Foundations of Secondary Education School of Education, The University of Newcastle |
Course Coordinator, Lecturer | 29/07/2019 - 30/11/2019 |
Publications
For publications that are currently unpublished or in-press, details are shown in italics.
Journal article (14 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Fray L, Gore J, Harris J, North B, 'Key influences on aspirations for higher education of Australian school students in regional and remote locations: a scoping review of empirical research, 1991 2016', Australian Educational Researcher, (2019) © 2019, The Australian Association for Research in Education, Inc. Despite numerous equity initiatives aimed at increasing participation in higher education, students from regiona... [more] © 2019, The Australian Association for Research in Education, Inc. Despite numerous equity initiatives aimed at increasing participation in higher education, students from regional and remote communities continue to be underrepresented in Australia. This paper presents a scoping review of empirical studies, published between 1991 and 2016, that examined aspirations for higher education of students from regional and remote areas. Analysis of the 65 articles revealed an emphasis on enablers and barriers to participation in higher education including: cost and distance, supportive environments, attachment to home, schooling and academic achievement, knowledge of pathways, and individual characteristics. However, much of the research offers a homogeneous view of regional and remote communities which elides location-specific characteristics that are powerful in shaping educational aspirations. We argue that there is a critical need for greater understanding of the diversity of experiences, influences, and aspirations among students within rural and remote communities to underpin the provision of appropriate infrastructure and support for their higher education aspirations. We identify some key avenues for further research into the aspirations of students in rural and remote communities and the ways in which this research can inform and improve outreach activities.
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| 2019 |
Patfield S, Gore J, Fray L, Gruppetta M, 'The untold story of middle-class Indigenous Australian school students who aspire to university', Critical Studies in Education, (2019)
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| 2019 |
Jaremus F, Gore J, Fray LT, Prieto E, 'Senior secondary student participation in STEM: Beyond national statistics', Mathematics Education Research Journal, 31 151-173 (2019) [C1]
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| 2018 |
Gore J, Gibson S, Fray L, Smith M, Holmes K, 'Fostering Diversity in the Creative Arts by Addressing Students' Capacity to Aspire', Journal of Creative Behavior, (2018) © 2018 The Creative Education Foundation. Research on young people's aspirations and their capacity to aspire to higher education has proliferated in recent decades, however,... [more] © 2018 The Creative Education Foundation. Research on young people's aspirations and their capacity to aspire to higher education has proliferated in recent decades, however, very little attention has been paid to the creative arts. Diversity in the arts remains a persistent issue in many nations, and repeated attempts to promote diversity in the Australian arts community have had limited impact, suggesting the need for new approaches. Drawing on data from a 4-year longitudinal study of students from ages 8 to 18 (n = 6,492) in government schools, we examine school students' aspirations for careers in the arts. Arts-related careers were popular among students, yet we found a distinct lack of diversity among those aspiring to such careers. Using logistic regression analysis we found that being female, high achieving, from an English-speaking background, possessing high cultural capital, and attending advantaged schools were significant predictors of interest in the arts, suggesting the likely reproduction of existing patterns of participation. We argue that initiatives within schools are essential to disrupting these patterns and building the capacity of a more diverse range of students to aspire to careers in the arts.
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| 2018 |
Fray LT, Gore J, 'Why people choose teaching: A scoping review of empirical studies, 2007 2016', Teaching and Teacher Education, 75 153-163 (2018) [C1]
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| 2018 |
Lloyd A, Gore J, Holmes K, Smith M, Fray LT, 'Parental Influences on Those Seeking a Career in STEM: The Primacy of Gender', International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 10 208-328 (2018) [C1]
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| 2017 |
Gore J, Patfield S, Holmes K, Smith M, Lloyd A, Gruppetta M, et al., 'When higher education is possible but not desirable: Widening participation and the aspirations of Australian Indigenous school students', Australian Journal of Education, (2017) [C1]
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| 2017 |
Gore J, Rickards B, Fray L, Holmes K, Smith M, 'Profiling Australian school students' interest in a nursing career: insights for ensuring the future workforce', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, 35 12-22 (2017) [C1]
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| 2017 |
Gore J, Holmes K, Smith M, Fray L, McElduff P, Weaver N, Wallington C, 'Unpacking the career aspirations of Australian school students: towards an evidence base for university equity initiatives in schools', Higher Education Research and Development, 36 1383-1400 (2017) [C1]
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| 2017 |
Gore JM, Fray L, Wallington C, Holmes K, Smith M, 'Australian school student aspirations for military careers: Traditional perceptions in shifting contexts', ARMED FORCES & SOCIETY, 43 238-259 (2017) [C1]
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| 2017 |
Gore J, Patfield S, Fray L, Holmes K, Gruppetta M, Lloyd A, et al., 'The participation of Australian Indigenous students in higher education: a scoping review of empirical research, 2000 2016', Australian Educational Researcher, 44 323-355 (2017) [C1]
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| 2007 |
Bryson LJ, Warner-Smith PA, Brown P, Fray LT, 'Managing the work-life roller-coaster: Private stress or public health issue?', Social Science and Medicine, 65 1142-1153 (2007) [C1]
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| Show 11 more journal articles | |||||||||||
Conference (9 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Fray L, Gore J, Patfield S, Harris J, 'Why would you go to uni? Habitus, symbolic violence and the aspirations of rural school students.', Toronto, Canada (2019)
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| 2019 |
Gore J, Gibson AS, Fray L, Patfield S, Harris J, 'Emotional and material realities shaping young people s higher education aspirations in regional and remote Australia.', Toronto, Canada (2019)
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| 2019 |
Fray L, Harper M, Gore J, Patfield S, Harris J, 'On location : The interplay of rural social space and post-school aspirations.', Toronto, Canada (2019)
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| 2015 |
Holmes K, Lloyd AB, Gore J, Smith M, Fray L, Wallington C, 'The future of STEM: Who seeks a career in STEM and why?', Equity Practitioners in Higher Education Australasia (EPHEA), Geelong Victoria, Australia (2015) [E3]
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| Show 6 more conferences | |||||
Report (6 outputs)
| Year | Citation | Altmetrics | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 |
Gore J, Fray L, Patfield S, Harris J, 'Community influence on university aspirations: Does it take a village?', National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, 88 (2019)
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| 2019 |
Miller A, Gore J, Harris J, Prieto-Rodriguez E, Fray L, Taggart W, 'QuickSmart Numeracy: Learning Impact Fund Evaluation Report', Evidence for Learning (2019)
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| 2019 |
Miller A, Gore J, Harris J, Prieto-Rodriguez E, Fray L, Taggart W, 'QuickSmart Numeracy Evaluation: Statistical Analysis Plan', Evidence for Learning (2019)
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| 2015 |
Gore J, Holmes K, Smith M, Lyell A, Ellis H, Fray L, 'Choosing university: The impact of schools and schooling. Final report to the National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education.', National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (2015) [R1]
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| Show 3 more reports | |||||
Grants and Funding
Summary
| Number of grants | 9 |
|---|---|
| Total funding | $1,654,345 |
Click on a grant title below to expand the full details for that specific grant.
20192 grants / $186,300
Faculty matching funding for UON PRC Scheme - Teachers and Teaching Research Centre$100,000
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jenny Gore (Director); Dr Julie Bowe; Dr Leanne Fray; Dr Jess Harris; Professor Bruce King; Professor David Lubans; Mr Andrew Lyell; Dr Drew Miller; Dr Elena Prieto-Rodriguez; Professor Max Smith. |
| Scheme | Faculty funding |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2019 |
| Funding Finish | 2019 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
Quality Teaching @ UON$86,300
Funding body: The University of Newcastle
| Funding body | The University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Doctor Andrew Miller, Doctor Leanne Fray, Doctor Sally Patfield, Doctor Elena Prieto-Rodriguez |
| Scheme | Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Initiatives Fund |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2019 |
| Funding Finish | 2020 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20181 grants / $160,000
Faculty matching funding for UON PRC Scheme - Teachers and Teaching Research Centre$160,000
Funding body: Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle
| Funding body | Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Dr Julie Bowe; Laureate Professor Jenny Gore (Director); Dr Jess Harris; Dr Drew Miller; Dr Elena Prieto-Rodriguez; Professor Max Smith; Professor Geoff Whitty; Dr Leanne Fray; Mr Andrew Lyell; Professor Bruce King; Dr Adam Lloyd; Professor David Lubans. |
| Scheme | Faculty funding |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2018 |
| Funding Finish | 2018 |
| GNo | |
| Type Of Funding | Internal |
| Category | INTE |
| UON | N |
20173 grants / $769,986
Professional development in equity interventions for school teachers$601,532
Funding body: Department of Education and Training
| Funding body | Department of Education and Training |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Professor Penny Jane Burke, Associate Professor Peter Howley, Associate Professor Maree Gruppetta, Doctor Jess Harris, Doctor Elena Prieto-Rodriguez, Doctor Leanne Fray, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Dr Andrew Harvey, Professor Jo Lampert |
| Scheme | Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2019 |
| GNo | G1701442 |
| Type Of Funding | C2110 - Aust Commonwealth - Own Purpose |
| Category | 2110 |
| UON | Y |
Girls in Maths$129,382
Funding body: Margaret Bowers Estate
| Funding body | Margaret Bowers Estate |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Professor John Fischetti, Doctor Elena Prieto-Rodriguez, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Doctor Leanne Fray |
| Scheme | Research Grant |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2018 |
| GNo | G1700309 |
| Type Of Funding | C3120 - Aust Philanthropy |
| Category | 3120 |
| UON | Y |
Community influence on university aspirations: Does it take a village?$39,072
Funding body: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE)
| Funding body | National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Doctor Leanne Fray, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Doctor Jess Harris, Doctor Sally Patfield |
| Scheme | Research Grants Program |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2017 |
| Funding Finish | 2018 |
| GNo | G1701286 |
| Type Of Funding | C2110 - Aust Commonwealth - Own Purpose |
| Category | 2110 |
| UON | Y |
20163 grants / $538,059
Locating Aspirations: Evidence to support participation in higher education of low SES students from regional and remote Australia$278,672
Funding body: Department of Education and Training
| Funding body | Department of Education and Training |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Doctor Leanne Fray, Doctor Jess Harris, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Professor Geoff Whitty, Professor Max Smith |
| Scheme | Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2016 |
| GNo | G1601033 |
| Type Of Funding | C2110 - Aust Commonwealth - Own Purpose |
| Category | 2110 |
| UON | Y |
Learning Impact: Evaluation of QuickSmart Maths$169,091
Funding body: Social Ventures Australia
| Funding body | Social Ventures Australia |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Doctor Drew Miller, Doctor Elena Prieto-Rodriguez, Doctor Jess Harris, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Doctor Leanne Fray |
| Scheme | Learning Impact Fund |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2018 |
| GNo | G1600614 |
| Type Of Funding | C3112 - Aust Not for profit |
| Category | 3112 |
| UON | Y |
Guiding Futures: The role of teachers in the formation of students' aspirations for higher education$90,296
Funding body: Department of Education
| Funding body | Department of Education |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Associate Professor Alex Garn, Professor Max Smith, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Doctor Leanne Fray, Professor Kathryn Holmes |
| Scheme | Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme |
| Role | Investigator |
| Funding Start | 2016 |
| Funding Finish | 2016 |
| GNo | G1600140 |
| Type Of Funding | C2110 - Aust Commonwealth - Own Purpose |
| Category | 2110 |
| UON | Y |
Research Supervision
Number of supervisions
Current Supervision
| Commenced | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | PhD | Capitalising on Collegiality: Investigating the Impact of High-Quality Collaborative Professional Development on Teachers' Social Capital and Students' Achievement | PhD (Education), Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2017 | PhD | Body Image and the Rise of Social Media: The Role of Media Literacy in the “Curriculum” | PhD (Education), Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2017 | PhD | Girls in Mathematics and STEM - What's the Issue? | PhD (Education), Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
| 2013 | PhD | Educational and Career Aspirations in the Middle Years of Schooling | PhD (Education), Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Past Supervision
| Year | Level of Study | Research Title | Program | Supervisor Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | PhD | On ‘Being First’: Reconsidering Australian Higher Education Equity Policy Through a Comprehensive Analysis of the Aspirations of Prospective First-In-Family Students | PhD (Education), Faculty of Education and Arts, The University of Newcastle | Co-Supervisor |
Research Projects
Locating Aspirations: Evidence to Support Participation in Higher Education of Students from Regional and Remote Australia 2016
The project examined the educational and career aspirations of regional and remote students, especially those from low SES backgrounds. Existing longitudinal data were combined with additional quantitative and qualitative data collected through surveys of, and interviews with, students, teachers and parents. The project produced robust evidence on regional and remote student aspirations, demonstrating how heterogeneity within areas and communities provided varying experiences and shaped diverse aspirations.
Grants
Locating Aspirations: Evidence to support participation in higher education of low SES students from regional and remote Australia
Funding body: Department of Education and Training
| Funding body | Department of Education and Training |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Doctor Leanne Fray, Doctor Jess Harris, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Professor Geoff Whitty, Professor Max Smith |
| Scheme | Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme (HEPPP) |
Publications
Gore J, Fray LT, Harris J, Smith M, Patfield S, 'Presence and proximity: A study of rural school students aspirations for higher education', New York (2018)
Gore J, Gibson AS, Fray L, Patfield S, Harris J, 'Emotional and material realities shaping young people s higher education aspirations in regional and remote Australia.', Toronto, Canada (2019)
Fray L, Harper M, Gore J, Patfield S, Harris J, 'On location : The interplay of rural social space and post-school aspirations.', Toronto, Canada (2019)
Community Influence on University Aspirations: Does it take a village? 2017 - 2019
This project, Community influence on university aspirations: Does it take a village...?, examined how post-school aspirations are formed within, and shaped by, the communities in which young people live. While “aspirations” have become a key feature of Australian higher education policy and practice in an effort to widen the participation of under-represented groups, research attention has often been directed towards individual, familial, and school-related effects in the complex process of aspiration formation. As a result, comparatively little is known about the role of local communities in shaping what students imagine for their post-school futures and how they are positioned to navigate these futures. Two key questions were addressed in this project:
What impact does community have on student aspirations for higher education?
What community factors are important for increasing equity participation?
To answer these questions, we investigated the structural characteristics of the communities
in which young people live as they form their post-school aspirations, as well as the subjective experiences and perceptions of young people and adults within these communities.
Grants
Community influence on university aspirations: Does it take a village?
Funding body: National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE)
| Funding body | National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education (NCSEHE) |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Doctor Leanne Fray, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Doctor Jess Harris, Doctor Sally Patfield |
| Scheme | Research Grants Program |
Publications
Fray L, Gore J, Patfield S, Harris J, 'Why would you go to uni? Habitus, symbolic violence and the aspirations of rural school students.', Toronto, Canada (2019)
Gore J, Fray L, Patfield S, Harris J, 'Community influence on university aspirations: Does it take a village?', National Centre for Student Equity in Higher Education, 88 (2019)
Guiding Futures: The role of teachers in the formation of students' aspirations for higher education 2016
This project investigated the impact of school teachers and other educators on Year 3 to Year 12 students’ aspirations for higher education. A second objective was to test the idea that underrepresentation of students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds and other disadvantaged groups in universities may in part be a function of the explicit and implicit guidance students receive from teachers.
Grants
Guiding Futures: The role of teachers in the formation of students' aspirations for higher education
Funding body: Department of Education
| Funding body | Department of Education |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Associate Professor Alex Garn, Professor Max Smith, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Doctor Leanne Fray, Professor Kathryn Holmes |
| Scheme | Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Programme |
Publications
Fray LT, Gore J, Smith M, LLoyd A, Holmes K, 'Guiding futures: The role of teachers in the formation of students aspirations for higher education', Guiding futures: The role of teachers in the formation of students aspirations for higher education, Melbourne (2016)
Learning Impact: Evaluation of QuickSmart Maths 2016 - 2018
Grants
Learning Impact: Evaluation of QuickSmart Maths
Funding body: Social Ventures Australia
| Funding body | Social Ventures Australia |
|---|---|
| Project Team | Laureate Professor Jennifer Gore, Doctor Drew Miller, Doctor Elena Prieto-Rodriguez, Doctor Jess Harris, Doctor Adam Lloyd, Doctor Leanne Fray |
| Scheme | Learning Impact Fund |
Publications
Miller A, Gore J, Harris J, Prieto-Rodriguez E, Fray L, Taggart W, 'QuickSmart Numeracy Evaluation: Statistical Analysis Plan', Evidence for Learning (2019)
Miller A, Gore J, Harris J, Prieto-Rodriguez E, Fray L, Taggart W, 'QuickSmart Numeracy: Learning Impact Fund Evaluation Report', Evidence for Learning (2019)
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Dr Leanne Fray
Positions
Postdoctoral Fellow
Teachers and Teaching Research Centre
School of Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Casual Academic
Teachers and Teaching Research Centre
School of Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Contact Details
| leanne.fray@newcastle.edu.au | |
| Phone | (02) 4913 8715 |
| Fax | (02) 4921 6020 |
| Links |
Twitter Research Networks |
Office
| Room | HA-101 |
|---|---|
| Building | Hunter Building |
| Location | Callaghan University Drive Callaghan, NSW 2308 Australia |
