Doctoral study in Professional Learning and Practice

Our professional learning and practice research cluster is focused on ongoing learning, development and critical inquiry about professionals, their learning, identity and work in our fields of education, social work, professional supervision, and educational, social, and community leadership.

Our research encompasses a wide range of school and community contexts with particular focus on practice-driven collaborative inquiry. Our research includes understanding how professional learning happens in communities of learning and networks, the role of professional supervision in professional lives and professional learning, the emergence and strengthening of professional identities and the work patterns and practices of professionals in education, social work, community leadership and beyond.

Researchers in this cluster use both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, and a range of theoretical frameworks to understand professional learning and practice, including statistical modelling, complexity, social network analysis, arts-based methods, narrative inquiry, participant action research, ethnography case study and situated learning theory.

Pursue your topic with us and benefit from exceptional standards of support and supervision from nationally and internationally recognised researchers in the following broad research areas:

Communities of practice

Laura Chubb, Lisa Darragh, Maree Davies, Fiona Ell, Christa Fouché, Lexie Grudnoff, Camilla Highfield, Barbara Kensington-Miller, Mei Lai, Kerry Lee, Deidre Le Fevre, Jude MacArthur, Janet May, Lyn McDonald, Roberto McLeay, Alan Ovens, Rod Philpot, Matt Rankine, Brian Rodgers, Claire Sinnema, Tony Trinick

Learning networks

Alan Ovens, Barbara Kensington-Miller, Brian Rodgers, Camilla Highfield, Claire Sinnema, Deidre Le Fevre, Kerry Lee, Maree Davies, Matt Rankine, Mei Lai, Rod Philpot

Professional identity

Allen Bartley, Liz Beddoe, Helene Connor, Lisa Darragh, Christa Fouché, David Fa'avae, Esther Fitzpatrick, Kiri Gould, Lexie Grudnoff, Paul Heyward, Barbara Kensington-Miller, Deidre Le Fevre, Kerry Lee, Janet May, Lyn McDonald, Vivienne Mackisack, Brian Rodgers, Matt Rankine, Barbara Staniforth, Jo Smith, Ying Wang, Lawrence Zhang

Professional supervision

Liz Beddoe, Fiona Ell, Lexie Grudnoff, Paul Heyward, Deidre Le Fevre, Kerry Lee, Brian Marsh, Janet May, Lyn McDonald, Vivienne Mackisack, Brian Rodgers, Matt Rankine, Claire Sinnema, Nicki Weld

Professional workforce studies

Allen Bartley, Kiri Gould, Kerry Lee, Deidre Le Fevre, Roberto McLeay

'Addressing EFL Teachers’ Cognitions and Practices About Oral Interaction Through Professional Learning Opportunities in Chile' | Supervised by Emeritus Professor Judy Parr and Dr Constanza Tolosa

'An Ecology for Learning and Teaching: Integrating Education Science into Teacher’s Pedagogies using an adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Framework' | Supervised by Associate Professor Graham McPhail and Associate Professor Aaron Wilson

'Expectations Matter: Relations Between Teacher Expectations, Student Perceptions, Classroom Climate, Student Self-Efficacy, Emotions, and Achievement' | Supervised by Professor Christine Rubie-Davies and Professor Jason Stephens

'"It's More Complicated Than I Thought": A Bioecological View of Induction and Mentoring in New Zealand Education and Care Centres' | Supervised by Emeritus Professor Helen Hedges, Associate Professor Lexie Grudnoff and Associate Professor Mavis Haigh

'Risk or resistance: Understanding teachers’ perceptions of risk in professional learning' | Supervised by Professor Deidre Le Fevre and Emeritus Professor Helen Timperley

'Social-Psychological Factors and Tertiary Learning Environments: Student Perspectives, Measures, and Influences' | Supervised by Professor Christine Rubie-Davies and Professor Jason Stephens

'The complexity of becoming HPE teacher: A study of HPE teachers’ performances of self in the moments of teaching' | Supervised by Associate Professor Alan Ovens and Professor Toni Bruce

'The Relations Between Teacher Beliefs, Teacher Characteristics, School Context Factors, Student Achievement, and Teachers’ Academically Supportive Instructional Practices' | Supervised by Professor Christine Rubie-Davies and Associate Professor Elizabeth Peterson

'The Impact of Future-Focused Change on the Professional Lives of New Zealand Primary School Teachers' | Supervised by Associate Professor Graham McPhail and Dr Kerry Lee

'To be specific: Using professional development with subject-specific and generic literacy components to raise secondary students’ achievement in English, mathematics and science' | Supervised by Associate Professor Mei Lai and Professor Stuart McNaughton

'Visiting Lecturers Promoting Self-Regulated Learning with Student Teachers' | Supervised by Emeritus Professor Helen Timperley and Associate Professor Helen Dixon

'What is it like to become a mentor teacher for preservice teachers?' | Supervised by Associate Professor Fiona Ell and Associate Professor Lexie Grudnoff

'Working in Wonderland: Teachers’ Reactions to Innovative Learning Environments' | Supervised by Professor Deidre Le Fevre and Emeritus Professor Helen Timperley

Xiaohang Yang is a second-year PhD student in social work at the University of Auckland, holding a Doctoral Scholarship. She completed her bachelors and masters degrees in social work in China. Her research interests include social work professional identity, social work education, and the professionalisation of social work.

Xiaohang’s doctoral research, "Chinese Mainland MSW students’ professional identity development during field education: A comparative study between New Zealand and China", explores how Chinese Mainland social work students understand and develop their professional identity during MSW field education in different educational and cultural contexts. As a Chinese student undertaking a social work PhD in Aotearoa New Zealand, she aims to promote cross-cultural understanding of professional identity in social work and contribute to social work education and practice in both countries through her doctoral project.

There are several scholarships you may be eligible for when you decide to pursue your doctoral studies in Professional Learning and Practice.

• University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships

Do you want to chat further about your studies? Contact us using the details below.

Email: foed-doct@auckland.ac.nz