ProfessorJoanne O'Mara
Professor
Faculty of Arts and Education/School of Education/Research for Educational Impact
- ProfessorFaculty of Arts and Education/School of Education/Research for Educational Impact
- +61 3 924 46783 (Work)
- Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125
RESEARCH INTERESTS
As a former secondary English and drama teacher, I am fascinated by the role of texts, storytelling and creativity in young people's lives. My research examines how students create, interpret and share meaning through literature, drama, digital media, games and other contemporary textual forms, and how teachers can design engaging, equitable and intellectually rich learning experiences around them.
My work spans secondary English education, drama education, literacy, digital literacies, curriculum and pedagogy, teacher professional learning, educational equity and Indigenous education. Through partnerships with schools, professional associations and communities, I aim to generate research that informs educational policy, curriculum development and classroom practice.
Current research projects include:
Celebrating Book Week: Creating a culture of reading in schools (Joanne O'Mara, Sarah Ohi, Julia Prout).
This project investigates the ways in which the Book Week supports reading. See the following https://theconversation.com/book-week-its-not-the-costume-that-matters-but-falling-in-love-with-reading-188748
80 years of the Children's Book Council of Australia: Changing Re/presentations of Australian values in Australian Schools (Joanne O'Mara, Jodi McAlister, Kate Cuthbert, Elizabeth Little and Paul Veno)
In this project we analyse the CBCA Winners and Recommended Book Lists and the paratexts around these books in order to explore what kinds of books are awarded and thus considered to have this particular kind of merit.
GRANTS
- CONTRACT RESEARCHLearner Improvement in Reading in Tasmanian Government Schools.6 Sep 2023 - 1 Feb 2024People funded by this grant:
- Auld G,
- Moss J,
- Paatsch L,
- O'Mara J,
- Nicholas M
- CONTRACT RESEARCHOpportunities and Challenges to / of Text Selection in Secondary English Education.18 Oct 2022 - 18 Oct 2023People funded by this grant:
- Joanne O'Mara
- COLLABORATIVE GRANTImproving the outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students Project.2 Oct 2020 - 31 Dec 2021People funded by this grant:
- O'Mara J,
- Moss J,
- Corcoran T,
- Auld G
- GRANTReimagining literacy education: Being literate in the twenty-first century1 Apr 2020 - 14 Mar 2022People funded by this grant:
- Laidlaw L,
- Rowsell J,
- O'Mara J
- CONTRACT RESEARCHVirtual Learning Principles for Teachers: Best Practices.3 May 2019 - 30 Sep 2019People funded by this grant:
- O'Mara J,
- Beavis C
- GRANTThe contribution of becoming reflective on the employability of teachers and social workers2 Jun 2016 - 31 Jul 2018People funded by this grant:
- Waugh F,
- Ewing R,
- Bowles W,
- O'Mara J,
- Fook J
- CONTRACT RESEARCHTransition: Improved Literacy and Numeracy Outcomes (Survey)13 Mar 2015 - 30 Jun 2015People funded by this grant:
- Doig B,
- O'Mara J
- GRANTLiteracy Learning in Playful Spaces: Using multimodal strategies to develop narrative with young learners1 Jun 2013 - 31 May 2014People funded by this grant:
- Laidlaw L,
- O'Mara J
- GRANTSerious Play: Using digital games in school to promote literacy and learning in the twenty first century1 Jun 2012 - 31 Dec 2013People funded by this grant:
- Beavis C,
- Dezuanni M,
- O'Mara J,
- Prestridge S,
- Rowan L
- TENDERInnovative Learning Environments Research Study4 Aug 2010 - 15 Feb 2011People funded by this grant:
- Blackmore J,
- Dixon M,
- O'Mara J,
- Loughlin J,
- Bateman D
- GRANTReview of the literature on the connections between physical learning spaces and student learning outcomes4 Jun 2010 - 31 Dec 2010People funded by this grant:
- Blackmore J,
- Bateman D,
- O'Mara J,
- Loughlin J
- COLLABORATIVE GRANTLiteracy in the digital world of the twenty-first century: learning from computer games.28 Feb 2007 - 27 Dec 2010People funded by this grant:
- Beavis C,
- Bradford C,
- O'Mara J,
- Walsh C
- COLLABORATIVE GRANTLiteracy in the digital world of the twenty-first century: learning from computer games.28 Feb 2007 - 27 Feb 2010People funded by this grant:
- Beavis C,
- Bradford C,
- O'Mara J,
- Walsh C
- COLLABORATIVE GRANTLiteracy in the digital world of the twenty-first century: learning from computer games.28 Feb 2007 - 27 Feb 2010People funded by this grant:
- Beavis C,
- Bradford C,
- O'Mara J,
- Walsh C