ProfessorDawn Joseph

Dawn Joseph is Professor in Arts Education (Music) within the Faculty of Arts and Education (School of Education). South African born, she completed all her studies there, including PhD, and taught music at Roedean School and St John’s College in Johannesburg. Since full-time continuing appointment in 2001 as early career academic she has taught in under- and postgraduate programs in initial teacher education and across various units/subjects including in general education, arts education, music education (generalist and specialist) and music discipline. 

Dawn was first to include indigenous music in teacher education programs, internationalising the curriculum, fostering musical exchanges between university students and culture bearers from Africa and First Nation Peoples. In 2002 established elective unit for all students across faculties, Discovering Music A (2003-2018), renamed Music Studies: Earth Wind and Fire. In 2004 she was keynote speaker at the First Indigenous Knowledge Systems Colloquium (Bloemfontein, South Africa); in 2017 invited keynote for Pan African Society for Musical Arts Education, Southern African region (Paarl, South Africa). Both emphasised the importance of including non-Western music and people in multicultural Australia.

Author/co-author of 200+ conference papers, journal articles, book chapters and project reports, identified through scholarly contributions at the nexus of music education, cultural diversity and community music, impacts aging and wellbeing. Known for connections made between research centred/led approaches to learning and teaching in music education, the impact of Dawn's research beyond her subject areas is demonstrated through citations in disciplines such as psychology, health, and theology.

Over two decades Dawn’s research has brought significant kudos to Deakin and her affiliate associations (ISME, PASMAE, ASME and APSMER), providing sustained leadership and contribution. Chaired at national and international conferences, served on ISME and ASME editorial boards and on ASME and ANZARME conference committees. Been secretary, twice Deputy Chair, and twice Chair of ASME (Victoria Chapter), served on the National Committee 2003-2014. Since 2020 a committee member of ANZARME (Australia New Zealand Association for Research in Music Education).

In 2023, Dawn was awarded Fellow of the Australian Society for Music Education in recognition of outstanding and distinctive contributions to the advancement of music education. In the same year, awarded Honorary Life Member of the Pan African Society for Musical Arts Education the premier music education body in Africa, and African arm of the International Society for Music Education.

At university level Dawn have served across a wide range of committees (Faculty of Arts and Education Board, School of Education Executive, Teaching and Learning Sub-Committee, Professional Experience Sub-Committee, Faculty Human Ethics Advisory Group Committee, Faculty Academic and Disciplinary Committee). Additionally, as member of: School of Education Advisory Board Pre-Service Secondary Course BA/BTeach, Teaching and Learning School of Education Committee, Teaching and Learning Sub-Committee, Faculty Internationalizing the Curriculum Group, Curriculum Committee, Arts Education Teaching/Learning and Research Group, Faculty Marketing Committee. She served as Course Director for the biggest secondary program (BA/BTeach).

Dawn has been an active contributor to research journals serving on various Editorial Boards (International Journal of Music Education, International Journal of Multicultural Education, International Journal of Higher Education, Muzuki, Teacher development, Australian Journal for Music Education, Victorian Journal for Music Education, Australian Online Journal of Arts Education, International Journal of Humanities in Education, International Journal of Arts Education). She is continually invited to review in high quality refereed journals such as: Teacher Development, Teacher Education, Research Studies in Music Education, Qualitative Research Journal, Qualitative Report, Journal of the Musical Arts in Africa, Leisure Studies. Her expertise has resulted in over 50 HDR examinations locally and internationally.