DrAylie Davidson

Dr Aylie Davidson is a nationally recognised researcher, teacher educator, and disciplinary leader in primary mathematics education. What makes Aylie distinctive as a modern academic is the unusual depth of her practitioner foundation — spanning twenty years of classroom teaching, school leadership, mathematics coaching, numeracy intervention, and system-level reform at the Department of Education Victoria. This breadth of experience, combined with the rigour of her scholarship, gives her research credibility with policymakers, her teaching authenticity with pre-service teachers, and her engagement genuine influence within the profession.

Aylie is committed to preparing the next generation of classroom teachers. Across multiple units in Deakin's Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching programs, she deliberately translates her research into practice through learning experiences that build mathematical confidence, professional capability, and a genuine passion for teaching.

Aylie's research expertise centres on student-centred planning and teaching in mathematics, mathematical reasoning, and teacher professional learning. Underpinned by pragmatism and drawing on case study, educational design research, and activity theory methodology, her work investigates and improves the conditions that enable teachers to plan and enact high-quality mathematics learning. The impact of her research is evident in its national uptake: her publications are featured on Victorian Department of Education's 'Evidence to Action' hub and VTLM 2.0 Planning Guides, widely used in Initial Teacher Education courses nationally, and inform professional learning for teachers and school leaders across Australia. Aylie publishes across academic, practitioner, and public channels.

Aylie maintains active partnerships with schools, teacher associations, and education departments, regularly presenting keynotes and facilitating professional learning nationally. She is a founding member of the Victorian Mathematics Education Scholars Group (VicMES), elected President of the Mathematical Association of Victoria, Editor of Prime Number (MAV), member of Mathematics Education Group of Australiasia (MERGA), and a former member of the national LANTITE Expert Advisory Group for mathematics education and Initial Teacher Education. Her externally funded research includes the Changemakers in Financial Education project ($232,473) and the Building Capacity of Primary School Teacher Leaders in Mathematics ($11,000). 

In all that she does, Aylie brings together the rigour of a researcher, the credibility of a practitioner, and the commitment of an educator who believes mathematics education is both an equity imperative and a professional craft worth getting right.