Professor Bruce Johnson

On 24th March, 2015, I was awarded the honorary title of Emeritus Professor at the University's School of Education Graduating Ceremony. My previous appointments were as an Adjunct Research Professor of Education (2014), full Professor of Education (2007-2013) and Dean: Research Education (2003-2007) in the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences. My research interests include human resilience, curriculum theory and development, school reform, classroom management, and sexuality education. 

I am currently a memeber of the Australian Research Council's College of Experts (2022-2024).

MY CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS INCLUDE:

School Exclusionary Policies and Practices and their Impact - ARC Discovery Grant 2021-2024

Team members: Professor Anna Sullivan, Emeritus Professor Bruce Johnson, Emeritus Professor Barry Down, Dr Neil Tippett

This project aims to investigate how and why Australian schools use exclusionary practices to manage disorderly students. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of school discipline about the extent and impact of these practices. It will provide a detailed analysis of the political, legislative and policy frameworks that impact on exclusion rates. Expected outcomes of this project include alternative policy and practice recommendations for legislatures and education systems. This should provide significant benefits, such as reducing youth alienation from schooling; creating inclusive schools; reducing the financial burden of exclusion on individuals and governments; and improving the health and wellbeing of young people.

How schools foster refugee student resilience - ARC Linkage Grant 2018-2023

Research Team: Emeritus Professor Bruce Johnson, Dr Mel Baak, Associate Professor Anna Sullivan and Professor Roger Slee

This research aims to investigate how schools transcend refugee students' past life experiences by creating the social and educational conditions that enhance their resilience. It will focus on the policies, practices, relationships, and events that shape the schooling experiences of refugee students and promote their resilience. The study will provide education sectors, schools, and refugee service providers with crucial new knowledge about how school-based policies and practices can foster refugee student resilience. Outcomes of this project will include the development of research-based guides to good policy and practice in refugee education, and improved educational and social outcomes for refugee students. www.refugeesatschool.edu.au

Engaging young people in sexuality education study - ARC Linkage Grant 2013-2017

Research team: Professor Bruce Johnson, Associate Professor Lyn Harrison, Dr Debbie Ollis, Dr Leanne Coll, Professor Colleen McLaughlin, Dr Helen Calabretto, Ms Jane Flenjke.

Young people are rarely consulted about school-based sexuality education. Adults usually decide what content is covered and how it is taught. This research project aims to give young people a say about what they learn in these programs. Using participatory research methods, new insights will be gained into students’ views about sexuality education, the in-school and out-of-school sources of their sexual information and values, and how they make sense of them. These insights will inform the re-design of school-based sexuality education programs that promote the sexual health of our young people. www.youthsexuality.com.au 

Keeping the best: how school leaders engage and retain high quality early career teachers - ARC Linkage Grant 2013-2017

Research team: Professor Bruce Johnson, Dr Anna Sullivan, Associate Professor Michele Simons, Dr Judy Peters 

Attracting and retaining high quality teachers to the profession is of international concern as it has far reaching economic and social implications for all nations. In Australia, teacher workforce development has focused predominantly on attracting and recruiting quality teachers, with less attention given to the broader retention process. This study will investigate how school leaders influence new teachers and foster their professional commitment. Furthermore, it will identify micropolitical strategies and activities that can be employed by leaders to promote the effective engagement and retention of quality early career teachers. www.rqt.edu.au

Punish them or engage them? Identifying and addressing productive and unproductive student behaviours in South Australian schools - ARC Linkage Grant 2011-2013

Research team: Dr Anna Sullivan, Professor Bruce Johnson, Professor Larry Owens and Professor Bob Conway

The management of unproductive student behaviour is one of the greatest challenges faced by schools across Australia. Yet there is little empirical evidence to guide teachers, schools and systems in their attempts to promote productive student engagement. This study sets out to provide a contemporary profile of the existing state of student behaviour and its management in South Australian schools. Furthermore, it will investigate how schools develop and enact policies to support an integrated approach to behaviour, learning and teaching. The study will provide a platform for the design of policies and practices that focus on the development of environments where students are productively engaged in their learning. www.bass.edu.au

Addressing the teacher exodus: Enhancing early career teacher resilience and retention in changing times - ARC Linkage Grant 2008-2013

Research team: Professor Bruce Johnson, Professor Barry Down, Dr Rosie Le Cornu, Dr Judy Peters, Dr Anna Sullivan, Dr Jane Pearce and Ms Janet Hunter

The first few years of teaching are difficult for many teachers. Yet research into the ‘problems’ of beginning teachers is nearly exhausted. Few new ideas about how to address these ‘problems’ are emerging. There is a need for a new generation of collaborative research that investigates how beginning teachers develop resilience and sustain their commitment to teaching. Therefore, this project aims to find out how early career teachers deal with threats to their wellbeing. It will identify what internal strengths and external strategies promote teacher resilience. It will provide the evidence base for interventions that will increase teacher commitment and reduce teacher attrition. www.ectr.edu.au

Member, Australian College of Educators

Member, Australian Association for Research in Education

Member, Centre for Research in Education (CREd), School of Education

Member, British Educational Research Association

Member, European Education Research Association

Assessor, Australian Research Council

Assessor, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Assessor, Office for Learning and Teaching

Member, Scientific Leadership Council, Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy The University of Adelaide

• Master of Education Flinders University

• Bachelor of Education Flinders University

• Bachelor of Education Flinders University

Work history

Emeritus Professor of Education                                                                           2015-present

Adjunct Research Professor of Education                                                             2014

Professor of Education, School of Education, UniSA                                            2007-13

Dean: Research Education, Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences      2003-07

Associate Professor of Education, School of Education, UniSA                           2004-07

Associate Director, Centre for Research in Education, Equity and Work              1999-2003

Research Degrees Coordinator, School of Education, UniSA                               1998-2003

Hawke Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Hawke Research Institute, UniSA            2001

Senior Lecturer in Education, School of Education, UniSA                                   1993-2003

Lecturer in Education, School of Education, UniSA                                               1986-92

Teacher and Advisory Teacher, Education Department of SA                                1974-85