My love of learning is a core value that connects to everything I do. I am passionate about supporting others in realising their educational aspirations, improving access to education, building agency and promoting lifelong-learning.
I have expertise in career decision-making and the study choice process: how people make choices about what degree to study and how the prospective student experience intersects with career decision-making and higher education recruitment. My research interests include student recruitment, retention, engagement and success in higher education, with a focus on student equity, the first-year experience, veterans and the military-connected community, and Work-Integrated-Learning.
My career in higher... Read more
About me
My love of learning is a core value that connects to everything I do. I am passionate about supporting others in realising their educational aspirations, improving access to education, building agency and promoting lifelong-learning.
I have expertise in career decision-making and the study choice process: how people make choices about what degree to study and how the prospective student experience intersects with career decision-making and higher education recruitment. My research interests include student recruitment, retention, engagement and success in higher education, with a focus on student equity, the first-year experience, veterans and the military-connected community, and Work-Integrated-Learning.
My career in higher education spans 25 years, in Canada and Australia. I have recently returned to UniSA from a policy role with the Australian Government's Department of Education, Higher Education Access and Equity Branch. Prior to that, I enjoyed a range of experiences at UniSA. As an Academic Developer in the Teaching Innovation Unit, I partnered with academic staff to translate discipline expertise into transformative learning experiences for students. My work in the Defence and Space portfolio supported the development of research partnerships with defense industry and education projects connecting the graduate pipeline to this sector, and included the implementation of UniSA's Veterans' Engagement and Education Program (VEEP) in the Student Engagement Unit. After several years in UniSA STEM as a Research Assistant, Project Manager and PhD student, I moved to UniSA College to undertake research on student engagement and it was my privilege to tutor in the Foundation Studies program. My early career was spent in the Canadian community college system as a registrar and in student advising, admissions and recruitment roles.
About me
Doctor of Philosophy University of South Australia
Master of Education Flinders University
Bachelor of Arts Mount St Vincent University
Parks, A., King, T, & King, S. (2021, July 2-5). One foot in the door: Exploring institutional responses to no and low engagement. [Conference Paper]. Students Transitions Achievement Retention and Success (STARS) Conference, Online. https://unistars.org/papers/STARS2021/01C.pdf.
Parks, A., Murtic, D., Fudge, A., & King, T. (2021, July 2-5). Promoting retention through a second chance at assessment. [Conference Paper]. Students Transitions Achievement Retention and Success (STARS) Conference, Online. https://unistars.org/papers/STARS2021/06C.pdf.
Parks, A., Mills, J., Weber, D., Westwell, M, & Barovich, K. (2017, May 17-19). What Should I Study? An Exploration of the Study Choice Process of Year 12 Students.... Read more
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
Year | Output |
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2021 |
Open access
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2021 |
Open access
|
2017 |
Open access
|
2017 |
Open access
|
2015 |
Open access
|
What Should I Study? Improving Tertiary Pathways by Improving Support for Prospective Students
Choosing what to study at university is a major decision that can impact a student’s future and their success at university. Positioned within traditional models of college choice and framed by career decision-making, this research explored Year 12 student study choice in South Australia and how government, universities and secondary schools support Year 12 students. This work has expanded the concept of study choice - a distinct process that intersects with career decision-making and higher education recruitment in significant ways. Study choice support needs to be carefully structured and scaffolded to respond to the needs of students at various stages of decision-making, to help them make meaningful study choices. Findings from this work contribute to the development of new activities and strategies to support current practice, across sectors.
Research
Parks, A., King, T, & King, S. (2021, July 2-5). One foot in the door: Exploring institutional responses to no and low engagement. [Conference Paper]. Students Transitions Achievement Retention and Success (STARS) Conference, Online. https://unistars.org/papers/STARS2021/01C.pdf.
Parks, A., Murtic, D., Fudge, A., & King, T. (2021, July 2-5). Promoting retention through a second chance at assessment. [Conference Paper]. Students Transitions Achievement Retention and Success (STARS) Conference, Online. https://unistars.org/papers/STARS2021/06C.pdf.
Parks, A., Mills, J., Weber, D., Westwell, M, & Barovich, K. (2017, May 17-19). What Should I Study? An Exploration of the Study Choice Process of Year 12 Students. [Conference Paper]. Career Development Association of Australia, Brisbane.
Parks, A., Mills, J., Weber, D., Westwell, M, & Barovich, K. (2017). What Should I Study? An Exploration of the Study Choice Process of Year 12 Students. In Walker R. & Bedford, S. (Eds), Research and Development in Higher Education: Curriculum Transformation, 40 (pp. 272-281). Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia. https://www.herdsa.org.au/research-and-development-higher-education-vol-40-272.
Parks, A., Mills, J., Weber, D., Westwell, M, & Barovich, K. (2015, July 1-4). What to study? Supporting prospective student enrolment choice. [Conference Paper]. Students Transitions Achievement Retention and Success (STARS) Conference, Melbourne. http://www.unistars.org/papers/STARS2015/11E.pdf.
External engagement & recognition
Organisation | Country |
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Flinders University | AUSTRALIA |
University of Adelaide | AUSTRALIA |
University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |