The experience of being an intergenerational beneficiary of widening participation policy underpins my passion for equitable access to education and guides my approaches to working in enabling education. I am passionate about social justice and strive towards making a positive difference to the lives of others. My teaching approaches are underpinned by the philosophical work of Paulo Freire and Ira Shor (1987) who believe in the liberating and transformational role that education can play. This educational philosophy inspires us to employ critical approaches which lead to transformative experiences wherein students can critique power structures and gain agency: ‘as conscious human beings, we can discover how we are conditioned... Read more
About me
The experience of being an intergenerational beneficiary of widening participation policy underpins my passion for equitable access to education and guides my approaches to working in enabling education. I am passionate about social justice and strive towards making a positive difference to the lives of others. My teaching approaches are underpinned by the philosophical work of Paulo Freire and Ira Shor (1987) who believe in the liberating and transformational role that education can play. This educational philosophy inspires us to employ critical approaches which lead to transformative experiences wherein students can critique power structures and gain agency: ‘as conscious human beings, we can discover how we are conditioned by the dominant ideology. We can gain distance on our moment of existence…we can struggle to become free precisely because we can know we are not free! That is why we can think of transformation’ (Shor & Freire 1987, p. 13).
I teach Critical Thinking and Global Sociology courses and facilitate a women’s education program for women who have been recently homeless or experienced domestic violence. I have built a community of practice of the teaching team through professional development initiatives and action research projects in enabling pedagogy. I am the SA Branch Chair of Higher Education Reseach Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) and an Executive Committee member of the National Association of Enabling Eductors of Australia (NAEEA). I have received international recognition for my leadership of teaching and support of learning through a HE Advance Senior Fellowship, 2020 and national recognition of my leadership of professional development in inclusive and enabling pedagogies: Australian Award for University Teaching (AAUT) 2019; The Educator 2020 Higher Education Innovations Award , placing UniSA in the ‘Top 15 Most Innovative Universities’ and a UniSA Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, 2018.
About me
Higher Education and Research Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) Chair, SA Branch
National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia (NAEEA) Executive Committee member
Centre for Educational Research in Social Inclusion, Full Member
Pedagogies for Social Justice, Education Futures
Research Centre for Gender Studies, Hawke Research Centre
About me
Doctor of Philosophy University of South Australia
Bachelor of Arts University of South Australia
Bachelor of Arts (honours) University of South Australia
Recently Published
Journal articles
Hattam, S & Weiler, T (2022) ‘Reframing the ‘illegitimate’ academic: the critical role of professional development for sessional staff’, Teaching in Higher Education.
Hattam, S & Weiler, T (2020) 'Every single student counts’: leadership of professional development underpinned by social justice for sessional staff in a South Australian university, Professional Development in Education.
Hattam, S & Bilic, S (2019) ‘‘I can be powerful as an individual agent’: Experiences of recently homeless women in an enabling program, transformative pedagogies and spaces of empowerment in higher education, Journal of... Read more
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. To see earlier years visit ORCID
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
2
|
| 2021 |
Open access
3
1
6
|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| 2019 |
|
| 2018 |
Open access
4
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2019 |
|
| 2014 |
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
2
|
| 2021 |
Open access
3
1
6
|
| 2019 |
Open access
|
| 2018 |
Open access
4
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2009 |
|
| 2008 |
|
PhD Thesis
Hattam, S (2014) Motherhood, equality and the state: the possibilities and limitations of the Australian Human Rights Commission, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
Conference Presentations
Invited presentation, ‘Education Provocation: How can we ensure alternative education is an integral part of the education system and integrates curriculum? Keeping kids connected to school and learning Summit #2, 6 May 2022 Adelaide City, hosted by CRESI and the SA Commissioner for Young People Helen Connelly.
Invited presentation ‘Recognition and Belonging in Enabling Education’, Australian Curriculum Studies Association Webinar Series, 2 March 2022.
Keynote presentation, ‘International Workshop: Action Research in English Language Teaching: From Theories to Classroom Practices’ event held by STKIP Paracendekia NW Sumbawa in collaboration with the University of South Australia and the Association of Teacher Training Institutes of West Nusa Tenggara on March 15, 2022.
Weiler, T & Hattam, S (2021) 'Isolated, invisible, illegitimate yet indispensable: The impact of professional development on casual staff', Decent Work in the 21st Century Research Symposium, Queensland University of Technology, December 1-3 2021.
Weiler, T & Hattam, S (2021) 'The ‘illegitimate’ Academic: The impact of professional development on casual staff', Teaching Innovation Unit Symposium, University of South Australia, November 12 2021 Adelaide.
Hattam, S Hattam, R Colton, J Raymond, S Gilson, S Hetz, H & Singh, N (2021) Changing pedagogical spaces through community of praxis in action research projects’, Teaching Innovation Unit Symposium, University of South Australia, November 12 2021 Adelaide.
Weiler, T & Hattam, S (2021) ‘The ‘illegitimate’ Academic: The impact of professional development on casual staff’ Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Conference 2021 July 7-10 Brisbane (cancelled due to COVID).
Hattam, S Weiler, T & King, T (2019) ‘A tailored approach to professional development for enabling educators at UniSA College’, Students Transitions Achievements Retention and Success Conference, July 7-10 Melbourne Australia.
Hattam, S Bilic, S & Stokes J (2018) ‘I’ve always wanted to come back’: turning-back-around to education for early school leavers at UniSA College, UniSA Teaching Innovation Unit Teaching & Learning Symposium, Adelaide 9 November 2018.
Hattam, S Hattam, R Bilic, S Stokes, J Oldham, P Weiler, T Ng, J & Wilson, N (2018) ‘Sustaining enabling pedagogies through action research project at UniSA College’ UniSA Teaching Innovation Unit Teaching & Learning Symposium, Adelaide 9 November 2018.
Hattam, S Bilic, S Hetz, H Wetherall, S & Sulaiman, M (2018) ‘Teaching Global Citizenship and Critical Thinking in the Trump era’ UniSA Teaching Innovation Unit Teaching & Learning Symposium, Adelaide 9 November 2018.
Hattam, S Stokes, J & Bilic, S (2018) ‘Just don’t give up on me’: Exploring the lived experience of early school leavers and factors which lead them to ‘turn back around’ to education, HERDSA Conference, Adelaide July 2018.
Hattam, S Bilic, S & Stokes J (2017) Engaging the disengaged and disenfranchised: 20 years on from ‘dropping out and drifting off’ to ‘turning back around', The Reimagining Education for Democracy Conference, Brisbane December 2017.
Hattam, S Stokes, J & Ulpen, T (2017) Understanding Why Students Leave Enabling Programs and What May Help Them Stay, The Learner Conference, Hawaii September 2017.
Research
Recently Published
Journal articles
Hattam, S & Weiler, T (2022) ‘Reframing the ‘illegitimate’ academic: the critical role of professional development for sessional staff’, Teaching in Higher Education.
Hattam, S & Weiler, T (2020) 'Every single student counts’: leadership of professional development underpinned by social justice for sessional staff in a South Australian university, Professional Development in Education.
Hattam, S & Bilic, S (2019) ‘‘I can be powerful as an individual agent’: Experiences of recently homeless women in an enabling program, transformative pedagogies and spaces of empowerment in higher education, Journal of International Studies in Widening Participation, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp.
Projects - current
Co-Investigator: Reflective Practice and Transformative Pedagogies in Higher Education
Co-Investigator: Developing the Future: A model of professional development underpinned by social justice for sessional staff”
Chief Investigator: Engaging the disengaged and disenfranchised: 20 years on from ‘dropping out and drifting off’, to ‘turning back around'.
Chief Investigator: Unlocking education pathways for women, Evaluation of intensive offering of a sociology course to clients of a women's refuge centre
Awarded Catherine House Catherine McAuley Award 2022 at South Australian Government House for leading and facilitating womens outreach and course at UniSA
Awarded HERDSA Hero Award 2021 for contribution to national Higher Education community through role with SA HERDSA Branch
Facilitated intensive pathway program with Catherine House & Zahra Foundation 2016 - Current
Impact of program on women experiencing DV
Listen to my radio interview where I discuss our pathway programs (5MU, 21st September 2020)
Participated in Writing Program for Equity and Widening Participation Practitioners 2018 Australian Program, University of Newcastle
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student LearningOffice for Learning and Teaching, Department of Education and Training, Australian Government |
2020 |
Facilitator of Intensive Pathway ProgramSagamartha Women's Centre, Catherine House |
2020 |
Senior FellowAdvance Higher Education |
2020 |
Facilitator of Intensive Pathway ProgramSagamartha Women's Centre, Catherine House |
2019 |
Facilitator of Intensive Pathway ProgramSagamartha Women's Centre, Catherine House |
2018 |
Facilitator of Intensive Pathway ProgramSagamartha Women's Centre, Catherine House |
2017 |
Facilitator of Intensive Pathway ProgramSagamartha Women's Centre, Catherine House |
2016 |
Peer Reviewer
Awarded Best Teacher of the Year, UniSA Education Futures, 2022
Awarded Higher Education The Educator 'Innovation Award', 2020
Awarded Senior Fellowship, Higher Education Academy UK, 2020
Recipient of Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning with the Australian Awards for University Teaching, in category regarding: ‘Innovation, leadership or scholarship that has influenced and enhanced learning and teaching and/or the student experience’, 2019
Recipient of UniSA Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Students Learning 2018
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| An auto ethnographic action research study | Current |
