Griffith University

BSc, GradDipEd, MEnvEd, PhD
Lecturer, School of Education and Professional Studies
Convenor, Master of Teaching (Primary)
Contact details for Dr Alison Sammel

Research expertise

• The teaching and learning of science
• Engaging students from marginalised communities in science education
• Education for sustainable development
• Climate change education / water education
• Teacher and student identity
  

Current teaching areas

• Master of teaching (primary)
• Master of teaching (secondary)
• Primary science 2
• Learning and teaching in the science curriculum
• The engaged professional (capstone course)
  

Publications

Books

• Linds, W., Goulet, L. & Sammel, A.(Eds.), (2010). Democratic Practice of Adult-Youth Engagement in Social and Environmental Justice. Sense Publishers, Netherlands.

Book chapters

• Sammel, A. (2010). A Curious Tale of why the Road Smart Squirrel can’t be an Activist, but the Blue Dot Can: Lessons to be learnt in High School Settings In W. Linds, L. Goulet, & A. Sammel, (Eds.) (2010). Democratic Practice of Adult-Youth Engagement in Social and Environmental Justice. Sense Publishers, Netherlands.
• Sammel, A. & Pete, S. (2010). Re(a)d and White: Discussing ethnicities and the teaching of Whiteness, In The Havoc of Capitalism: Educating for Social and Environmental Justice, D. Houston, G. Martin, J. Suoranta and P. McLaren (Eds.). Peter Lang Scientific Publishers, Bern, Frankfurt. 
• Sammel, A. (2009). A Circle is more than a Straight Lined Curved: Mis(sed)Understandings about First Nations Science, in I thought Pocahontas was a Movie, C. Shick, & J. McNinch (Eds.). Canadian Plains Research Center, Regina, Canada.
• Sammel, A, & Martin, G. (2008). ‘Other-ed’ pedagogy: The praxis of critical democratic education, In Conceptualizing and Doing Democracy in Education, D. E. Lund & P. R. Carr (Eds.). Peter Lang Scientific Publishers, Bern, Frankfurt. 
• Sammel, A., Hart P., Nolan K., Barrett MJ., (2005), 'Challenges in implementing action-orientated sustainability education'. Handbook of Sustainability Research. Peter Lang Scientific Publishers, Bern, Frankfurt.
• Sammel, A. (2003), Environmental Education and the Ontario Science Curriculum: In where? About what? For whom?. OISE Papers in STSE Education. OISE/University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada.

Refereed journals

• Sammel, A. (in press), 'Discussing the Unimagined: Destabilising the racist foundations of science education'. The Australian Educational Researcher.
• Sammel, A. (2008). 'Traveling with and through your backpack: a personal reflection on the infrastructure of science education.  Cultural Studies of Science Education, Vol 3.
• Sammel, A. (2006).'Finding the crack in everything: Exploring the causal promise in science education'. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 6 (4).
  
• Sammel, A. (2003). "An invitation to dialogue: Gadamer, hermeneutic phenomenology and critical environmental education". Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, Vol. 8.
  
• Sammel, A., Zandvliet, D.(2003). 'Science reform or science conform: Problematic epistemological assumptions with/in Canadian science reform effort'. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 3 (4).
  
• Sammel A., & Barrett, M.J. (2003). 'A snapshot of EE in Canada'. North American Association of Environmental Education Communicator. 33 (2). Reprinted in Interactions: Ontario Journal of Environmental Education.
  

Refereed proceedings

• Sammel, A. (2006). 'A Circle is more than a Straight Line Curved: Conversations about First Nations science education'. In conference proceedings The Fifth Annual Canadian Critical Race Conference. University of Regina, Saskatchewan.
  
• Sammel, A. (2005). 'Strengthening Community through Science Curriculum Actualization: Making a hole through Saskatchewan Science Education'. In conference proceedings The World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education. Waikato, New Zealand.
• Carlson, W., Hart, P., Sammel, A., Zandvliet. D. & Dillon, J. (2001). 'Relations between Science Education and Environmental (Science) Education'. In conference proceedings North American Research in Science Teaching Conference Proceedings. Boston, USA.

Government reports

• Sammel, A. (2006). 'Investigating Teacher Candidates' Understandings and Experiences of First Nations Science'. Saskatchewan Instructional Development and Research Unit. Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
• Sammel, A. (2005). 'Aboriginal Perspectives into the Teaching and Learning of Science Education: Beginning the Conversations'. Saskatchewan Instructional Development and Research Unit. Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Other

• Research grant: Capturing Learning: Building staff capacity to improve the quality and excellence of the student experience during and after lectures, (2012).Griffith University Level 3, $10 000 Sammel, A., Klopper, C., & Weir,K.
  
• Queensland Smithsonian Fellow (2008)
  
• Sammel, A., Hilton, H., (2003). 'Conference Review: A good cup of TEE in Boston'. Environmental Education Research. 9 (3).
• Sammel, A. (2000). 'Exploring Spaces in Life Long Learning'. DCC Publication, Florida.