Griffith University

Professor of Education, School of Education and Professional Studies
Deputy Director, Griffith Institute of Educational Research
Contact details for Catherine Beavis
Professional page for Catherine Beavis

Research expertise

Catherine’s research expertise centres on the changing nature of text and the implications for literacy, education and schooling of young people’s engagement with digital culture and the online world. She researches in the areas of english curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; digital culture and computer games; digital literacy and new literacies and games-based learning. She has undertaken numerous research projects focused on english education, and on literacy, digital culture, young people and computer games.  Her current Australian Research Council Project is Serious Play: Using digital games in school to promote literacy and learning in the twenty first century (2011-2014).

Some of her previous work includes the ARC funded project, Literacy in the Digital World of the Twenty First Century: Learning from Computer Games (2007-2009). For a full list of research grants visit Research.

Research grants

• Griffith University – Simon Fraser University Collaborative Travel Grant Scheme; Beavis, C. & de Castell, S. (2012) Ludic Epistemology and C21st Learners.
  
• ARC Linkage Grant.Beavis, C.,Dezuanni, M., O'Mara, J., Prestridge,S.,Rowan, L.,Zagami, J., Chee, Y.S, Wyatt-Smith, C. (2011-2014) Serious Play: Using digital games in school to promote literacy and learning in the twenty first century.
  
• ARC Linkage Grant. Beavis, C.,  Bradford, C., O'Mara, J. & Walsh, C. (2007-2009). Literacy in the digital world of the twenty-first century: learning from computer games. 
• Deakin University Central Research Grant. Cloonan, A & Beavis, C. (2009). Teachers as Knowledge Workers.

Current teaching area

• Research methodology, doctoral supervision
  

Publications

 For a full list of publications visit Publications.

Books

• Beavis, C., O’Mara, J. and McNeice, L. (In Press) Literacy Learning from Computer Games. Contract with Wakefield Press/The Australian Association for the Teaching of English.
  
• Green, B. and Beavis, C. (In Press). Literacy in 3D: A Multi-dimensional Framework for Rethinking Literacy Education, contract with Australian Council for Educational Research, Melbourne.

Book chapters

• Beavis, C. (2010) Twenty First Century Literature: Opportunities, Changes and Challenges. In Dominic Wyse, Richard Andrews and James Hoffman (Eds) The International Handbook of English, Language and Literacy Teaching, London Routledge – Taylor and Francis. pp33-44
• Gutierrez, A. and Beavis, C. (2010) ‘Experts on the field’: redefining literacy boundaries. In Donna Alvermann (Ed) Adolescents’ Online Literacies: Connecting Classrooms, Digital Media and Popular Culture. Peter Lang, New York  p.145-162
• Beavis, C. (2009) The place of literature in the English curriculum: continuity and change. In C. Durrant and K. Starr (Eds) English for a New Millenium: Leading Change,Wakefield Press, Adelaide, pp.71-86.
  
• Beavis, C. (2009). Games Within Games: advertising, youth culture and computer games in J. Marsh, M. Robinson and R. Willet Play, Creativity and Digital Cultures, Routledge.

Refereed journal articles

• Apperley, T. and Beavis, C. (2011) Literacy into Action: Digital Games as Action and Text in the English and Literacy Classroom. Pedagogies 6 (2)
• Beavis, C. (2010) English in the Digital Age: Making English Digital. English in Australia 45(2)  pp.21-30
• Beavis, C. (2010) ‘A Chart for Further Exploration and a Kind of Rallying Call’: James Moffett and English Curriculum History in Victoria. Changing English 17(3) pp. 297-307
• Beavis, C. and O’Mara, J. (2010) Computer games: pushing at the boundaries of literacy. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33(1) pp.65-76
  
• Beavis, C., Apperley, T., Bradford, C., O’Mara, J. and Walsh, C. (2009) Literacy in the Digital Age: Learning from Computer Games. English in Education 43(2) 162-175

Book reviews and editorials

• Beavis, C. (2011) Review: Web 2.0 for schools: learning and social participation, by Julia Davies and Guy Merchant. Pedagogies 6(2)
• Beavis, C., Bradford, C., O’Mara, J. and Walsh, C. (2010) Editorial. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33(1) 5-6
• Beavis, C., Davies, J., and Leander, K. (2009) Editorial: English afloat on a digital sea. English Teaching Practice  and Critique 8(3) pp.1-7
  

Special issues

• Beavis, C., Bradford, C., O’Mara, J. and Walsh, C. (2010) Australian Journal of Language and Literacy 33 (1)
• Beavis, C., Davies, J. and Leander, K. (2009). `English Afloat in A Digital Sea?, English Teaching Practice and Critique, December.

Refereed papers in published conference proceedings

• Apperley, T., Beavis, C., Bradford, C., Omara, J. & Walsh, C. (2008). ‘Researching Kids and Computer Games: Games, Game Play, and Literacy in the 21st Century’, in the refereed conference proceedings of the [player] conference (pp. 4-29) August 2008, Information Technology University of Copenhagen.
• Beavis, C. (2005). Pretty good for a girl: gender, identity and computer games. In de Castell, S. and Jensen J. (Eds) Changing Views: Worlds in Play: Selected papers of the 2005 Digital Games Research Association Second International Conference pp. 339-350.

Keynote addresses

• Beavis, C. (2011)  Games-based Learning: Research  IWT Games-based Learning Research Trial: Concluding Forum, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Melbourne, 21 November 2011
  
• Beavis, C. (2010) Digital Literacies, Digital times: Welcome to my world? Futures of Literacy, University of Sydney, 4-5 September 2010
• Beavis, C. (2010) Literacy, learning and online games: challenge and possibility in the Digital Age. Digital Games and Intelligent Toy Enhanced Learning (Digitel), April 12-16, KaousiungTaiwan
• Beavis, C. (2010) Digital English, Digital Times: promise and possibility. English Teachers Association of Queensland Saturday Seminar: English in a Digital World, Brisbane May 22
• Beavis, C. (2009) Revolution, Evolution, Agency and Change. Annual Conference, Victorian Association for the Teaching of English. Deakin University, Melbourne 7-8 December

Selected conference papers and invited presentations

• O’Mara, J. Beavis, C. and Deagon, J. (2010) Gaming at the ACMI Gameslab: Issues in attending to game play Australian Association for Research in Education International Research Conference, University of Melbourne, November 29 –  December 2
• Apperley, T. and Beavis, C. (2010) A model for critical digital games literacy Australian Association for Research in Education International Research Conference, University of Melbourne, 29 November – 2 December
  
• Beavis, C. and Walsh, C. (2010) Away with words? Digital English and Computer Games. Away with Words. Annual conference Australian Association for the Teaching of English/Australian Literacy Educators Association, Perth, July 4-7
• Beavis, C., Durrant, C. and Green, B. (2010) Literacy in 3D:  Renewing the Literacy Project in Technoliterate Times. Away with Words. Annual conference Australian Association for the Teaching of English/Australian Literacy Educators Association, Perth, July 4-7
• Beavis, C. (2010) The Classroom Connection: English and computer games.  ESRC seminar series: Children and Young People’s Literacies in virtual online spaces. Sheffield (skype) 10 March
• Beavis, C. (2010) Literacy, digital culture and curriculum – learning from computer games. Shared Vision: An Australian Curriculum P-12: Queensland Studies Authority conference, Brisbane  28-30 April