Griffith University

DipTeach, BEd, MEdSt, PhD  
Associate Professor, School of Education and Professional Studies
Contact details for A/Prof Sue Thomas
Professional page for A/Prof Sue Thomas

Research expertise

Sue researches in the field of education policy. Her work is particularly concerned with the critical discourse analysis of the interrelationships between educational policy and other institutions (e.g. the media) and social practices (e.g. leadership and governance, teacher professionalism) with a focus on professional identities. The nature of the research is transdisciplinary, drawing from, and contributing to, the fields of cultural studies, policy sociology, leadership studies, media studies and Critical Discourse Analysis. Her research focuses on the language of policy, e.g. the discursive nature of the relationships between media and policy. This focus has led to the conceptualisation of policy as discourse, and to the production of a significant body of work that employs the critical discourse analysis to trace how policy and other texts, such as newspaper and television texts, work to construct particular versions of policy issues in the public sphere. Research projects have been concerned with the discursive nature of policy, particularly those policy discourses that constitute public debates on the quality of education, school leaders and teachers. In addition, as a critical social scientist, Sue has a strong commitment to social justice as is evident in projects that focus on the transition through Senior Secondary Schooling of at-risk students; the implementation of policies for vocational skills training in secondary and teacher education students’ understandings of cultural diversity. 

Research grants

External Grants

• ARC Discovery - Billett, S, Johnson, G., Hirst, E., Thomas, S., & Sim, C. (2008-2010). Towards a transformative model: re-shaping transitions between school and post-school. Host Institution: Griffith University. 2008 -45K; 2009- 45K; 2010- 45K.

Internal Grants

• Garrick, B., Thomas, S., Hay, S. (2010) Transforming the Secondary School: policies, partnerships and processes, Faculty ARC Pathways Research Support Grant, $5000.
• Thomas, S., Dempster, N., Sytsma, S., Garrick, B., Hay, S. (2008) Changing governance, framing policy: trade centres in Australian secondary school communities, Faculty research grant, $5000.
• Thomas, S., Kearney, J. (2005) Exploring Pre-Service Teacher Education Students’ Understandings of Cultural Diversity, Dean’s seeding grant, $3000.
• Thomas, S. (2005) Investigating the interrelationships between Policy, Leadership and Governance as Discursive Practices in Educational Sites, New Researcher Grant, $8000.
• Thomas, S. (2004) Linking Policy, Leadership and Governance: initial investigations, Dean’s seeding grant, $3000.
• Thomas, S. (2001) Television Teachers: mapping public discourses on teachers and teacher quality, Griffith University Researcher Development Grant, $8000.

Current teaching areas

• Education Policy
• Research Design
• Leadership

Teaching grants

• Griffith University Signature Experience Grant - Thomas, S., Penn-Edwards, S., Jamieson Proctor, R., Donnison, S., Austin, H. (2006). Researching and Designing Tools for Academic Literacy in Teaching and Learning. $34 052.00.
  
• This project resulted in a website, Promoting Academic Literacy Skills (PALS), that assists students develop academic literacy skills. PALS is an organisation in Learning@Griffith, Griffith University's online teaching and learning environment. To access PALS, first log into the Learning@Griffith site. You will be prompted for your user name and password.  Once logged in, look at the column called My Courses and Organisations. You will find it on the right-hand side of the Learning@Griffith Welcome page. At the bottom of this column is a section called Other Courses/Organisations. If you are enrolled in PALS, you will find the Organisation listed there. If you are not enrolled in PALS, you will need to follow the steps below to enrol.
  
  1. Click on the "Organisations" tab at the top of the welcome page
  2. In the Organisation search box type in "PALS"
  3. Click on the Go button
  4. Click on the enrol button which appears next to the link to the organisation.
  5. Click "Submit" to enrol
• Griffith University Signature Experience Grant - Thomas, S., Watson, G., Cunningham, A., Freakley, M., Jamieson Proctor, R., Johnson, G., Nalder, G., Penn-Edwards, S. (2005). Supporting successful communities of learners in the Education Faculty through virtual and physical means. $20 000.00.
  This project resulted in an online study group poling tool Study Buddy for Faculty of Education students.

Publications

• Education Policy in the Media
• For a full list of publications visit publications.
• To access publications by Sue Thomas please go to http://www.griffith.edu.au/researchonline/