Dr Anna Sullivan

Anna Sullivan is currently an Adjunct Research Fellow with the School of Education at the University of South Australia. Her current research projects include:

Addressing the teacher exodus: Enhancing early career teacher resilience and retention in changing times - ARC Linkage Grant 2008-2012
(with Professor Bruce Johnson; Professor Barry Down; Dr Rosie Le Cornu; Dr Judy Peters; Dr Jane Pearce; Ms Janet Hunter).
The first few years of teaching are difficult for many teachers. Yet research into the ‘problems’ of beginning teachers is nearly exhausted. Few new ideas about how to address these ‘problems’ are emerging. There is a need for a new generation of collaborative research that investigates how beginning teachers develop resilience and sustain their commitment to teaching. Therefore, this project aims to find out how early career teachers deal with threats to their wellbeing. It will identify what internal strengths and external strategies promote teacher resilience. It will provide the evidence base for interventions that will increase teacher commitment and reduce teacher attrition.

Early Career Teacher Resilience and Retention (ECTR) Website

Setting the scene; strategies used by beginning teachers to establish a positive classroom learning environment at the beginning of the academic year.
Catholic Education South Australia and UniSA Grants 2007-2008
(with Professor Bruce Johnson & Mr David Williams)
The purpose of this ethno-video study is to gain greater understanding of the issues related to beginning teachers' initial experiences of classroom management and, more specifically, the ways in which they 'manage' the classroom environment to promote positive student behaviour. The findings will inform teacher educators and school leaders about how they can best meet the needs of beginning teachers in relation to managing classrooms and promoting harmonious learning environments.

Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE)

American Educational Research Association (AERA)

Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA)

Centre for Research in Education, Equity and Work (CREEW) Adjunct Researcher

Hawke Research Institute for Sustainable Societies (HRISS) Associate Researcher

Doctor of Philosophy, 2002, Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. Thesis topic: Student empowerment in a primary school classroom: A descriptive study

Bachelor of Education, 1996, University of South Australia, South Australia

Diploma of Teaching, 1987, South Australian College of Advanced Education, South Australia

• Early Career Teachers
• Classroom management
• Pedagogy
• Aspirations
• Student perceptions
• Classroom based research
• Qualitative research

Thesis

Sullivan, A. M. (2002). Student empowerment in a primary school classroom: A descriptive study. Unpublished doctoral thesis, Edith Cowan University, Perth.

Refereed journal articles and conference papers

Sullivan, A. M. (2009). How can teachers enable students to become empowered? Curriculum Perspectives. 29 (1), 53-63.

Johnson, B., Sullivan, A. M. & Williams, D. (2009). A one-eyed look at classroom life: Using new technologies to enrich classroom-based research. Issues in Educational Research. 19 (1), 34-47. http://www.iier.org.au/iier19/johnson.pdf

Overton, L., Sullivan, A. M., & Oswald, M. (2008). The prevalence of non-compliance in a democratic classroom. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Overton, L. & Sullivan, A. M. (2008). Non-compliance in a democratic classroom: Is it prevalent? Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education International Education Research Conference, Brisbane, Qld. http://www.aare.edu.au/08pap/ove08528.pdf

Sullivan, A. M. (2002). The nature of student empowerment. Paper presented at the International Biennial SELF research Centre Conference, Sydney, NSW. http://self.uws.edu.au/Conferences/2002_CD_Sullivan.pdf

Sullivan, A. M. (2002). Pursuit of goals in partnerships: Empowerment in practice. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education International Education Research Conference, Brisbane, Qld. http://www.aare.edu.au/02pap/sul02098.htm

Sullivan, A. M. (1999). Establishing academic and social support groups for teacher education students. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 24(2), 43-49. http://ajte.education.ecu.edu.au/ISSUES/PDF/242/Sullivan.pdf

Sullivan, A. M., & King, L. (1999). An investigation into empowering students through cooperative learning. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 430180).

Sullivan, A. M. & King, L. (1998). Conceptualising student empowerment: A sweep through the literature. Unicorn, 24 (3) 27-38. http://search.informit.com.au/browsePublication;py=1998;vol=24;res=AEIPT;issn=0311-4775;iss=3

Unpublished conference presentations

Sullivan, A. M., Johnson, B. & Williams, D. (2008). Beginning teachers establishing classrooms: Approaches and needs. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education International Education Research Conference, Brisbane, Qld.

Johnson, B., Sullivan, A. M. & Williams, D. (2008). Looking in classrooms – again: Using digital technologies for authentic research into early career teachers’ classroom management. Paper presented at the Australian Teacher Education Association Conference, Sunshine Coast, Qld.

Sullivan, A. M., Moore, D., & Groves, R. (2007). Facilitating self-regulation by enabling primary school students to co-ordinate their pursuit of social and academic goals. Presentation at the Australian Association for Research in Education International Education Research Conference, Fremantle, WA.

Sullivan, A. M. (2002). Enhancing peer culture in a primary school classroom. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education International Education Research Conference, Brisbane, Qld. http://www.aare.edu.au/02pap/sul02200.htm

Sullivan, A. M. (2001). Student empowerment: Strategies to prevent placing students at educational risk. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education International Education Research Conference, Fremantle, WA.

Yukich, J., Keegan, L., Hebiton, S., Sullivan, A. M., & Shortland-Jones, B. (2001). Developing outcomes focused education approaches in a university environment: Issues and dilemmas. Poster presented at the Teaching and Learning Forum, Perth, WA.

Hunter, J., & Sullivan, A. M. (1999). Young children as research participants: Exploring the issues. Paper presented at the Western Australian Institute for Educational Research Forum, Fremantle, WA.

Sullivan, A. M. (1999). Base groups: Empowering students to solve their own problems. Paper presented at the Australasian Association for Co-operative Education National Conference, Perth, WA.

Sullivan, A. M. (1999). Enabling student empowerment. Paper presented at the Australian Association for Research in Education and New Zealand Association for Research in Education, Melbourne, VIC.

Sullivan, A. M. (1998). Interviewing children: Issues and implications. A paper presented at the annual Western Australian Institute of Educational Research Forum, Perth, WA.

Sullivan, A. M. (1998). Using cooperative learning in your classroom. Presentation at the annual Regional Association of Student Centred Learning Conference, Perth, WA.

Sullivan, A. M. (1997). Conceptualising student empowerment: A report in progress. A paper presented at the annual Western Australian Institute of Educational Research Forum, Perth, WA.