Associate Professor Helen Nixon

Helen Nixon is a Key Researcher in the Centre for Studies in Literacy, Policy and Learning Cultures, a research concentration within the Centre for Research in Education in the School of Education and the Hawke Research Institute in the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences. Recent research projects are listed below my CV.

Curriculum Vitae

ARC LINKAGE GRANT 2010-2012 Chief Investigators: Barbara Comber, Helen Nixon (UniSA), Peter Freebody (USydney). Partner Investigator: Victoria Carrington (Uni of East Anglia, UK). Partners: DECS SA, AEU. New literacy demands in the middle years: learning from design experiments. This project aims to document and improve student literacy across the curriculum in the middle years, via a suite of collaboratively crafted design experiments. It will investigate the relationship between innovative practices and the wellbeing of classroom teachers. Two areas of educational research that are often considered separately- curriculum and pedagogy, and teachers' work - will be deliberately explored together. Combining analysis of state-wide data sets and micro investigations of classroom practice, this research will develop new understandings about sustaining improvements in student literacy outcomes, and the professional identities and welfare of teachers.

ARC DISCOVERY GRANT 2007-2009 Chief investigators: Sue Nichols, Helen Nixon (UniSA) and Partner Investigator Dr Jennifer Rowsell (Rutgers University, USA). RA Sophia Rainbird. Parents' networks: the circulation of knowledge about children's literacy learning. This international and longitudinal study will investigate the networks accessed by parents in different socio-cultural locations searching for knowledge and resources about children’s literacy learning, the roles of organisations in these networks, and the ideas about literacy, pedagogy and parents’ roles circulating through these networks. It is significant in using an innovative methodology to study texts, images, objects, accounts and practices as they flow through family, community and broader national and global networks. It will inform policy and practice in public community service provision and family literacy, enabling social programs to engage all parents more effectively.

ARC LINKAGE GRANT JULY 2004-JULY 2007 Chief Investigators R. Hattam, M. Brennan, B. Comber, P. Cormack, H. Nixon, D. Lloyd, J. Barnett, A. Reid, L. Zipin (UniSA) with Industry Partners, DECS SA Secondary School Principals in the Northern Area of SA, Australian Education Union, Social Inclusion Unit. Reinvigorating middle years pedagogy in 'rustbelt' secondary schools. Internationally, the middle years of schooling are increasingly problematic for students and teachers, and thus a crucial site for pedagogical reform. The last decade of research and development is nearly exhausted. There is a need for a new generation of pedagogical innovation that recognises shifts in demography, identities and socio-economic conditions. The project aims to build curriculum and pedagogical practice that engage young people’s lifeworlds and the concerns of their communities. It will develop a university-school professional learning community that supports educational action research, and that informs pedagogical practices through ethnographies of the everyday lives of diverse young people.

ARC LINKAGE GRANT JULY 2004-JULY 2007 Chief Investigators B. Comber, P. Cormack and H. Nixon (UniSA) and B. Green and J. Reid (Charles Sturt University, Bathurst) with Industry Partner, the Primary English Teaching Association. Literacy and the environment: A situated study of multimediated literacy, sustainability, local knowledges and educational change. The Murray-Darling Basin represents one of the major ecosocial challenges facing Australia. Finding long-term sustainable solutions requires a knowledgeable and literate citizenry and due educational investment now. This study seeks to extend ‘Special Forever’, an innovative environmental communications project, involving the Primary English Teaching Association and The Murray-Darling Basin Commission, designed to enhance primary school children’s knowledge and literacy regarding the Murray-Darling Basin. This research will analyse the Special Forever archive, develop ecosocial cartographies, and document school-based environmental projects through writing, the arts and contemporary multi-media. In doing so, it will extend current understandings of literacy education and the environment.

INVESTIGATING LITERACY YEARS 4-9: A PILOT STUDY. 2009 Chief Investigators: Helen Nixon, Barbara Comber and Rosie Kerin. Funded by DECS SA. This project pilots ways to comprehensively investigate the literacy requirements and opportunities, and aligned explicit teaching strategies, that are embedded across the learning areas in the middle primary years and first years of secondary schooling. The project aims to assist teachers in the Year 4 to 9 range to investigate and address a number of literacy ‘points of possible disconnection’, e.g. increasing complexity of texts, increasing differentiation of disciplinary knowledge, gaps between traditional ‘schooled’ literacies and the expanded repertoires of literacy required for effective participation in 21st century contexts outside schools. The focusis on teachers’ documenting explicit teaching strategies to effectively support students not demonstrating appropriate learning outcomes because of the increasing complexity of literacy beyond the early years.

Hawke Research Institute for Sustainable Societies

Centre for Studies in Literacy, Policy and Learning Cultures

• Graduate Certificate of Education (New literacies and new technologies in classrooms)
• Master of Education (Language and Literacy Education)
• EdD - Professional Doctorate.
• PhD - Literacy/English and media/ICTs

Australian Association for Research in Education

Australian Association for the Teaching of English

Australian Literacy Educators Association

United Kingdom Literacy Association

Editorial Review Board Member, Literacy (UK)

Editorial Board Member,The International Journal of Learning and Media

Editorial Board Member, Digital Culture and Education

PhD (University of Queensland)

MEd (University of Adelaide)

DipEd (University of Adelaide)

BA (Hons) (University of Adelaide)

• Literacy education and social justice
• Popular media culture
• Media education
• English/literacy curriculum
• Literacy and new information and communication technologies(ICTs)

     

Books

Comber, B., Nixon, H. & Reid, J. (Eds.) (2007). Literacies in Place: Teaching environmental communications. Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association.

Doecke, B., Homer, D., & Nixon, H. (Eds.) (2003). English Teachers at Work: Narratives, counter narratives and arguments. Adelaide: Australian Association for the Teaching of English/Wakefield Press.

                             

Book chapters

Nixon, H. & Kerin, R. (in press). The 3D model of l(IT)eracy and the English curriculum. In B. Green and C. Beavis (Eds.) Literacy in 3D: A Multi-dimensional Framework for Rethinking Literacy Education. ACER.

Comber, B. & Nixon, H. with Wells, M. & Grant, H. (in press 2010) Collaborative inquiries into literacy, place and identity in the changing policy contexts of Australian schooling: implications for teacher development. In C. Day (Ed.) International handbook on teacher and school development. London: Routledge.

Nixon, H. & Comber, B. (2009). Literacy, landscapes and learning in a primary classroom. In M. Somerville, K. Power and P. de Carteret (Eds.) Landscapes and Learning: Place Studies for a Global World (pp. 119-137). Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Reid, J., Nixon, H. & Comber, B. (2007) Teaching for environmental sustainability: Combining critique with hope. In B. Comber, H. Nixon & J. Reid (Eds.). Literacies in place: Teaching environmental communication (pp. 142-154). Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association.

Comber, B., Reid, J. & Nixon, H. (2007). Environmental communications: Pedagogies of responsibility and place. In B. Comber, H. Nixon & J. Reid (Eds.). Literacies in place: Teaching environmental communications (pp. 5-18). Newtown, NSW: Primary English Teaching Association.

Nixon, H., Atkinson, S. & Beavis, C. (2006) New media pathways: Navigating the links between home, school and the workplace. In Leo Tan Wee Hin and R. Subramaniam (Eds.) Handbook of Research on Literacy in Technology at the K-12 Level (pp. 118-136), Idea Group Publishing, Hershey, USA.

Nixon, H. (2005) Cultural pedagogies about ICTs and education in a globalised cultural economy. In Apple, M., Kenway, J. & Singh, M. (eds). Globalising education: policies, pedagogies and politics (pp. 45-60). New York: Peter Lang.

Nixon. H. & Comber, B. (2005). Behind the scenes: making movies in early years classrooms. In J. Marsh (Ed.) Popular Culture, New Media and Digital Literacy in Early Childhood (pp. 219 - 236). London: Routledge/ Falmer.

Comber, B. & Nixon, H. (2004) Children re-read and re-write their neighborhoods: critical literacies and identity work. In Janet Evans (Ed.) Literacy moves on: Popular culture, new technologies and critical literacy in the elementary classroom (pp. 127-148). Portsmouth: Heinemann.

Also published as: Comber, B. & Nixon, H. (2005) Children re-read and re-write their neighbourhoods: critical literacies and identity work. In Janet Evans (Ed.) Literacy moves on: Popular culture, new technologies and critical literacy in the primary classroom (pp. 115-132). London: David Fulton Publishers.

Sefton-Green, J., & Nixon, H. (2003). Can 'English' cope? The challenge of popular culture, digital technologies and curriculum change. In B. Doecke & D. Homer & H. Nixon (Eds.), English Teachers at Work (pp. 242-254). Adelaide, SA: Australia Association for the Teaching of English/Wakefield Press.

Nixon, H. (2002). Popular media culture, ICTs and the English language arts curriculum. In R. Hammett and B. Barrell (Eds.) Digital Expressions: Media Literacy and English language Arts (pp. 113-135). Calgary, Canada: Detselig.

Wilson, S., & Nixon, H. (2002). Embedding information and communications technologies into literacy programming. In PETA (Ed.), Practical Literacy Programming (pp. 73-92). Sydney: Primary English Teachers Association.

Nixon, H. (2002). South Park: not in front of the children. In D. Buckingham (Ed.) Small screens: television for children (pp.96-119). London: Continuum.

Nixon, H. (2001). Literacy, ICTs and disadvantage: an 'unspeakable' topic? In C. Durrant & C. Beavis (Eds.), P(ICT)ures of English (pp. 191-209). Adelaide: AATE/Wakefield Press.

Comber, B., & Nixon, H. (1999). Literacy education as a site for social justice: what do our practices do? In C. Edelsky (Ed.), Making justice our project: Teachers working toward critical whole language practice (pp. 316-351). Urbana, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English.

Nixon, H. (1998). Fun and games are serious business. In J. Sefton-Green (Ed.), Digital diversions: Youth culture in the age of multimedia (pp. 21-42). London: University College London Press.

Journal articles

Comber, B. & Nixon, H. (2009) Teachers’ work and pedagogy in an era of accountability. Discourse:Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education 30(3): 333-345.

Nichols, S., Nixon, H. & Rowsell, J. (2009). The “good” parent in relation to early childhood literacy: symbolic terrain and lived practice. Literacy (UK) 43(2): 65-74. 'Literacy and Identity' special issue.

Nichols, S., Nixon, H., Pudney, V. & Jurvansuu, S. (2009) Parents resourcing children’s early development and learning. Early Years: An International Journal of Research and Development. 29(2): 147-161

Sefton-Green, J., Nixon, H., & Erstad, O. (2009). Reviewing approaches and perspectives on ‘Digital literacy’. Pedagogies: An International Journal. Vol 4, Issue 2, pp. 107-125.

Comber, B. & Nixon, H. (2008) Spatial literacies, design texts and emergent pedagogies in purposeful literacy curriculum. In Pedagogies: An International Journal.3(4). 221-240.

Prosser, B., McCallum, F., Milroy, P., Comber, B. & Nixon, H. (2008) ‘I am smart and I am not joking’: Aiming high in the middle years of schooling. Australian Educational Researcher, 35 (2), 15-36.

Nixon, H. Comber, B & Cormack, P. (2007). River literacies: Researching in contradictory spaces of cross-disciplinarity and normativity. English Teaching: Practice and Critique 6(3)92-111

Erixon, P. & Nixon, H. (2007) Teaching writing in the age of new media. Editorial introduction to Special Issue of L1 –Educational Studies in Language and Literature. 7(4), 1-6.

Nixon, H. (2007). Expanding the semiotic repertoire: environmental communications in the primary school. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 30(2), 102-117

Thomson, P., Nixon, H. & Comber, B. (2006). A case of intention deficit disorder?: ICT policy, disadvantaged schools and leaders. School Effectiveness and School Improvement Vol 17, no 4, pp. 465-482 (AN 22847872)

Comber, B., Nixon, H., Ashmore, L., Loo, S. & Cook, J. (2006) Urban renewal from the inside out: spatial and critical literacies in a low socio-economic school community. Mind, Culture and Activity. Special issue: Semiotic, Dialogic and Material Spaces, vol 13, no 3, pp. 226-243.

Nixon, H. & Comber, B. (2006). The differential recognition of children’s cultural practices in middle primary literacy classrooms. Literacy, Vol. 40, No 3, November: pp. 127-136.

Atkinson, S. & Nixon, H. (2005) Locating the subject: teens online @ ninemsn. Discourse: studies in the cultural politics of education, Vol. 26, No. 3, September: pp. 387-409.

Burn, A. & Nixon, H. (2005) English Teaching: Practice and Critique Guest editors of Special Issue: English and the Visual. Volume 4, number 1 (May). Editorial: ‘English and the visual: from montage to manga’ http://education.waikato.ac.nz/journal/english_journal/index.php

Kerin, R. & Nixon, H. (2005) Critical literacy and the study of digital texts in the middle years English/literacy curriculum. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years, 13(1), 20-35.

Beavis, C., Nixon, H. & Atkinson, S. (2005) LAN cafes: cafes, places of gathering, or sites of informal teaching and learning? Education, Communication and Information (Routledge UK), 5(1), 41-60. Special issue: New Media, Production Practices, Learning Spaces

Nixon, H. (2003). New research literacies for contemporary research into literacy and new media? Reading Research Quarterly, 38(4), 407-413.

Nixon, H. (2003). Digital technologies: a new era in literacy education? Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 24(2), 261-269.

Nixon, H. (2003) Textual diversity: who needs it? English Teaching: Practice and Critique 2(2) (September) http://www.soe.waikato.ac.nz/english/ETPC/index.html.

Nixon, H. (2002). English/literacy education and consumer-media culture. English in Australia( 133), 68-70.

Comber, B., Badger, L., Barnett, J., Nixon, H., & Pitt, J. (2002). Literacy after the early years: A longitudinal study. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 25(2), 9-23.

Nixon, H. (2001). Dawson's Creek: Sex and scheduling in a global phenomenon. Screen Education, (25), 82-89.

Nixon, H., & Comber, B. (2001). Reviewing literature for adolescents and young adults: critical pedagogy in action? Papers: Explorations into Children's Literature, 11(2), 56-65.

Kenway, J. & Nixon, H. (1999). Cyberfeminisms, cyberliteracies and educational cyberspheres. Educational Theory, Vol. 49, no. 4, Fall.

Nixon, H. (1999). Towards a (cyber)pedagogy for multimedia multiliteracies. In C. Luke (Ed.) Cyber-pedagogy in cyberculture. (Special issue) Teaching Education, 10(2), Spring/Summer, 87-99.

Nixon, H. (1999). Adults watching children watch South Park. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, September, 12-16.

Nixon, H. (1998). Collaborative research partnerships for literacy education in New Times. In B. Green & C. Beavis (Eds.) Researching new literacies, new technologies and new kids in New Times. (Special issue) Australian Educational Researcher, 25(3), 61-82.

Nixon, H. (1996). GP and The X-Files bring the Internet to popular television. Metro, (106), 50-57.

Nixon, H., & Comber, B. (1995). Making documentaries and teaching about disadvantage. Australian Educational Researcher, 22(2), 63-84.

Refereed conference papers

Nichols, S., Nixon, H., Rainbird, S. and Rowsell, J. (2007) Exploring a methodology for tracing spatial, social and textual networks through neighbourhoods, Proceedings of the State of Australian Cities National Conference 2007, Adelaide, 28-30 November 2007, pp. 1-9. Adelaide, University of South Australia. http://www.unisa.edu.au/soac2007/program/papers/0129.PDF

Research reports

Comber, B., Badger, L., Barnett, J., Nixon, H., & Pitt, J. (2001). Socio-economically disadvantaged students and the development of literacies in school. Adelaide: University of South Australia.

Cormack, P., & Nixon, H. (1999). Caroline Chisholm High. In B. Comber & B. Green (Eds.), Information technology, literacy and educational disadvantage research and development project. Vol 2. Site studies. (pp. 51-86). Report to DETE. Adelaide, SA: University of SA.

Comber, B., Badger, L., Nixon, H., & Pitt, J. (1997). Socio-economically disadvantaged students and the acquisition of school literacies: Pilot study. University of South Australia. Report to DECS.

Cormack, P. & Nixon, H. (1996). South Australian case studies: School 10. In M. Dilena and C. Van Krayenoord (Eds.) Whole-school approaches to assessing and reporting literacy. Children’s literacy projects 1993-1994. Report to DEET, vol 1, Case Studies: 257-282.

Multimedia

Nixon, H. & Ryan, P. (1999). IT’s got power: Images and voices from the Information Technology, Literacy and Educational Disadvantage Project. 25 minute teacher professional development video tape produced for the Commonwealth Literacy Team, Equity Standards, DETE SA, August.

Nixon, H. (1997). Who's teaching who about what: Cultural pedagogy and computer-mediated communications. (computer disk) In D. Homer, C. Reynolds & M. Dobbins (Eds.), Information technology in the English classroom Australian Association for the Teaching of English. NPDP Program, Commonwealth of Australia. AATE Publications Office: PO Box 3202, Norwood, South Australia. 5067.

Hill, S. Nixon, H. Comber, B. Badger, L. & Wilkinson, L. (1996). Literacy learning and social justice. 3 videos and booklet. (a) Communities, literacy and schools (23 mins), (b) Teaching and learning at Paralowie R-12 School (17 mins), (c) Literacy assessment in disadvantaged schools (25 mins). Melbourne, Vic: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.

Comber, B., Nixon, H., Hill, S., & Badger, L. (1994). Literacy, diversity and schooling. 3 videos and booklet. (a) Literacy, poverty and schooling (21 mins), (b) Becoming a literacy teacher in a diverse community (17 mins), (c) Teaching literacy in disadvantaged schools (23 mins). Melbourne, Vic: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.