Dr Tracy Lyn Durksen | UNSW Research

Keywords

education & educational research

educational psychology

professional development

teacher beliefs

motivation (psychology)

undergraduate pre-service teachers

early childhood education and care

child development

Fields of Research (FoR)

Specialist studies in education, Applied and developmental psychology, Educational Psychology, Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators, Specialist Studies in Education

SEO tags

Teaching and Instruction

Learner and Learning

Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences

Biography

Tracy Durksen, B.A. (Hons), B.Ed., M.A., Ph.D.

I am a Scientia Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer of Educational Psychology interested in the learning and development of students and teachers. I investigate the broad area of teacher education with the aim to transform attraction and recruitment, selection, development, retention, and promotion of teachers and school leaders by focusing on the importance of interpersonal interactions and psychological characteristics like motivation and adaptability. I am a mixed methods researcher grounded in social cognitive and self-determination theories. My previous experience in community-based research and evaluation through a randomised control trial project with cultural experts in Canada initiated my multi-method, relational, and contextual approach.

In order to influence policies that foster conditions for effective schooling, I prioritise research partnerships and community engagement:

Teachers in Early Education (2024-2027): I am a Chief Investigator on the team of an ARC Discovery Project (DP240100249) with a focus on attracting, preparing, and sustaining quality teachers in early childhood education.

Culturally Nourishing Schooling (2022-present): I travel to rural NSW schools as a lead researcher to support teachers’ professional learning in Aboriginal education and community engagement while working towards whole-school reform.

Teacher Success Project: I collaborate as an international research affiliate (2015-present).

OECD: Questionnaire Expert Group, Teaching and Learning International Survey (2020-present).

NSW Department of Education (funded collaborative projects since 2017):

NSW Curriculum Reform and Teaching Practices (2023-2026)
Mathematics Growth Team – Academic Partner project (2023-2024)
Human Resources – Teacher Success Profile partnership project (2017-2022)
Ambassador Schools Research Centre (2021/2022)

My Grants

External

2024-2027 – Teachers in early education: Attracting, preparing, retaining, and sustaining quality early childhood teachers in Australia. This project team, led by A/Prof Marianne Fenech, is funded by ARC Discovery Project (DP2401000249) for $664k. Role: Chief Investigator; quantitative (longitudinal survey) and tool development.

2023-2026 – Evaluation of changes to teaching practice for NSW curriculum reform. This project team, led by Dr Dennis Alonzo, secured $2.2m from the NSW Department of Education to evaluate the implementation of the new English and Mathematics syllabuses. Role: Co-investigator; lead researcher for quantitative (survey) and qualitative (classroom observation) components.

2023-2024 – Mathematics Growth Team: Academic Partner project. Led by Prof Kim Beswick, this project team secured over $700k from the NSW Department of Education to establish a research evidence base that demonstrates the mechanisms and impact of expert teachers acting as mathematical instructional leaders. Role: Co-investigator; a lead researcher for quantitative (survey) and qualitative (classroom observation) components.

2022 – Ambassador Schools Research Centre project. Led by Prof Kim Beswick, this project team secured $1.8m from the NSW Department of Education to gather evidence of school success using a strengths-based and mixed method approach. Role: Co-investigator; a lead researcher for quantitative (survey) and qualitative (classroom observation) components.

Since 2022 – Culturally Nourishing Schooling project. Led by A/Prof Kevin Lowe, this longitudinal project has secured over $3m in research funding. Role: Lead researcher for a qualitative research/practice study of teachers at rural schools.

2017-2022 – Teacher Success Profile project. Sole investigator for the funded ($149k) research and evaluation of the NSW Department of Education teacher recruitment and selection practices.

2019 – High-impact leaders in regional, rural, and remote education. Led by Prof Scott Eacott, this case study project included co-investigators from 3 Australian universities. Funded by the Australian Department of Education ($88k).

2017 – The development of a teacher suitability framework. Sole investigator who conduced interviews with 17 initial teacher education providers in NSW. Funded by the New South Wales Council of Deans of Education ($5,000).

Internal

Chief Investigator (2021). School of Education Rapid-Fire Research Grant Scheme. Scenario-based learning for preservice teachers. Co-investigators: A/Prof Tony Loughland and Dr Hoa Nguyen. Amount: AUD: $7,689

Chief Investigator (2016-2019). PL-TIME: Professional learning and teachers’ interpersonal skills, motivation, and engagement. Vice Chancellor Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Funding (UNSW). Amount: AUD $30,000

Chief Investigator (2018). Developing teachers' ability to optimise female students' STEM-related academic achievement and career aspirations: A museum-based study of professional learning. Faculty Collaborative Research Grant (UNSW Sydney). Co-investigator: Scientia Professor Andrew Martin (School of Education, UNSW). Collaborator: Derek Williamson (Museum of Human Disease, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW). Amount: AUD $14,693

Chief /Co-Investigator (2017-2019). School of Education Grants. Amount: AUD $22,500

Doctoral funding

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Doctoral Fellowship (2013-2015). Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Amount: CAD $40,000

President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction (2013-2014). Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Alberta (Canada). Amount: CAD $15,429

Graduate/travel awards (2012-2015). Amount: CAD $11,500

My Qualifications

Ph.D., Psychological Studies in Education (2015), Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta (Canada)

Graduate Certificate, Community-Based Research and Evaluation (2015), Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta (Canada)

M.A., Learning and Development in Educational Psychology (2010), Department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies, University of Victoria (Canada)

Teaching Certificate, Professional Development Program in University Teaching (2010), Learning and Teaching Centre, University of Victoria (Canada)

B.Ed. (Post Baccalaureate), K-12 Teacher Education Degree (2002), Faculty of Education, Vancouver Island University (Canada)

B.A. (Honours with Distinction), Psychology, (1997), Department of Psychology, University of Victoria (Canada)

My Awards

Dean's Award for Excellence in HDR Supervision (2023). Faculty of Arts, Design, and Architecture, UNSW.

Learning and Teaching Award (2020). Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dean’s Learning and Teaching Award for Excellence for Design and Development (Master of Teaching Primary Program, UNSW). Amount: AUD $500

Shortlisted Nominee for Research Award (2019). Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dean’s Research Award for Achievements by an Early Career Researcher (UNSW).

AERA 2017 Learning Environments SIG/Springer Award for best journal article. Andre, L., Durksen, T. L., & Volman, M. (2017). Museums as avenues of learning for children: A decade of research. Learning Environments Research, 20, 47-76. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10984-016-9222-9

My Research Supervision

Areas of supervision

Teacher education for early years, primary, and secondary
Teacher attraction, recruitment, selection, professional development, and retention
Culturally responsive teaching and whole-school reform in Aboriginal education
Teacher motivation and engagement
Teacher and student wellbeing
STEM teaching and learning

Currently supervising

I am currently supervising PhD, EdD, and Honours students.

My Teaching

2023: EDST 5314 Building Resilience in the Workplace (Course Convenor)

2022: EDST 5314 Building Resilience in the Workplace (Course Convenor)

2021

Master of Teaching: Primary Program Director
EDST 5151 Child Development: Psychological and Social Perspectives (Course Convenor)
EDST 5320 Individual Differences and Education (Course Convenor)
EDST 1101 Educational Psychology (Course Convenor)

2020

Master of Teaching: Primary Program Director
EDST 5151 Child Development: Psychological and Social Perspectives (Course Convenor)
EDST 5320 Individual Differences and Education (Course Convenor)
EDST 2044 Motivation in Learning and Teaching (Course Convenor)

2019

Master of Teaching: Primary Program Director
EDST 5151 Child Development: Psychological and Social Perspectives (Course Convenor)
EDST 5320 Individual Differences and Education (Course Convenor)
EDST 2044 Motivation in Learning and Teaching (Course Convenor)

2018