Associate ProfessorVaughan Cruickshank

Project Total: $0; The purpose of this project is to develop a Literacy Workforce Attraction and Retention Strategy (the Strategy) for the Department of Premier and Cabinet by October 2025. The focus of the strategy is to increase access to Allied Health Professionals across the learning continuum and achieves implementation of recommendation 10 in the Tasmanian Governments Lifting Literacy Implementation Plan 2024-2026 (the Implementation Plan). The project will also commence activities for recommendation 11 in May 2025, that seeks to increase priority student access to Allied Health where there is an identified need. Funded by: Department of Premier and Cabinet ($50,014); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $74,500; HealthLit4Kids is the first known program designed to develop health literacy with a whole of school and individual classroom (curriculum design). It is unique and addresses a gap that exists locally, nationally and globally. The international literature has highlighted that health literacy development programs for primary schools/primary school aged children are scarce. Professional development and online resources need to be offered to multiple stakeholders who work with children and families including: paediatric registrars, public health interns, UTAS allied health masters students (dietitians, physio, social workers, occupational therapists, dieticians, clinical pharmacy, nursing) as an elective, school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers, child health and parenting services (CHAPs) nurses, oral health services (dentists and dental nurses), community based allied health professionals, early childhood teachers, teacher assistants, parents, community service providers (Mission, Redcross, Baptcare), primary and HPE teachers, play specialists, paediatric nurses, hospital school teachers. There is increasing demand for the HealthLit4Kids program nationally (64 schools on the wait list), including interest from Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and internationally Nigeria, Cameroon, Ireland, India, United Arab Emirates, Canada. This has increased since the publication of the research findings from the successful implementation of HealthLit4Kids in 5 Tasmanian schools. This demand is likely to escalate with the publication of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Report Health literacy development for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases? (due September 2021). This Report has been classified as a Global Public Good and includes a case study of HealthLit4Kids as part of the WHO National Health Literacy Demonstration Programs. The HealthLit4Kids founders are currently exploring alternative ways to meet this demand, including the creation of a social enterprise. The IP under development has been created within HealthLit4Kids which is an education program designed for use in primary schools to facilitate the development of children's health literacy. Further development of this IP will enable the program developers to extend the reach of HealthLit4Kids through mechanisms which embed sustainability and scalability, including digital platforms. Since April 2019, we have had 64 HealthLit4Kids registrations (29 Tasmania, 23 Nationally [QLD, NT, NSW, WA, VIC], 13 Internationally). The interest we have had from other states in Australia are predominantly from remote areas including Tennant Creek (NT), Bundaberg (QLD), Alice Springs (NT) and Pilbara (WA). This highlights a clear need and an opportunity to address inequity. Staff from 3 Hospitals (QLD, NSW, TAS) have also enquired and expressed an interest in its transferability to a children's ward/hospital setting. More recently due to an international book project being led by Dr Rosie Nash, we have received requests for our program from health literacy peers internationally, the most recent being from Nigeria, Africa. A preliminary review of the market suggest HealthLit4Kids is still leading internationally and that no competing program exists currently. Funded by: University of Tasmania - Grant-Innovation Impact Fund; University of Tasmania ($74,500).

Project Total: $25,000; The program will recruit and train student volunteers, from the Faculty of Education (Specialisation in English, Literacy, TESOL), University of Tasmania (UTAS), to provide weekly one-on-one and small group tutoring support for high school students from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The Education Faculty student volunteer tutors will provide help with English language and literacy support to year 9 and 10 high school students. Funded by: Department of Communities Tasmania - Grant-Learning Grants Program ($25,000); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $25,000; The program will recruit student volunteers, from the Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania (UTAS), to mentor high school students from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The program will promote purposeful relationships in which Education Faculty student volunteer mentors work collaboratively with their high school student mentees, to assist them in developing a positive sense of self and aspirations, educational pathways and career options post-school. The program aims to support the students to engage in school life, progress in their studies and plan their transition from high school to further education. Funded by: Department of Communities Tasmania - Grant-Learning Grants Program ($25,000); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $25,000; The program will recruit and train student volunteers, from the Faculty of Education (specialization in Mathematics Education), University of Tasmania (UTAS), to provide weekly on-on-one and small group tutoring support for high school students from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The Education Faculty student volunteer tutors will provide help with mathematics and numeracy support to year 9 and 10 high school students. Funded by: Department of Communities Tasmania - Grant-Learning Grants Program ($25,000); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $7,233; This project investigates the inherent capabilities, skills and knowledge that Flexible Learning Program staff have, and try to determine whether this important area of teaching profession is, in fact, a specialist area. Funded by: University of Tasmania - Grant-CAL Hothouse Research Enhancement Program; University of Tasmania ($7,233).

Project Total: $13,332; The proposal aims to investigate the influence of sport and the media on perceptions of acceptable masculinity on male teachers' educative practice. Previous research by Cruickshank (2016) suggests that perceptions of particular kinds of men - as teachers and more broadly - shape understandings of the role of male primary school teachers. The research is timely as the percentage of Australian primary school teachers who are male has decreased from 30.24% in 1983 to 18.26% in 2016 (ABS, 2016). This decrease has concerned key stakeholders such as parents and principals who believe that more men are required in primary schools to act as role models and father figures. A strong caveat for this belief is that these men must be the 'right kind' of man. Research (e.g. Smith, 2008) has noted being 'sporty' is an important aspect of displaying this 'right kind' of masculinity. What hasn't been explored is the extent to which wider media portrayals of men, particularly high profile sportsmen, influences perceptions of acceptable masculinity in different education contexts, and consequently, male teachers' educative practice. Media representation of teachers impacts recruitment and morale of teaching staff (Hargreaves et al. 2006), a Tasmania-based analysis of this premise may be useful for the Department of Education or teacher education institutions. The project builds on Dr Cruickshank's recently completed PhD on the challenges faced by male primary teachers and the coping strategies they use to deal with them. It will use a combination of qualitative data and media discourse analysis. The project will specifically focus on perceptions of acceptable masculinity in educational contexts, and the influence of media portrayals on male primary teachers and men in sport. Consequently, the project intends to identify strategies to assist with the retention of male primary teachers. Funded by: University of Tasmania - Grant - CALE Hothouse Alignment Scheme; University of Tasmania ($13,332).

Project Total: $8,500; This project aimed to measure the impact of Work-Integrated Learning in the Bachelor of Education Health and Physical Education programme. Funded by: University of Tasmania - Grant-Research Enhancement Program; University of Tasmania ($8,500).