Ailie McDowall

Overview

I am an education and Indigenous Studies academic. I currently teach undergraduate and postgraduate coursework, and coordinates the Indigenous Education and Research Centre’s Master of Philosophy (Indigenous) program as well as the Graduate Certificate of Indigenous Studies.

As a non-Indigenous researcher and educator, my interests lie in how educators develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions of Indigenous and non-Indigenous graduates and researchers to respond to the needs of Indigenous peoples. I have a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) and a PhD in education, both conferred by the University of Queensland (UQ). I have worked with the Indigenous Education and Research Centre at James Cook University since 2019.

Indigenous Studies Research

With a background in both education and psychology, I am interested in the scholarship of teaching and learning, and how we teach complexity. My earlier research looked at the learning engagements of non-Indigenous students in compulsory Indigenous education coursework. I am currently working on a research project about the preparation of research students to engage in Indigenous topics.

Teaching

The IERC provides an Indigenous Studies curriculum for students from year 10 through to Masters by Research, and I teach across this pathway.

Our teaching work begins with the IERC’s annual Winter School, where I work with ten Year 10-12 Indigenous students undertaking Indigenous Studies curriculum during a one-week university residential.

My primary teaching responsibilities follow into undergraduate and postgraduate Indigenous Studies coursework, including IA2030/5029 Comparative Indigenous Studies, IA3024 Indigenous Narratives in the Contemporary Era, and IA3030/5030 Navigating the Cultural Interface. I am a curriculum specialist and took a lead role in developing the current Indigenous Studies suite of subjects through the writing of teaching materials for four subjects (Level 2 and 3).

As the Master of Philosophy (Indigenous) coordinator, I take the lead role in teaching two research intensives that support beginning research students in their learning.

I ground my teaching through communities of inquiry, and use relational and collaborative approaches to develop students’ self-confidence and self-efficacy in their learning, whilst developing their academic and analytical skills, and their appreciation of complexity.

Postgraduate Research

I currently supervise several HDR students who are examining topics such as academic resilience for Indigenous students, Indigenous content in the Australian curriculum, initial teacher education, and in-service teacher professional learning. I also coordinate the Master of Philosophy (Indigenous) program, undertake a range of activities supporting Indigenous HDRs across JCU, and am a member of the university’s Research Education Sub-Committee (RESC).

I am available to supervise Master of Philosophy (Indigenous) or PhD projects in Indigenous education. These projects are best suited to students with a background and/or interest in educational practice, and a passion for supporting Indigenous students in schooling.

The IERC enrols students through an annual intake and you will undertake a series of intensives, designed to give you the skills and confidence you need to undertake research with an Indigenous topic. Whilst a research degree requires independent learning, you will also work together with myself and your colleagues. Find out more about our teaching progams, including the Master of Philosophy, here.

Interested students should email me with a description of the type of research you would like to undertake, your CV, and a summary of your previous degree(s).