College of Arts, Society & Education

Karen Cavu

Doctor of Philosophy (Education)
karen.cavu@jcu.edu.au

Ines Zuchowski

Associate Dean, Research
ines.zuchowski@jcu.edu.au

Markus Zuercher

Doctor of Philosophy (Society and Culture)
markus.zuercher@jcu.edu.au

Kelsey Lowrie

Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning
kelsey.halbert@jcu.edu.au

Bethany Keats

Doctor of Philosophy (Creative Arts)
bethanykeats.leblais@my.jcu.edu.au

Kuol Garang

Doctor of Philosophy (Society and Culture)
kuol.garang@jcu.edu.au

Sophorn Nhoem

Master of Philosophy (Society and Culture)
sophorn.nhoem@my.jcu.edu.au

Janine Evans

Doctor of Philosophy (Society and Culture)
janine.evans1@my.jcu.edu.au

Koen Stapelbroek

Dean, Arts, Society and Education
koen.stapelbroek@jcu.edu.au

Social Work student placements with Primary Health Providers Pilot (Old ID 27263)

Ines Zuchowski

03 May 2021 - 28 Feb 2023

The overall aim of this project is to develop, implement and evaluate a field education placement module for social work student placement in General Practice clinics in North Queensland. The project will include the development of module for social work student placements in Primary Healthcare in consultation with general practice Social work students on their 500 hours placement will be placed in General Practices for field education, internally supervised by a task supervisor and externally supervised by a social work supervisor. Students could be either in their first or second placement, in either the Bachelor of Social Work or the Masters of Social Work (Professionally Qualifying) degree. The evaluation of project with consideration of student experience and outcomes as well as General Practice staff experience and feedback. A sustainability/transition plan that identifies other possible funding sources for continuation of the project will be developed.

Exploring social work organisations’ research needs and capacities: Building capacity for engagement and impact (Old ID 25105)

Ines Zuchowski

01 Jul 2018 - 31 Dec 2018

I will conduct a survey with child protection organisations exploring their research needs, capacities and interests to engage with academics through research partnerships. Utilising the survey results and other data, I will receive mentorship by a senior research academic to plan and jointly deliver a workshop with potential industry partners on research engagement partnerships and undertaking industry informed impactful research. The outcomes of the survey and workshop will strengthen the foundation for my DECRA application. I will develop a manuscript for peer-review. The knowledge and contacts gained through the research and workshop will strengthen my research capacity.

Earth and Environmental Science: Unpacking the Curriculum and Teachers’ Dispositions (Old ID 23510)

Louisa Tomas Engel

01 Jul 2017 - 03 Dec 2018

The Queensland Curriculum, Assessment & Reporting Authority have recently developed a new senior secondary syllabus, Earth and Environmental Science (EES), which is due for implementation in Queensland in 2019. This pilot study will critically analyse the new curriculum with a view to understand better the theoretical orientations that underpin it, and investigate senior secondary teachers’ attitudes, beliefs and values regarding the teaching of EES. A critical understanding of the EES curriculum is a necessary prerequisite for exploring how teachers navigate their own dispositions towards EES when enacting the new curriculum, and the impact of this on achieving its aims.

Educating diverse learners for local/global citizenship: Curriculum and pedagogical frameworks that bring global perspectives from the periphery to the core (Old ID 21948)

Kelsey Lowrie

04 Dec 2014 - 30 May 2016

Securing enhanced student outcomes associated with global understandings and perspectives is this project's focus. It seek to ascertain how best to utilise and augment students' current service learning experiences in domestic and international settings to realise these outcomes through a process of identifying, analysing and evaluating existing curriculum and pedagogic practices.

PS311 – JCU NQ Social Worker Placement in General Practice Expansion (Townsville & Cairns) (Old ID 29007)

Ines Zuchowski

01 Jul 2023 - 31 Mar 2026

The aim of this project is to research the benefits and challenges of social work practice in GP clinics to develop evidence-based pathways and integrated care options focused on improving holistic health outcomes for the community and in particular older people, people with chronic disease and first Nation people. This will be achieved by providing funding to GP clinics to hire and support social workers and social work students in their practice. The research will evaluate the project, document and examine the social work contributions and outcomes in GP, and investigate pathways for funding social work in GP.

Building Capacity for Frailty management in Regional Queensland Residential Aged Care Facilities

Ines Zuchowski

01 Oct 2024 - 31 Dec 2025

Virtually all older adults living within aged care are at risk of becoming or are currently frail, with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. The core treatments for frailty are good nutrition, medication optimisation, and robust exercise, which was recently evaluated in the novel Frailty Reduction via Implementation of Exercise, Nutrition and Deprescribing (FRIEND) trial. This trial developed comprehensive training resources for the aged care sector. This project aims to build capacity through dissemination of this training to aged care champions across regional Queensland facilities and support them to improve frailty care and client health within their facility. The project has two main project aims: 1. Disseminate FRIEND in an online and in-person, train-the-trainer model to build capacity of aged care champions and key regional, healthcare professionals 2. Support aged care champions to develop local facility training, and an organisational strategy for improving frailty care The study will involve two phases: 1. Pre/post evaluation of a train-the-trainer education intervention (FRIEND website modules and an intensive one-day course on frailty management). Five strategically located RACFs across North-West Queensland will nominate an aged care champion (i.e. senior staff member) by early September to complete website training and travel to Townsville for intensive training in Late October/Early November along with local healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, social workers) working within aged care. 2. Involves evaluation of the champion-led local training implementation development of an organisational strategy to improve frailty care over a six-month period. The champion will identify key implementation/leadership staff and training needs to develop a 1–2-hour training webinar and develop an organisational strategy to improve frailty management in their facility

International Social Work Student Exchange: Facilitating Good Practice in Australia and Asia Pacific (Old ID 21877)

Ines Zuchowski

04 Dec 2014 - 04 Sep 2017

Using collaborative and inclusive processes, this project will draw on data from Australian social work education providers and their international partners, to document and analyse current international student exchange practices, highlighting key issues and constraints. Merging this data with a critical literature review, the project will synthesise the knowledge created to develop transferable best-practice models in international student exchange. Focusing on enhancing relationships with the Asia-Pacific, this project aims to document, analyse, develop and disseminate exemplary practices in international social work student exchange. The project will contribute significantly to the development of mutually beneficial international student exchange programs and will support Australian tertiary educators to integrate evidence-led, transferable, good -practice principles into core curricula.

Strengthening community-led partnerships to improve Indigenous health and well-being (Old ID 22466)

Ines Zuchowski

01 Dec 2015 - 30 Dec 2017

This project aims to strengthen community-led partnerships (CLPs) to improve Indigenous health and well-being using CQI processes. The seed funding will be utilised in bringing together leaders of existing community-led partnerships, and visits with leaders of other identified CLPs, with the aim of identifying and documenting the strengths of existing community-led partnerships, and exploring how CQI processes can improve, support or accelerate best practice in community-led partnerships.

Stature estimation from fragmentary skeletal remains in prehistoric Cambodia: Health and forensic applications

Sophorn Nhoem

20 Feb 2023 - 20 Feb 2025

This project examines the interrelationships between social change and health and growth during the Iron Age (500 BCE-CE 500) in northwest Cambodia. To facilitate this investigation, a new methodology is established to determine biological sex, long bone lengths and stature from the fragmentary remains of four Iron Age communities (Phum Snay, Phum Sophy, Prei Khmeng and Phum Lovea) in Cambodia. Evidence for growth during childhood in prehistoric times is combined with evidence for growth disruption, diet, and disease to extend the understanding of the quality of life experienced by Iron Age people. This period is considered one of social tension with a developing hierarchical social structure that eventually led to state rule across Cambodia and beyond. This project assesses the interrelationships between sociopolitical change and health and growth in the everyday experience of communities and individuals.