
Doctor of Philosophy (Queensland University of Technology), Master of Education (James Cook Uni. of North Qld), Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) (Kelvin Grove C.A.E), Bachelor of Arts (University of Queensland)
Background
Jill Willis is an Associate Professor in Education. Her research investigates how learners navigate performance expectations in assessment systems, so learners of all ages can be supported to experience greater success and agency. This interest has led her to teach about assessment for learning, leadership of change, and research in areas such as assessment, learning spaces and middle leadership. Jill particularly enjoys working with teachers and school leaders who undertake higher degree learning and research.
Research Areas: Her research interests include
- teacher and student agency
- classroom assessment practices
- digital feedback loops
- collaborative learning in physical and digital learning spaces
- leadership of change
- Innovative qualitative research methodologies.
Prior to her work at QUT, Jill had twenty years of teaching experience in Queensland state and independent schools as a teacher, Head of Department and Director of Studies. At QUT Jill seeks out collaborative research opportunities with industry partners to address real world problems and generate research evidence that informs practice, policy and theory. QUT highlights so far have included:
- Co-leading an ARCLinkage project with Professor Linda Graham, investigating how to design formative and summative assessment to be more accessible (2019-2022).
- Collaborating with Dr Andrew Gibson to bring together his field of reflective writing analytics with my sociocultural commitments to self assessment and feedback loops that build collective agency. The design led learning is ongoing through a series of collaborative research inquiries using the reflective writing tool GoingOk.
- Working with Independent Schools Queensland to support their Highly Accomplished and Lead Teachers, and how teachers represent their impact on student learning in this professional evaluation process.
- Investigating the impact of physical and digital learning environments on learner agency in a series of projects that have culminated in an edited book School Spaces for Student Wellbeing and Learning.
- Working with schools to understand how assessment within the changes to Queensland Senior Assessment and the Australian Curriculum can enhance student experiences of learning in schools.
- Involvement in establishing the Kelvin Grove Teacher Education Centre of Excellence partnership program (2011 – 2013) with Education Queensland and Kelvin Grove State College and partner schools.
- Collaborating in digital Transform agendas for teaching postgraduate learners.
- Supporting experienced teachers throughout Queensland through the Mentoring Beginning Teacher project.
ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5200-5039
Additional information
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2020
- Details
- The Miller-Grassie Award for Outstanding Leadership in Education, and President¿s Citation is the highest honour awarded each year by the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (Qld). It is nominated by members and acknowledges and perpetuates the memory of the life and work of educational researchers and administrators, Dr Laurie Miller and Associate Professor McCrae Grassie. Miller and Grassie were pioneers in educational administration in Queensland from the 1970s through to the 1990s.
- Type
- Fellowships
- Reference year
- 2019
- Details
- Senior Fellowship demonstrates a personal and institutional commitment to professionalism in learning and teaching in higher education. As a senior Fellow of the international Higher Education Academy I have demonstrated a thorough understanding of effective approaches to teaching and learning to support high quality student learning. I support and mentor others in relation to learning and teaching, and integrate quality teaching principles and practices into my own tertiary teaching.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2018
- Details
- Faculty of Education Teaching and Learning Team award, for innovative use of data to improve learning.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2018
- Details
- Vice Chancellor's Performance Award in recognition of a significant and superior contribution to the work of the University.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- Faculty of Education Teaching and Learning Award for teaching excellence, Early Career Award.
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2012
- Details
- Vice Chancellor's Performance Award in recognition of a significant and superior contribution to the work of the University.
- Willis J, Gibson A, (2020) The emotional work of being an assessor: A reflective writing analytics inquiry into digital self-assessment, Teacher Education in Globalised Times: Local Responses in Action p93-113
- Hughes H, Franz J, Willis J, (2019) School Spaces for Student Wellbeing and Learning: Insights From Research and Practice, Springer
- Willis J, McGraw K, Graham L, (2019) Conditions that mediate teacher agency during assessment reform, English Teaching p233-248
- Willis J, Churchward P, Beutel D, Spooner-Lane R, Crosswell L, Curtis E, (2019) Mentors for beginning teachers as middle leaders: the messy work of recontextualising, School Leadership and Management p334-351
- Deluca C, Willis J, Cowie B, Harrison C, Coombs A, Gibson A, Trask S, (2019) Policies, programs, and practices: Exploring the complex dynamics of assessment education in teacher education across four countries, Frontiers in Education p1-19
- Churchward P, Willis J, (2019) The pursuit of teacher quality: identifying some of the multiple discourses of quality that impact the work of teacher educators, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education p251-264
- Willis J, Klenowski V, (2018) Classroom assessment practices and teacher learning: An Australian perspective, Teacher learning with classroom assessment: Perspectives from Asia Pacific p19-37
- Crosswell L, Willis J, Morrison C, Gibson A, Ryan M, (2018) Early career teachers in rural schools: Plotlines of resilience, Resilience in education: Concepts, contexts and connections p131-146
- Graham L, Tancredi H, Willis J, McGraw K, (2018) Designing out barriers to student access and participation in secondary school assessment, Australian Educational Researcher p103-124
- Adie L, Willis J, Van der Kleij F, (2018) Diverse perspectives on student agency in classroom assessment, Australian Educational Researcher p1-12
- Title
- Improving Outcomes through Accessible Assessment and Inclusive Practices
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP180100830
- Start year
- 2019
- Keywords
- Diverse experiences of assessment for learning (AfL) pedagogies: student and teacher learning
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Andrew Gibson - A National Assessment Model of School-Age Students with Disability: An institutional ethnography of the practice of policy
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Nerida Spina, Professor Gordon Tait - How do carer responsibilities impact women's higher education decision-making?
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Melinda Laundon, Dr Andrew Gibson - Discreet Disengagement in the Classroom
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Linda Graham - Wrestling with Neoliberalism in Australian Christian Schools
MPhil, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Dr Nerida Spina
- School Design and Procurement and Educational Goals: A Qualitative Case Study of Two Australian Schools (2019)
- Higher Degree Research as Professional Learning for Teachers: A Cohort Perspective (2017)
- High School Learning Spaces: Investigating Year 6 Students' Imaginings and Representations (2016)
- Leading toward a Growth Mindset in an Educational Climate of Accountability (2016)
- Understanding Curriculum Planning Practices That Promote Equity and Excellence for Students with Disability (2016)
- Teacher and Student Readiness to use Facebook for Learning in an Adult Vocational Educational Setting (2014)