Find Reece Mills on
Doctor of Philosophy (Education) (James Cook Uni. of North Qld), Bachelor of Education with Honours (James Cook Uni. of North Qld)
Reece commenced his educational career as a senior secondary Earth Science teacher before commencing his current appointment as a Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at QUT. He uses his expertise and real-world experience to teach preservice teachers science and pedagogical content knowledge. Reece's PhD research used a cognitive-affective theoretical framework of conceptual change to evaluate an innovative pedagogical approach whereby school students constructed multiple representations of geological processes by constructing a stop-motion animation. He now conducts research in Earth and Environmental Science (EES) education and preservice teacher science education. Some of Reece's current research projects include an examination of how EES teachers' attitudes toward sustainable development mediate the intended and enacted EES curriculum; an investigation of how primary preservice teachers' attitudes predict and explain their intention to teach science; and the development of a Bachelor of Education (Primary) specialisation in science in alignment with recent reforms in initial teacher education. Reece is passionate about developing quality science teachers and is committed to using his academic work to promote scientific literacy for the 21st century.
Additional information
Reece has extensive experience in teaching and learning across primary, secondary, and tertiary educational institutions, including:
- 2020 to present: Course Coordinator (ED49 Bachelor of Education)
- 2020 to present: Senior Lecturer in Science Education, QUT
- 2017 to 2020: Lecturer in Science Education, QUT
- 2016 to 2017: Sessional Academic, QUT
- 2015 to 2016: Sessional Academic, Griffith University
- 2015 to 2016: Examination Marker, University of Queensland
- 2012 to 2014: Science and Mathematics Teacher, Queensland Department of Education and Training
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- I am the recipient of a Faculty of Education Evidence-based Practice Award (2017) for investing in curriculum and learning transformation through using a broad evidence base. In other words, this award acknowledges my research-informed teaching. The context for this award was the move to fully online learning in the Master of Teaching (MTeach). I collaboratively led the design and production of science videos to enable at home science activities in response to my research showing the importance of self-efficacy (including mastery and vicarious experiences) to pre-service teachers' intention to teach science in their future classroom.
- Type
- Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- I am on the Editorial Advisory Committee for the Teaching Science journal (2017-present).Teaching Science is the flagship journal of the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA). It aims to promote the teaching of science in all Australian schools, with a focus on classroom practices and teacher professional development. Teaching Science is a national publication with subscribers throughout Australia and overseas. It is a a quarterly refereed journal of the highest integrity that includes material of interest to all sectors of the science education community. My role on the Editorial Advisory Committee is to regularly review research and professional articles and participate in the annual Most Valuable Paper Award nomination process.
- Tomas, L., Mills, R. & Gibson, F. (2022). 'It's kind of like a cut and paste of the syllabus': a teacher's experience of enacting the Queensland Earth and Environmental Science syllabus, and implications for Education for Sustainable Development. Australian Educational Researcher (AER), 49(2). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/208174
- Stahl, G., Scholes, L., McDonald, S., Mills, R. & Comber, B. (2021). Boys, science and literacy: place-based masculinities, reading practices and the 'science literate boy'. Research Papers in Education. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/212504
- Mills, R., Scholes, L., Stahl, G., McDonald, S., Comber, B. & Lunn, J. (2021). How do rural Australian students' ethnogeographies related to people and place influence their STEM career aspirations? International Journal of Science Education, 43(14), 2333–2350. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/212160
- Mills, R. & Bourke, T. (2020). Primary specialisation in Australian education: Pre-service teachers’ lived experiences. In J. Fox, C. Alexander & T. Aspland (Eds.), Teacher Education in Globalised Times: Local Responses in Action (pp. 23–40). Springer. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/198256
- Siostrom, E., Mills, R. & Bourke, T. (2020). Complexity and contradiction: Disciplinary expert teachers in primary science and mathematics education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 89. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/135951
- Mills, R., Tomas, L., Whiteford, C. & Lewthwaite, B. (2020). Developing middle school students' interest in learning science and geology through slowmation. Research in Science Education, 50(4). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/223919
- Tomas, L., Mills, R., Rigano, D. & Sandhu, M. (2020). Education for sustainable development in the senior Earth and Environmental Science syllabus in Queensland, Australia. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 36(1), 44–62. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/133617
- Bourke, T., Mills, R. & Siostrom, E. (2020). Origins of primary specialisation in Australian education policy: what's the problem represented to be? Australian Educational Researcher (AER), 47(5), 725–740. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/197190
- Mills, R., Tomas, L. & Lewthwaite, B. (2019). The impact of student-constructed animation on middle school students' learning about plate tectonics. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 28(2), 165–177. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/122185
- Mills, R., Tomas, L. & Lewthwaite, B. (2016). Learning in Earth and space science: a review of conceptual change instructional approaches. International Journal of Science Education, 38(5), 767–790. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/107276
- EARLY CAREER TEACHERS' DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER SELF-EFFICACY, IN A CONTEXT OF CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT REFORM
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Terri Bourke, Dr Chris Blundell - How do lived experiences influence adult learners' decision to engage in STEM participation and pathways?
PhD, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Terri Bourke - Exploring pedagogical approaches to develop early childhood students' knowledge of the nature of science
Professional Doctorate, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Dann Mallet, Dr Senka Henderson - THE ROLE OF BLOCK PLAY IN PROMOTING CHILDREN'S ENGINEERING THINKING
MPhil, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Professor Dann Mallet