Faye McCallum

Faye McCallum

School of Education

Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Economics

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


My research investigates the importance of the teacher in the education system – teachers are the most important in-school factor on academic achievement. I am specifically interested in the wellbeing of teachers and leaders and the impact of their wellbeing on learners.

Current work explores wellbeing in all its dimensions for early career teachers, teachers and leaders. Measuring wellbeing across all its dimensions is an important approach to address the global concern around why teachers are leaving the profession. I am most concerned with attracting teachers to the profession and engaging them in a sustainable and rewarding profession that improves the learning outcomes for children and young people.

My current projects include:

  • Measuring Wellbeing

    This project prioritises and values student and employee wellbeing for sustained health and wellbeing at a Canadian College. This study is undertaken through an appreciative lens to align the College’s Strategic Directions to exploring student and staff perceptions of their own wellbeing. A similar project to measure employee wellbeing in schools has also been undertaken in Queensland, Australia.
     

  • Teacher Wellbeing in Independent schools, NSW

    This project was undertaken across a large sample of teachers employed in Independent Schools in NSW during 2016 – 2018. The research was undertaken to prioritise and value the teacher workforce by capturing exemplary teacher wellbeing practices for sustained wellbeing in the sector. This project involved 2 phases: an extensive literature review that defined wellbing, identified factors that impact teacher wellbeing, and explored enabling strategies; an online survey that explored teachers’ wellbeing in relation to autonomy and school leadership.

  • Renewing the teaching profession in regional areas through community partnerships

    The attraction, retention and sustainability of teachers in rural and regional areas is a global issue. This ARC investigated this problem in rural areas in South Australia by working in partnership with local agencies, stakeholders and employers. It was found that a collaborative approach to teacher attraction enabled teachers to transition to work in rural or regional communities and resulted in more sustainable employment options for these professionals. This model is applicable to other professional groups grappling with employment in hard-to-staff  areas.

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2022 - ongoing Professor of Education University of Adelaide
    2017 - 2022 Head of School The University of Adelaide
    2015 - 2017 Dean and Head of School Southern Cross University
    2012 - 2015 Associate Head: Academic University of South Australia
    2009 - 2015 Associate Dean: Teaching & Learning University of South Australia
    2000 - 2008 Senior Lecturer Univesity of South Australia
    1989 - 1999 Lecturer University of South Australia
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2018 Award Expert Advisor, Teacher Wellbeing OECD Australia -
    2017 Award Adjunct Professor Southern Cross University Australia -
    2015 Award Honorary Golden Key Award for my contribution to Teacher Education Southern Cross University Australia -
    2010 Award Supported Teacher award; Supported Researcher award University of South Australia Australia -
    1995 Award Member Australian College of Educators MACVE Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2000 University of South Australia Australia PhD
    1995 The University of Adelaide Australia Master of Education
    1983 Flinders University Australia Graduate Diploma of Teaching
    1977 University of South Australia (previously Kingston CAE) Australia Diploma of Teaching
  • Research Interests

Date Project Name/ Number Investigators Funding Body Amount
2018 - 2019 Wellbeing at  UCC Assoc Prof Mathew White; Prof Faye McCallum Upper Canada College, Toronto $30,000
2017 - 2018 Teacher Wellbeing Prof Faye McCallum; Deborah Price AIS, NSW $80,000
2015 - 2016 A comparative study of preservice teacher wellbeing in Australia and the UK. Deborah Price; Prof Faye McCallum University of South Australia $11,977
2014 - 2018 Renewing the teaching profession in regional areas through community partnerships Marie Brennan; Faye McCallum; Michele Simons; Helen Strickland; Kathy McEvoy ARC Linkage 
LP100200499
$239,086
2012 - 2014 Widening participation, access and flexibility of study through design and implementation of fully online learning environment.

Faye McCallum; Geraldine Castleton

UniSA: Technology Enhanced Learning Grants Application $392,065
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor This qualitative study investigates the impact of strength-based teacher professional practices on student literacy to promote wellbeing. The findings aim to address a significant gap in wellbeing education research centering on teacher professional practice. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Adam John Slater
    2020 Co-Supervisor An investigation of teacher perceptions about the impact of motivation on wellbeing across teacher professional phases: a mixed-methods study Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Liwen Tan
    2020 Co-Supervisor The Impact of Culture on Australian LOTE Teachers’ Motivation to Teach and their Wellbeing: An Appreciative Mixed Methods Study Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Tania Zebian
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Journeys of Strength: An Appreciative Study of Older Workers in Singapore Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Mohamed Fadhil Bin Mohamed Ismail
    2019 - 2022 Principal Supervisor Experiences of following within Senior Leadership Teams in Independent Schools Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Carl Salt
    2017 - 2020 Principal Supervisor Teacher Wellbeing in Rural China: An Appreciative Mixed-Methods Study in Jilin Province Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Bo Cui
  • Committee Memberships

    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2018 - ongoing Board Member Australian Council of Deans Australian Council of Deans Australia
    2018 - 2018 Advisory Board Member Expert Panel, Teacher Wellbeing OECD France
    2018 - 2018 Representative Academic Board University of Adelaide Australia
    2017 - ongoing Chair Advisory Board University of Adelaide, School of Education Australia
    2002 - 2004 Representative Teachers Registration Board University of South Australia Australia
  • Editorial Boards

    Date Role Editorial Board Name Institution Country
    2018 - ongoing Member Book proposal Routledge United Kingdom
    2017 - ongoing Member Australian Research Council ARC Australia
    2017 - ongoing Member Initial Teacher Education Australian Institute of Teaching & School Leadership (AITSL) Australia
    2014 - 2014 Member Annual Meeting AERA American Educational Research Association United States

Connect With Me
External Profiles