Summary
The College of Education includes national and international research leaders in multiple domains of educational study. Education is an eclectic field, informed by scholarship in the liberal arts tradition and by commitments to a variety of professional communities. The College has a commitment to world-class research in Education through its four Schools (Educational Studies and Human Development; Literacies and Arts in Education; Māori, Social and Cultural Studies in Education; and Sciences and Physical Education), the Health Sciences Centre, Education Plus, and a range of research projects and teams.
Among the College's current research groupings are those devoted to teacher education in the 21st century, critical literacies in schools, assessment, Olympic studies, Pasifika education, early childhood social justice and inclusive education, sleep development and problems, and curriculum, evaluation and management. This is not an exhaustive list, and other research clusters and teams are planned for the future. College researchers are involved in many significant research projects, in areas as diverse as e-learning, learning communities, teaching and learning excellence for Māori in tertiary settings, reading and phonological awareness, the role of initial teacher education and induction in the preparation of secondary teachers, texting and tertiary teaching, aspirations and realities for teachers of promise, and curriculum development. Members of the College are well represented on the editorial boards of leading peer reviewed scholarly journals and on important national and international research related committees, advisory groups and professional associations.
The College has established a programme of research seminars to which scholars from both Canterbury and elsewhere in the world have contributed. Visitors from other universities are encouraged and every year a number of distinguished scholars are hosted. The College has also developed a range of initiatives for new and emerging researchers. These include a mentoring programme, seminars on academic publishing, and a variety of research workshops. Finally, the College provides strong support for postgraduate research students, with excellent study facilities, a seminar series on aspects of doctoral work, and opportunities to join research teams and reading/writing/discussion groups.