Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Jennifer Bleazby is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, Culture and Society and is the the school's current Wellbeing Champion and Occupational Health and Saftey Representative. Prior to taking up her position at Monash University, she taught humanities, philosophy, history, and media studies in both government and independent schools.
Dr Bleazby's main areas of research are:
- Philosophy of education, including curriculum theory, especially the philosophy of John Dewey, Jane Addams and other classical pragmatists; feminist pragmatism and ecofeminism;
- Philosophy for Children/Philosophy in Schools;
- Ethics/Moral Education, including the role of values and ethics education in the good life, i.e., in promoting happiness and wellbeing;
- Religious education/instruction, especially within secular government schools;
- Indoctrination and education;
- The teaching of controversial issues;
- Experential and community based learning, including active citizenship education;
- Autonomy and education
- Environmental philosophy and education;
- The impact of the digital and post-truth world on thinking and education, moral development, community/social cohesion, wellbeing and happiness.
Current Research:
Dr Bleazby's current research is focused on exploring the challenges with teaching topics that are often seen as controversial, especially religion, ethics and climate change. In particular, her research explores concerns about indoctrination, including affective indoctrination. Her research aims to develop tools for indentifying and avoiding indoctrination when teaching such 'controversial' content, and with developing curricula and teaching methods for quality moral, religious and environmental education that fosters student autonomy, happiness and wellbeing.
Dr Bleazby is also collaborating with an international team of researchers, led by Roberto Tibeldeo (PUCPR, Brazil), to explore the potential of the pedagogy and educational movement known as the Communty of Philosophical Inquiry (CPI) to contribute to environmental education. In particular, we aim to examine the benefits of integrating the CPI with community based and place responsive pedagogies so as to help schools foster pro-environmental values and behaviours and respond to environmental problems, like human induced climate change. This includes an exploration of how the CPI might be integrated with particular indigenous philosophies and pedagogies through collaborating with First Nations and Indigenous communties in Australia and Brazil.
The reseach team includes researchers from the PUCPR (Brazil); Monash University (Australia); The University of Strathclyde (Scotland); Plymoth University (England); The University of Queensland (Australia); Universidade dos Acores (Portugal); Montclaire State University (USA); The University of Wollongong (Australia); Universidade Estadual de Londrina (Brazil)
Recent Projects:
- Religious Education in Australian Government Schools: Do the Current Laws Policy and Curricula Undermine the Fundamental Aims of Education (2021-2024). Funded by a Rationalist Society of Australian Patron's Grant. There are still forthcoming publications expected from this project.
- Australian Teachers' Climate Change Related Ethical Dilemmas in the Midst of Ecological Crisis (2021-2022). Funded by a Philosphy of Education Society of Australasia Research Grant.
Research Student Completions
- David McMaster (PhD, 2023). Mission Creep: Curricularising Knowledges in a new Transnational University in the Persian Golf. Main Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby; Associate Supervisor: George Variyan.
- Edward Rush (PhD, 2022). The Intensifying Moral Regulation of Student Plagiarism at Australian Universities: A Genealogical Discourse Analysis. Main Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby; Associate Supervisor: Melissa Wolfe.
- Claire Manton (PhD, 2021). Experiences of wellbeing and spirituality: A hermeneutic phenomenological study. Main Supervisor: Alex Kostogriz; Associate Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby.
- Muhalim Muhalim (PhD, 2020). Religious Discourses in ELT in Indonesia: Lecturers Ideological Becoming in Institutional Practices. Main Supervisor: Alex Kostogriz. Associate Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby.
- Brian Jeganathan (PhD, 2019). Cultural Worker as “Horizontal Intellectual” in a Militarized Postcolonial State: Jacque Rancière’s “equality of intelligence” as an unconditional prerequisite. Main Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby. Associate Supervisor: Mary Lou Rasmussen.
- Joy Whitton (PhD, 2016). Fostering Imagination in Higher Education Teaching and Learning: Making Connections. Main Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby. Associate Supervisor: Anne Harris. Research developed into a book (Routledge, 2018). Details here.
- Be Beng Toh (PhD, 2016). The Influence of Post-Secondary Students’ Technology Use on their Epistemological Beliefs, Conceptions of, and Approaches to Learning. Main Supervisor: Nicola Johnson. Associate Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby.
- Anthony Tarranto (MEd, 2013). How do Heads of House in an Independent Secondary School Evaluate and Understand Pastoral Care? Main Supervisor: Jennifer Bleazby.
Monash teaching commitment
I currently coordinated the following Monash units:
EDF1070: Understanding Students as Learners
EDF5177: Humanities: Social Education in the Secondary Years A
EDF5178: Humanities: Social Education in the Secondary Years B
In previous years, I have cooridnated a number of units about Curriculum and Pedagogy, Assessment, Experential/Participatory Learning, and Media Education.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Philosophy, PhD, University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Award Date: 1 Feb 2008
Graduate Diploma of Education, University of Melbourne
Award Date: 31 Dec 2003
Bachelor of Arts (Honours), La Trobe University
Award Date: 31 Dec 2002
Research area keywords
- Sociology, history, and philosophy of education
- Philosophy of education
- Philosophy for children
- Ethics education
- Pragmatism
- Curriculum and pedagogy
- Feminist epistemology
- Moral education
- Religion in schools
- Inquiry based learning
- Community of Inquiry
- Values Education
- Thinking curriculum
- Teaching critical thinking skills
- Emotions in thinking and education
- Imagination in thinking and education
- Civics education
- Community service learning
- Social Reconstructionism
- Children's rights
- Feminist political and ethical philosophy
- Social education
- Experiential learning
- John Dewey
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 2 Finished
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Religious Education in Australian Government Schools: Do the Current Laws, Policies, and Curricula Undermine the Fundamental Aims of Education?
Bleazby, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
1/11/21 → 28/02/23
Project: Research
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Australian Teachers’ climate-change related ethical dilemmas in the midst of ecological crisis (especially the Australian bushfire crisis)
Bleazby, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Rosenbluh, I. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Burgh, G. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Thornton, S. (Associate Investigator (AI)) & Reid, A. (Associate Investigator (AI))
1/01/21 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
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Religious instruction in the post-truth world: a critique of Australia’s controversial religious instruction classes in public schools
Bleazby, J., Feb 2024, In: Policy Futures in Education. 22, 2, p. 228-242 15 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus) -
Responding to climate change ‘controversy’ in schools: Philosophy for Children, place-responsive pedagogies & Critical Indigenous Pedagogy
Bleazby, J., Thornton, S., Burgh, G. & Graham, M., 2023, In: Educational Philosophy and Theory. 55, 10, p. 1096-1108 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
13 Citations (Scopus) -
Rethinking teacher preparation for teaching: controversial topics in a community of inquiry
Thornton, S., Burgh, G., Bleazby, J. & Graham, M., 2023, Philosophy with Children and Teacher Education: Global Perspectives on Critical, Creative and Caring Thinking. Kizel, A. (ed.). 1st ed. Abingdon UK: Routledge, p. 194-203 10 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Research › peer-review
2 Citations (Scopus) -
Teaching about climate change in the midst of ecological crisis: responsibilities, challenges, and possibilities
Bleazby, J., Burgh, G., Thornton, S., Graham, M., Reid, A. & Finefter-Rosenbluh, I., 2023, In: Educational Philosophy and Theory. 55, 10, p. 1087-1095 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › Other › peer-review
Open Access8 Citations (Scopus) -
A philosophy of environmental education
Thornton, S., Burgh, G., Graham, M. & Bleazby, J., 2022. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract › peer-review
Prizes
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Dean's Award (Faculty of Education) - Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
Bleazby, J. (Recipient), Oct 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Excellence in Research Student Supervision, School of Education, Culture and Society
Bleazby, J. (Recipient), Dec 2024
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Nomination - Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning, Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT)
Bleazby, J. (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Other distinction
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Nomination - Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Research Supervision (HASS)
Bleazby, J. (Recipient), Dec 2024
Prize: Other distinction
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Vice-Chancellor's Award, Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
Bleazby, J. (Recipient), 22 Nov 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Rationalist Society of Australian Public Lecture Series (webinars)
Bleazby, J. (Contributor)
3 Dec 2023Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
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History and Forms of Transcendental Philosophy
Bleazby, J. (Invited speaker)
16 Jun 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
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Educational Philosophy and Theory (Journal)
Bleazby, J. (Guest editor)
12 May 2023Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility
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Philosophy Research Seminars (University of Wollongong)
Bleazby, J. (Invited speaker)
2 Jun 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
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Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia Executive Committee
Bleazby, J. (Executive Member)
1 Jan 2018Activity: External Academic Engagement › Professional association or peak discipline body
Press/Media
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Religious Studies: Teaching the controversy as an out of field teacher
16/05/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts
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Religious Instruction in the "Post-Truth" World (Guest: Dr Jennifer Bleazby)
1/05/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Profile/Interview
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‘Harvesting schools for disciples’: Video exposes church’s shocking RI agenda
2/03/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Re-evaluating the role of religious education in Australian government schools
27/02/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature