The Future of Education

Dr Sturges is an experienced educator of over 32 years. She has worked extensively across all educational sectors, having taught in and been a leader in the tertiary, secondary, primary and early childhood spaces. Her current role includes leading a team to prepare preservice educators for their professional experience placements. Marion has led and participated in numerous research projects working collaboratively with other researchers and educators. The focus of these projects is working with marginalised members of the community, including children, people with disability, and women to ensure their rights are met and exploring how the place can support or inhibit rights. Her recent research projects are multidisciplinary with numerous stakeholders and include several grants. Some topics include-exploring children’s risky play, preservice educators’ attitudes, what overseas participants in a football festival attached to the World Cup gain from the experience, and how teachers interpret the concept of explicit teaching. Her PhD completed in 2021, was undertaken in Early Childhood centres and explored young children’s right to participate in place. She is currently supervising six higher degree researchers and has a governance role as Academic Program Advisor at the School of Education, Western Sydney University. This role entails supporting schools, university advisors and over 600 preservice educators as they complete their practicum experience in schools.

Areas of expertise: Participation and place, risky play, Child-friendly learning environments, children’s voice, ethnography and participatory research with children, Inclusive learning Environments, marginalised communities.