DrNikki Brunker

After completing a Bachelor of Education at University of Sydney, Nikki taught in alternative and mainstream schools. She has experience in early childhood, primary and secondary schooling as a teacher and principal. Nikki’s research interests include children’s social and emotional wellbeing, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) pedagogy, alternative schooling and innovative qualitative methodologies. Current research projects include an exploration of children’s experiences when school has not ‘fit’; pre-service teacher and teacher educator perceptions of ITE pedagogy; and the experience of moving from home education to being a teacher. Nikki is interested in post-qualitative and arts informed inquiry approaches to research. Her PhD thesis involved an interpretation of Lawrence Lightfoot’s portraiture overlaid with patchwork, which won the NSW Institute for Educational Research’s Beth Southwell Award for Outstanding Thesis.