Dr Chris Blundell

Biography

Christopher Blundell is a Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. He teaches assessment, digital pedagogies and leadership units. Christopher is the Course Coordinator for the Master of Education and the Graduate Certification of Education, and plays a pivotal role in QUT professional learning and capacity building programs. Christopher also has 26 years experience as a secondary teacher, including 11 years as Academic Dean (executive level leader of curriculum, assessment and reporting) of a large, independent P-12 school. For 20 years, he contributed to curriculum development and assessment moderation processes with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), including 13 years as State Review Panel Chair for Earth Science. He also consulted on behalf of QCAA and Independent Schools Queensland on the draft national curriculum for Senior Earth and Environmental Science curriculum, written by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. Christopher was an Expert Writing Team member for the new QCAA Earth and Environmental Science syllabus. As an educator and researcher, Christopher has actively explored the role of digital technologies in pedagogy, learning, and assessment.

Christopher’s research interests include:

• transformative professional learning using collaborative inquiry and design thinking
• the challenges of integrating digital technologies in teacher practice
• the interaction between pedagogies, curriculum and high-stakes assessment
• science and technology education.

For his PhD, Christopher conducted a case study of a team of teachers using collaborative inquiry to design new approaches for teaching and learning with digital technologies. The findings are significant because they, firstly, highlight the value of teachers using theoretical lenses to understand the complex influences on their practice, and secondly, identify the contributing factors to changes in practice. Implementing new approaches involved personal transformative learning for each teacher. This was shaped by prior practice, attitude to innovation, and willingness to explore new classroom roles, relationships and actions. Collaborative inquiry resulted in increased trust, openness and confidence.