Debra Talbot

Dr. Debra Talbot is an Associate Professor of Education at the Sydney School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney. With over 20 years of experience in teaching, leadership, and professional development, her work bridges theory and practice in education. She holds a BSc (Sydney), MEd (Research Methodology) and PhD (Sydney).

Her research focuses on teacher education, professional learning, and pedagogical approaches for social justice. Key areas include mentoring, inquiry-based learning, and institutional ethnography. She actively collaborates with schools to translate research into classroom practices.

Research Interests:

• Teacher Education & Professional Learning
• Mentoring Practices
• Social Justice in Education
• Institutional Ethnography
• Bakhtinian Analysis

Awards:

• 2021 SEMCAN Good Mentor Award
• 2020 USS Commendation for Excellence in Teaching
• 2018 Emerald Publishing Outstanding Author Contribution

Grants & Projects:

She contributed to the Assessment for Graduate Teaching grant (2017) and explores topics like teacher accountability, international professional experience, and corporate influences in education. Her work appears in journals like Teaching Education and International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.

Professional Affiliations:

• Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE)
• International Sociological Association