Judith Loveridge

Judith Loveridge serves as Associate Professor and Deputy Head of School Education at Victoria University of Wellington's School of Education. With extensive experience in educational research and teaching, she contributes significantly to understanding learning processes across diverse contexts. Her leadership roles include Human Ethics Convenor (2018-2021) and membership on multiple research committees including the University Research Committee and School of Education Research Committee.

• PhD, MA from Massey University, Palmerston North
• BA from University of Canterbury, Christchurch

Judith's research centers on the intersection between social and cultural processes and individual learning and development. She investigates how children and adults learn through both implicit cultural practices and explicit educational goals across home, community, and educational settings. Her work emphasizes children's enculturation, home-center-school relations, and adult learning in informal contexts. She maintains a strong focus on research ethics, particularly on authentically involving children and young people in research while ensuring diverse experiences are represented.

Her recent publication output reveals a sustained commitment to understanding children's informal learning across multiple contexts. The 2024 book 'Understanding Children's Informal Learning' and its associated chapters represent a significant contribution to the field, examining how everyday learning experiences impact educational practices. Her work consistently employs sociocultural theoretical frameworks and emphasizes participatory research methods that respect children's agency and rights. A notable trend across her publications is the exploration of intergenerational connections within community, educational, cultural and religious spaces where young people can express their right to representation.

Judith actively supervises doctoral students on diverse topics including young single mothers' navigation of the New Zealand school system, educational outcomes of left-behind children in Nepal, and experiences of gifted transgender young people in Aotearoa. She led the TLRI-funded project 'The impact of children's everyday learning on teaching and learning in classrooms and across schools' (2015-2018) and has collaborated with Massey University colleagues on research examining children's learning in home-based education and care. Her committee work demonstrates strong institutional engagement, including service on the Faculty of Graduate Research Board and Joint Research Committee.