Nikki Brunker

Dr Nikki Brunker is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Education and Social Work. She convenes the MTeach Foundations program and teaches courses like EDMT5676: Teaching and Learning and EDMT5502: Teachers and Learners - School Communities. Her research focuses on children's social/emotional wellbeing, alternative schooling models, and innovative qualitative methodologies.

Education Background: PhD (Sydney) and BEd (Hons) (Sydney). Prior to academia, she worked as a teacher and principal in mainstream and alternative schools. Her research explores topics such as ITE pedagogy, democratic education, and transitions from home education to teaching roles.

Research Projects: Current initiatives include studies on democratic school teachers' educational philosophies (with QUT's Dr Rebecca English) and the experiences of home-educated individuals entering teaching. She employs post-qualitative and arts-informed methodologies, including Lawrence Lightfoot's portraiture techniques modified with patchwork approaches.

Awards: Notable recognitions include the 2014 NSW IER Beth Southwell Award for her PhD thesis on educational portraiture, and Excellence in Teaching Awards from the University of Sydney (2010, 2013 nomination).

Supervision & Grants: Oversees Honours projects on topics like teacher wellbeing and inclusion/exclusion dynamics. Secured grants including a 2016 Faculty Education Innovation Grant for assessment practice research. Currently supervises Brett Rolfe's project on disruptive humanistic innovations in schools.