Tom Porta

Dr. Tom Porta serves as a Lecturer at the School of Education, University of Adelaide, focusing on inclusive teaching practices and curriculum design.

• PhD in Inclusive Education (2023)
• Over 10 years in primary/secondary education
• 4 years in tertiary education

Research Interests: His work explores differentiated instruction, teacher self-efficacy, and inclusive curriculum frameworks in senior-secondary education. He advocates for "Inclusion by Design" methodologies to enhance teaching effectiveness.

Publications: Authored books including The Dance of Differentiation (2024) and Strengthening teacher self-efficacy for differentiated instruction (2025). His upcoming work Backward planning for inclusive classrooms (2025) expands on curriculum design.

Awards:

• 2024 School of Education Early Career Researcher Award
• Faculty of ABLE Grant Commendation
• 2025 ACEL New Voice in Educational Leadership Research Award

Professional Engagement: Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD students, board member of the Australian Association of Special Education (SA Chapter), and active in educational policy through South Australian Government roles.