Amber McLeod

Dr Amber McLeod is a Lecturer and early career researcher in the Faculty of Education at Monash University, specifically within the School of Education Culture & Society. She leads technology units in the Bachelor of Education program and focuses on demystifying digital technologies to enhance educators' competence. Her career spans microbiology, English teaching in Japan, Brunei, and Australia, and research in teacher training and ICT integration.

Her research interests include digital competence development, access and equity in education, cultural and gendered ICT perceptions, and strategies to improve teacher education programs. She emphasizes bridging the gap between educators' confidence and effective technology use in classrooms, particularly for inclusive education and pathway courses.

Amber has contributed to significant projects such as the EdTech Innovation: Improving efficacy through research and industry partnerships (2021–2022) and the Digital Divas initiative (2009–2012), which aimed to boost girls' interest in ICT careers. She has also collaborated with organizations like the Victorian Women in ICT Network and the Australian Computer Society.

• Grants and Projects:
  • Co-Investigator in EdTech Innovation (2021–2022), funded by Monash University's partnerships.
  • Contributed to BLCSI 2019 (2019–2020), an initiative to build leadership through school immersion.
  • Co-led Digital Divas (2009–2012), supported by ARC and Victorian educational stakeholders.
• Labs/Teams: Active in the Digital Education Research group at Monash, focusing on technology integration in teacher education.

Amber’s expertise is reflected in her media contributions, including commentaries on video games in classrooms, digital skill gaps among teachers, and Pokémon Go technology applications. She has presented at major conferences like the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia and the Australian Association for Research in Education.