Kelli McGraw

Kelli McGraw is an Associate Professor in the School of Education within the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice at Queensland University of Technology. With a PhD from the University of Sydney (2010), she has established herself as a leading scholar in English education, curriculum development, and teacher education across Australian secondary schools. Her work spans over two decades of scholarly contribution to the field of education.

McGraw's research interests focus on English education, digital literacy, identity formation, and LGBTQ+ issues in educational contexts. She has made significant contributions to understanding how consumerism and popular culture shape youth identity formation, and how these insights can inform more inclusive English curricula. Her work on queering the Queensland senior English prescribed text list demonstrates her commitment to diversifying literary representation in Australian classrooms. McGraw has also been at the forefront of addressing contemporary educational challenges, including the integration of AI in lesson planning, pandemic-related shifts to online teaching, and building teacher confidence in poetry instruction.

Her publication record reveals a clear evolution from foundational work on HSC English syllabi and media representation (2005-2010) toward contemporary issues of digital literacy, identity, and inclusive curriculum design (2015-present). Recent work shows increasing attention to LGBTQ+ representation in educational materials, the impact of AI on teaching practices, and innovative approaches to poetry education. McGraw consistently addresses practical classroom challenges while contributing to theoretical frameworks in English education.

As a dedicated educator and scholar, McGraw has served as editor for English in Australia, one of the premier journals in the field, demonstrating her leadership in Australian English education scholarship. She has also authored key curriculum resources including the Oxford University Press series English for Queensland (Units 1-4, 2019), which has shaped English instruction across Queensland secondary schools.

McGraw actively engages with teacher professional development, particularly around challenging topics like LGBTQ+ inclusion and digital teaching methods. Her collaborative work with colleagues across Australian institutions demonstrates her commitment to building educator communities and addressing systemic challenges in English education. Her scholarship bridges theory and practice, consistently offering actionable insights for classroom teachers while contributing to academic discourse in education.