Associate Professor
Francis Bobongie-Harris
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Education
Biography
Dr Francis Bobongie-Harris is a Lecturer and Researcher in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice at QUT. Her research focuses on Indigenous Education in Australia and the Pacific and Australian South Sea Islander Policy, History and Cultural studies. She specialises in qualitative, ethnographic, narrative, community – led and participatory research methodologies.
Francis is the co-leader for the Indigenous Education Research Program within the Centre for Inclusive Education (C4IE), Unit Coordinator for the Master of Education: Graduate Certificate in First Nations Education and Bachelor of Education: Building Partnerships with Families and Communities. She teachers into the Masters of Teaching, Masters of Education and Bachelor of Education Programs.
Francis has been successful in securing an ARC Linkage (Chief Investigator - 2019), two Women in Research Grants (Lead Investigator - 2020), Early Career Research Grant (Lead Investigator - 2020) and NIAA Tender (Chief Investigator - 2021).
Recent funded research projects include:
* ARC Linkage 2019 - 2023: Archaeologies, collections and Australian South Sea Islander Identities.
* Women In Research Grant 2020 - 2022: The Australian South Sea Islander Story in Education.
* Women In Research 2020: Girls Education in the Solomon Islands: Research, Families and Wantoks.
* Early Career Research Grant 2020/2021: Development of an Indigenous Framework: Initiating an Indigenous Language Program in an Early Learning Centre in Regional Queensland.
* Tender Project funded by National Indigenous Australians Agency 2021: Understanding the Level of Engagement of Indigenous Families in Early Childhood Education in Mount Isa.
* Horizon Grant 2021: Preparing teachers for diverse learners: Approaches to improve the cultural capabilities of teachers engaging with Australian South Sea Islander students and communities.
* ACEQA 2021 National Quality Framework - Approved Learning Frameworks Update
Personal details
Positions
- Associate Professor
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Education
Keywords
Australian South Sea Islander Studies, Indigenous Education, Indigenous Research Methodologies, Ethnography
Research field
Education systems, Specialist studies in education
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2020
Qualifications
- Doctorate of Professional Studies (Central Queensland University)
Professional memberships and associations
Member of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE)
Australian Association for Pacific Studies (AAPS)
Teacher Registration: Queensland College of Teachers
Teaching
Bachelor of Education
Lecturer
EUB103 Culture Studies: Indigenous Education
EUB406 Stepping Out/Teacher Performance Assessment
Unit Coordinator and Lecturer
EUB204 Building Partnerships with Families and Communities
Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Education (Part of Masters of Education)
Unit Coordinator and Lecturer
EUQ649 Global Perspectives in Indigenous Education
EUQ650 Personal Journeys in Education
EUN647 Pedagogy in First Nations Education
EUN650 Designing for Learning in First Nations Education
Master of Teaching
Lecturer
EUN104 Culture Studies: Indigenous Education
EUN240 Teachers Researching Practice
CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION (Tier 2)
Co-chair Indigenous Education Research Program.
Experience
I specialise in the areas of Indigenous Education, gender and education, Indigenous and qualitative methodologies as well as community and participatory research. I completed a Fellowship (Fall Semester 2016/2017) as a visiting Research Scholar at Georgetown University's Centre for Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Studies (CANZPS at School of Foreign Service) in Washington D.C.. During this time I investigated the Kinship system within Australian and Melanesian Indigenous communities and their impact on Qualitative Research, specifically in the area of Ethnographical Research.
Publications
- Bobongie-Harris, F., O'Brien, G., Priddle, C., Bobongie, F. & Fiaalii, S. (2026). Country, Community, and Indigenous Languages - A Framework Used in an Early Learning Centre in Queensland to Develop Understandings Around First Nations Languages. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 51(1), 33–47. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/258513
- Bobongie-Harris, F. & Von Senden, R. (2023). Including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives. Inclusive Education in the Early Years: Right from the Start. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/240620
- Bobongie-Harris, F., (2021). Girls' education in the Solomon Islands: stories, research, and wantoks. Ethnography and Education, 16(4), 373–383. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/211008
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Francis, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Filter publications:
A complete list of publications is available at: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/francis.bobongie
Selected research projects
- Title
- Community-Led Approaches to Teaching Australian South Sea Islander History
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- IN250100029
- Start year
- 2025
- Keywords
Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.
Supervision
Current supervisions
- Right Information, Right Time, Right Person: Culturally Responsive Relationships and Sexuality Education in First Nations Majority Schools of Remote Far North Queensland
Professional Doctorate, Associate Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Nerida Spina, Associate Professor Deb Duthie
The supervisions listed above are only a selection.