Dr Michelle Jeffries

Biography

Michelle's predominant area of research is in the area of gender and sexual diversity in education. She recently completed her doctoral study which explores the enablements and constraints experienced by gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) parents within the context of their child/ren’s primary school/s. Her research interests also include exploring public discourses about queer-related issues across traditional and social media.

Michelle is currently a co-convenor of the Gender, Sexualities and Cultural Studies SIG (Australian Association of Research in Education).

 

Awards, Scholarships, and Prizes

• Outstanding Contribution to Research in the Faculty by an HDR Student, Queensland University of Technology. Awarded July, 2018.
• Western Sydney University: Summer Institute of the Antipodes Bursary. Awarded November, 2016.
• AARE Alison Lee 'Theory in Educational Research' Scholarship (Value: $1500): Awarded October, 2016
• Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship: Awarded 2016 (continues for length of PhD)
• QUT Student of Excellence Top Up Scholarship: Awarded 2016 (continues for length of PhD)
• Master of Education High Achievement Award and Bursary: Awarded December, 2010

 

Publications

See publication tab

 

Conference Papers

• Gender rows: How transphobia is enacted and resisted in Catholic Schools of Canada and Australia (Roundtable sesion)
  Joint paper: Callaghan, T., Esterhuizen, A., Higham, L., & Jeffries, M.
  American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference, San Francisco, http:/tinyurl.com/wakxpm9  (2020) (Conference cancelled)
• The Mum/Dad binary: Producing the nuclear family as 'normal' and 'natural' in schools
  Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Annual Conference, Sydney, Australia (December 2-5, 2019)
• Freedom from sex discrimination or religious freedom to discriminate? Conflicting rights in Australian and Canadian Catholic schools
  Joint paper: Callaghan, T., Higham, L., Jeffries, M., & Esterhuizen, A.
  Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Annual Conference, Sydney, Australia (December 2-5, 2019)
• "Washroom wars" and "gender rows": An international comparison of transphobia in Catholic schools
  Joint paper: Callaghan, T., Jeffries, M., & Higham, L.
  GEA Annual Conference, Portsmouth (25-27 June, 2019)
• Examining media discourses of ‘indoctrination’: Public perceptions of the intended screening of Gayby Baby in schools;  Digital Diversity symposium. Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Annual Conference, Sydney, Australia (December 3-6, 2018)
• Exploring public discourses in the same-sex marriage “debate.” Presented at Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Annual Conference, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia (26 Nov-30 Nov, 2017)
• School-family relationships: Experiences of same-sex attracted parents in primary schools
  Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) Parent Engagement Conference, Melbourne, Victoria (June 6-8, 2017)
• Waging a war on ‘difference’: A critical analysis of media and public commentary relating to the inclusion of sexuality-diverse families in the school curriculum
  Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Annual Conference, Melbourne, Victoria (27 Nov-Dec 1, 2016)

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy: Completed March 2021
• Master of Education (Early Childhood Teaching). Completed December 2010.  GPA: 7.0 (High Distinction)
• Bachelor of Education (Primary). Completed December 2001. GPA: 6.063 (First Class Honours)