Focus area
Vicky’s research is focused on how a teacher’s spatial competency affects their teaching and effects the different types of learning that takes place in a c lassroom.
The aim of her research is to determine and measure the effect of teachers’ environmental capabilities – their spatial literacy, thinking and competency, – on their teaching, and subsequent impact on different types of learning.
This short video provides an overview of the project in October 2019.
Background:
Vicky gained a first class honours degree in Art History and Visual Art from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. She was subsequently awarded a scholarship to complete her Master’s degree in Art Theory and Fine Art, and continued to a career in the heritage industry in the UK. Vicky completed a postgraduate certificate in education at Oxford Brookes University in 2008 and she is currently the Head of Art at the ILETC partnership school, Anglican Church Grammar School in Brisbane, and vice-chair for The Churchie National Emerging Art Prize in Australia. Through the evaluation of teacher spatial thinking, literacy, and competency, Vicky’s research will focus on finding evidence on how (if at all) classroom spaces sculpt or influence a teacher’s professional practice.
Activities:
Leighton, V. (2018). The pedagogy of space. Online article. Research Centre. Anglican Church Grammar School.
Leighton, V. (2017) Teaching space. Paper presented at the 2017 Transitions Australasia. The University of Melbourne, Melbourne
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