Andrew Gibbons

The study of teaching is at the heart of Andrew’s work and draws upon his experiences as an early childhood teacher, academic dean, social worker, journalist and musician. Andrew’s teaching and research is dedicated to growing teacher education programmes that break out of disciplinary siloes and generate powerful connections between teachers and the research community. Andrew works closely with early childhood centre and school communities to identify the key elements of effective teacher education and the enduring challenges that teachers experience. He provides professional workshops and seminars for teachers on teacher wellbeing, flexible learning environments, early childhood to school transitions, play-based learning, physical activity through dance, and philosophies of care. His research includes particular attention to the theorisation of teacher knowledge and experience of wellbeing, Mātauranga Māori, mentoring, pedagogy, ethics, emancipation, communities of learning, learning environments, and the digital curriculum. Andrew’s research of curriculum knowledge and teacher education includes transdisciplinary collaborations with colleagues from Art and Design, Health, Dance, and Computer Sciences.