Dr Ellen Larsen

Dr Ellen Larsen
NameDr Ellen Larsen
Email Addressellen.larsen@unisq.edu.au
Job TitleSenior Lecturer (Curriculum and Pedagogy)
QualificationsDipT BrisbaneCAE, BEd Griffith, MEd Tas, PhD Griffith
DepartmentSchool of Education
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Biography

Ellen Larsen is a Senior Lecturer (Curriculum and Pedagogy) at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). Ellen works with preservice teachers to develop capabilities in a range of pedagogies, including new pedagogies for deep learning, data-driven and evidence-based teaching and learning and has been involved in Initial Teacher Education program accreditation and the implementation and coordination of the Teacher Performance Assessment (TPA) for the university. She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Ellen served on the Australian Teacher Education Association (ATEA) Executive 2020-2021 as the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Representative and on the Australian Association of Research in Education (AARE) executive as ECR Representative 2022-2023. She is also the convenor of the national Teachers' Work and Lives Special Interest Group (2022-current). She has supported ECRs through her leadership of the Teacher Education Early Career Researcher Advocacy and Action (TEECRAA) group at UnisQ from 2020-2023. In 2020, Ellen was nominated for the prestigious Ray Debus Award for Doctoral Research in Education and was awarded the ATEA ECR Grant. Her research interests are focused on the work of early career educators including beginning teachers, and more recently, practicing preservice teachers. Her body of research includes topics of professional learning, mentoring, professional identity, education policy, and professionalism. She works extensively with schools to develop future-focused mentoring programs.

Employment

PositionOrganisationFromTo
Senior LecturerUniversity of Southern Queensland20162023

Expertise

Teacher mentoring

Teacher professional learning

Education policy

Early career teachers

Teaching

Curriculum and Pedagogy (Primary)

Fields of Research

  • 390102. Curriculum and pedagogy theory and development
  • 390201. Education policy
  • 390307. Teacher education and professional development of educators

Professional Membership

Professional MembershipYear
AARE
ATEA
DipT
BrisbaneCAE
1988
BEd
Griffith
1993
MEd
Tas
2013
PhD
Griffith
2019

Current Supervisions

Research TitleSupervisor TypeLevel of StudyCommenced
An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experiences of Queensland autistic students following school disciplinary absences (suspensions and exclusions)Principal SupervisorDoctoral2025
Investigating the usefulness of the GIW-12P model for teacher leaders to guide decision-making regarding wellbeing promotion within schools.Associate SupervisorDoctoral2024
Supporting prospective first-time adult students' mid-career professional learning through online higher educationAssociate SupervisorDoctoral2024
Understanding the school education experiences of students who regularly relocate with a parent in the Australian Defence ForceAssociate SupervisorDoctoral2021
Futures Intelligence, a Futures Learning Journey: Agential Guidance as Applied ResearchAssociate SupervisorDoctoral2020
Can Coaching Contribute to the Subjective Wellbeing of School Leaders and Teachers?Associate SupervisorDoctoral2020
Exploration of how the general capabilities are being by used special school teachers within the classroom to support teaching, learning and assessment.  Principal SupervisorDoctoral2020

Completed Supervisions

Research TitleSupervisor TypeLevel of StudyCompleted
The Experiences of Australian Dyslexic Children and their Parents: An Exploration of Allyship and Parent-School PartnershipsAssociate SupervisorDoctoral2023

Pupil-free days may be tricky for parents, but they are vital for teachers and schools

Larsen, Ellen and O'Brien, Mia. 2024. "Pupil-free days may be tricky for parents, but they are vital for teachers and schools." The Conversation.

Building personal and relational readiness for collaborative teacher mentoring through the intellectual virtues

Larsen, Ellen, Curtis, Elizabeth, Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai and Loughland, Tony. 2024. "Building personal and relational readiness for collaborative teacher mentoring through the intellectual virtues." International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-04-2024-0049

Teaching Pathways To Combat Classroom Shortages

Larsen, Ellen. 2024. "Teaching Pathways To Combat Classroom Shortages." Mirage News.

The perceptions parents of dyslexic children have on barriers to meaningful parent–school partnerships in Australia

Leslie, Rachel, Fanshawe, Melissa, Larsen, Ellen and Brown, Alice. 2025. "The perceptions parents of dyslexic children have on barriers to meaningful parent–school partnerships in Australia." Exceptionality: a special education journal. 33 (1), pp. 40-58. https://doi.org/10.1080/09362835.2024.2389081

Listen to teachers’ voices: Here’s what they are saying right now

Larsen, Ellen, Reid O'Connor, Bronwyn and Kolber, Steven. 2024. "Listen to teachers’ voices: Here’s what they are saying right now." EduResearch Matters: A Voice for Australian Education Researchers.

“I need more help, but everyone expects me to know it”: perceived mentoring needs of contemporary second-year early career teachers

Curtis, Elizabeth and Larsen, Ellen. 2024. "“I need more help, but everyone expects me to know it”: perceived mentoring needs of contemporary second-year early career teachers." Professional Development in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2024.2377997

Enablers and constraints to teacher educator wellbeing amidst institutional accountability cultures: a PERMA perspective

Larsen, Ellen, Barton, Georgina, Turner, Kristina and Garvis, Susie. 2025. "Enablers and constraints to teacher educator wellbeing amidst institutional accountability cultures: a PERMA perspective." The Australian Educational Researcher. 52 (1), pp. 721-741. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-024-00738-9

Parental allyship for children with dyslexia: A conceptual lens on disability experience

Leslie, Rachel, Brown, Alice and Larsen, Ellen. 2025. "Parental allyship for children with dyslexia: A conceptual lens on disability experience." Learning Disability Quarterly. 48 (1), pp. 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1177/07319487241251730

“It is more than the average parent goes through”: Using the experiences of Australian parents of dyslexic children to draw a distinction between advocacy and allyship

Leslie, Rachel, Larsen, Ellen, Fanshawe, Melissa and Brown, Alice. 2024. "“It is more than the average parent goes through”: Using the experiences of Australian parents of dyslexic children to draw a distinction between advocacy and allyship." Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties. 29 (1), pp. 53-74. https://doi.org/10.1080/19404158.2024.2342523

‘I left the teaching profession … and this is what I am doing now’: a national study of teacher attrition

Brandenburg, Robyn, Larsen, Ellen, Simpson, Alyson, Sallis, Richard and Trần, Dũng. 2024. "‘I left the teaching profession … and this is what I am doing now’: a national study of teacher attrition." The Australian Educational Researcher. 51 (5), pp. 2381-2400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-024-00697-1

The positioning tensions between early career teachers’ and mentors’ perceptions of the mentor role

Curtis, Elizabeth, Nguyen, Hoa Thi Mai, Larsen, Ellen and Loughland, Tony. 2024. "The positioning tensions between early career teachers’ and mentors’ perceptions of the mentor role." British Educational Research Journal. 50 (3), pp. 1327-1349. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3974

Reflecting on rapport: strategies for online interviews about sensitive or distressing topics with vulnerable children

Leslie, Rachel, Brown, Alice, Larsen, Ellen and Fanshawe, Melissa. 2024. "Reflecting on rapport: strategies for online interviews about sensitive or distressing topics with vulnerable children." International Journal of Research and Method in Education. 47 (5), pp. 496-509. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727X.2023.2294781

Initial teacher education: Are we missing something?

Larsen, E., Burke, K., Fanshawe, M., Oliver, M. and Salton, Y.. 2023. "Initial teacher education: Are we missing something?" BERA.

Perspectives on teacher standards in the mentoring process: Insights from mentors and early career teachers in an Australian context

Larsen, E., Curtis, E., Nguyen, H.T. and Loughland, T.. 2025. "Perspectives on teacher standards in the mentoring process: Insights from mentors and early career teachers in an Australian context." Educational Review. 77 (3), p. 961–977. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2023.2243393

It’s a question of balance: Reconsidering learning partnerships through genuine teacher mentoring conversations

Larsen, Ellen, Nguyen, Hoa T.M., Curtis, Elizabeth and Loughland, Tony. 2023. "It’s a question of balance: Reconsidering learning partnerships through genuine teacher mentoring conversations." Teaching and Teacher Education. 133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104280

Developing higher education students’ intellectual virtues through intentional practice

Larsen, Ellen, Fanshawe, Melissa and Oliver, Mark. 2023. "Developing higher education students’ intellectual virtues through intentional practice." 45th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual Conference (HERDSA 2023). Brisbane, Australia 09 Jun - 05 Jul 2023 Australia.

“I Want to Contribute, but…”: Exploring the Perceived Valuing of Doctoral Qualifications Held by Teachers in Schools

Larsen, Ellen, Fanshawe, Melissa and Salton, Yvonne. 2024. "“I Want to Contribute, but…”: Exploring the Perceived Valuing of Doctoral Qualifications Held by Teachers in Schools ." The Educational Forum. 88 (2), pp. 136-150. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2023.2229389

Teachers now: Why I left and where I've gone

Brandenburg, Robyn, Larsen, Ellen, Salles, Richard and Simpson, Alyson. 2023. "Teachers now: Why I left and where I've gone." EduResearch Matters: A Voice for Australian Education Researchers.

The criticality of teacher educator wellbeing: Reflecting through arts-based methods

Turner, Kristina, Barton, Georgina M., Garvis, Susanne and Larsen, Ellen. 2023. "The criticality of teacher educator wellbeing: Reflecting through arts-based methods." Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 48 (4), pp. 96-117. https://doi.org/10.14221/1835-517X.6146

Piloting a new approach to teacher mentoring

Larsen, Ellen, Nguyen, Hoa and Curtis, Elizabeth. 2023. "Piloting a new approach to teacher mentoring." Teacher.

Re-imagining teacher mentoring for the future

Larsen, Ellen, Jensen-Clayton, Cecily, Curtis, Elizabeth, Loughland, Tony and Nguyen, Hoa T. M.. 2023. "Re-imagining teacher mentoring for the future." Professional Development in Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2023.2178480

Early career researchers’ collective advocacy work within an Australian university context

Larsen, Ellen, Salton, Yvonne, Fanshawe, Melissa, Gaunt, Lorraine, Ryan, Lisa, Findlay, Yvonne and Albion, Peter. 2024. "Early career researchers’ collective advocacy work within an Australian university context." The Australian Educational Researcher. 51, pp. 275-296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-022-00604-6

Brain-based Learning: Beliefs and Practice in one Australian Primary School Implementing a Neuroscience Pedagogical Framework

Deans, Christina and Larsen, Ellen. 2022. "Brain-based Learning: Beliefs and Practice in one Australian Primary School Implementing a Neuroscience Pedagogical Framework." Australian Journal of Teacher Education. 47 (10), pp. 18-38. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2022v47n10.2

Navigating the neo-academy: Experiences of liminality and identity construction among early career researchers at one Australian regional university

Larsen, Ellen and Brandenburg, Robyn. 2023. "Navigating the neo-academy: Experiences of liminality and identity construction among early career researchers at one Australian regional university." The Australian Educational Researcher. 50 (4), p. 1069–1087. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-022-00544-1

Publishing in the academy: An arts-based, metaphorical reflection towards self-care

Barton, Georgina, Bromdal, Annette, Burke, Katie, Fanshawe, Melissa, Farwell, Vicki, Larsen, Ellen and Pillay, Yosheen. 2023. "Publishing in the academy: An arts-based, metaphorical reflection towards self-care." The Australian Educational Researcher. 50 (4), pp. 1105-1126. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-022-00547-y

Australian teacher educators responding to policy discourses of quality

Larsen, Ellen and Mockler, Nicole. 2023. "Australian teacher educators responding to policy discourses of quality." Educational Review. 75 (6), pp. 1063-1083. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.2007056

Circumventing erosion of professional learner identity development among beginning teachers

Larsen, Ellen and Allen, Jeanne Maree. 2023. "Circumventing erosion of professional learner identity development among beginning teachers." Teaching Education. 34 (1), pp. 78-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2021.2011193

Learning and exploring teacher identity: Preparing for teaching in the Partners in Literacy and Numeracy (PLaN) programme

Fanshawe, Melissa, Saltmarsh, Sue and Larsen, Ellen. 2023. "Learning and exploring teacher identity: Preparing for teaching in the Partners in Literacy and Numeracy (PLaN) programme." Asia Pacific Journal of Education. 43 (1), pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2020.1866492

Teachers as Professional Learners: Contextualising Identity across Policy and Practice

Larsen, Ellen and Allen, Jeanne Maree. 2021. Teachers as Professional Learners: Contextualising Identity across Policy and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan.

Developing professional learner identities: a critical piece in the classroom readiness puzzle

Larsen, Ellen. 2017. "Developing professional learner identities: a critical piece in the classroom readiness puzzle." Nuttall, Joyce, Kostogriz, Alex, Jones, Mellita and Martin, Jenny (ed.) Teacher education policy and practice: evidence of impact, impact of evidence. Singapore. Springer. pp. 17-35

Building professional learning identities: beginning teachers’ perceptions of causality for professional highs and lows

Larsen, Ellen and Allen, Jeanne M.. 2016. "Building professional learning identities: beginning teachers’ perceptions of causality for professional highs and lows." Brandenburg, R., McDonough, S., Burke, S. and White, J. (ed.) Teacher education: innovation, intervention and impact. Sydney, Australia. Springer. pp. 231-251

The novice literacy coach: exploring motivation and persistence in the face of challenge

Larsen, Ellen and Allen, Jeanne. 2014. "The novice literacy coach: exploring motivation and persistence in the face of challenge." Annual International Australian Association for Research in Education National Conference 2014 (AARE 2014). Brisbane, Australia 01 - 05 Nov 2014 Australia.