STAFF PROFILE
Associate Professor Melanie Nash
Associate Professor Melanie Nash is the ITE Coordinator at the School of Education RMIT.
Associate Professor Melanie Nash, is a dedicated educator, currently serving as the Coordinator of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) at RMIT University. With a rich background spanning both secondary school environments and teacher education, Melanie is deeply committed to elevating the standard of teacher education and professional growth.
Throughout her career, Melanie has held pivotal leadership roles, notably as the Academic Director of Professional Experience at RMIT. In this capacity, she spearheaded the development of robust, enduring partnerships between schools and the university, ensuring a sustainable framework for high-quality educational practices. Her proactive approach has led to securing significant funding from government sources to bolster these partnerships, strengthening their effectiveness and impact on ITE.
At the heart of Melanie's work lies her passion for research. Her focus encompasses exploring the impact of professional practice experiences (WIL), fostering collaborative designs for school-university partnerships, navigating education within diverse settings, cultivating professional learning communities, and advancing the preparation of science teachers.
Melanie's expertise and dedication extend beyond her administrative roles; she actively contributes to the evolution of teacher education through her scholarly pursuits and hands-on engagement in educational practices.
- Teacher education specialist
- Program quality assurance and enhancement
- Curriculum design
- Primary science/STEM educator
- Qualitative researcher with an interest in documenting and sharing evidence-based research
- Doctor of Education (University of Melbourne)
- Master of Education (University of Cambridge)
- Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Nottingham Trent University)
- Bachelor of Science (Honours): Applied Chemistry (Nottingham Trent University)
- Certificate of Further Professional Development: Research Methods (University of Cambridge)
- Certificate of Further Professional Development: Physics Education (Brunel University)
Melanie boasts an extensive career in education, showcasing her versatility across various contexts and roles. Her 14 years in secondary school settings encompassed teaching in general science, chemistry, and physical education. Notably, she held positions as a middle years coordinator and science coordinator, demonstrating her administrative capabilities alongside her teaching prowess.
Transitioning to tertiary education institutions, Melanie has dedicated 20 years to course and program leadership, refining her expertise in educational leadership and curriculum development. Her involvement in professional experience leadership further underscores her commitment to fostering growth and development within educational partnerships.
Melanie's skill in crafting and delivering professional learning opportunities for teachers is an example of her passion for ongoing education and support within the teaching community. Her ability to design effective learning experiences highlights her dedication to enhancing teaching practices and nurturing educator development.
- Windsor, S.,Kriewaldt, J.,Nash, M.,Lilja, A.,Thornton, J. (2022). Developing teachers: adopting observation tools that suspend judgement to stimulate evidence-informed dialogue during the teaching practicum to enrich teacher professional development In: Professional Development in Education, 48, 642 - 656
- Nash, M.,Byth, A.,Whewell, D.,Leonard Kilkenny, M.,Hickey, R. (2022). Working Relationally to Bridge the Divide: An Exploration of An Australian School-University Professional Experience Partnership form the Perspectives of Five Stakeholders. In: School-University Partnerships—Innovation in Initial Teacher Education, Springer, Singapore
- Kriewaldt, J.,Nash, M.,Windsor, S.,Thornton, J.,Reid, C. (2017). Fostering Professional Learning Through Evidence-Informed Mentoring Dialogues in School Settings In: Educating Future Teachers: Innovative Perspectives in Professional Experience, Springer, Singapore
- Cumming, F.,Nash, M. (2015). An Australian perspective of a forest school: shaping a sense of place to support learning In: Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning, 15, 296 - 309
- Nash, M.,Kent, H.,Reid, C. (2014). Moving across Figured Worlds: the integration of Physical Education, Literacy and the Visual in Cultural Spaces In: Inter-discipline: Art Association of Australia and New Zealand (AAANZ) Conference 2013, Melbourne, Australia, 7-9 December 2013
- Nash, M.,Morrissey, J. (2012). The integrative power of sport myth or reality?: The story of two Vietnamese families and their involvement with community Australian Rules Football In: Current Issues and Controversies in School and Community Health, Sport and Physical Education, Nova Science Publishers, United Kingdom
3 PhD Current Supervisions5 PhD Completions
- Moving a sedentary generation: comparing implementation approaches at scale to increase child and youth physical activity (Administered by Deakin University). Funded by: NHMRC - Investigator Grants from (2020 to 2023)