Dr Janna Wardman

Biography

Having completed her doctorate under the supervision of Prof. John Hattie, Janna aims to make further contribution to the area of gifted education.

In particular, her focus is to eliminate chokepoints in students’ learning and progress through the curriculum. She draws from a hands-on understanding of teachers, students and their parents. A strong theoretical background, informed by research, supports her practical experience of 25 years in education.

Previous professional experience (prior to present position):

• Over 20 years experience in secondary teaching and administration
• Senior Dean, Academic Dean and Mentor
• International consultant and presenter in gifted education

Research | Current

• Gifted Education
• Acceleration
• Mentoring
• School/Home partnerships
• Academic counselling
• Career pathways
• Qualitative and quantitative methodologies to suit the research

Research Projects:

• Quantitative and qualitative survey of New Zealand high school teachers and student teachers (N=455): Attitudes to full-year acceleration
• Retrospective study of accelerated, moderately gifted high school students (quantitative and qualitative research). Comparison with non-accelerated similarly-able siblings
• Retrospective study of attitudes of parents of accelerated and non-accelerated gifted high school students
• Fostering gifted tertiary students: An intervention study
• Early exit of high achieving students from undergraduate courses
• The importance of like-minded friends to talented students

Teaching | Current

• EDPRAC 751 lecturer - Practitioner Inquiry
• EDUC 711 lecturer - Gifted Learners: Who are they?
• EDUC 738 Lecturer and course director - Gifted learners: Meeting their needs
• M.Teach (Sec), University Liaison Teacher (ULT) and lecturer
• Edprofst 612AB, lecturer
• Edprofst 204, lecturer
• Visiting Lecturer on Grad.Dip. in Teaching (Sec) Practicum

Postgraduate supervision

All are co-supervisions:

1. PhD   Dis-CONNECTED? A 360-degree snapshot of the impact of social media on gifted and talented girls in New Zealand schools. [underway]  Eunice Gaerlan Price
2. M.Ed Primary Teachers’ Understandings of Talented Young Writers: Challenges and Rewards.         [completed]  Vernitta Easton                                                                       
3. MA (Ed) A cross cultural study: Talent development process in academically  talented undergraduates in New Zealand and Bahrain. [completed]  Tuqa Marhoon
4. Master of Professional Studies in Education   The tension of attention: What does it mean to be a gifted and talented girl living in a social media saturated world?   [completed] Eunice Gaerlan Price
5. BA Hons. Dissertation   Opening the window of opportunity: An investigation into identification of Maori students for gifted programmes in schools.  [completed]  Annie Summerfield
6. BA Hons. Dissertation   An investigation of secondary teachers’ and pre-service teachers’ attitudes towards full-year acceleration.  [completed]  Tuqa Marhoon

Responsibilities

Co-ordinator HAI group: High achieving undergraduate students across the faculty

Committees/Professional groups/Services

Professional Roles and Affiliations:

• Fully Registered Teacher with the New Zealand Teachers’ Council
• Editor APEX, NZ Journal of Gifted Education

Community Service:

• Founding member and Chair of Secondary Schools Debating, Auckland
• BC committee member