Research Interests

My research programme has its disciplinary origins in psychology, particularly the psychology of learning and development. The overarching research question addressed by my work is ‘How are students socialised into literacy communities?’ Theoretical underpinnings include the notion of literacy as social practice and the idea that students and teachers jointly construct outcomes for students while engaged in literacy activities in multiple sites, even within the classroom, and that what happens in these sites is mutually reinforcing. Within literacy my particular expertise is in writing, encompassing how writing develops, the cultural tools of literacy, considerations of instructional issues like teacher knowledge and practice and, in particular, assessment of written language.
 

Qualifications

BA, MA (Hons), Dip Tchng (Distinction) (Auckland), BSc Honours, PhD in Psychology (ANU)

Biography

A University of Auckland history masters graduate, I completed a teaching diploma here. I taught in Canberra schools, later graduating with a PhD in Psychology from the Australian National University where I also taught part-time. In 1990 I took up a limited term lectureship in Education at the University of Auckland and stayed.

I basically research questions concerning optimising the development of school students. My specialist area is literacy, particularly writing. I value research with professional communities; most of my research is in school contexts. Major foci currently are research alongside the National Literacy Professional Development Project, investigating how the conditions at each systemic level contribute to substantive improvement in achievement and a project involving both evaluating and building evaluative capability in Schooling Improvement. I have completed more than 20 funded research projects and published from them in a range of international journals in education that span literacy, technology in education, leadership, policy and administration, school change and teacher education; I have co-authored a book and numerous book chapters. My teaching involves largely graduate supervision; to date 17 doctoral students and 34 masters students whom I supervised have completed successfully and I have nine doctoral students currently enrolled.

Examples of recent publications

• PARR, J.M., & LIMBRICK, E. Contextualising practice: Hallmarks of effective teachers of writing. Teaching and Teacher Education (in press).
• WARD, L., & PARR, J. M. Revisiting and reframing use: Implications for the integration of ICT. Computers and Education (in press).
• PARR, J.M., JESSON, R., & McNAUGHTON, S. (2009) Agency and platform: The relationships between talk and writing. In J. Riley, R. Beard, D. Myhill and M. Nystrand (Eds.). Handbook of Writing Development (pp.246-259). London: Sage 2009.
• TIMPERLEY, H.S., & PARR, J.M. What is this lesson about? Instructional processes and student understandings in the writing classroom. The Curriculum Journal, 20(1), 43-60, 2009.
• GLASSWELL, K., & PARR, J.M. Making the most of teachable moments in talk around writing. Language Arts, 86(5), 352-361, 2009.
• TIMPERLEY, H., & PARR, J.M. The chain of influence from policy to practice in the New Zealand Literacy Strategy. Research Papers in Education, 24, 135-154, 2009.
• TIMPERLEY, H.S., & PARR, J.M. Promoting professional enquiry for improved outcomes for students in New Zealand. Professional Development in Education, 35(1), 227-245, 2009
• PARR, J.M., & TIMPERLEY, H. Teachers, schools and using evidence: Considerations of preparedness. Assessment in Education, 15 (1), 57-71. 2008.
• PARR, J. M., REDDISH, P., & TIMPERLEY, H. Issues in using student achievement data in decision making: The case of reading. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies, 42, 47-64. 2007.
• TIMPERLEY, H., & PARR, J.M. Closing the achievement gap through evidence-based enquiry at multiple levels of the education system. Journal of Advanced Academics 19(1), 90-115. 2007
• PARR, J. M., GLASSWELL, K., & AIKMAN, M. Supporting teacher learning and informed practice in writing through assessment tools for teaching and learning. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 35, 69-87. 2007
   

Doctoral Graduate Students 2006-2009

• 2009. Jennifer Glenn (PhD in Education): The use of reflective feedback journals in senior secondary writing. Co-supervisor Prof Stuart McNaughton.
• 2008. Sean Hawthorne (EdD): Reluctant writers in secondary classrooms. Co-supervisor Dr Richard Hamilton.
• 2008 Helen Dixon (EdD): Feedback processes in classrooms. Co-supervisor Dr Eleanor Hawe.
• 2007 John Hope (PhD in Education): Performance standards in information and communications technology for pre-service teachers. Co-supervisor Prof John Hattie
• 2007 Alison Davis (PhD in Education): Teacher behaviours and raising reading comprehension. Co-supervisor Prof Stuart McNaughton
• 2006. Irene Fung (PhD in Education): Developing reasoning skills in primary aged children. Co-supervisor Assoc-Prof Mike Townsend.
• 2006. Lorrae Ward (PhD in Education): Putting policy into practice: Pedagogical reform through ICT. Co-supervisor Prof Viviane Robinson
• 2006. Claire Sinnema (EdD): Teacher appraisal: Is inquiry into student learning emphasised and promoted or obscured and prevented? Co-supervisor Prof Viviane Robinson.