SOPHIE MURPHY

Sophie Murphy has a passion and determination to translate educational research into educational settings. She is currently completing her Ph.D. at the University of Melbourne as part of the Science of Learning and Research Centre. Her research has specifically focussed on the power of language with clarity of surface to deep level instructional practice with clear learning intentions and success criteria. Use of the SOLO Taxonomy to assist teacher, peer, and student voice and agency in the classroom.

Sophie began investigating effective talk/questioning from a student perspective, developing an understanding of what students see as effective communication, meaning-making when teachers are talking, and questioning in the classroom using investigative tools such as Visible Classroom and the ‘Big Brother’ Interaction Classroom at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education. Sophie works directly with schools translating this research effectively within the ELC-12 school context and other teaching contexts, with projects such as working with AFL coaches on effective communication through the intentional surface to deep level understandings from coaches transferring into the game. Sophie has taught and held teaching and leadership positions in Kinder-Year 12 settings for over the past 20 years in Australia and is a regular keynote speaker, presenter, and consultant across Australia and Internationally.

“ACEL Student Panel - Leading with our Students”

Students from Victoria and South Australia share and unpack their perspectives in conversation with Margot Foster and Sophie Murphy
Response and summary by Prof Yong Zhao

Five students from Victoria and South Australia will engage together to share their insights into student agency and what this means to them. The students will highlight their personal experiences in school leadership, student voice, agency and the importance of being seen, heard and valued in 2021. In doing so, they will unpack what has worked for them, what they believe teachers do to hear ALL voices in the classroom, what they have been involved in that has impacted them and what student agency looks like from their perspective.

Margot Foster and Sophie Murphy will consider some of the essential work and research in supporting student voice/agency and leadership as well as providing the provocations, thinking and questions with the students.

Yong Zhao will bring the session together to respond to all on the panel. He will provide an insight and a summary of the clear takeaways from the session and suggestions for leading with students in your school context.