Professor Annette Foley
Professor, Adult and Vocational Education
Campus
Biography
Annette joined the university in 2005. She has held several leadership positions from 2013 to 2018, including Deputy Dean of Education and Head of School for Education. Before Annette commenced her academic role at Federation University, she had first-hand experience as a TAFE manager and CEO in a VET/ACE and youth services organisation, where she liaised and worked with industry, community and local government agencies to develop education and training programs for young and older learners.
Annette is a member of the research focus group, Research in Adult and Vocational Education (RAVE). This group frames Annette’s key research efforts, which include access and equity, informal learning, gender, lifelong learning, adult education, education for health and wellbeing, youth engagement in adult education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) opportunity and pathways.
Annette is also the acting director of the Centre for Regional Education Research Development (CRERD) and Course Coordinator of the Associate Degree in VET and the Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education and Training.
More about Annette
Qualifications
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne
- Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching, University of Ballarat
- Master of Education (Professional Education and Training), Deakin University
- Graduate Diploma of Education, Deakin University
- Bachelor of Arts, Deakin University
- Diploma of Applied Science, Box Hill Institute
Areas of interest
Annette is an active researcher in the areas of vocational education and training (VET), adult and community education, gender, lifelong learning, youth engagement and informal learning where she has published widely both in Australia and internationally.
Areas of expertise
- Educational policy
- Professional VET identities
- Educational inequalities
- Informal learning by adults
- Narrative inquiry
- Subjectivities
- Post-structural analyses
- Critical discourse analysis
- Critical theory
- Mixed methods
Grants
- Foley, A., Fieger, P & Levy, S (2024-2025) Department of Finance – Education Specialist Services ($119.460).
- Foley, A., Ollis, T., & Rossiter, T. (2023) Department of Education and Training – PQF review. ($100,000)
- Smith, E., Foley, A. & Weadon, H. (2018), Young futures: Education, training and employment decision-making in non-metropolitan areas. Department of Education and Training, Victoria, Strategic Research Seed Funding. ($50,000)
- Golding, B., Angus, L., Lavender, P & Foley. A (2012). Closing the loop’ Listening and responding to learner voice. NVEAC (National Vocational Education & Training Equity Advisory Council). ($30,000)
- Smyth, J., McDonald,J & Foley.,A (2010). Re-engaging disadvantaged young people with learning. ARC. ($150,000)
- Golding, B., Foley, A., Smith, E., Brown, M., Grace, L., Angwin, J & Campbell & Schultz (2009). Deakin university collaboration. ($16,000)
- Golding, B., Foley. A., Brown, M. & Harvey, J (2009). Men’s learning through community participation in Australia. ($60,000)
- Golding, B, Foley, A and Brown M (2008). Men’s learning through Community participation in Australia. National Seniors Australia. ($50,000)
Current
- PhD student, Federation University, ‘TAFE and ACE Teacher Pedagogies: Reengaging early School leavers’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, Federation University, ‘The culturalization of international higher education in Australia and the challenges for international students in adapting to different modes of teaching and learning’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, Federation University, ‘Does a collaborative, extra-curricular open Performing Arts Program, namely the school musical, benefit participating secondary school students holistically?’, principal supervisor.
- PhD student, Federation University, ‘Teacher agency in unlocking the learning process in Victorian prisons’, principal supervisor.
- Tertiary degree for Vocational Education teachers
- Research inquiry
- Research design
Specialist roles
- Acting Director, Centre of Regional Education Research Development (CRERD)
- Course Coordinator, Associate Degree of Vocational Education and Training
- Course Coordinator, Bachelor of Adult and Vocational Education and Training
Professor Annette Foley has contributed her expertise to ALA’s Board since 2019 and became president on the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic, serving since then as vice-president and currently as a general board member. As she prepares to step away from the board in May, Quest spoke to Annette about her impact and her insights. https://ala.asn.au/quest/
Centre for Regional Education Research and Development (CRERD)
Researching Adult and Vocational Education (RAVE)
- Publications
Perceived personal benefits from study as determinants of student satisfaction in Australian vocational education and training
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1108/ET-12-2023-0543
Lifelong learning in Australian community contexts: Adult learning 'capabilities' for study, work, and life
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1080/02660830.2024.2421473