University of Tasmania, Australia

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Peter Brett

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Dr Peter Brett

Lecturer in Society and Environment Curriculum Education

Contact Details

Contact Campus Cradle Coast Campus
Building Cradle Coast Campus
Room Reference D207
Telephone +61 3 6430 4932
Fax +61 3 6430 4950
Email Peter.Brett@utas.edu.au

Career summary

Peter is an experienced teacher educator with specific professional expertise in the areas of civics and citizenship education and history education. He worked as a Secondary teacher educator at the University of Cumbria in the north of England from 1993 to 2008 before arriving at UTAS in November 2011. 

Peter was involved in a number of ways in the launch of citizenship education in England from 2002-2008. He was seconded as a continuing professional development consultant to the UK government’s Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (2003-2005),  he was a member of the Steering committee of the collaborative CitizED project (2003-2006), a chair of examiners for a GCSE Citizenship Studies (2002-2010), and designed and led a distinctive programme training specialist citizenship teachers. He also wrote and edited a number of school textbooks.

Peter also has recent senior leadership experience in schools, having served as a Director of Learning (Communication, Culture, and Community) at an 11-18 Academy school in the north of England from 2008-2010. He completed his PhD in History (early nineteenth century British popular politics) at the University of Durham in 1991 and then worked as a History teacher in a 13-18 high school in Northumberland.

Selected publications

  • Editor and lead writer of How all teachers can support Citizenship and Human Rights Education: A framework for the development of competences  [Council of Europe, 2009]
     
  • Brett, P. (2013) “Citizenship education in the shadow of the Great War” Citizenship Teaching and Learning, 8 (1) 55-74

  • Brett, P. (2013) “Beyond ‘Navel-gazing’ and ‘Mush’: Learning about Identity in Australian
    Classrooms”  [in review, Citizenship, Education, and Economics]

  • Brett, P. (2006) “Citizenship into Practice in England: The Professional Development Challenge”,  Estudios Sobre Educacion  10 97-113

  • Brett, P. (2005) “Citizenship through History – What is good practice?”, International Journal of Historical Learning, Teaching and Research   5 (2) 10-26

Many research papers for CitizED including:

  • Identity and Diversity: Citizenship Education and looking forwards from the Ajegbo Report (April, 2007)   [Referenced on the Teacher Training Resource Bank website]

  • “Endowing participation with meaning”: Citizenship education, Paolo Freire and educating young people as change-makers (January 2007)

  • "Citizenship and 'Every Child Matters'" (January, 2006)

  • “Citizenship and Community Involvement : Case Studies of good practice from North West schools and LEAs and lessons for Initial Teacher Education” (Conference Paper, Manchester, January 2004)

  • “Citizenship and Sport: ‘More than a subject’ : Fair Play for Citizenship in the Secondary curriculum”  (February 2004)

School publications/textbooks

  • Editor of an eight book ‘Citizenship Through…’ series  [Citizenship taught through different subjects – English, History, Geography, ICT, Religious Education, PSHE, Work-Related Learning and Enterprise; and Informed and Responsible Action ]  [Folens, 2009]

  • Citizenship Studies at GCSE (Student textbook and teacher guide) Editor/contributor (Folens, 2002)

  • GCSE Citizenship Studies Exam Techniques (Folens, 2004)

Research interests

Peter invites inquiries about research higher degree (RHD) supervision on topics investigating citizenship education, history education, curriculum policy and pedagogy, political literacy and the teaching of controversial issues. Tasmania represents a vibrant and fascinating setting to explore these issues. Peter’s involvement in the Honours research programme at UTAS means that he is well versed in issues around research support and encouragement.

Teaching

2012 & 2013 Semester 1:

  • ESH360 (Unit Co-ordinator) Society and Environment (Advanced)

2012 Semester 2:

  • ESH260 Society and Environment (Introduction)
  • ESP318  Introduction to Honours (Research Skills)
  • ESH305  Learning and Society

Community engagement

Peter is a consultant and adviser to the Burnie Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre as part of a Faculty partnership and research arrangement relating to this federal government initiative.

He is also working with Burnie Regional Museum on a museum and history education resources and research project.