University of Tasmania, Australia

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Karen Swabey

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Associate Professor Karen Swabey

Associate Professor | Head of School

PhD, MSc, BEd, TTC

Contact Details

Contact Campus Newnham Campus
Building A Block
Room Reference A214
Telephone +61 3 6324 3512
Fax +61 3 6324 3303
Email Karen.Swabey@utas.edu.au

Teaching Responsibilities

I am passionate about teaching in the health and physical education field and therefore have maintained my involvement in these areas at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels:

  • ESP217/326 – Social and Emotional Wellbeing
  • ESH706 – Health and Wellbeing 
  • ESH712 – Professional Practice in HPE

Publications

Selected publications

  • Swabey, KJ and Penney, D*, ‘Using discursive strategies, playing policy games and shaping the future of physical education’, Sport Education and Society, 16 (1) pp. 67-87. ISSN 1357-3322 (2011) [Refereed article] [Full text] [Detail]
  • Swabey, K and Castleton, G and Penney, D, ‘Meeting the standards? Exploring preparedness for teaching’, Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 35 (8) pp. 29-46. ISSN 0313-5373 (2010) [Refereed article] [Full text] [Detail]
  • Ang, SC* and Penney, D and Swabey, KJ, ‘Contemporary Issues and Future Agendas for Health and Physical Education’, Physical Education Matters, 4 (2) pp. 29-33. ISSN 1751-0988 (2009) [Other Refereed Article] [Detail]

Reviews

  • Mainsbridge, C and Swabey, KJ and Cooley, PD, ‘Book Review of Sport Studies’, Sport, education and society, 15 (3) pp. 388-390 (2010) [Review Single Work] [Detail]

Conference publications

  • Swabey, KJ and Salter, S and Douglas, T, ‘It's all fun and games - Engaging first year human movement students’, Congreso de la asociacion, 26 - 29 October 2010, A Coruna, Spain, pp. 1-4. ISBN 978-84-614-9946-5 (2011) [Refereed Conference] [Detail]
  • Salter, S and Douglas, T and Pittaway, J and Swabey, K and Capstick, M, ‘Games students play: Engaging first year tertiary students in linking and extending foundation material throught the use of a digital game’, First Year in Higher Education Conference Proceedings 2010, 27-30 June 2010, Adelaide, pp. 1-10. ISBN 978-1-74107-282-2 (2010) [Refereed Conference] [Detail]
  • Pedersen, SJ and Swabey, KJ, ‘Upper and lower extremity processing in boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder’, Creating Active Futures, 7-10 July 2009, QUT, Brisbane, Australia, pp. 245-256. ISBN 978-1-74107-286-0 (2009) [Refereed Conference] [Full text] [Detail]
  • Swabey, KJ and Bennett, JA and Nicholson, K and Morse, D and McWhirter, E and Harris, Amy, ‘Social and Emotional Health Programs: Do They Work?’, Creating Active Futures, 7-10 July 2009, Brisbane, Australia, pp. 167-174. ISBN 978-1-74107-286-0 (2009) [Refereed Conference] [Detail]

Contract report

  • Cooley, PD and Swabey, KJ, Teaching Practices of Sexuality and Relationships Education in Tasmanian Schools, Department of Health and Human Sciences Tasmania, 1 (2009) [Consultants Report] [Full text] [Detail]

Achievements

Career summary

I am the Head of School and an Associate Professor in Health and Physical Education Pedagogy in the Faculty of Education. Before entering the university sector in 1994, I had an extensive career in primary, secondary and senior secondary teaching and school leadership in Tasmania in both state and independent schools. My undergraduate teaching currently focuses on health and physical education pedagogy, specifically social and emotional wellbeing. At the postgraduate level I coordinate two health and physical education focussed units and I also supervise a number of research higher degree students.

My areas of research interest are in social and emotional wellbeing and student preparedness for teacher education. My publication output includes a book, book chapters, academic journal articles and peer-reviewed conference papers. I am a Consulting Editor for the AJTE journal and I review for a number of international journals. I am also the President of the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation ACHPER (Tasmanian division), my professional association.

Current and supervised projects

  • 2012: Faculty of Education Research and Scholarship of Learning & Teaching Grant – Development of a FoE Feedback Tool.
  • 2010 – present day: Faculty of Education Teaching & Learning Grant – Incorporating Newcomers into a Community of Practice: Investigating Issues of School Culture, Socialisation and Professional Expertise for Beginning Teachers. 
  • 2007 – present day: University Interfaculty Teaching Development Grant - Development of an interactive online resource linking foundation knowledge with content in anatomy and physiology and microbiology units at first year level.

Awards and honours

  • Teaching Merit certificate in 2000 & 2007.
  • Faculty of Education Mentoring award for excellence in professional support to students in 2006.

Community engagement

I act as an advisor to Response Ability (1997 to present day), a Commonwealth initiative run by the Hunter Institute of Mental Health. In this role I advise on mental health issues relevant to the teacher education university sector.

I am President of ACHPER (Tasmania branch). In this role I provide leadership to the Tasmanian teachers of health and physical education.