Course you are enrolled in:
Bachelor of Human Movement (Honours)
Honours project title:
The Link Between Pre-Service Teacher Training and Mental Health Self-Efficacy
Previous high school/college:
Marist Regional College
Why did you decide to become a teacher?
I decided to become a teacher for a number of reasons. Firstly, I held my teachers in very high regard and had a great appreciation for the influence that they had on my life. I guess in some ways I wanted to repay this favour. Secondly, I have a fanatical passion for sport and understand the effect of sport on all aspects of a child’s life, especially in relation to social and emotional wellbeing. Finally, I felt that I needed to be involved in a career that suited my nature which is heavily based on leadership and enthusiasm.
Why did you decide to do honours?
Initially, I decided to do honours for somewhat selfish reasons. I purely aimed to graduate ‘ahead of the pack’ and give myself a better chance at obtaining a job for the following year. Additionally, I had heard about the opportunity of starting at a higher pay scale simply for having an honours degree, which was highly enticing. Even still, I had my reservations about doing honours, which resulted in a number of lengthy conversations with Scott Pederson attempting to convince me to give it a shot. Finally, I came to the conclusion that there was no point in achieving the marks I had been getting throughout university, if I had nothing to show for it at the end of my degree. Upon undertaking the process, I found that the intrinsic satisfaction gained from being mentally challenge like never before far outweighed any of the initial extrinsic reasons I had for wanting to do honours. If you have any uncertainties about doing honours, stop thinking and just do it; for the pain of discipline is far less than the pain of regret.
Why did you choose UTAS?
Upon finishing college I felt that it was definitely time to move away from Burnie, however, at the time I didn’t feel that I was ready to move out of Tasmania. The two undergraduate degrees that took my interest were both being offered at UTAS Launceston, making my decision easy. I initially started a Bachelor of Exercise Science before, two weeks later, changing into the Bachelor of Human Movement and haven’t looked back since.
Any advice for future honours students?
The greatest piece of advice that I can offer to future honours students can be summed in three words; research, research, research. Originally, I had grandiose ideas for potential thesis topics; however, I hadn’t even bothered to check the literature. To be honest, it was easier this way. I wasn’t willing to sit at a computer and read article after article just to find a topic; I was looking for the easy way out. In the end that attitude proved to cause me more trouble than it was worth, as I wasted months trying to find a justified topic. I found myself trying to fit the literature to my thesis (it should be the other way around) and at times was seriously bending the rules trying to make connections between my research and what had already been done. Your research should aim to fill a gap in literature, which simply cannot be identified without knowing what is out there first. I for one know better than most that you may want to just dive straight into this amazing idea that you have in your head; but trust me, do the hard yards first and your honours experience will be so much more enjoyable and a whole lot easier.
What are your plans after you graduate with your honours degree?
After graduating with my honours degree I aim to stay in Launceston and undertake a PhD. Last year I would have laughed if you’d told me that I would be in the position to do a PhD; especially considering I seriously doubted doing an honours thesis in the first place. This experience has opened up so many opportunities and has completely changed my career aspirations; for the better I hope. I remember all the way back to third year in Introduction to Research Methods when I laughed at Scott Pederson telling me I would catch the ‘research bug’; I guess he was right.