M.A. (Hons), Ph.D. Soc. Anth.(Edin.), F.A.C.E.
Professor of Education
Contact Details
Telephone: +61 3 6226 2549
Location: Sandy Bay Campus, Hytten Hall, Room 404
Email: J.AbbottChapman@utas.edu.au
Career Summary
Joan has specialised in the Sociology of Education and Youth Studies, since gaining a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology, from Edinburgh University, UK. Her research and teaching over the years have focussed on educational access and equity for disadvantaged and rural youth, youth transitions, factors affecting school engagement and the characteristics of effective teachers,. Before joining the Faculty in 1984 Joan held appointments at the Universities of York and Bristol, UK, and New York University, USA. As Associate Director, and then Director, of the Youth Education Studies Centre, she was a chief investigator in teams awarded over $2m in nationally competitive grants, including a number of ARC grants. She is currently the Deputy Director of the Australian Clearinghouse for Youth Studies, a Commonwealth funded national centre located in the Faculty. She has published, as sole or joint author, over 100 books, book chapters, refereed journal articles, reports and other articles, and has held a number of research consultancies for State and Commonwealth governments.
Honours and Awards
- Membership of the Golden Key National Honour Society awarded 1998.
- Tasmania Award of the Australian College of Educators 2002.
Memberships and Fellowships
- Fellow of the Australian College of Educators
- Member of the Executive Committee of ACE (Tas.)
- Member of the Australian Association for Research in Education
- Member of The Sociological Association of Australia
- Diversity Representative Tasmanian Hub of SiMERR (Science, ICT and Maths Education in Rural and Regional Australia).
- Member of the editorial board of Youth Studies Australia
Research Interests
Current and past research includes participation and retention of disadvantaged and rural youth; community social capital and young people's educational outcomes; university performance of students with disabilities; young people's risk perceptions, risk behaviours and factors affecting resilience and youth wellbeing, youth perceptions of space and place, youth constructs of home, and youth leisure activities. A current project, conducted with Drs. Robbie Johnston and Tim Jetson, funded by a Faculty grant, investigates the attitudes of parents in rural and remote areas to the need for their children to leave home for education and training.
Selected publications since 2006
- Abbott-Chapman, J. & Robertson, M. (2009) Leisure, place and identity. Chapter 29 in the International Handbook on Youth and Young Adults (Ed Andy Furlong) Oxford and New York: Routledge International, pp. 243 -248.
- Abbott-Chapman J. & Robertson M. (2009) Adolescents - favourite places: re-defining the boundaries between Private and Public space. Space and Culture (In press)
- Abbott-Chapman J, Denholm C. & Wyld C. (2008) Combining measures of risk perceptions and risk activities: the development of the RAPRA and PRISC Indices. Risk Analysis: an International Journal 28 (1): 69-79.
- Abbott-Chapman, J., Denholm, C. & Wyld, C. (2008) Gender differences in adolescent risk-taking: have they diminished? An Australian Intergenerational study, Youth and Society 40 (1): 131-154.
- Abbott-Chapman J, Denholm C. & Wyld C. (2008) Social support as a factor inhibiting teenage risk-taking: views of students, parents and professionals. Journal of Youth Studies 11 (6): 611-627
- Abbott-Chapman, J. (2008) A place for peace and reflection Principal Matters Winter 75:40-43
- Abbott-Chapman, J. (2007) Improving participation of disadvantaged youth to post-compulsory education and training- a continuing challenge in Learning and Teaching for the Twenty-first Century (Ed. R. Maclean UNESCO-UNEVOC) . New York: Springer Science+ Business Media. pp. 275-292.
- Kilpatrick, S. & Abbott-Chapman, J. (2007) Community Efficacy and social capital: how communities deliver outcomes for members. Chapter 4 in Researching Social Capital, lifelong learning regions and the management of place: an International perspective. (Eds M. Osborne, K.Sankey and B.Wilson) London: Routledge, pp. 105-124.
- Abbott-Chapman J, Denholm C. & Wyld C. (2007) Pre-service professionals' perspectives of adolescent risk-taking and approaches to risk management. Journal of Sociology: The Journal of the Australian Sociological Association 43 (3):241-262.
- Abbott-Chapman, J. (2006) TAFE to University transfer students: a study of mature-age students in Australia. Journal of Vocational Education and Training 58 (1): 1-17.
- Abbott-Chapman, J. (2006) Time out in green retreats and adolescent wellbeing. Youth Studies Australia (Dec.) 25 (4): 9-16.
Teaching
Joan's primary teaching focus is Research Higher Degree supervision and delivery of seminars within the Honours and Research Higher Degree Programs. Joan has supervised at the University of Tasmania, as Supervisor or Associate Supervisor, 14 successful Research Higher Degree students and is currently supervising 7 Research Higher Degree students.
