I returned home to Dunedin in 2011 after 18 years teaching and studying in Sydney and the UK. I started working at the College of Education in 2016 as I completed my PhD. Prior to this, I held teaching and leadership roles in diverse primary school settings in New Zealand (Hutt Valley and Wainuiomata), Australia (Sydney) and the UK (Hertfordshire). As I travelled and taught across different countries, in independent and state schools, bilingual settings, all-boys and all-girls and co-educational settings, I became very aware of one constant in education everywhere – change. Thus my research interests include leadership preparation, leadership identity, and management of change. I have published and presented on the leadership self, teacher effectiveness, leadership for social justice, and leadership in high-needs settings.
At the University of Otago College of Education from 2016 to 2019, I taught across a number of different academic and professional practice papers at Bachelor and Masters levels. Currently, I lecture in Education Studies in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. I am Director, University of Otago Centre for Educational Leadership and Administration, and Co-Director, UCEA Centre for the International Study of School Leadership.
Teaching Sectors
Primary
Bachelor of Teaching / Bachelor of Arts
Master of Education and Learning
Postgraduate supervision
Teaching Areas
Education Studies
Professional practice (Primary)
Educational leadership
Research Interests
Leadership of change
Leader identity
Leadership in high-needs settings
Leadership for social justice
Leadership preparation
Student metacognition
Publications
Robertson, S. (2023). Transforming pedagogy in uncertain times: Blended learning in a first-year university context. In N. Eteokleous, D. Ktoridou & A. Kafa (Eds.), Emerging trends and historical perspectives surrounding digital transformation in education: Achieving open and blended learning environments. (pp. 1-28). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi: 10.4018/978-1-6684-4423-8.ch001
Chapter in Book - Research
Striepe, M., Thompson, P., Robertson, S., Devi, M., Gurr, D., Longmuir, F., … Cunningham, C. (2023). Responsive, adaptive, and future-centred leadership in response to crisis: Findings from Australia, Fiji, and New Zealand. School Leadership & Management. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2023.2171005
Journal - Research Article
Robertson, S. (2023). The leader-self: Two New Zealand principals respond to social justice issues. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 26(5), 904-918. doi: 10.1080/13603124.2021.1922756
Journal - Research Article
Robertson, S. (2021). Leading in uncertain times: Responding to the COVID crisis in a New Zealand School. Proceedings of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE): Reimagining Education Research. Retrieved from https://www.aareconference.com.au
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Gurr, D., Drysdale, L., Longmuir, F., McCrohan, K., McNae, R., Morrison, M., & Robertson, S. (2021). Leading successfully in high-needs contexts: Australian and New Zealand cases. In B. G. Barnett & P. A. Woods (Eds.), Educational leadership for social justice and improving high-needs schools: Findings from 10 years of international collaboration. (pp. 135-152). Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Chapter in Book - Research
Berry, J. R., Robertson, S., & Brooks, M. (2020). Components of linguistically and culturally responsive school leadership. In J. C. Veenis, S. Robertson & J. R. Berry (Eds.), Multiculturalism and multilingualism at the crossroads of school leadership: Exploring leadership theory, policy, and practice for diverse schools. (pp. 213-225). Cham, Switzerland: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-54750-9_12
Chapter in Book - Research
Robertson, S. (2020). Going hard and early: Tertiary teaching under lockdown in New Zealand. International Studies in Educational Administration, 48(2), 107-113.
Journal - Research Article
Berg, D., Brown, K., & Robertson, S. (2019). Metacognitive learning: Evaluating a teaching intervention. Proceedings of the British Education Research Association (BERA) Annual Conference. 4368628. Retrieved from http://www.bera.ac.uk
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Robertson, S., & Notman, R. (2019, November). High-needs leadership in New Zealand: Implications for school leader preparation. Verbal presentation at the 33rd Annual University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) Convention, New Orleans, LA.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Robertson, S. (2018). A New Zealand principal's perceptions of identity and change. Leading & Managing, 24(1), 33-46.
Journal - Research Article
Robertson, S. (2018). Transformative leadership and the leadership self. Proceedings of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE) Conference. (pp. 99). Retrieved from http://www.nzareconference.org.nz
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Robertson, S., & Notman, R. (2018). Understanding the self in leadership: Two New Zealand principals respond to social justice issues. Proceedings of the University Council for Educational Administration (UCEA) Convention: Our Mission Critical: Revolutionizing the Future through Equitable Educational Leadership, Research, and Practice. Retrieved from http://www.ucea.org/conference/convention-2018/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Berg, D., Brown, K., & Robertson, S. (2018, June). Empowering learners by scaffolding metacognition. Verbal presentation at the SERGE Symposium 2018, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Berg, D., Brown, K., & Robertson, S. (2018, October). Thinking about thinking: Empowering learners by Scaffolding Metacognitive Awareness. Workshop presentation at the Teaching and Learning Symposium: Rebuilding Your Ship at Sea: Cultivating Identity, Integrity, Community and Collegiality in Times of Change, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Robertson, S. (2017). Leading a school merger in a high-needs setting. In R. McNae, M. Morrison & R. Notman (Eds.), Educational leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand: Issues of context and social justice. (pp. 143-158). Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER Press.
Chapter in Book - Research
Robertson, S. (2017). Transformation of professional identity in an experienced primary school principal: A New Zealand case study. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 45(5), 774-789. doi: 10.1177/1741143217707519
Journal - Research Article
Robertson, S. (2016, April). Staying true to self: A New Zealand principal's perceptions of self and change. Verbal presentation at the Biennial New Zealand Educational Administration and Leadership Society (NZEALS) International Leadership Conference: Leading for Social Justice in Education, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Robertson, S., & Notman, R. (2013). Leadership factors that influence the development of teacher practice. Journal of Educational Leadership, Policy & Practice, 28(2), 57-68.
Journal - Research Article
Lecturer