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  • Dr John O’Rourke

    Dr John O’Rourke

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Dr John O’Rourke

Senior Lecturer

Staff Member Details
Telephone: +61 8 6304 6935
Email: j.o_rourke@ecu.edu.au
Campus: Mount Lawley  
Room: ML17.229  
ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3074-9154

John is Senior Lecturer in the School of Education.

Background

John is a former secondary teacher and school program coordinator, and now a Senior Lecturer and Course Coordinator at ECU. He works predominately in the area of diversity and inclusivity and is a passionate advocate for individuals with additional and complex needs.

He previously coordinated the ECU Uniprep and Education Assistant programs, and has engaged in multi-institutional research around retention and opportunities for enabling students in higher education.

He is a Vice Chancellor’s award winner for Teaching and Learning and is committed to creating motivating and engaging environments for under graduate and post graduate learners. He has published and presented widely and his research interests include, inclusive practice in school and university settings, happiness and well-being, and the use of digital and games technology in education.

Professional associations

  • 2013 - National Association of Enabling Educators of Australia
  • 2012 - Belridge Senior High School, Beldon ESC and Joondalup ESC Independent Cluster
  • 2008 - Foundation for Social Inclusion

Research areas and interests

  • Inclusive pedagogy
  • Happiness and well-being
  • Digital technology in curriculum
  • Enabling pedagogy

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Western Australia, 2005.
  • Bachelor of Education with second class Honours, The University of Western Australia, 1993.
  • Diploma in Education, The University of Western Australia, 1992.
  • Bachelor of Business, Western Australian Institute of Technology, 1985.

Research Outputs

2023

Journal Articles

  • Barwood, D., O'Rourke, J., Penney, D., Jones, A., Thomas, J. (2023). Professional teaching standards and inclusion in teacher education: insights from a hearing-impaired Health and Physical Education pre-service teacher’s professional experience. Sport, Education and Society, 28(2), 173-187. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2021.2004394.
  • Wilson, B., Main, S., O'Rourke, J., Slater, E. (2023). Needing more, needing less: unravelling why a prompt dependency cycle forms in neurodiverse relationships. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(9), 2892-2917. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231161308.

2022

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Kueh, C., Soames, C., Brook, L., Erickson, C. (2022). Co-designing a communication app to enhance collaborative communication support for secondary students with autism. Educational Technology Research and Development, 71(2), 579-604. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10170-4.

2021

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Main, S., Gray, C., Lovering, C. (2021). Observations of children with disability during arts-based multisensory story and rhyme activities: Is it all just chimes and perfumes?. Australasian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education, 45(2), 237-251. https://doi.org/10.1017/jsi.2021.8.

2019

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Harms, C., Cohen, L. (2019). They’re always there for me! Friendship and meaning in young people’s lives?. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 60(6), 596-608. https://doi.org/10.1111/sjop.12570.
  • O'Rourke, J., Relf, B., Crawford, N., Sharp, S. (2019). Are we all on course? A curriculum mapping comparison of three Australian university open-access enabling programs. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 59(1), 7-26.

2018

Journal Articles

  • Barwood, D., Sanbrook, C., O'Rourke, J., Jones, A., Thomas, J. (2018). Blowing a whistle, how hard can it be? An exploration of practicum experiences for a pre-service health and physical education teacher with a hearing impairment. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 9(3), 270-285. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2018.1490627.

Conference Publications

  • Desierto, A., De Maio, C., O'Rourke, J., Sharp, S. (2018). Deep or Surface? The learning approaches of enabling students in an Australian public university. Proceedings (10). STARS Conference.

2017

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Main, S., Hill, S. (2017). Commercially available digital game technology in the classroom: Improving automaticity in mental-maths in primary-aged students. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 42(10), 50-70. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2017v42n10.4.

2016

Journal Articles

  • Main, S., O'Rourke, J., Morris, J., Dunjey, H. (2016). Focus on the journey, not the destination: Digital games and students with disability. Issues in Educational Research, 26(2), 315-331.

2015

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., West, J. (2015). Education assistant support in inclusive Western Australian classrooms: Trialling a screening tool in an Australian context. International Journal of Disability Development and Education, 62(5), 531-546. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2015.1052376.
  • O'Rourke, J. (2015). Inclusive schooling: If it's so good – why is it so hard to sell?. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 19(5), 530-546. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2014.954641.

2014

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Main, S., Cooper, M. (2014). Student Perceptions Of Online Interactive Versus Traditional Lectures; Or How I Managed Not To Fall Asleep With My Eyes Open. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 10(3), 405-419.

Conference Publications

  • Sharp, S., O'Rourke, J., Lane, J., Hays, M. (2014). Cohesion, coherence and connectedness: The 3C model for enabling-course design to support student transition to university. AARE-NZARE 2014 Speaking back through research (14-28). AARE.

2013

Journal Articles

  • Hersh, D., O'Rourke, J., Lewis, A. (2013). Collaboration Towards Inclusion: An interprofessional learning opportunity for education and speech pathology students. Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology, 15(3), 115-119.
  • O'Rourke, J., Main, S., Ellis, M. (2013). It doesn’t seem like work, it seems like good fun’: perceptions of primary students on the use of Handheld Game Consoles in mathematics classes. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 22(1), 103-120. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2012.733537.
  • O'Rourke, J., Main, S., Ellis, M. (2013). So the kids are busy, what now? Teacher perceptions of the use of hand-held game consoles in West Australian primary classrooms. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 29(5), 735-747.

2012

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Cooper, M., Gray, C. (2012). Is Being “Smart and Well Behaved” a Recipe for Happiness in Western Australian Primary Schools?. International Journal of Psychological Studies, 4(3), 139-152. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijps.v4n3p139.

2011

Journal Articles

  • Main, S., O'Rourke, J. (2011). New directions for traditional lesson: Can handheld game consoles enhance mental mathematics skills?. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 36(2), 43-55. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2011v36n2.4.
  • O'Rourke, J. (2011). Inclusion at University: Can we do more than open the door?. Journal of Social Inclusion, 2(2), 19-33.

2010

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Cooper, M. (2010). Lucky to be happy: A study of happiness in Australian primary students. Australian Journal of Educational and Developmental Psychology, 10(2010), 94-107.

2009

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Houghton, S. (2009). The Perceptions of Secondary Teachers and Students about the Implementation of an Inclusive Classroom Model for Students with Mild Disabilities. The Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 34(1), 23-41.

Conference Publications

  • Main, S., O'Rourke, J. (2009). ‘Yay it’s Maths!’ Using hand-held game consoles in a Primary classroom.. Live it! Love it! Learn it! Curriculum Conference 2009 (9p.). Catholic Education Office.

2008

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Houghton, S. (2008). Perceptions of secondary school students with mild disabilities to the academic and social support mechanisms implemented in regular classrooms. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 55(3), 227-237. https://doi.org/10.1080/10349120802268321.
  • O'Rourke, J., Main, S., Cooper, M. (2008). Secondary V K-7: Pre-Service Teachers’ attitudes Towards Inclusion. The International Journal of Learning, 15(7), 97-104.

2006

Journal Articles

  • O'Rourke, J., Houghton, S. (2006). Students with mild disabilities in regular classrooms: The development and utility of the Student Perceptions of Classroom Support Scale. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 31(4), 232-242.

Research Projects

  • Arts-based pedagogy: Engaging children with additional needs through multi-sensory storytelling, Sensorium Theatre Inc, Sensorium Theatre Inc - Grant, 2017 ‑ 2018, $10,000.
  • Improving the 'beaten track': investigating alternative pathways to increase higher education participation for mature-aged low socio-economic status students in regional and remote Australia, Department of Education, Higher Education Participation & Partnerships Programme HEPPP) - 2016 National Priorities Pool, 2017 ‑ 2018, $63,221.
  • Lighting the path(way): Articulating curriculum design principles for open-­access enabling programs, Office for Learning and Teaching, OLT - Seed Projects, 2016 ‑ 2017, $33,669.
  • Enabling retention: processes and strategies for improving student retention in university based enabling programs, Office for Learning and Teaching, OLT - Competitive Grants, 2010 ‑ 2013, $17,493.
  • At the end of the day I just want my kids to be happy at school! Personality, physical appearance and young children's happiness, Edith Cowan University, ECU Early Career Researcher - Grant, 2007 ‑ 2009, $4,946.

Research Student Supervision

Current Supervisions

Principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Exploring the factors influencing the parent decision making process in using a non-evidence based practice to educate their children classified as having low funcitoning autism
  • Master of Education, Assessing the executive function skill strengths and challenges of Year Eight students in Western Australia
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The use of drama-based simulations to develop pre-service teachers' emotional intelligence

Co-principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Inclusion through inquiry: Diverse learning needs and the international baccalaureate

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Exploring Pedagogy and Inclusion in Health and Physical Education in Western Australia: A Social Justice Approach
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Virtual reality in secondary schools in WA: Are we ready for the new tomorrow?

Completed Supervisions

Co-principal Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The prevalence of twice exceptional students in the gat academic programs: The near miss phenomena
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Investigating communicative dissonance within relationships of adults with asperger's syndrome (asd level 1)
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Alannah, Bree and CASSIE; The ABC of girls on the autism spectrum in early years classrooms

Associate Supervisor

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Investigating the Efficacy of Teaching Practicum Supervision in Bhutan
  • Master of Education, Mindfulness as a whole school approach: An exploration of teachers' attitudes towards the implementation of mindfulness in the classroom
  • Doctor of Philosophy, Inclusive Communities? Collaborative communication practices between stakeholders supporting secondary students on the autism spectrum
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