School of Education

Dr Valeria Varea

Valeria is a Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education at the School of Education.

Current Teaching

• FMS4020 – Fundamental Movement Skills and Sport Education
• HPE6104 – Teaching Health and Physical Education
• FMS6020 – Fundamental Movement Skills and Games Education

Background

Valeria is an experienced teacher educator and researcher. She has worked across different countries including Sweden, Argentina and Australia. Valeria’s research focusses on sociocultural perspectives of the body, health, physical activity and sport. She uses qualitative methods to explore and critique people’s engagement in physical activity and their perceptions of the body.

Professional Associations

2017 – 2018 Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia, HERDSA (member)
2013 – Present International Association for Physical Education in Higher Education, AIESEP (member)
2013 – 2015 The Australian Sociological Association, TASA (member)
2010 – Present Australian Association for Research in Education, AARE (member)
2009 – 2010 Professional Association of Physical Education Teachers, APEF (board member)

Awards and recognition

National and International Awards

2017 – Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Education, University of Valladolid, Spain
2015 – Accomplished Researcher Award, School of Education, University of New England, Australia
2014 – Distinguished Talent (academia and research), Australian Government
2014 – AIESEP Young Scholar Award, The University of Auckland, New Zealand
2013 – PhD Scholar Award, The University of Melbourne, Australia
2012 – Graduate School International Travel Award, The University of Queensland, Australia
2012 – Graduate Scholar Award, Cambridge, United Kingdom
2012 – HMS Travel Award, The University of Queensland, Australia
2007 – Government Award, Cordoba, Argentina
2006 – Magazine ‘Punto a Punto’ Distinction - Talents 2006, Cordoba, Argentina
2005 – Government Award, Cordoba, Argentina
2005 – Distinction and Medal, University of Rio Cuarto, Argentina

University and National Teaching Awards

2023 – Learning and Teaching Research Grant, Edith Cowan University, Australia
2014 – Commendation for excellence in teaching, University of New England, Australia

Research Interests

• Sociocultural perspectives in Health and Physical Education, sport and physical activity
• The body
• Qualitative methods
• Equity and inclusion in Health and Physical Education, sport and physical activity

Research Projects

• Data completion problem for motion capture systems, Carl Tryggers Foundation for Scientific Research, Postdoc scholarship, 2023-2025, SEK 600,000
• Shame on you too! Exploring skinny-shaming in masculinity-connoted sports, Swedish Research Council for Sport Science, Social sciences, 2022-2023, SEK 392,680
• Educational clash or educational potential? School aged asylum seekers’ encounters with Swedish health education, Swedish Research Council, Educational call, 2021-2023, SEK 4,356,000
• Shame on you! Exploring fat-shaming in coaching practice, Swedish Research Council for Sport Science, Social sciences, 2021-2022, SEK 266,000
• Corporeal Tales: Including the embodied dimension of teaching through embodied experiences, University of Valladolid, Spain, Teaching innovation, 2021-2022, EUR 200
• Dare to speak! English teaching in non-linguistic subjects in Early Childhood and Primary School. A pilot study, University of Valladolid, Spain, Teaching innovation, 2019-2020, EUR 200
• The influence of consumer culture on Physical Education teachers, University of New England, Australia, SOE Wider pool, 2017, $3,185
• Focusing on embodiment in the education of pre-service Early Childhood and Primary School teachers, University of Valladolid, Spain, Teaching innovation, 2017-2018, EUR 200
• Social media, the body and rural communities: Implications for health, University of New England, Australia, School of Education, Internal Research Grant, 2016, $2,500
• Social media and the body: Implications for health for youth in rural New South Wales communities, University of New England, Australia, School of Education Internal Research Grant, 2015, $500
• Representations of the training and professional practice of Physical Education teachers, University of Rio Cuarto, Argentina, Department of Science and Technology, 2006-2007, ARS 12,000