About Rachael

Dr Rachael Dwyer is an educator and researcher concerned with ensuring that all students have opportunities to participate in quality music and arts education as part of their schooling. She spent a number of years as a music specialist teacher in primary schools prior to completing her doctoral studies at The University of Queensland. Rachael’s teaching experience has extended across P-12 music classrooms, as well as at the tertiary level, and she has a background in Kódaly methodology.

Rachael’s integrated research, engagement and teaching work has focused on the ways in which teachers’ values and beliefs are effectively leveraged for social change through arts-based and anti-racist research methods and pedagogies. Combining a measurable commitment to teaching, research and engagement, Rachael has pursued a social change agenda recognising that the three aspects of my academic work are mutually-informing. Arts education, arts-based methods and decolonising practices allow for rich, collaborative, applied work, developing sustained and sustaining relationships with participants, preservice teachers and community stakeholders.

Rachael has published extensively for a range of audiences and is developing an international profile in music teacher education and narrative research approaches. She is co-editor of the innovative 2016 book ‘Narrative Research in Practice: Stories from the field’ (Springer) and her doctoral work has been published as ‘Music teachers’ values and beliefs’ (Routledge). Rachael regularly sits on review panels and committees for QCAA, and is President of the Queensland Chapter of the Australian Society for Music Education.