Dr Elisabeth Betlem

Biography

I am a member of the Learning and Teaching Team, teaching Professional Classroom Practice in the School of Education. I work with both undergraduate and postgraduate students. My philosophy of teaching is based on social cultural learning theory.

Previously a visual arts educator I combine my teaching, research and art-making practices to develop a research profile around mentoring and teacher professional development .

My areas of research interest and expertise include mentoring, contextualised professional development, reflective practice, pre-service teachers’ professional experience, teacher accreditation  use of visual tools in education of others and critical friends. I utilise participatory action research and arts-based research methods.

In the past I explored the nexus between curriculum development and behaviour management through the use of art as an intervention mechanism to teach social skills.

As a practicing artist my artistic practice includes digital photography, drawing and collaged images. Mediums such as watercolour, pencil, charcoal and pastels are often combined to create textural collaged images. My subject matter includes life drawing, landscapes and subjective abstract images as emotive representations of my lived experiences.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Education (Art) (1980) Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education
Master of Art Education (1995) University of New South Wales
Doctor of Education (2014) University of New England

Teaching Areas

EDUC 104 Introduction to Professional Practice
EDUC 404 Professional Classroom Practice
EDUC 105 Foundations of Professional Classroom Practice
EDLT 301/302/400/500  Planning for Effective Learning

Publications

Betlem, E., Clary, D., & Jones, M., (2019) Mentoring the Mentor: Professional development through a school-university partnership, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 47(4) pp 327-346.
Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2018.1504280

Betlem, E. C. (2014). I see images (A collection of artworks including, photographs, video, drawings and collaged images that reify my growing understanding, ongoing learning and identity development as a critical friend.). University of New England: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/17950.

Betlem, E. C. (2014). Insights into a critical friend practice: Closing reflections is a digital presentation of eleven abstract collaged images. University of New England: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/17951.

Betlem, E., & Bolitho, R. (2002). Art as an intervention mechanism to teach social skills to lower secondary school age children. Conference paper presented at the Australia Association for Research in Education.  Retrieve from  https://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2002/bet02369.pdf

Betlem, E. (2001). Assessing bullying behaviour of school students through the use of art. Conference paper presented at the Australian Association of Research in Education. Retrieved from: https://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2001/bet01229.pdf

Reyes, V., Masters, Y., Clary, D., Betlem, E. C., Jones, M. A., Charteris, J., . . . Sigauke, A. (2016). Writing for publication group: professional development situated in the interstices of academia and performativity. Reflective Practice, 17(4), 444-455. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2016.1169170

Unpublished work

Thesis:

Betlem, E. C. (2014). Mentoring Teachers with a Critical friend: Transforming Professional Development through Visual Tools (Doctor of Education Portfolio), University of New England. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/18116.

Non Traditional Research Output:

Betlem, E.C. (2016) Pre-service teacher observation tool Non Traditional Research Output, from https://blog.une.edu.au/elisabethbetlemresearch/

Betlem, E. C. (2015). Grab Bag - a collection of reflective tools Non Traditional Research Output, from https://blog.une.edu.au/elisabethbetlemresearch/

Betlem, E. C. (2014). "Communities of practice - A social theory of learning developed by Etienne Wenger" an animated description, from https://vimeo.com/147401136

Consultancy Interests

Professional development for Mentors of colleagues and teachers requiring accreditation.