Dr Abbey MacDonald, University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
Senior Lecturer in Arts Education
An emerging leader in brokering professional learning collaborations, Dr Abbey MacDonald has directed a range of research outputs co-authored with teachers, artists and academics, as well as contributed practical interventions and innovations for teacher professional learning practice. She is often sought to undertake contract research for social justice, the arts industry and philanthropic organisations looking to collaborate with educational transformation stakeholders such as BighART and The Smith Family. In 2019, McDonald delivered over 30 high impact publications, spaning traditional and non-traditional outputs, including scholarly journal articles, book chapters, media engagements and conference presentations. McDonald serves as the vice president of Art Education Australia (AEA), contributing to the formation, review and implementation of national strategic policies for visual arts education. She has led the collaborative development of AEA’s 2019-2025 strategic plan. The University of Tasmania, through McDonald’s leading, formed a partnership with the Tasmanian Art Teachers Association and the Tasmanian Department of Education Professional Learning Institute to come up with Art Works, a professional learning day designed for K-12 art teachers. The workshop attracted over 60 participants across the state.