Doctor Rachael Jacobs
Senior Lecturer Primary Creative Arts,
Primary Education
Biography
Rachael Jacobs is a lecturer in Creative Arts Education at Western Sydney University and a former secondary teacher (Dance, Drama and Music) and primary Arts specialist. Her research interests include assessment in the arts, language acquisition through the arts and decolonised approaches to embodied learning. Her PhD focussed on creativity in assessment. Rachael has facilitated arts projects in community settings all over Australia, including in refugee communities, in prisons and in women’s refuges. In 2016 contributed to the arts education component of the OECD report on the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. In 2020 she contributed to UNESCO's Futures of Education Initiative, co-authoring a report on artists depictions of the future of education. Rachael has written two textbooks for teachers on Arts Education in Primary Schools. In 2021 she received a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts to condiuct anti-racism programs in schools, addressed through drama and dance. Rachael is a community activist, a freelance writer, aerial arts instructor, dancer and choreographer. She was a founding member of the community activism group, Teachers for Refugees and runs her own intercultural dance company in Sydney. She is a climate activist and is on the board of Sweltering Cities and youth theatre company PYT Fairfield, as well as an anti-racism and human rights campaigner.
Rachael Jacobs has a Bachelor of Education from Sydney University, a Masters of Education from University of Southern Queensland, a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from the Australian Catholic University and a PhD from the University of Western Sydney. Rachael has received two citations from the Australian Teaching and Learning Council for outstanding contributions to student learning in higher education.
This information has been contributed by Doctor Jacobs.
Qualifications
- Phd University of Western Sydney
- MEd University of Southern Queensland
- BEd University of Sydney
Professional Memberships
- Ausdance (2017)
- Drama NSW (2017)
- International Society for Music Education (2018)
- Australian Society for Music Education (2018 - 2018)
- AARE (2004)
Awards
- Citation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning 2019-10-31
- ATLC Citation for Teaching Excellence 2009-09-30
- ATLC Citation for Teaching Excellence 2011-05-01
Interests
- Assessment
- Creative Arts Education
- Creativity
- Drama Education
- Initial Teacher Education
Organisational Unit (School / Division)
- Primary Education
Contact
| Email: | R.Jacobs@westernsydney.edu.au |
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| Phone: | |
| Mobile: | |
| Location: | 4.1.16 Bankstown |
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Teaching
Previous Teaching Areas
- 101585 Primary Creative Arts, 2017
- 101651 Applied Imagination, 2019
- 102091 Secondary Curriculum 2B, 2017
Publications
Books
- Jacobs, R. and Poli, K. (2018), 'Big Arts!', : Top Hat Publishing .
- Jacobs, R. (2013), 'Nice Arts!', : Pearson 9781486010899.
Chapters in Books
- Jacobs, R. (2022), 'Assessment in drama education', Routledge Companion to Drama in Education, Routledge 9780367430450.
- Jacobs, R. and Milne, C. (2021), 'Art, imagination and the environmental movement', Social Ecology and Education: Transforming Worldviews and Practices, Routledge 9780367471088.
- Babacan, A., Jacobs, R., Kamp, A., Paradies, Y., Piyarathne, A., Wang, C., Zwi, K., Woodland, L. and Hutton, V. (2021), 'Racism', Multicultural Responsiveness in Counselling and Psychology: Working with Australian Population, Palgrave Macmillan 9783030554262.
- Jacobs, R. (2019), 'Bill & Ted's assessable adventure : a frame analysis of assessment representations in popular culture through Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure', Teachers and Teaching on Stage and on Screen: Dramatic Depictions, Intellect Books 9781789380675.
- Jacobs, R. (2018), 'Assessing creativity : four critical issues', Creativity Policy, Partnerships and Practice in Education, Palgrave Macmillan 9783319967240.
Journal Articles
- Jacobs, R. (2023), '[In Press] The act of transitions : exploring cultural aptitude through drama for language development', Journal of Language, Identity and Education, .
- Jacobs, R., Finneran, M. and D?Acosta, T. (2022), 'Dancing toward the light in the dark : COVID-19 changes and reflections on normal from Australia, Ireland and Mexico', Arts Education Policy Review, vol 123, no 1 , pp 29 - 38.
- Naidoo, L., D'warte, J., Gannon, S. and Jacobs, R. (2022), 'Sociality, resilience and agency : how did young Australians experience online learning during Covid-19?', Australian Educational Researcher, vol 49, no 1 , pp 81 - 96.
- Jacobs, R. (2022), 'Arts-based critical service-learning experiences as transformative pedagogy', Journal of Pedagogy, vol 13, no 2 , pp 29 - 53.
- Gannon, S., Jacobs, R. and Tracey, D. (2021), '[In Press] Reducing vocational education inequality for students from refugee backgrounds', International Journal of Inclusive Education, .
- Gannon, S., Jacobs, R., D'warte, J. and Naidoo, L. (2021), ''But w'rry not we shall banquet again someday' : creativity and socially distanced English', English in Australia, vol 56, no 2 , pp 38 - 48.
- Jacobs, R. (2020), 'Stories told and performed : a methodology for researching drama assessment in schools', Qualitative Research Journal, vol 20, no 1 , pp 19 - 33.
- Jacobs, R. (2020), 'Cultural aspects of drama : the effect of Australian drama assessment policy on practice', Arts Education Policy Review, vol 121, no 4 , pp 187 - 200.
- Jacobs, R. (2019), 'Drama and the culture of challenge', Journal of Queensland Drama Educators, vol 42 , pp 22 - 25.
- Jacobs, R. (2019), 'Habitus and perceptions : lecturers discuss dance in primary teacher education courses in Queensland, Australia', Journal of Emerging Dance Scholarship, vol 7 .
- Jacobs, R. (2017), 'Six critical issues in senior secondary drama performance assessment in Australia', NJ: Drama Australia Journal, vol 41, no 2 , pp 127 - 140.
- Jacobs, R. (2017), 'Assessing the aesthetic : narratives from drama education', Journal of Artistic and Creative Education, vol 11, no 1 , pp 140 - 153.
- Jacobs, R. (2016), 'Using scripts and stories : illustrating the influences on drama performance assessment', NJ: Drama Australia Journal, vol 40, no 1 , pp 53 - 65.
- Jacobs, R. (2016), 'Challenges of drama performance assessment', Drama Research, vol 7, no 1 .
- Sanchez, M. and Jacobs, R. (2016), 'Integrating technology with classroom pedagogy', FACULTY, vol 3, no 2 , pp 3 - 6.
- Jacobs, R. (2012), 'Assessing the aesthetic : narratives from drama education', Journal of Artistic and Creative Education, vol 6, no 1 , pp 74 - 93.
- Jacobs, R. (2012), 'Curator and critic : role of the assessor in aesthetic fields', Higher Education Studies, vol 2, no 4 , pp 114 - 125.
- Jacobs, R. (2011), 'Aesthetic development in higher education : an interdisciplinary dialogue', Practice and Evidence of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, vol 6, no 3 , pp 232 - 248.
- Jacobs, R. (2010), 'Performance footprints across Australia : assessment in senior secondary drama', NJ: Drama Australia Journal, vol 33, no 2 , pp 45 - 55.
- Jacobs, R. (2010), 'Movement in liturgical spaces : a delicate dance', Journal of Catholic School Studies, vol 82, no 1 , pp 15 - 24.
- Jacobs, R. (2009), 'Measuring aesthetic development : a national dialogue', Journal of Artistic and Creative Education, vol 3, no 1 , pp 68 - 85.
- Jacobs, R. (2008), 'When do we do the Macarena? : habitus and arts learning in primary pre-service education courses', International Journal of Pedagogies and Learning, vol 4, no 5 , pp 58 - 73.
Conference Papers
- Jacobs, R. (2011), '"How about an creative revolution?" : teachers' experiences of the decline of arts education in the education revolution', Global Conference on Creative Engagements, Oxford, England.
- Jacobs, R. (2011), 'Aesthetic development in higher education : an interdisciplinary dialogue', International Conference on Education in a Changing Environment, Salford, U.K..
- Geiger, V., Jacobs, R., Lamb, J. and Mulholland, J. (2009), 'An approach to student-lecturer collaboration in the design of assessment criteria and standards schemes', ATN Assessment Conference, Melbourne, Vic..
- Jacobs, R. (2009), 'Breaking the surface in arts education', ISATT Conference, Rovaniemi, Finland.
- Jacobs, R. (2008), 'When do we do the Macarena? : exploring perceptions of the arts within primary education courses', World Dance Alliance Global Summit, Brisbane, Qld..
Other Publications
- 2023, 'Writing in Secondary Academic Partners', Report
- 2021, 'Women, Robots and a Sustainable Generation: Reading Artworks Envisioning Education in 2050 and Beyond', Report
- 2021, 'Dance for Life: Expressive Arts for Cultural Wellbeing with Young People: Research and Evaluation Report', Report
- 2019, 'Understanding the Experience and Perceived Impact of the Ready Arrive Work Program', Report
Research interests:
- Assessment
- Creative Arts Education (Dance, Drama and Music)
- Creativity in Education
- Assessment in the Arts
- Decolonised and anti-racist approaches to arts education
- Arts methods for language acquisition
This information has been contributed by Doctor Jacobs.
Current Projects
| Title: | Bennelong Foundation for Transitions Drama |
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| Western Researchers: | Rachael Jacobs |
| Years: | 2023-05-01 - 2025-04-18 |
| ID: | P00028695 |
Previous Projects
| Title: | Practice Changing Practice: Leadership Development through Action Research (Phase 1) |
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| Western Researchers: | Catherine Attard, Rachael Jacobs, Maree Skillen and Annette Sartor |
| Years: | 2019-05-09 - 2020-02-28 |
| ID: | P00025722 |
| Title: | An Evaluation of the Ready Arrive Work (RAW) Program |
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| Western Researchers: | Susanne Gannon, Danielle Tracey and Rachael Jacobs |
| Years: | 2019-01-01 - 2019-09-30 |
| ID: | P00025547 |
| Title: | Dance for Life: Expressive arts for cultural wellbeing with young people |
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| Western Researchers: | Karin Louise and Rachael Jacobs |
| Years: | 2019-11-04 - 2021-06-30 |
| ID: | P00026166 |
| Title: | Transitions Drama |
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| Western Researchers: | Rachael Jacobs |
| Years: | 2022-02-28 - 2022-12-31 |
| ID: | P00027747 |
| Title: | Writing in Secondary Academic Partner |
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| Western Researchers: | Kay Carroll, Christina Curry, Erin Mackenzie and Rachael Jacobs |
| Years: | 2021-06-01 - 2022-10-12 |
| ID: | P00027304 |
Supervision
Current Supervision
| Thesis Title: | The Material Assemblages of Play: A new materialist study of educational art therapy in an Early Learning Centre |
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| Thesis Title: | Obstacles to Success in Secondary Education Amongst Students in Southwestern Sydney |
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| Thesis Title: | Understanding Current Causes of Underrepresentation of Non-Western Female Leaders in NSW Educational System |
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| Thesis Title: | The Challenges and the Coping Approchs in Foreign Chinese Teaching |
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| Thesis Title: | The Engagement by Parents of Hazara Ethnicity in Their Children's Learning: A Case Study of Four Tasmanian Secondary Schools |
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| Thesis Title: | Re-Storying Personal Cultural History Through Indigenous Research Methodologies: Reclaiming Our Place in Land, Story and Time |
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| Thesis Title: | The Value of Drama in Engaging 21st Century Learners |
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| Thesis Title: | The Motivations and Impacts of Anti-racism and Rehumanisation: Towards an Ethical Counterstorytelling Framework |
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Previous Supervision
| Thesis Title: | Obstacles to Success in Secondary Education Amongst Students in Southwestern Sydney |
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| Field of Research: | |
| Thesis Title: | The Challenges and the Coping Approchs in Foreign Chinese Teaching |
| Field of Research: | |
| Thesis Title: | The Engagement of Hazara Parents in Their Children?s Learning: A Case Study of Four Tasmanian Secondary Schools |
| Field of Research: | |
| Thesis Title: | A Community-Based and Integrative Approach to Wellbeing for Tibetan Refugees |
| Field of Research: | |
| Thesis Title: | Investigating the architecture, construction and integrity of refugee storytelling in Australia from the perspective of refugee background people with lived experience. |
| Field of Research: | |
| Thesis Title: | Re-Storying Personal Cultural History Through Indigenous Research Methodologies: Reclaiming Our Place in Land, Story and Time |
| Field of Research: |