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Peter Brett

University of Tasmania, Faculty of Education, Faculty Member

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I am a Senior Lecturer in Humanities and Social Sciences education at the University of Tasmania where I have worked mainly within the B.Ed. (Primary) program since 2012. I am an experienced teacher educator with specific professional expertise in the areas of history education and civics and citizenship education and have a number of journal publications in these areas. I worked as a Secondary teacher educator at the University of Cumbria in the north of England from 1993 to 2008. I was involved in a variety of ways in the launch of citizenship education in England from 2002-2008.
Phone: 61 (03) 64304932
Address: Faculty of Education
University of Tasmania
20-24 Mooreville Road
Burnie
Tasmania 7316
Australia

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Papers by Peter Brett

Discovering Argument: Linking Literacy, Citizenship Education, and Persuasive Advocacy

Journal of Social Science Education, May 2, 2014

Visualizing civic values: Representations of idealized citizenship behaviours in images found in Nepalese social studies textbooks

Citizenship Teaching and Learning, Mar 1, 2020

Tasmanian Secondary Students’ Experiences of Education for Sustainability

Education for sustainability, Dec 31, 2022

Tasmanian Secondary Students' Experiences of Education for Sustainability

by Peter Brett and Ian Ayre

Education and the UN Sustainable Development Goals Praxis Within and Beyond the Classroom, 2023

Defining and designing impact consciousness in teacher education

Teaching Education, Mar 14, 2019

Contribution des enseignants à l'éducation à la citoyenneté et aux droits de l'homme : cadre de développement de compétences

o n tr ib u ti o n d es e n se ig n an ts à l ’é d u ca ti o n à l a ci to ye n n et é et a u x d... more o n tr ib u ti o n d es e n se ig n an ts à l ’é d u ca ti o n à l a ci to ye n n et é et a u x d ro it s d e l’ h o m m e. C ad re d e d év el o p p em en t d e co m p ét en ce s Cet ouvrage définit les compétences de base nécessaires aux enseignants pour mettre en œuvre concrètement la citoyenneté démocratique et les droits de l’homme dans leur classe, leur établissement scolaire et la communauté locale. Elle s’adresse à tous les enseignants – et pas seulement aux spécialistes d’une matière – ainsi qu’aux formateurs d’enseignants œuvrant dans les établissements d’enseignement supérieur et autres instituts de formation initiale ou continue.

Exploring the intersections between philosophy and civics and citizenship education in Australia

This paper explores the shared territory between civics and citizenship education and Philosophy.... more This paper explores the shared territory between civics and citizenship education and Philosophy. It asks what constitutes key pedagogical content knowledge for teachers. It outlines the opportunities for linking values, philosophy and civics and citizenship in the Australian Curriculum, identifying a number of possibilities beneath some of the top-line knowledge imperatives. The paper goes on to suggest ten lenses or frames of philosophical thinking as a foundational base likely to be beneficial to teachers as they reflect upon their perspectives and classroom realisation of citizenship education ideals. It is argued that Philosophy offers a rich source of conceptual and ethical rigour to inform the study and exploration of issues which are central to the substance and concerns of civics and citizenship education.

Edukacja obywatelska i edukacja na rzecz praw czlowieka jako zadanie wszystkich nauczycieli

Evidencing the impact of pre-service teachers: shifting the conversation

There are challenges in obtaining robust, valid evidence that identifies the impact of pre-servic... more There are challenges in obtaining robust, valid evidence that identifies the impact of pre-service teachers upon learners. The University of Tasmania is taking a research-based approach to determine the evidence needed to showcase the impact of its pre-service and graduate teachers on student learning. This paper offers a reflection upon thinking and planning in the "impact" space. We discuss our initial attempts to model analysis of evidence collected during our programs and we provide examples of responses prompted by AITSL templates of evidence that drive teacher education providers to capture impact in its multi-layered forms. We discuss the efficacy of collecting various types of impact evidence that can provide an authentic assessment of the impact of pre-service teachers across a range of initial teacher education programs. In coming back into dialogue with the research literature, we conclude with a plea to shift the conversation. Rounded assessment of the impact o...

Enacting the Sustainable Development Goals in Nepalese Schools and Teacher Education

by Krishna Kumar Yogi, Peter Brett, and Ganga Gurung

Infusing cultural diversity into Pakistan Studies textbooks

In Radicalization in Pakistan: A Critical Perspective, Routledge, MS Pervez (ed), London, UK, pp.... more

Some challenges in teaching citizenship in an Islamic context: Pakistan Studies teachers’ perspectives and practices in relation to teaching about identity

Citizenship Teaching and Learning, Sep 1, 2017

In Pakistan, the school subjects of Social Studies, Civics and Pakistan Studies are explicitly us... more In Pakistan, the school subjects of Social Studies, Civics and Pakistan Studies are explicitly used to construct Pakistani national identity and young people’s sense of citizenship. This article draws upon interviews with 27 Pakistan Studies teachers from a town in the Punjab region of Pakistan. The interviews aimed to explore the teachers’ perceptions and teaching practices with respect to teaching about regional, national and global identity content within the area of Pakistan Studies. The research found that in seeking to reconcile conflicting binary policy discourses most of the teachers continued to subscribe to relatively traditional pedagogical practices constrained by an examination system that overwhelmingly assesses students’ knowledge of textbook content. Most of the teachers had more inclination towards developing students’ national identity based upon Sunni Islamic values rather than multi-layered identities, reflecting more localized cultural diversity or global outlooks and viewpoints.

Beyond binary discourses? Pakistan studies textbooks and representations of cultural, national, and global identity

Pakistan studies textbooks occupy a central role in translating curriculum imperatives into the f... more Pakistan studies textbooks occupy a central role in translating curriculum imperatives into the foundational stories identified by the authorities as core knowledge for classroom transmission, and consequently in constructing Pakistani young people’s identities. The purpose of this article is to explore the content of recently-crafted Pakistan studies textbooks in the Punjab in relation to identity-related issues at a point in time when domestic circumstances, critical diagnoses of flawed textbook approaches in the late twentieth century and a dynamic international context all pushed the previously dominant theocratic/ Islamic discourse of curriculum policy towards more democratic and pluralistic pathways and the possibility of ‘enlightened moderation’. The specific focus of the study is upon how textbook writers’ interpreted and enacted policy objectives and guidelines regarding Pakistani national identity, internal ethnic and cultural diversity, and global perspectives in their writing of textbooks within the rubric of the revised 2006 secondary school Pakistan studies national curriculum.

The Challenges of Undertaking Citizenship Education Research in Pakistan

What is Next in Educational Research?, 2016

A long-standing curriculum controversy erupted in Pakistan in 2009 between two relatively polaris... more A long-standing curriculum controversy erupted in Pakistan in 2009 between two relatively polarised interpretive communities – represented by individuals drawing upon theocratic and liberal-democratic influences respectively. Following the announcement of a new National Education Policy, civil society groups and influential commentators vigorously debated features of the policy in opinions and editorial sections of national newspapers.

Citizenship education and gender in Pakistan teachers' and students' perspectives

There are two competing and contrasting perspectives about what makes a good Pakistani citizen, a... more There are two competing and contrasting perspectives about what makes a good Pakistani citizen, a theocratic vision and liberal democratic vision. Tensions between these visions create an ongoing struggle for teachers to enable principles and educational practices to align in classrooms. These perspectives sit alongside two competing ideological discourses – social conservatism and social transformation, promoting democratic pluralism in an Islamic context. Syllabuses and textbooks at all levels in the Pakistan education system have struggled to represent the complexities of Pakistan as a diverse changing society. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the Pakistani curriculum is seeking to accommodate more progressive agendas in the context of a particular national, societal, and religious set of perspectives around gender. A sample of Pakistani teachers’ and 16-19-year-old students’ perspectives on gender in education is explored

Geospatial technologies and twenty first century citizenship: opportunities and barriers in the humanities and social sciences classroom

Geospatial technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), Global Positioning System ... more Geospatial technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), Global Positioning System devices (GPS), interactive maps and virtual globes, offer a range of meaningful, accessible and authentic opportunities for geography education within the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) classroom. They also offer an opportunity to promote higher order thinking and facilitate students becoming actively engaged citizens. In this paper, we discuss the potential for geospatial technologies for geography and citizenship teaching and learning within the HASS curriculum. We share examples of good teaching practice drawn from experienced geography teachers to identify approaches to using technologies in the classroom. Finally, we recognise some of the persistent barriers to geospatial technology use in schools and propose ways to assist teachers to address these challenges and to make links to spatial citizenship education learning opportunities.

Making Connections Between Civics and Citizenship and Education for Sustainability

Making Connections Between Civics and Citizenship and Education for Sustainability

Civics and Citizenship Education in Australia, 2017

Defining and designing impact consciousness in teacher education

Teaching Education, 2019

Making the links between health and physical education, sport and civics and citizenship education in Australia

Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education

ABSTRACT This paper explores Health and Physical Education (HPE) students' understanding of C... more ABSTRACT This paper explores Health and Physical Education (HPE) students' understanding of Civics and Citizenship Education (CCE) and discusses some of the links that connect HPE, sport and CCE in Australia. A brief overview of CCE key features is provided. Second- and third-year HPE pre-service teachers at an Australian regional university were surveyed to gauge what the baseline of knowledge and understanding of CCE amongst beginning teachers might be. Shared learning opportunities between HPE and CCE are discussed in different parts of the paper in relation to fair play; ethical debates and dilemmas; community involvement; identity; and respect for inclusivity. Linking to the pre-service teacher responses, the paper provides suggestions for some practical ways in which Australian HPE educators might make connections between the CCE curriculum and inter-connected HPE learning contexts for Year 3 to Year 8 students, the years for which a Civics and Citizenship curriculum is specified in the Australian Curriculum.

Discovering Argument: Linking Literacy, Citizenship Education, and Persuasive Advocacy

Journal of Social Science Education, May 2, 2014

Visualizing civic values: Representations of idealized citizenship behaviours in images found in Nepalese social studies textbooks

Citizenship Teaching and Learning, Mar 1, 2020

Tasmanian Secondary Students’ Experiences of Education for Sustainability

Education for sustainability, Dec 31, 2022

Tasmanian Secondary Students' Experiences of Education for Sustainability

by Peter Brett and Ian Ayre

Education and the UN Sustainable Development Goals Praxis Within and Beyond the Classroom, 2023

Defining and designing impact consciousness in teacher education

Teaching Education, Mar 14, 2019

Contribution des enseignants à l'éducation à la citoyenneté et aux droits de l'homme : cadre de développement de compétences

o n tr ib u ti o n d es e n se ig n an ts à l ’é d u ca ti o n à l a ci to ye n n et é et a u x d... more o n tr ib u ti o n d es e n se ig n an ts à l ’é d u ca ti o n à l a ci to ye n n et é et a u x d ro it s d e l’ h o m m e. C ad re d e d év el o p p em en t d e co m p ét en ce s Cet ouvrage définit les compétences de base nécessaires aux enseignants pour mettre en œuvre concrètement la citoyenneté démocratique et les droits de l’homme dans leur classe, leur établissement scolaire et la communauté locale. Elle s’adresse à tous les enseignants – et pas seulement aux spécialistes d’une matière – ainsi qu’aux formateurs d’enseignants œuvrant dans les établissements d’enseignement supérieur et autres instituts de formation initiale ou continue.

Exploring the intersections between philosophy and civics and citizenship education in Australia

This paper explores the shared territory between civics and citizenship education and Philosophy.... more This paper explores the shared territory between civics and citizenship education and Philosophy. It asks what constitutes key pedagogical content knowledge for teachers. It outlines the opportunities for linking values, philosophy and civics and citizenship in the Australian Curriculum, identifying a number of possibilities beneath some of the top-line knowledge imperatives. The paper goes on to suggest ten lenses or frames of philosophical thinking as a foundational base likely to be beneficial to teachers as they reflect upon their perspectives and classroom realisation of citizenship education ideals. It is argued that Philosophy offers a rich source of conceptual and ethical rigour to inform the study and exploration of issues which are central to the substance and concerns of civics and citizenship education.

Edukacja obywatelska i edukacja na rzecz praw czlowieka jako zadanie wszystkich nauczycieli

Evidencing the impact of pre-service teachers: shifting the conversation

There are challenges in obtaining robust, valid evidence that identifies the impact of pre-servic... more There are challenges in obtaining robust, valid evidence that identifies the impact of pre-service teachers upon learners. The University of Tasmania is taking a research-based approach to determine the evidence needed to showcase the impact of its pre-service and graduate teachers on student learning. This paper offers a reflection upon thinking and planning in the "impact" space. We discuss our initial attempts to model analysis of evidence collected during our programs and we provide examples of responses prompted by AITSL templates of evidence that drive teacher education providers to capture impact in its multi-layered forms. We discuss the efficacy of collecting various types of impact evidence that can provide an authentic assessment of the impact of pre-service teachers across a range of initial teacher education programs. In coming back into dialogue with the research literature, we conclude with a plea to shift the conversation. Rounded assessment of the impact o...

Enacting the Sustainable Development Goals in Nepalese Schools and Teacher Education

by Krishna Kumar Yogi, Peter Brett, and Ganga Gurung

Infusing cultural diversity into Pakistan Studies textbooks

In Radicalization in Pakistan: A Critical Perspective, Routledge, MS Pervez (ed), London, UK, pp.... more

Some challenges in teaching citizenship in an Islamic context: Pakistan Studies teachers’ perspectives and practices in relation to teaching about identity

Citizenship Teaching and Learning, Sep 1, 2017

In Pakistan, the school subjects of Social Studies, Civics and Pakistan Studies are explicitly us... more In Pakistan, the school subjects of Social Studies, Civics and Pakistan Studies are explicitly used to construct Pakistani national identity and young people’s sense of citizenship. This article draws upon interviews with 27 Pakistan Studies teachers from a town in the Punjab region of Pakistan. The interviews aimed to explore the teachers’ perceptions and teaching practices with respect to teaching about regional, national and global identity content within the area of Pakistan Studies. The research found that in seeking to reconcile conflicting binary policy discourses most of the teachers continued to subscribe to relatively traditional pedagogical practices constrained by an examination system that overwhelmingly assesses students’ knowledge of textbook content. Most of the teachers had more inclination towards developing students’ national identity based upon Sunni Islamic values rather than multi-layered identities, reflecting more localized cultural diversity or global outlooks and viewpoints.

Beyond binary discourses? Pakistan studies textbooks and representations of cultural, national, and global identity

Pakistan studies textbooks occupy a central role in translating curriculum imperatives into the f... more Pakistan studies textbooks occupy a central role in translating curriculum imperatives into the foundational stories identified by the authorities as core knowledge for classroom transmission, and consequently in constructing Pakistani young people’s identities. The purpose of this article is to explore the content of recently-crafted Pakistan studies textbooks in the Punjab in relation to identity-related issues at a point in time when domestic circumstances, critical diagnoses of flawed textbook approaches in the late twentieth century and a dynamic international context all pushed the previously dominant theocratic/ Islamic discourse of curriculum policy towards more democratic and pluralistic pathways and the possibility of ‘enlightened moderation’. The specific focus of the study is upon how textbook writers’ interpreted and enacted policy objectives and guidelines regarding Pakistani national identity, internal ethnic and cultural diversity, and global perspectives in their writing of textbooks within the rubric of the revised 2006 secondary school Pakistan studies national curriculum.

The Challenges of Undertaking Citizenship Education Research in Pakistan

What is Next in Educational Research?, 2016

A long-standing curriculum controversy erupted in Pakistan in 2009 between two relatively polaris... more A long-standing curriculum controversy erupted in Pakistan in 2009 between two relatively polarised interpretive communities – represented by individuals drawing upon theocratic and liberal-democratic influences respectively. Following the announcement of a new National Education Policy, civil society groups and influential commentators vigorously debated features of the policy in opinions and editorial sections of national newspapers.

Citizenship education and gender in Pakistan teachers' and students' perspectives

There are two competing and contrasting perspectives about what makes a good Pakistani citizen, a... more There are two competing and contrasting perspectives about what makes a good Pakistani citizen, a theocratic vision and liberal democratic vision. Tensions between these visions create an ongoing struggle for teachers to enable principles and educational practices to align in classrooms. These perspectives sit alongside two competing ideological discourses – social conservatism and social transformation, promoting democratic pluralism in an Islamic context. Syllabuses and textbooks at all levels in the Pakistan education system have struggled to represent the complexities of Pakistan as a diverse changing society. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the Pakistani curriculum is seeking to accommodate more progressive agendas in the context of a particular national, societal, and religious set of perspectives around gender. A sample of Pakistani teachers’ and 16-19-year-old students’ perspectives on gender in education is explored

Geospatial technologies and twenty first century citizenship: opportunities and barriers in the humanities and social sciences classroom

Geospatial technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), Global Positioning System ... more Geospatial technologies, such as geographic information systems (GIS), Global Positioning System devices (GPS), interactive maps and virtual globes, offer a range of meaningful, accessible and authentic opportunities for geography education within the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) classroom. They also offer an opportunity to promote higher order thinking and facilitate students becoming actively engaged citizens. In this paper, we discuss the potential for geospatial technologies for geography and citizenship teaching and learning within the HASS curriculum. We share examples of good teaching practice drawn from experienced geography teachers to identify approaches to using technologies in the classroom. Finally, we recognise some of the persistent barriers to geospatial technology use in schools and propose ways to assist teachers to address these challenges and to make links to spatial citizenship education learning opportunities.

Making Connections Between Civics and Citizenship and Education for Sustainability

Making Connections Between Civics and Citizenship and Education for Sustainability

Civics and Citizenship Education in Australia, 2017

Defining and designing impact consciousness in teacher education

Teaching Education, 2019

Making the links between health and physical education, sport and civics and citizenship education in Australia

Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education

ABSTRACT This paper explores Health and Physical Education (HPE) students' understanding of C... more ABSTRACT This paper explores Health and Physical Education (HPE) students' understanding of Civics and Citizenship Education (CCE) and discusses some of the links that connect HPE, sport and CCE in Australia. A brief overview of CCE key features is provided. Second- and third-year HPE pre-service teachers at an Australian regional university were surveyed to gauge what the baseline of knowledge and understanding of CCE amongst beginning teachers might be. Shared learning opportunities between HPE and CCE are discussed in different parts of the paper in relation to fair play; ethical debates and dilemmas; community involvement; identity; and respect for inclusivity. Linking to the pre-service teacher responses, the paper provides suggestions for some practical ways in which Australian HPE educators might make connections between the CCE curriculum and inter-connected HPE learning contexts for Year 3 to Year 8 students, the years for which a Civics and Citizenship curriculum is specified in the Australian Curriculum.

The Grey Monument: The Making of a Regional Landmark

Papers in North Eastern History, No.10, 2000

How all teachers can support citizenship and human rights education: a framework for the development of competences

by Peter Brett and Maria Helena Salema

How all teachers can support citizenship and human rights education: a framework for the development of competences, 2009

Council of Europe publication providing a competence framework for teachers to teach education fo... more Council of Europe publication providing a competence framework for teachers to teach education for democratic citizenship and human rights education. Some 15 competences are presented and grouped into four progressive clusters corresponding toquestions and issues teachers and teacher educators are bound to meet when implementing EDC/HRE. The reader will find progression charts for each competence:these charts aim to help teachers and teacher educators determine the level to which theirprofessional practice corresponds, and thus identify the improvements they can focus on. Otherstakeholders will also find resources relevant to EDC/HRE practice and implementation: policymakers, school heads and higher education institutions. The publication was translated into 12 different languages.