Belinda MacGill

Teaching Strengths

Connecting theory and practice
Research informed teaching

Dr Belinda MacGill

Senior Lecturer

School of Education

College of Education, Behavioural and Social Science

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Available For Media Comment.


Dr Belinda MacGill is a Senior Lecturer in Arts education at the University of South Australia Education Futures and is a contemporary artist. Dr MacGill’s research interests draw upon the fields of Contemporary art, Indigenous education, Postcolonial theory, Visual methodologies, Arts pedagogy and Critical race theory. Much of her work is focused on decolonisation through arts based practices and creative methodologies.
Dr MacGill’s research has been supported by national competitive research grants and university funding. Her recent research projects have explored the potential of virtual reality, aesthetics and learning design theory.  In 2017, Dr MacGill was Chief Investigator on the project Creative learning through dance: Exploring effects on mental wealth across generations. She was also recently Chief Investigator on a project to evaluate the WillPOWER Bilingual Program - an interdisciplinary education program, delivered specifically to Aboriginal students to increase student engagement, school attendance, and academic outcomes.
Dr MacGill’s research output includes articles and book chapters but her contribution extends to non-traditional forms such as art exhibits and editorials of art magazines such as Artlink on New Futures in Art Education. She has published a broad range of articles concerned with postcolonial receptivity, teaching in the contact zone, critical pedagogy and feminist art theory. She has also authored several book chapters including recently, Decolonization, Ethics of Care and Visual Arts Education in the book Reimagining Just Education, and the chapter Dialogue across difference: Global conversations on teacher identity and the ethics of care published in the book Drama for Schools in 2020.
In 2019, Dr MacGill was a Research fellow at King's College London, School of Global Affairs where she contributed towards teaching, research and related public engagement activities on Visual arts and decolonisation. She has been a board member of Developing Effective Arts Learners (DEAL) at Carclew, endorsed by the Department for Education; and is also on the board of the Songroom - a national not-for-profit organisation that supports disadvantaged children with tailored, high quality arts programs.
Dr MacGill offers expert advice to external stakeholders and has recently advised the Associate Director of Education on the Ancestral Modern exhibition at the Blanton Museum. She is also a sought after presenter and key keynote speaker.  While at King’s College London, she presented the keynote speech Decolonising research: Standpoint theory, intersectionality and deep listening. She also presented the seminar Embodied and creative strategies as a mode of engagement with a focus on social justice, at the Open University London.  
Dr MacGill has earned several academic distinctions including the 2020 Academic Excellence Award from the Division of Education, Arts & Social Sciences for High Achievement in student evaluation, postgraduate teaching. She also won UniSA’s Student Choice Excellent Teacher Award in 2014, the nationally awarded Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Teaching in 2012, and an Excellence in Teaching Award at Flinders University in 2011. Dr MacGill is a highly sought after HDR supervisor and has supervised six PhD students.

  • 2020: Academic Excellence Award (UniSA Division of Education, Arts & Social Sciences): High Achievement in student evaluation award, postgraduate teaching.
  • 2019: Distinguished Research Fellowship: Kings College London Australian Studies Fellowships.
  • 2014: Student’s Choice Excellent Teacher Award, University of South Australia Division of Education, Arts & Social Sciences

  • 2012: Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. A National Award for University Teaching from the Australian Government Office for Teaching and Learning (Yunggorendi, First Nations Centre for Higher Education and Research)‘For sustained, dedicated, inspirational and far-reaching contributions to the education of pre-service teachers of Indigenous students in compulsory topics in the School of Education’.

  • 2012: Invited member of the College of Distinguished Educators, Flinders University.

  • 2011: Excellence in Teaching Award, Flinders University, ‘For excellence in engaging and inducting prospective teachers from diverse backgrounds into the theoretical and socio-political contexts of education’.

  • 2000: Awarded the Australian Postgraduate Award with Stipend.

  • 1998: Named on the Chancellors Award List, and the Deans Merit Award List, for academic achievement at the University of South Australia in Visual Arts.

Year Citation
2024 Leonard, S. N., Devis, D., MacGill, B., Unsworth, P., Colton, J., & Fowler, S. (2024). Enhancing Empathy for Justice: A Methodology for Expansive Teacher Professional Development through Creative Body-Based Learning. Sustainability Switzerland, 16(1), 16 pages.
DOI Scopus2
2024 MacGill, B. M., Jattan, S., Lal, D., Narain, B., Neill, B., Nayaca, T., . . . Camaitoga, U. (2024). Ethics of care: pedagogical encounters from Oceania. Qualitative Research Journal, 24(1), 39-48.
DOI
2023 MacGill, B. (2023). Decolonising art and design education through standpoint theory, embodied learning and deep listening. The International Journal of Art and Design Education, 42(4), 509-520.
DOI
2022 MacGill, B., Whitehead, K., & Rigney, L. (2022). Culture and education with Alice Rigney (1942-2017), Australia's first Aboriginal woman school principal. History of Education Review, 51(1), 1-15.
DOI Scopus3 WoS1
2022 Rowlands, K., MacGill, B., & Meiners, J. (2022). First Nations dance in the school curriculum: perspectives from an Australian university. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 23(1), 2-23.
DOI
2022 MacGill, B. (2022). The Australian Curriculum, Assessment, and Reporting Authority (ACARA) - holding responsibility: the arts curriculum and the cross-curriculum priorities. Curriculum Perspectives, 42(2), 185-189.
DOI
2021 Garrett, R., & MacGill, B. (2021). Fostering inclusion in school through creative and body-based learning. International journal of inclusive education, 25(11), 1221-1235.
DOI
2021 Whitehead, K., MacGill, B., & Schulz, S. (2021). Honouring Nancy Barnes, nee Brumbie (1927–2012), South Australia’s first qualified Aboriginal Kindergarten Director. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 46(3), 204-215.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2
2021 Whitehead, K., Schulz, S., & MacGill, B. (2021). From assimilation towards reconciliation with Amy Levai, nee O’Donoghue (1930–2013), South Australia’s first qualified Aboriginal infant teacher. Australian Educational Researcher, 50(2), 221-235.
DOI Scopus2 WoS2
2021 Rankin, J., Garrett, R., & MacGill, B. (2021). Critical encounters: enacting social justice through creative and body-based learning. Australian Educational Researcher, 48(2), 281-302.
DOI
2019 Rigney, L., Garrett, R., Curry, M., & MacGill, B. (2019). Culturally responsive pedagogy and mathematics through creative and body-based learning: urban Aboriginal schooling. Education and Urban Society, 52(8), 1159-1180.
DOI Scopus30 WoS15
2019 MacGill, B. (2019). Craft, relational aesthetics and ethics of care. Art/research international: a transdisciplinary journal, 4(1), 406-419.
DOI
2018 MacGill, B. (2018). Visual art pedagogy and practice on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Land. Australian art education, 38(1), 38-53.
2017 Rahayani, Y., & MacGill, B. (2017). The Angklung: The maintenance of Indonesian cultural heritage through public pedagogy. Journal of public pedagogies, 2, 1-7.
2017 MacGill, B. (2017). Aboriginal Community Education Officers' fight for agency and equality: a historical overview. Australian Aboriginal studies journal, 2, 55-68.
2016 MacGill, B. (2016). A paradigm shift in education: pedagogy, standpoint and ethics of care. International journal of pedagogies and learning, 11(3), 238-247.
DOI
2016 MacGill, B. (2016). Public pedagogy at the Geelong Powerhouse: intercultural understandings through street art within the contact zone. Journal of public pedagogies, 2016(1), 18-28.
2014 MacGill, B. (2014). Postcolonial belonging as an ethic of care. New Scholar, 3(1), 155-170.
2013 MacGill, B., & Blanch, F. (2013). Indigenous students' wellbeing and the mobilisation of ethics of care in the contact zone. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 38(2), 143-152.
DOI
2012 MacGill, B., Mathews, J., Trevorrow, A. E., & Rankine, D. (2012). Ecology, ontology and pedagogy at Camp Coorong. M/C Journal, 15(3), 499-507.
2012 MacGill, B. (2012). Aboriginal Community Education Officers' border work: culturally safe practices for supporting migrating Indigenous students from country into urban and semi-rural schools. Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 41(2), 181-186.
DOI
2011 MacGill, B., & Whitehead, K. (2011). Resisting technicist approaches in favour of complexity and social justice in a teacher education program. Social Alternatives, 30(4), 38-41.
2010 MacGill, B. (2010). The challenge of whiteness: Equality of recognition of ethics of care paradigm. Alternative Law Journal, 35(3), 149-154.

Year Citation
2025 Link, B., & MacGill, B. (2025). Dialogue across difference: global conversations on teacher identity and the ethics of care. In K. Dawson (Ed.), Source details - Title: Drama for Schools and Beyond: Transformative Learning Through the Arts (pp. 136-140). UK: Intellect.
DOI
2024 Dawson, K., Garrett, R., & MacGill, B. (2024). Redesigning pedagogy for transformation: creative body-based learning. In D. Green, & D. Price (Eds.), Source details - Title: Teaching to Transform Learning: Pedagogies for Inclusive, Responsive and Socially Just Education (pp. 122-136). UK: Cambridge University Press.
DOI
2024 Link, B., MacGill, B., & Dawson, K. (2024). Building transformative classrooms through visual and creative body-based learning design. In D. Green, & D. Price (Eds.), Source details - Title: Teaching to Transform Learning: Pedagogies for Inclusive, Responsive and Socially Just Education (pp. 137-151). UK: Cambridge University Press.
DOI
2023 Price, D., MacGill, B., & Carter, J. (2023). Preface - Arts-based Practices with Young People at the Edge. In J. Carter, D. Price, & B. MacGill (Eds.), Source details - Title: Arts-based Practices with Young People at the Edge (pp. v-viii). Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
2023 MacGill, B., Carter, J., & Price, D. (2023). Young people: navigating the edge of society through the arts: creating in the border zones. In D. Price, B. MacGill, & J. Carter (Eds.), Source details - Title: Arts-based Practices with Young People at the Edge (pp. 3-15). Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
DOI
2023 MacGill, B., & Unsworth, P. (2023). Media arts in An−angu education: a culturally responsive approach for developing digital and media literacies. In J. Carter, D. Price, & B. MacGill (Eds.), Source details - Title: Arts-based Practices with Young People at the Edge (pp. 107-124). Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
DOI
2023 Garrett, R., Dawson, K., & MacGill, B. (2023). Embodying culture and community through creative and body-based learning: new approaches to praxis and transformation. In L. -I. Rigney (Ed.), Source details - Title: Global Perspectives and New Challenges in Culturally Responsive Pedagogies: Super-diversity and Teaching Practice (pp. 119-128). UK: Routledge.
DOI
2018 MacGill, B., Carter, J., & Price, D. (2018). Youthworx South Australia: re-engaging youth in learning and employment through the creative art of film-making. In M. Best, T. Corcoran, & R. Slee (Eds.), Source details - Title: Who’s In? Who’s Out? What to do about inclusive education (pp. 129-144). Netherlands: Brill.
DOI
2011 MacGill, B. (2011). Kurwingie Kerry Giles. In Event/exhibition information: Long way home: a celebration of 21 years of Ynggorendi First Nations Centre, Flinders University City Gallery, 17/12/2011-19/02/2012
Source details - Title: Long way home: a celebration of 21 years of Yunggorendi First Nations Centre (pp. 26). Adelaide, Australia: Flinders Art Museum, Flinders University,.

Year Citation
2022 MacGill, B. (2022). Decolonising research: standpoint theory, intersectionality and deep listening. Poster session presented at the meeting of The International Journal of Art & Design Education. UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.
2022 MacGill, B. (2022). Developing a pedagogy of care through co-experienced embodied (CBL) strategies.. Poster session presented at the meeting of Journal of Public Pedagogies. Australia: Victoria University.
2016 MacGill, B., & Rahayani, Y. (2016). Angklung: public pedagogy and the South Australian Indonesia community. Poster session presented at the meeting of Public Pedagogies Conference. Melbourne.
2016 MacGill, B., & Blanch, F. (2016). Emotions and ethical violence in the contact zone. Poster session presented at the meeting of 1st International Conference on Contemporary and Historical Approaches to Emotion. Sydney.
2012 MacGill, B., Hemming, S., & Rigney, D. (2012). Survival in your own land: place-based pedagogy. Poster session presented at the meeting of American Education Research Association (AERA) Annual conference. Canada: AERA.
2011 MacGill, B. (2011). Aboriginal community education officers' border work: culturally safe practices for supporting migrating indigenous students from 'country' into urban and semi-rural schools. Poster session presented at the meeting of Flinders Educational Futures Research Institute Annual Conference: Crossing the Boundaries. Australia: Flinders University.
2011 MacGill, B. (2011). Indigenous knowledge, place and pedagogy at Camp Coorong. Poster session presented at the meeting of Knowledge/Culture/Social Change International Conference. Australia: Western Sydney University.

Courses I teach

  • EDUC 2054 Foundations in Arts Education (2025)
  • EDUC 4216 Arts Across the Early Childhood Curriculum (2025)
  • EDUC 2054 Foundations in Arts Education (2024)
  • EDUC 4216 Arts Across the Early Childhood Curriculum (2024)

Programs I'm associated with

  • MMEL - Master of Education
  • MMET - Master of Teaching

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2022 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Margaret Rachel Lovell
2022 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Deanne Krishna Gray
2021 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Tara Rowhani-Farid
2021 Principal Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Grant Hall
2020 Principal Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Alexis Kim Johnson
2018 Co-Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Sarah Forrest

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