Lisa O'Keeffe

Teaching Strengths

Mathematics Education
Numeracy

APrf Lisa O'Keeffe

Associate Professor of Mathematics Education

School of Education

College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences

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

Dr Lisa O’Keeffe is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education in Education Futures at the University of South Australia, having also worked in the Irish and UK contexts. She has previously taught mathematics at both second and third level to a wide variety of students in both the Irish and UK contexts and has coordinated a successful national blended learning project for Professional Development of in-service teachers in Ireland. Her work has been recognised with national and university teaching and research awards, including a AAUT Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2021), and a MERGA Early Career Research Award in 2016. 
Lisa’s research is focused on ways we can better understand, and improve, the mathematical experiences of all students, both within and beyond the mathematics classroom and has two key themes: enhancing access to quality mathematical experiences and improving teacher practice in mathematics. She is currently working on three projects:

Enhancing children’s access to mathematics through intergenerational support and,
Developing rich mathematical experiences for the middle years (in partnership with CESA) and
Reflection through 360degree video for improving teacher practice in mathematics. 

Dr. O’Keeffe has published in Mathematics education and teacher education journals and has presented her research internationally in several countries, including Ireland, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy and South Korea. 

Mathematics Textbook Analysis, Pre-Service Teachers of Mathematics, Mathematical Language and Analysis, Numeracy

Year Citation
2025 O'Keeffe, L., McDonald, S., Clarke, C., & Comber, B. (2025). Love it or hate it: mothers' experience with mathematics homework. Mathematics Education Research Journal, online, 1-24.
DOI
2025 Morphett, A., O'Keeffe, L., & Paige, K. (2025). Researching mathematics in rural primary multigrade classrooms. International Journal of Educational Research, 131(102595), 1-12.
DOI
2024 Morphett, A., O'Keeffe, L., & Paige, K. (2024). A blueprint for rural mathematics: connecting social space, identity and teacher pedagogy. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 34(1), 76-92.
DOI
2024 Paige, K., O'Keeffe, L., & Osborne, S. (2024). Silence is not an option: pre-service teachers embedding first nation knowledge and practices in primary/middle mathematics and science. International Journal of Science Education, 46(1), 28-45.
DOI
2024 Beinke, A., O'Keeffe, L., Albrecht, A., & White, B. (2024). An approach to building thinking classrooms in year 7 mathematics. The Australian Mathematics Education Journal, 6(1), 4-10.
2024 Maher, K., Rigney, L. I., King, M., Garrett, R., Windle, J., Memon, N., . . . Hattam, R. (2024). Curriculum, democracy and pedagogies for justice: a collective futures dialogue. Curriculum Perspectives, 44(2), 105-119.
DOI Scopus3
2024 Colton, J., O'Keeffe, L., Barry, G., White, B., & White, J. (2024). Teacher's perceptions of pedagogical practices in innovative learning spaces. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 32(3), 675-697.
DOI Scopus5
2023 Haggerty, B., Paige, K., & O'Keeffe, L. (2023). A transdisciplinary approach to teaching citizen science in a primary classroom. Teaching Science, 69(2), 11-20.
2023 O'Keeffe, L., Clarke, C., McDonald, S., & Comber, B. (2023). Mathematics homework and the potential compounding of educational disadvantage. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 44(7), 1144-1160.
DOI Scopus8
2022 O'Keeffe, L., & White, B. (2022). Supporting Mathematics Pre-Service Teachers Reflection with 360degree Video and the Knowledge Quartet. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 47(3), 57-71.
DOI
2022 Cutting, C., & O'Keeffe, L. (2022). Supporting children to think flexibly about fractions. Australian Primary Maths Classroom, 27(3), 6-10.
2022 Leonard, S. N., O'Keeffe, L., White, B., O'Leary, M., & Sloan, K. (2022). The STEM crisis and teacher practice: exploring responses to the competing discursive arrangements of education in the sciences in a catholic school setting. Education Sciences, 12(10, article no. 709), 1-14.
DOI Scopus1
2021 Scott, L., Pilla, L., O'Keeffe, L., & White, B. (2021). STEM through inquiry projects for students: a teacher's perspective. Teaching Science, 67(3), 26-37.
2021 O'Keeffe, L., & Paige, K. (2021). Re-highlighting the potential of critical numeracy. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 33(2), 285-299.
DOI
2020 O'Keeffe, L., & Paige, K. (2020). Reflections on journaling: an initiative to support pre-service mathematics and science teachers. The Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 45(4, article no. 6), 76-95.
DOI
2020 O'Keeffe, L., Rosa, A., Vannini, I., & White, B. (2020). Promote informal formative assessment practices in higher education:the potential of video analysis as a training tool. Formare, 20(1), 43-61.
DOI
2019 O'Keeffe, L., Paige, K., & Osborne, S. (2019). Getting started: exploring pre-service teachers' confidence and knowledge of culturally responsive pedagogy in teaching mathematics and science. Asia-Pacific journal of teacher education, 47(2), 152-175.
DOI
2019 Balzaretti, N., Ciani, A., Cutting, C., O'Keeffe, L., & White, B. (2019). Unpacking the potential of 360degree video to support pre-service teacher development. Research on Education and Media, 11(1), 63-69.
DOI
2019 Paige, K., O'Keeffe, L., Geer, R., MacGregor, D., & Panizzon, D. (2019). Using artefacts to articulate teachers' perceptions of STEM. Teaching science, 65(1), 48-54.
2019 Fowler, S., O'Keefe, L., Cutting, C., & Leonard, S. (2019). The mathematics proficiencies: A doorway into spatial thinking. Australian primary mathematics classroom, 24(1), 36-40.
2018 Paige, K., Lloyd, D., Caldwell, D., Comber, B., O'Keeffe, L., Osborne, S., & Roetman, P. (2018). Futures in primary science education-connecting students to place and ecojustice. Visions for sustainability, 9, 49-59.
DOI
2018 Brown, L., O'Keeffe, L., & Paige, K. (2018). The colour of velvet: a transdisciplinary approach to connecting students from a refugee background to the natural world. Teaching science, 63(4), 20-32.
2018 Panizzon, D., Geer, R., Paige, K., O'Keeffe, L., Schultz, L., Zeegers, Y., & Brown, L. (2018). Exploring the 'hard facts' around STEM in Australia: females, low socioeconomic status and absenteeism. International journal of innovation in science and mathematics education. Special issue: STEM education, 26(8), 30-44.
2018 O'Keeffe, L., & White, B. (2018). The 'art' of ratio: using a hands-on ratio task to explore student thinking. Australian primary mathematics classroom, 23(2), 27-31.
2017 O'Keeffe, L., & White, B. (2017). A snapshot of the current role of the mathematics textbook in English secondary mathematics classrooms. International journal for mathematics teaching and learning, 18(3), 318-332.
2017 O'Keeffe, L., O'Halloran, K. L., Wignell, P., & Tan, S. (2017). A linguistic analysis of the sample numeracy skills test items for pre-service teachers issued by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Australian educational researcher, 44(3), 233-253.
DOI Scopus7 WoS5
2016 Johnson, P., & O'Keeffe, L. (2016). The effect of a pre-university mathematics bridging course on adult learners' self-efficacy and retention rates in STEM subjects. Irish educational studies, 35(3), 233-248.
DOI
2015 O'Keeffe, L., & O'Donoghue, J. (2015). A role for language analysis in mathematics textbook analysis. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 13(3), 1-26.
DOI
2014 Prendergast, M., Johnson, P., Fitzmaurice, O., Liston, M., O'Keeffe, L., & O'Meara, N. (2014). Mathematical thinking: challenging prospective teachers to do more than 'talk the talk'. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 45(5), 635-647.
DOI
2013 O'Keeffe, L. (2013). A framework for textbook analysis. International review of contemporary learning research, 2(1), 1-13.
2011 O'Keeffe, L., & O'Donoghue, J. (2011). The use of evidence based research on mathematics textbooks to increase student conceptual understanding. International journal for cross-disciplinary subjects in education, 2(1), 304-311.
DOI

Year Citation
2024 Anderson, J., English, L., Highfield, K., & O'Keeffe, L. (2024). Highlighting mathematics in STEM school education. In Source details - Title: Research in Mathematics Education in Australasia 2020-2023 (pp. 309-332). Singapore: Springer.
DOI
2023 Zeegers, Y., O'Keeffe, L., & White, B. (2023). Inquiry-based teaching and STEM education. In R. Tierney, F. Rizvi, & K. Ercikan (Eds.), Source details - Title: International Encyclopedia of Education: Fourth Edition (pp. 96-102). Netherlands: Elsevier.
DOI
2021 Paige, K., Brown, L., O'Keeffe, L., & Garrett, R. (2021). Dramatising the S and M in STEM. In P. J. White, J. Raphael, & K. Cuylenburg (Eds.), Source details - Title: Science and Drama: Contemporary and Creative Approaches to Teaching and Learning (pp. 73-92). Switzerland: Springer.
DOI
2020 Paige, K., O'Keeffe, L., & Lloyd, D. (2020). More than STEM: Connecting students' learning to community through eco-justice. In A. Fitzgerald, C. Haeusler, & L. Pfeiffer (Eds.), Source details - Title: STEM Education in Primary Classrooms: Unravelling Contemporary Approaches in Australia and New Zealand (pp. 151-167). UK: Routledge.
2012 O'Keeffe, L., & Fitzmaurice, O. (2012). The use of Tablet Technology to enhance mathematics learning support at the University of Limerick. In A. Marcus-Quinn (Ed.), Source details - Title: The digital learning revolution in Ireland: case studies from the National Digital Learning Resources Service (pp. 261-271). UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Year Citation
2024 Albrecht, A., & O'Keeffe, L. (2024). Beyond qualifications: identity of out-of-field teachers in years 7-10 mathematics in South Australia. In Surfing the waves of mathematics education. Proceedings of the 46th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 87-94). Australia: The Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.
2023 Gorman, V., O'Keeffe, L., Albrecht, A., & McPhee, J. (2023). Challenges to numeracy across the curriculum: reflections from a case study. In B. Reid-O'Connor, E. Prieto-Rodriguez, K. Holmes, & A. Hughes (Eds.), Proceedings of the 45th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 227-234). Australia: Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia Inc.
2023 Albrecht, A., O'Keeffe, L., & Morrison, A. (2023). What matters with out-of-field teaching: a preliminary analysis of middle years teachers of mathematics in South Australia. In B. Reid-O'Connor (Ed.), Proceedings of the 45th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 81-89). Australia: The Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.
2022 O'Keeffe, L., White, B., Albrecht, A., & O'Leary, M. (2022). A snapshot of gender and mathematics anxiety in years 5 to 8. In N. Fitzallen (Ed.), Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 426-433). Australia: The Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.
2022 Barry, G., O'Keeffe, L., White, B., Colton, J., & Farmer, L. (2022). Preliminary exploration of noise and student learning in modern flexible education spaces. In N. Kessissoglou, & M. Buret (Eds.), Proceedings of Acoustics 2021 Making Waves: Annual Conference of the Australian Acoustical Society (pp. 1-3). Australia: Australian Acoustical Society.
2019 O'Keeffe, L. (2019). An analysis of teacher language in primary mathematics: a comparison of two differing approaches. In G. Hine, S. Bllackley, & A. Cooke (Eds.), Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 540-547). Australia: Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.
2018 O'Keeffe, L., White, B., Panizzon, D., Elliott, K., & Semmens, A. (2018). Mathematics Anxiety: Year 7 and 8 Student Perceptions. In J. Hunter, L. Darragh, & P. Perger (Eds.), Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 607-614). Australia: Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia.
2016 Brown, L., & O'Keeffe, L. (2016). Preparing for the numeracy skills test: developing a self-perception for success. In Proceedings of the Annual conference of the mathematics education research group of Australasia Vol. inpress (pp. 1-8). Australia: MERGA.
2016 O'Keeffe, L. (2016). A preliminary analysis of the linguistic complexity of numeracy skills test items for pre service teachers. In Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 1-8). Australia: MERGA.
2014 O'Keeffe, L. (2014). Mathematics textbook analysis: supporting the implementation of a new mathematics curriculum. In K. Jones (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Mathematics Textbook Research and Development (ICMT-2014) (pp. 365-370). UK: University of Southampton.

Year Citation
2024 OKeeffe, L., Albrecht, A., & White, B. (2024). Creating rich mathematical experiences in the middle years. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2023 O'Keeffe, L., & Albrecht, A. (2023). What matters with out-of-field teaching: teachers of Years 7-10 mathematics in SA department schools. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2023 Booth, H., OKeeffe, L., & Albrecht, A. (2023). Creating rich mathematical experiences in the primary years. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2023 OKeeffe, L., Barry, G., Colton, J., & White, B. (2023). Researching learning spaces: a cross-disciplinary collaboration. Australia: University of South Australia.
DOI
2021 OKeeffe, L., & White, B. (2021). CESA-UniSA STEM Project. Australia: UniSA.
DOI
2018 O'Halloran, K., Tan, S., Sheffield, R., Mallet, D., Aubusson, P., Berry, A., & OKeeffe, L. (2018). Encouraging and mapping student engagement through 360 degree video annotation and data analytics. Australia: Curtin University.
2018 Paige, K., Caldwell, D., Elliott, K., O'Keeffe, L., Osborne, S., Roetman, P., . . . Gosnell, S. (2018). Fresh water literacies: transdisciplinary learning for place and eco justice. Australia: University of South Australia.
2018 O'Halloran, K., Tan, S., Sheffield, R., Mallet, D., Aubusson, P., Berry, A., & O'Keeffe, L. (2018). Encouraging and mapping student engagement through 360-degree video annotation and data analytics. Australia: Curtin University.
2011 O'Keeffe, L., & O'Donoghue, J. (2011). A review of school textbooks for project maths. Ireland: National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning (NCE-MSTL).
DOI

  • Exploring Homework Policy, Practices and How they Shape Family Life: A Research Study of Three Countries, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 30/01/2024 - 30/06/2025

  • Sound Scaping: A preliminary exploration of noise and its impact on student learning in situ, Australian Acoustical Society - Education Grant, 01/12/2019 - 30/03/2022

Courses I teach

  • EDUC 5184 Mathematics for Secondary Teaching 1 (2025)
  • EDUC 5184 Mathematics for Secondary Teaching 1 (2024)
  • EDUC 5292 Mathematics for Secondary Teaching 2 (2024)

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Principal Supervisor - Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Claire Nicholls
2025 Co-Supervisor - - Master Full Time Mrs Tracey Deanne Cramond
2023 Co-Supervisor - - Doctorate Full Time Vanessa Ann Gorman
2023 Co-Supervisor - - Doctorate Full Time Mrs Kim Athalie Thomas
2022 Principal Supervisor - - Doctorate Full Time Ms Jennifer Chalmers
2022 Principal Supervisor - - Doctorate Full Time Sean Venning

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