Dr Vicky Plows

Dr Vicky Plows is an Honorary Fellow in the College of Arts, Business, Law, Education and IT. Previously she was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the University’s Victoria Institute.

Prior to joining Victoria University, Vicky was a Senior Lecturer and Program Leader in Childhood and Youth Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University (UK). Before this she held tutor and research assistant positions at the University of Edinburgh (UK).

Vicky's research projects and publications are focussed on the social inclusion, education and well-being of young people experiencing disadvantages and the professional practices of the staff who work with them. She has a particular interest in young people perceived to be challenging, which emerged from her own experiences of working with young people identified as having social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Her PhD from the University of Edinburgh explored the negotiation of challenging interactions between young people and youth workers.

Her postdoctoral research program at VU focused on the professional learning and support of staff, in a variety of professional roles, who seek to work inclusively with marginalised young people in both mainstream and alternative education settings. She also taught in the Youth Work and Masters of Education programs.

Vicky currently sits on the VU Human Research Ethics Committee (Low Risk).

Recent publications

Refereed journal articles

Plows, V. (2017) Reworking or reaffirming practice? Perceptions of professional learning in alternative and flexible education settings. Teaching Education, 28(1): 72-87.

Plows, V., Bottrell, D. & Te Riele, K. (2016). Valued outcomes in the counter-spaces of alternative education programs: ‘Success but on whole scale?’. Geographical Research, 55(1): 29-37.

Te Riele, K., Plows, V. & Bottrell, D. (2016). Interest, learning and belonging in flexible learning programmes. International Journal on School Disaffection, 12(1): 45-63.

Te Riele, K., Plows, V. & Bottrell, D. (in press). Interest, learning and belonging in flexible learning rrograms.Plows, V. (2012). Conflict and coexistence: Challenging interactions, expressions of agency and ways of relating in work with young people in the Minority World(external link). Children's Geographies, 10(3): 279-291.

Aitken, S. C. & Plows, V. (2010) Overturning assumptions about young people, border spaces and revolutions(external link). Children's Geographies. 8(4): 327-334.

Books

Plows, V. & Whitburn, B. (2016) (Eds) Inclusive education: Making sense of everyday practice. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Book chapters

Plows, V. & Baker, A. (2016) On the edge? Counter-practice in flexible learning programs. In V. Plows & B. Whitburn (Eds) Inclusive education: Making sense of everyday practice. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Whitburn, B. & Plows, V. (2016) Making sense of everyday practice: By whom, for whom, for what? In V. Plows & B. Whitburn (Eds) Inclusive education: Making sense of everyday practice. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Baker, A. & Plows, V. (2015) Re-presenting or representing young lives? Negotiating knowledge construction of and with ‘vulnerable’ young people. In K. Te Riele & R. Gorur (Eds) Interrogating conceptions of ‘vulnerable youth’ in theory, policy and practice. Rotterdam, The Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Plows, V. and Gallagher, M. (2009) Case Study - Evaluation of a Youth Counselling Service: Surveying Young People's Views. In E. K. M. Tisdall, J.M. Davis, & M. Gallagher (Eds.) Researching with Children and Young People: Research design, methods and analysis. London: Sage.

Research reports

Plows, V., & te Riele, K. (2016) Professional learning in flexible learning programs: Supporting staff with socially inclusive schooling. Melbourne: The Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning.

Plows, V., Bottrell, D., & te Riele, K. (2014) SKYS 2Faze and Young Parents program. Case Study. Melbourne: The Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning.

Plows, V., te Riele, K., & Bottrell, D. (2014) Beacon program at Cressy District High School. Case Study. Melbourne: The Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning.

Plows, V., te Riele, K., & Bottrell, D. (2014) St Luke’s Educational Services Unit (ESU). Case Study. Melbourne: The Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning.

Te Riele, K., Plows, V. & Bottrell, D., (2014) SEDA Sports Development Program Darwin. Case Study. Melbourne: The Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning.

Te Riele, K., Plows, V. & Bottrell, D. (2014) Hunter TAFE Skills for Tomorrow Program. Case Study. Melbourne: The Victoria Institute for Education, Diversity and Lifelong Learning.

Conference presentations

Plows, V. (2015) Putting the Jigsaw Together, Flexible Learning Programs in Australia. The Beacon National Conference (guest speaker), Sydney.

Plows, V. (2014) Negotiating challenging interactions: Morality, discipline and dilemmas in school-based youth work. The Joint Australian Association for Research in Education and New Zealand Association for Research in Education Conference, Brisbane.

Plows, V. (2014) Reducing or reproducing inequalities: Ethics and the researcher’s roles in negotiating power relations between young people. XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology Conference, Yokohama.

Plows, V. (2014) But on whose scale? A critical exploration of valued and valuable outcomes in relation to alternative/flexible learning programs. Institute of Australian Geographers/New Zealand Geographers Society Conference, Melbourne.

Plows, V. (2013) Creating Spaces for Transformative Practices: Professional Learning for Socially Inclusive Education. The Australian Sociological Association Conference, Melbourne.

Research grants

Vicky Plows (Co-Investigator) with Kitty te Riele, ‘Professional learning for socially inclusive schooling – supporting educators in alternative schools’, Central Research Grants Scheme Industry Project, Victoria University, $37,743 (2015).

Vicky Plows (Principal Investigator), ‘Professional learning for social inclusion in education’, Research Start-up Funds, Victoria University, $12,000 (2013-2017).

Vicky Plows (Principal Investigator), Economic and Social Research Council Award. Full studentship to study for MSc and PhD at The School of Social and Political Studies, University of Edinburgh (2004-2009).

Consultancy/evaluation

Vicky Plows (Co-Investigator) with Kitty te Riele. Evaluation of Flexible Learning Victoria. (2016-2017).

Vicky Plows (Co-Investigator) with Kitty te Riele. Evaluation of the SEDA Victoria Sport Program. (2015-2017).

Vicky Plows (Co-Investigator) with Dr Tim Corcoran, Dr Alison Baker and Ms Claire Brown. Evaluation of The Whitten Project. A pilot project aimed at developing emerging young community leaders (2013).

Appearances in the media

• Labelling kids: the good, the bad and the ADHD (The Conversation, 6 October 2014)
• What labelling does to our kids (ABC Radio National Drive, 9 October 2014)

Teaching responsibilities

• Education Research Design and Methods, Masters of Education
• Minor Thesis Supervisions, College of Education

Postgraduate research students

Vicky is a registered supervisor of Masters and PhD students. She is interested in supervising research projects in her areas of expertise.

Completions

• 2 masters students
• 1 PhD student

Professional memberships

• Social Research Association