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Jo MacDonald

Job Title: 
Kairangahau Matua | Senior Researcher
jo.macdonald@nzcer.org.nz
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Social Sector Evaluation (Distinction)
  • MA in Education (first class)
  • Diploma of Teaching (Primary)
  • BA-Sociology 

Jo has a keen interest and expertise in policy and programme evaluation and is one of NZCER’s lead evaluators. Since 2019 she has led a growing portfolio of evaluation focused on financial capability programmes for Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission.  Jo is experienced with using diverse evaluation methodologies,and applying evaluative reasoning to reach evaluative judgements. In either research or evaluation contexts, she particularly enjoys building strong, productive relationships  with clients.

Jo's research interests are wide-ranging, and her ability to quickly adapt to new contexts is a strength. At NZCER she has worked on projects in the areas of financial capability, professional learning and development, school leadership, early career teachers, NCEA, special education, and student health and wellbeing. For many years, Jo led NZCER's coordination of the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative, a contestable research fund that NZCER manages for the Ministry of Education.

Jo has over 25 years’ experience in education and educational research, including a decade working in research and evaluation in the government sector in New Zealand and Scotland.

Bourke, R., MacDonald, J., Lucas, M., Williams, J., & Sheerin, M. (2018).  Enriching the wellbeing of young adolescents in secondary school. In J. Berman & J. MacArthur (Eds), Student Perspectives on School. Informing Inclusive Practice (pp. 177–196).  Leiden: Brill Sense.

Boyd, S., MacDonald, J., Stevens, E., & Felgate, R. (2017). Reviewing the game plan: What can be learnt from the first year of Play.sport? Wellington: Sport New Zealand. Available at: http://www.sportnz.org.nz/assets/Uploads/NZCER-Reviewing-the-game-plan-FINAL.pdf

Whatman, J., & MacDonald, J. (2017). High quality practica and the integration of theory and practice in initial teacher education. A literature review prepared for the Education Council. Wellington: NZCER. Available at https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Practica_Review_Full_Report.pdf

MacDonald, J., Bourke, R., Berg, M., & Burgon, J. (2015). My FRIENDS Youth final evaluation report: Report to the Ministry of Education. Wellington: Ministry of Education. Available at http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/special_education/its-like-trying-to-make-us-better-people

Research projects that I am currently leading:

Project Project leader(s) Category
Financial Capability in Aotearoa Jo MacDonald Schooling for the future Evaluation
Investigating National Beginning Teachers project Jo MacDonald Professional learning Evaluation
Investigating the Auckland Beginning Teachers Project Jo MacDonald Evaluation
Women becoming secondary school leaders: Barriers, supports, and enablers Cathy Wylie Jo MacDonald Professional learning School governance and management Education leadership practices

Research outputs

Year published Title Publication type Category
2022 Evaluation of the Sorted Pacific Peoples Pathways to Home Ownership (PPPH) programme Research report
2022 Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua – kia ora: 2021/2022 evaluation report Research report
2021 Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua – kia ora 2020/21 evaluation report Research report
2020 Curriculum, assessment and reporting to parents and whānau - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report School governance and management Curriculum and assessment
2020 Kāhui Ako - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Learning with digital technologies - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report ICT School governance and management
2020 Meeting the needs of Pacific students - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Parent and whānau perspectives on their child’s learning and school - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education Families and communities
2020 Principal careers, wellbeing, and support - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Providing for English language learners - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Providing for students with disabilities or who need learning support - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 School culture and teacher learning - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 School resourcing, rolls, interactions with other schools, and system support - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Sorted in Schools, Te whai hua – kia ora! 2019/20 evaluation report Research report
2020 Student wellbeing and positive behaviour - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management Student health and wellbeing
2020 Te reo Māori and school provisions for ākonga Māori - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management Māori and education
2020 Teachers' work, morale, and changes they would make - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Team teaching and innovative learning environments - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Trustees' perspectives and the work of school boards - findings from the NZCER 2019 National survey of English-medium primary schools Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 What’s happening in our English-medium primary schools: Findings from the NZCER national survey 2019 Full report Research report Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 What’s happening in our English-medium primary schools: Findings from the NZCER national survey 2019. Summary Research summary Public understanding of education School governance and management
2020 Women becoming secondary school leaders: Barriers, supports, and enablers Report Literature review Policy School governance and management Education leadership practices
2019 Secondary schools in 2018: Findings from the NZCER national survey Research report Policy School governance and management Families and communities
2018 Challenges for initial teacher education in the context of 'twenty-first century' learning imperatives Book chapter Professional learning Learning at work
2018 Fire safety in schools, kura, ECE centres, and kohanga reo: Looking to the future Research report Evaluation Early childhood
2017 Enriching the wellbeing of young adolescents in secondary school Book chapter
2017 Final Evaluation Report for the Teach First NZ programme pilot: Delivered in partnership with the University of Auckland Research report Professional learning
2017 Formative evaluation of the Principal Recruitment Allowance Research report Policy Evaluation
2017 High quality practica and the integration of theory and practice in initial teacher education Research report Professional learning
2017 Reflecting on evaluation practice by considering an educative values-engaged approach: How would it have changed this utilisation-focused evaluation? Journal article Evaluation
2017 Reviewing the game plan: What can be learnt from the first year of Play.sport? Research report Student health and wellbeing Implementing New Zealand Curriculum
2017 Training for a Reflective Workforce: Transfer of learning for support worker apprentices Research report Careers and transition Learning at work
2016 2015 Annual Evaluation Report for the Teach First NZ programme pilot delivered in partnership with the University of Auckland Research report Professional learning Evaluation
2016 An analysis of participant blogs supplemented by teacher interviews Research report Post-school learning Professional learning
2016 Creating a space for student voice in an educational evaluation Journal article Student engagement Student health and wellbeing Evaluation
2015 "It's who we are" Stories of practice and change from PB4L School-Wide Schools Research report Student engagement Student health and wellbeing
2015 2014 Annual Evaluation Report for the Teach First NZ Programme Research report Post-school learning Professional learning Learning at work
2015 Evaluation of the Manaiakalani Digital Teaching Academy Research report
2015 My FRIENDS Youth final evaluation report Research report Student health and wellbeing