Our people

Our T4T team comprises a unique blend of experienced and passionate educators. Members of the team have lead individual and organisational change and contributed to policy and syllabus reform at the national and international level.

Dr Peter Ellerton

  • Curriculum Director, University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project

  • Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Critical Thinking

  • Affiliate Senior Lecturer in Education

Peter’s areas of focus include Public Reasoning, Science Communication, Argumentation and Critical Thinking in education. Peter has been a teacher educator and a syllabus designer for the International Baccalaureate Organisation, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). Peter was one of a small team of academics redeveloping the 2021 ACARA Critical and Creative Thinking General Capability within the Australian Curriculum.He has delivered professional development in Teaching for Thinking to thousands of educators throughout Australia and internationally including at the University of California Los Angeles, Pepperdine University Los Angeles and Simone Fraser University in Canada and across South Africa.

Professor Deb Brown

  • Director, University of Queensland Critical Thinking Project

  • Professor of Philosophy

Deborah Brown is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the University of Queensland’s Critical Thinking Project. Her research covers the history of philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of mind, as well as in topics related to the intersection of philosophy and education. She is passionate about the empowering effects of philosophy and critical thinking in the classroom on student learning, student equity, and the teacher-student dynamic.

Glen Watt

  • Director, IMPACT Centre, Queensland Department of Education

Glen leads large-scale education projects that advance the critical and creative thinking, entrepreneurial thinking, media literacy and STEM skills of students and educators. He is a specialist in connecting school communities with expert teachers, industry partners and like-minded colleagues and students across Queensland and internationally. He also has significant expertise in remote, hybrid and blended learning delivery.

Kara Vaughan

  • Teacher and researcher

  • Masters student

  • Network coordinator for Aspiring Thinkers

Kara has worked as a pedagogical coach, Visual Art teacher at Helensvale State High School and professional network coordinator at the IMPACT Centre. She is currently pursuing a Higher Degree Research at University of Queensland. Kara’s interest include researching and developing a culture of curiosity in thinking classrooms.

Yael Lebovitch

  • Teacher and researcher

  • PhD Candidiate

Yael specialises in the nexus of dialogic teaching and academic writing. She supports teachers to generate more critical thinking and collaboration during writing experiences, with positive implications for student outcomes. Grounded in contemporary research, her ‘teacher writing tool kit’ has been tested and met with great success by educators across different subjects and year levels.

Adam Kuss

  • Teacher and researcher

  • PhD Candidiate

  • Deputy Principal

Adam is a HDR Graduate student at the University of Queensland and works with schools to improve teacher expertise in teaching for thinking. His passion for education is in understanding and leading pedagogical approaches to teaching students how to effectively think. Adam is currently investigating how educational leaders can create a culture of thinking in their schools.

Andrew Beencke

  • Teacher and researcher

  • PhD Candidiate

Andrew is a primary school teacher, and PhD candidate at the University of Queensland. He specialises in developing authentic, metacognitive, and dialogic approaches to learning across year levels and subject areas. Andrew’s research focuses on how the interactions, activities and values that make up classroom culture shape the intellectual character of students.