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Emeritus Professor Colin Evers

Emeritus Professor Colin Evers

Emeritus Professor

BA (Hons) USyd, Litt.B. UNE, PhD USyd

Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA)
School of Education

Colin Evers is Professor of Educational Leadership in the School of Education (FASS) at UNSW. Prior to that appointment he was Professor of Education at The University of Hong Kong. His research interests include educational leadership, administration and policy, philosophy of education, and research methodology. His interest in research methodology flows from a perspective on epistemology that is naturalistic and coherentist, and he is currently co-editing a Special Issue of the journal Comparative Education devoted to an examination of the relationship between Confucian heritage cultures and methodology.

Phone
+61 2 9385 1359
Location
102 Goodsell Building
  • Books | 2016
    Eacott S; Evers C, 2016, New Directions in Educational Leadership Theory
    Books | 2016
    Haig B; Evers CW, 2016, Realist Inquiry in Social Science, Sage, London,
    Books | 2015
    Chitpin S; Evers CW, 2015, DECISION MAKING IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP Principles, Policies, and Practices PREFACE, Chitpin S; Evers CW, (ed.), ROUTLEDGE,
    Books | 2014
    Chitpin S; Evers CW, 2014, Preface
    Books | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, Teacher Leadership New conceptions for autonomous student learning in the age of the Internet Preface, Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE,
    Books | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, Teacher leadership: New conceptions for autonomous student learning in the age of the internet, Taylor and Francis,
  • Book Chapters | 2020
    Evers C; Lakomski G, 2020, 'Cognitive Science and Educational Administration', in OXFORD RESEARCH ENCYCLOPEDIA, EDUCATION, Oxford University Press,
    Book Chapters | 2020
    Evers C; Lakomski G, 2020, 'Theories of Educational Leadership', in OXFORD RESEARCH ENCYCLOPEDIA, EDUCATION, Oxford University Press,
    Book Chapters | 2019
    Evers C, 2019, 'Decision-making and the school organization', in The SAGE Handbook of School Organization, SAGE Publications Limited, pp. 430 - 446,
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Evers CW, 2017, 'Epistemology and Educational Administration', in Encyclopedia of educational philosophy and theory, Springer, Singapore, pp. 755 - 799
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Lakomski G; Evers CW; Eacott S, 2017, 'The future of leadership: New directions for leading and learning', in Lakomski G; Eacott S; Evers CW (ed.), Questioning leadership: new directions for educational organisations, Routledge, London, pp. 178 - 191,
    Book Chapters | 2017
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 2017, 'Educational Leadership and Emotion', in Waite D; Bogotoch I (ed.), The international handbook of educational leadership, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, Nj, pp. 45 - 62
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Evers CW, 2016, 'Epistemology and Educational Administration', in Encyclopedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory, Springer Singapore, pp. 1 - 6,
    Book Chapters | 2016
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 2016, 'Challenging leadership: The issues', in Questioning Leadership: New Directions for Educational Organisations, pp. 3 - 16,
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Chitpin S; Evers CW, 2015, 'Preface', in Decision-making in educational leadership : principles, policies, and practices, Routledge/​Taylor &​ Francis Group, New York, pp. viii - xii
    Book Chapters | 2015
    Evers CW, 2015, 'Decision making as problem-solving trajectories', in Chitpin S; Colin WE (ed.), Decision Making in Educational Leadership: Principles, Policies, and Practices, London Routledge/​Taylor &​ Francis Group, New York, pp. 57 - 71,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, 'Current views and the need for a new model of teacher leadership', in TEACHER LEADERSHIP: NEW CONCEPTIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, edn. Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE, pp. 1 - 18,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, 'Instructional leadership and autonomous student learning Resolving the paradoxes', in TEACHER LEADERSHIP: NEW CONCEPTIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, edn. Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE, pp. 59 - 81,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, 'Involving the 'clients' Reinforcing home-school connectivity', in TEACHER LEADERSHIP: NEW CONCEPTIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, edn. Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE, pp. 108 - 132,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, 'Teacher leadership and student engagement Bridging the school and 'real world' divide', in TEACHER LEADERSHIP: NEW CONCEPTIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, edn. Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE, pp. 82 - 107,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, 'Teacher leadership in context Towards critical self-learning', in TEACHER LEADERSHIP: NEW CONCEPTIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, edn. Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE, pp. 133 - 149,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, 'The Internet and its implication for teacher leaders', in TEACHER LEADERSHIP: NEW CONCEPTIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, edn. Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE, pp. 19 - 37,
    Book Chapters | 2014
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2014, 'The nature and function of teacher leadership Looping back or looking forward?', in TEACHER LEADERSHIP: NEW CONCEPTIONS FOR AUTONOMOUS STUDENT LEARNING IN THE AGE OF THE INTERNET, edn. Routledge Research in Education, ROUTLEDGE, pp. 38 - 58,
    Book Chapters | 2012
    Evers CW, 2012, 'Organisational contexts for lifelong learning: Individual and collective learning configurations', in Aspin DN; Chapman J; Evans K; Bagnall R (ed.), Second international Handbook of Lifelong Learning, Springer, Dordrecht, pp. 61 - 76
    Book Chapters | 2011
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 2011, 'Analytical philosophy and organizational theory', in Tsoukas H; Chia R (ed.), Philosophy and organization theory (Special issue of research in the sociology of organizations, 32, Emerald, Bingley, UK, pp. 23 - 54,
    Book Chapters | 2010
    Evers CW, 2010, 'Educational leadership: Philosophical issues', in Baker E; McGaw B; Peterson P (ed.), International encyclopedia of education, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 710 - 716,
    Book Chapters | 2010
    Mason M; Evers CW, 2010, 'Comparative education: Philosophical issues', in Baker E; McGaw B; Peterson P (ed.), International encyclopedia of education, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 257 - 265
    Book Chapters | 2009
    Katyal K; Evers CW, 2009, 'Ambiguities in assessing higher education research in Hong Kong: Critical reflections'', in Besley T (ed.), Assessing the quality of educational research in higher education, edn. Original, Sense Publishers, Boston, pp. 157 - 171
    Book Chapters | 2007
    Fox R; Yuen A; Evers CW; Lau HF; Deng LP, 2007, 'Faculty perceptions of ICT benefits', in Tsang P; Kwan R; Fox R (ed.), Enhancing Learning through technology, World Scientific Publishing, Singapore, pp. 1 - 10
  • Edited Books | 2017
    Lakomski G; Eacott S; Evers CW, (eds.), 2017, Questioning Leadership, Routledge, UK
    Edited Books | 2016
    Eacott S; Evers CW, (ed.), 2016, New Directions in Educational Leadership Theory, Routledge, UK
    Edited Books | 2015
    Chitpin S; Evers C, (ed.), 2015, Decision making in educational leadership: Principles, policies, and practices
  • Journal articles | 2024
    Peters MA; Jackson L; Papastephanou M; Jandrić P; Lazaroiu G; Evers CW; Cope B; Kalantzis M; Araya D; Tesar M; Mika C; Chen L; Wang C; Sturm S; Rider S; Fuller S, 2024, 'AI and the future of humanity: ChatGPT-4, philosophy and education–Critical responses', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 56, pp. 828 - 862,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Wang C; Jackson L; Tsang KK; Evers C; Zhao W; Turner DA; Ma L; Green B; Liu B; Chiang TH; Kwok P; Papastephanou M; Nica E; Zhang X; Sturm S; Xie CP; Chan PWK; Montuori A; Rizvi F; Jandrić P; Devine N; Besley T, 2023, 'Scholarly Responses to “Who Leads, Who Follows?”', Beijing International Review of Education, 5, pp. 51 - 91,
    Journal articles | 2022
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 2022, 'The importance of context for leadership in education', Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 50, pp. 269 - 284,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Evers C; Allmnakrah A, 2020, 'The need for a fundamental shift in the Saudi education system: Implementing the Saudi Arabian economic vision 2030', Research in Education, 106, pp. 22 - 40,
    Journal articles | 2017
    Nguyen HC; Evers C; Marshall S; Nguyen C, 2017, 'Accreditation of Viet Nam’s higher education: achievements and challenges after a dozen years of development', Quality Assurance in Education, 25, pp. 475 - 488,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Eacott S; Evers C, 2015, 'New Frontiers in Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Theory', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 47, pp. 307 - 311,
    Journal articles | 2015
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 2015, 'Naturalism and Educational Administration: New directions', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 47, pp. 402 - 419,
    Journal articles | 2013
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 2013, 'Methodological individualism, educational administration, and leadership', Journal of Educational Administration and History, 45, pp. 159 - 173,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Chitpin S; Evers CW, 2012, 'Using Popper's philosophy of science to build pre-service teachers' knowledge', International Journal of Education, 4, pp. 144 - 156,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 2012, 'Science, systems, and theoretical alternatives in educational administration: The road less travelled', Journal of Educational Administration, 50, pp. 57 - 75,
    Journal articles | 2012
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 2012, 'Emotion and rationality in educational problem solving: From individuals to groups', Korean Journal of Educational Administration, 30, pp. 653 - 677
    Journal articles | 2011
    Evers CW; King M; Katyal KR, 2011, 'Conducting research in Confucian heritage cultures: An overview of methodological issues', Comparative Education, 47, pp. 295 - 300,
    Journal articles | 2011
    Evers CW; Mason M, 2011, 'Context-based inferences in research methodology: The role of culture in justifying knowledge claims', Comparative Education, 47, pp. 301 - 314,
    Journal articles | 2010
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 2010, 'Passionate rationalism: The role of emotion in decision-making', Journal of Educational Administration, 48, pp. 438 - 450,
    Journal articles | 2009
    Evers CW, 2009, 'Remembering PESA: An intellectual journey', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 41, pp. 788 - 793,
    Journal articles | 2008
    Evers CW; Katyal K, 2008, 'Educational leadership in Hong Kong schools, 1950-2000: Critical reflections on changing themes', Journal of Educational Administration and History, 40, pp. 164 - 251,
    Journal articles | 2008
    Evers CW; Katyal KR, 2008, 'Assessing research quality in education: The Hong Kong research assessment exercise', Access: Critical Perspectives on Communication, Cultural and Policy Studies, 27, pp. 87 - 96,
    Journal articles | 2007
    Evers CW; Katyal K, 2007, 'Paradoxes of leadership: contingencies and critical learning', South African Journal of Education, 27, pp. 377 - 390,
    Journal articles | 2007
    Evers CW, 2007, 'Culture, cognitive pluralism and rationality', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 39, pp. 364 - 382,
    Journal articles | 2006
    Evers CW; Wu EH, 2006, 'On generalising from single case studies: Epistemological reflections', Journal of Philosophy of Education, 40, pp. 511 - 526,
    Journal articles | 2006
    Wu EH; Evers CW, 2006, 'Parental influence on talent development: Implications and strategies from western and Chinese literature', Gifted and Talented International, 21, pp. 36 - 46,
    Journal articles | 2005
    Chitpin S; Evers CW, 2005, 'Teacher professional development as knowledge building: a Popperian analysis', Teachers and Teaching - Theory and Practice, 11, pp. 419 - 433,
    Journal articles | 2004
    Katyal KR; Evers CW, 2004, 'Teacher leadership and autonomous student learning: Adjusting to the new realities', International Journal of Educational Research, 41, pp. 367 - 382,
    Journal articles | 2001
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 2001, 'Theory in educational administration: naturalistic directions', Journal of Educational Administration, 39, pp. 499 - 520,
    Journal articles | 2001
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 2001, 'The incomplete naturalist. Donald Willower on science and inquiry in educational administration', Journal of Educational Administration, 39, pp. 442 - 454,
    Journal articles | 2000
    Evers CW, 2000, 'Connectionist Modelling and Education', Australian Journal of Education, 44, pp. 209 - 225,
    Journal articles | 1998
    Evers CW, 1998, 'Decision Making, Models of Mind, and the New Cognitive Science', Journal of School Leadership, 8, pp. 94 - 108,
    Journal articles | 1996
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 1996, 'Postpositivist Conceptions of Science in Educational Administration: An Introduction', Educational Administration Quarterly, 32, pp. 341 - 343,
    Journal articles | 1996
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 1996, 'Science in Educational Administration: A Postpositivist Conception', Educational Administration Quarterly, 32, pp. 379 - 402,
    Journal articles | 1995
    Barlosky M; Evers CW; Lakomski G; Barlosky M; Jackson MJB; Burnaby B; Goodman Y; Wilde S, 1995, 'Book Reviews', Curriculum Inquiry, 25, pp. 441 - 497,
    Journal articles | 1995
    Barlosky M; Evers CW; Lakomski G, 1995, 'Knowledge, Certainty, and Openness in Educational Administration', Curriculum Inquiry, 25, pp. 441 - 441,
    Journal articles | 1995
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 1995, 'Response to Barlosky: Methodological Reflections on Postmodernism', Curriculum Inquiry, 25, pp. 457 - 457,
    Journal articles | 1994
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 1994, 'Three Dogmas: A Rejoinder', Journal of Educational Administration, 32, pp. 28 - 37,
    Journal articles | 1994
    Lakomski G; Evers CW, 1994, 'Greenfield's Humane Science', Educational Management & Administration, 22, pp. 260 - 269,
    Journal articles | 1993
    Evers CW; Lakomki G, 1993, 'Justifying Educational Administration', Educational Management & Administration, 21, pp. 140 - 152,
    Journal articles | 1993
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 1993, 'Justifying Educational Administration', Educational Management & Administration, 21, pp. 140 - 152,
    Journal articles | 1993
    Evers CW; Lakomski G, 1993, 'Response to Commentaries', Educational Management & Administration, 21, pp. 185 - 187,
    Journal articles | 1993
    Evers CW, 1993, 'ANALYTIC AND POST‐ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION: METHODOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS', Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 13, pp. 35 - 45,
    Journal articles | 1993
    Evers CW, 1993, 'Christopher Hodgkinson on Educational Leadership: The Moral Art —A Review Symposium : Hodgkinson on Moral Leadership', Educational Management & Administration, 21, pp. 259 - 262,
    Journal articles | 1990
    Evers CW, 1990, 'Educating the Brain', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 22, pp. 65 - 80,
    Journal articles | 1988
    EVERS CW, 1988, 'EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND THE NEW PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE', Journal of Educational Administration, 26, pp. 3 - 22,
    Journal articles | 1988
    Evers CW, 1988, 'Two responses to Laura: Evers, and Phillips.', Educational Philosophy and Theory, 20, pp. 70 - 75,

My Teaching

All of Prof. Evers teaching is in the Master of Educational Leadership program.

Postgraduate courses
Semester One
EDST5438 Leadership Theory, Research and Practice. (Co-Teaching with Dr. Kerry Barnett)
Develops students’ understanding of leadership theories, current research and practice. Considers the major approaches to leadership such as trait, behaviour, contingency and transformational leadership theory. Also considers current research and practice in the context of education.

EDST5459 School Based Management and Accountability.
Provides a systematic study of the theory and practice of school based management, its background, central features, and characteristic accountability mechanisms. Particular emphasis is placed on autonomy versus accountability, and prospects for such reforms leading to improved student learning outcomes.

Semester Two

EDST5433 Organisation Theory in Education (Co-Teaching with Dr. Kerry Barnett)
This course will focus on organisation theory for educators. It draws from the full range of literature on organisations, but it focuses that literature on the specific experiences of education.

EDST5462 Teacher Leadership.
Offers an account of the nature of teacher leadership, and how it can be developed and exercised, from the broad perspective of leadership as a form of influence as opposed to the narrower perspective of administrative role. Teacher leadership is construed as a form of distributed leadership, with the boundaries of influence extending beyond the immediate workplace.

Current Research Projects

Teacher Leadership: This project, led by Dr Kokila Katyal at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, looks at the role of teacher-leaders in the light of the rise of autonomous student learning as fostered by the internet. In addition to some papers published as work in progress, the results of the project are now being written up to be published as a book (Routledge, 2013).

Realist Inquiry in Social Science: This is the title of a book that offers a particular philosophical perspective on some key aspects of research in social science. The lead author is Brian Haig (Professor of Psychology, University of Canterbury) with myself and Professor Mark Constas (Cornell University) as co-authors. It will be published by SAGE, London, in 2014.

Canadian Principals Learning Network: Led by A/Prof Stephanie Chitpin at the University of Ottawa, this project explores principals’ decision-making and options for the creation of collaborative networks. Current funding: C$100,000. The project makes use of some theoretical ideas developed by Prof Chitpin and myself in some earlier joint and individual publications. We are currently developing a book proposal for an edited book on principals’ decision-making. Work in progress from the project will be presented at a two-day symposium at the University of Ottawa in October 2012. The project has a website: http://www.cpln.ca/

Conducting Research in Confucian Heritage Cultures: The first version of this project was published as a Special Issue of the journal Comparative Education, 47(3), 2011. The various authors explored particular aspects of research methodology that were influenced by the Confucian heritage culture of particular east Asian countries. The Special Issue editors – myself, Dr Kokila Katyal, and Dr Mark King - are now developing an expanded version of this project to cover a larger range of research aspects and countries.

Emotion and Cognition in Educational Decision-Making: This is a project of particular interest to Professor Gabriele Lakomski (University of Melbourne) who is the lead investigator and first author of a number of our papers on this topic. Her focus is on the neuroscience of emotion.

Leadership as Critical Learning: This is my main ongoing research project, the aim of which is to develop a systematic perspective on educational leadership. It reflects the general theme of my papers on leadership published over the last dozen years. I aim to put it all together in a book of the same title.