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Associate Professor Louise McCuaig-Holcroft

Associate Professor

School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences

Affiliate Associate Professor

Centre for Youth Substance Abuse
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
l.mccuaig@uq.edu.au
+61 7 336 56845

Overview

Louise McCuaig is an Associate Professor in Health and Physical Education (HPE) at the School of Human Movement & Nutrition Science, The University of Queensland. Her research and teaching focus on enhancing young people’s healthy living through the provision of quality health education in school settings. A focus of these endeavours is the training, preparation and professional development of pre-service and practicing school teachers to enhance their school based health education knowledge and skills. Louise’s innovative delivery of advanced PE and specialist Health Education courses has been recognised with the awarding of a Carrick Institute Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2006) and UQ Teaching Excellence award (2008).

Drawing on social theory, salutogenic philosophies of health and qualitative approaches to research in HPE, Louise’s research projects have explored the role of caring teachers, teacher education and school Health and Physical Education in the social and moral education of young people. This work has inspired her current interest in research pertaining to the health of school teachers, salutogenic approaches to school health education, health literacy, health education teacher education and student transition. Broadly speaking, the findings of her research have implications for teacher education; professional development of health educators; design, implementation, accountability and sustainability of school based health education; and, the influence of these strategies and practices on young people’s healthy living and wellbeing.

Research Interests

  • Health Education in schools
  • Health Education in/for Teacher Education
  • Salutogenic perspectives on health
  • Health oriented caring teaching

Research Impacts

Broadly speaking, Louise’s research has made significant contribution to teacher education; professional development of health educators and the policy and practices of school based health education. Her research has shaped Queensland and Australian HPE curriculum, practice in Australia, international schools and universities and informed government initiatives such as the Sexualised Behaviours in Children, What State Schools Value and Safe Night Out strategies. New theoretical perspectives emerging from Louise’s research have had a substantial impact on the design and implementation of the Australian Health Education curriculum and policy. Her translation of salutogenic theory into pedagogical approaches and curriculum content informed the Strengths-based proposition of the Australian Curriculum: HPE, which currently impacts the delivery of health education learning experiences to some 3.8 million Australian school children. Drawing on her salutogenic studies, an additional contribution to the Australian Curriculum: HPE has been the realisation of pedagogical approaches to the teaching of health literacy in the Australian school curriculum.

In addition to this national curriculum impact, Louise was invited by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority to guide the design of a new high stakes, externally examined Senior Health subject for Queensland Year 11 and 12 students. Following a year of collaboration with experienced teachers and QCAA project officers, this team produced a world first salutogenically-oriented examinable school health education curriculum. As a result, Louise’s research on salutogenic approaches to health and health education are currently delivered to some 10 000 Queensland secondary school students every year.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland
  • BHMS(Ed), The University of Queensland

Publications

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Grants

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Supervision

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Publications

Book

Book Chapter

  • Putting Foucauldian ethics to work in critical health education

    Shelley, Karen and McCuaig, Louise (2020). Putting Foucauldian ethics to work in critical health education. Social Theory and Health Education. (pp. 196-205) edited by Deana Leahy, Katie Fitzpatrick and Jan Wright. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781351048163-18

  • The interdisciplinary challenge: preparing teacher educators and teachers to span knowledge, organisational and international boundaries

    McCuaig, Louise, Carroll, Timothy, Geidne, Susanna and Okade, Yoshinori (2020). The interdisciplinary challenge: preparing teacher educators and teachers to span knowledge, organisational and international boundaries. School physical education and teacher education: collaborative redesign for the 21st century. (pp. 62-75) edited by Ann MacPhail and Hal A. Lawson. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • In pursuit of a critically oriented physical education curriculum: contests and troublesome knowledge

    McCuaig, Louise, Atkin, Janice and Macdonald, Doune (2019). In pursuit of a critically oriented physical education curriculum: contests and troublesome knowledge. Critical research in sport, health and physical education: how to make a difference. (pp. 119-133) edited by Richard Pringle, Hakan Larsson and Göran Gerdin. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Is asking salutogenic questions a way of being critical?

    Quennerstedt, Mikael and McCuaig, Louise (2019). Is asking salutogenic questions a way of being critical?. Critical research in sport, health and physical education: how to make a difference. (pp. 186-199) edited by Richard Pringle, Hakan Larsson and Göran Gerdin. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Real jocks can't dance: aesthetic pedagogical disruptions of body work in physical education

    McCuaig, Louise and Shelley, Karen (2019). Real jocks can't dance: aesthetic pedagogical disruptions of body work in physical education. Teaching about social justice issues in physical education. (pp. 53-67) edited by Jennifer L. Walton-Fisette, Sue Sutherland and Joanne Hill. Charlotte, NC, United States: Information Age Publishing.

  • Sport and the normalisation of Australian Aboriginal Peoples

    McCuaig, Louise and Phillips, Murray (2019). Sport and the normalisation of Australian Aboriginal Peoples. 'Race', youth sport, physical activity and health: global perspectives. (pp. 127-140) edited by Symeon Dagkas, Laura Azzarito and Kevin Hylton. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Re-visioning the Australian curriculum for health and physical education

    Macdonald, Doune, Enright, Eimear and McCuaig, Louise (2018). Re-visioning the Australian curriculum for health and physical education. Redesigning physical education: an equity agenda in which every child matters. (pp. 196-209) edited by Hal A. Lawson. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Effective Physical Education Teacher Education: A principled position perspective

    McCuaig, Louise A. and Eimear Enright (2017). Effective Physical Education Teacher Education: A principled position perspective. Routledge Handbook of Physical Education Pedagogies. (pp. 428-446) edited by Ennis, CD. Abingdon Oxon UK: Routledge.

  • Young bodies

    McCuaig, Louise A., Enright, Eimear and Macdonald, Doune (2017). Young bodies. Routledge handbook of physical cultural studies. (pp. 167-178) edited by Michael L. Silk, David L. Andrews and Holly Thorpe. London, United Kingdom: Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group). doi: 10.4324/9781315745664-18

  • A whole school approach to health education

    Leahy, Deana, Burrows, Lisette, McCuaig, Louise, Wright, Jan and Penney, Dawn (2016). A whole school approach to health education. School health education in changing times: curriculum, pedagogies and partnerships. (pp. 117-132) edited by Deana Leahy, Lisette Burrows, Louise McCuaig, Jan Wright and Dawn Penney. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Assessing health education

    Leahy, Deana, Burrows, Lisette, McCuaig, Louise, Wright, Jan and Penney, Dawn (2016). Assessing health education. School health education in changing times: curriculum, pedagogies and partnerships. (pp. 86-101) edited by Deana Leahy, Lisette Burrows, Louise McCuaig, Jan Wright and Dawn Penney. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Contemporary curriculum making and health education

    Leahy, Deana, Burrows, Lisette, McCuaig, Louise, Wright, Jan and Penney, Dawn (2016). Contemporary curriculum making and health education. School health education in changing times: curriculum, pedagogies and partnerships. (pp. 44-62) edited by Deana Leahy, Lisette Burrows, Louise McCuaig, Jan Wright and Dawn Penney. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Girls and physical education: new starting points for critical pedagogy

    Enright, Eimear and McCuaig, Louise A. (2016). Girls and physical education: new starting points for critical pedagogy. Social justice in physical education: critical reflections and pedagogies. (pp. 83-101) edited by Daniel B. Robinson and Lynn Randall. Toronto, ON, Canada: Canadian Scholar's Press.

  • Pedagogies of health education

    Leahy, Deana, Burrows, Lisette, McCuaig, Louise, Wright, Jan and Penney, Dawn (2016). Pedagogies of health education. School health education in changing times: curriculum, pedagogies and partnerships. (pp. 63-85) edited by Deana Leahy, Lisette Burrows, Louise McCuaig, Jan Wright and Dawn Penney. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Porous classrooms: negotiating school and community partnerships

    Leahy, Deana, Burrows, Lisette, McCuaig, Louise, Wright, Jan and Penney, Dawn (2016). Porous classrooms: negotiating school and community partnerships. School health education in changing times: curriculum, pedagogies and partnerships. (pp. 102-116) edited by Deana Leahy, Lisette Burrows , Louise McCuaig, Jan Wright and Dawn Penney. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Schooling health: governmentality and health education

    Leahy, Deana, Burrows, Lisette, McCuaig, Louise, Wright, Jan and Penney, Dawn (2016). Schooling health: governmentality and health education. School health education in changing times: curriculum, pedagogies and partnerships. (pp. 12-26) edited by Deana Leahy, Lisette Burrows, Louise McCuaig, Jan Wright and Dawn Penney. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Teachers’ Perspectives on the School-Family-Health Nexus

    Enright, Eimear, Johnson, Rebecca, Macdonald, Doune, McCuaig, Louise and Rossi, Anthony (2016). Teachers’ Perspectives on the School-Family-Health Nexus. Families, Young People, Physical Activity and Health: Critical Perspectives. (pp. 165-180) edited by Symeon Dagkas and Lisette Burrows. London, UK: Routledge.

  • Whose bodies and whose health?

    Leahy, Deana, Burrows, Lisette, McCuaig, Louise, Wright, Jan and Penney, Dawn (2016). Whose bodies and whose health?. School health education in changing times: curriculum, pedagogies and partnerships. (pp. 27-43) edited by Deana Leahy, Lisette Burrows, Louise McCuaig, Jan Wright and Dawn Penney. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Does my research look good in that? Problems, politics and processes when choosing social theory in research in physical culture

    Macdonald, Doune and McCuaig, Louise (2015). Does my research look good in that? Problems, politics and processes when choosing social theory in research in physical culture. Pierre Bourdieu and physical culture. (pp. 160-167) edited by Wayne Smith, lisahunter and elke emerald. Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Peer-mentoring and the power dynamics of the HPETE triadic relationship

    McCuaig, Louise, Hare, Simone and Monsen, Sue (2015). Peer-mentoring and the power dynamics of the HPETE triadic relationship. Mentoring in physical education and sports coaching. (pp. 127-135) edited by Fiona C. Chambers. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • Disrupting the field: teacher education in health education

    Leahy, Deana and McCuaig, Louise (2014). Disrupting the field: teacher education in health education. Health education: critical perspectives. (pp. 220-232) edited by Katie Fitzpatrick and Richard Tinning. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203387993

  • Research principles and practices: Paving the research journey

    Macdonald, Doune and McCuaig, Louise (2012). Research principles and practices: Paving the research journey. Research methods in physical education and youth sport. (pp. 16-28) edited by Kathleen Armour and Doune Macdonald. London, United Kingdom: Routledge.

  • The will for inclusion: bothering the inclusion/exclusion discourses of sport

    Macdonald, Doune, Pang, Bonnie, Knez, Kelly, Nelson, Alison and McCuaig, Louise (2012). The will for inclusion: bothering the inclusion/exclusion discourses of sport. Inclusion and exclusion through youth sport. (pp. 9-23) edited by Symeon Dagkas and Kathleen Armour. Abingdon, Oxon, U.K.: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203852392-9

  • Health promotion policies and schooling: The case of Eat Well Be Active

    Leow, Anthony, Macdonald, Doune and McCuaig, Louise (2011). Health promotion policies and schooling: The case of Eat Well Be Active. Issues and Controversies in Physical Education: Policy, Power, and Pedagogy. (pp. 57-67) edited by Seth Brown. Auckland, New Zealand: Pearson.

  • Positioning the physical in health and physical education

    McCuaig, Louise and Hay, Peter (2009). Positioning the physical in health and physical education. Health & Physical Education: Issues for Curriculum in Australia and New Zealand. (pp. 198-213) edited by DinanThompson, M.. South Melbourne, Vic.: Oxford University Press.

  • Getting started and planning from outcomes

    McCuaig, L A (2006). Getting started and planning from outcomes. Teaching Health and Physical Education in Australian Schools. (pp. 137-149) edited by R. Tinning, L. McCuaig and lisahunter. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia.

  • HPE in the health promoting school

    McCuaig, L A (2006). HPE in the health promoting school. Teaching Health and Physical Education in Australian Schools. (pp. 56-69) edited by R. Tinning, L. McCuaig and lisahunter. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia.

  • Making a certain citizen: Schooling and HPE

    Tinning, R I and McCuaig, L A (2006). Making a certain citizen: Schooling and HPE. Teaching Health and Physical Education in Australian Schools. (pp. 3-8) edited by R. Tinning, L. McCuaig and lisahunter. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia.

  • Whose responsibility is HPE anyway?

    Tinning, R I and McCuaig, L A (2006). Whose responsibility is HPE anyway?. Teaching Health and Physical Education in Australian Schools. (pp. 49-55) edited by R. Tinning, L. McCuaig and lisahunter. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia.

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

  • Mental health stressors and resources across the tertiary-professional transition: The case of teacher education

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Educating for healthy citizens: The health work of teachers in the Northern Territory

    Doctor Philosophy — Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Comprehending cultural diversity in Australian sport: Pacific Island athletes in the National Rugby League (NRL)

    Doctor Philosophy — Joint Principal Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Integrated wellbeing for teachers: A mixed-methods study investigating attention awareness, perceived stress and subjective wellbeing and a complementary intervention for pre-service and early career teachers.

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • Implementation of Physical Activity Programming for Early Childhood Educators

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

    Other advisors:

  • What¿s `good care¿? Care pedagogies of educational guidance counsellors.

    Doctor Philosophy — Associate Advisor

Completed Supervision

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ResearcherID: D-5435-2012

ORCID: 0000-0002-9982-2324

Scopus ID: 18042339600

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