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International partnership is enhancing food literacy education
Professor Andrea Nolan recently visited the University of British Columbia in her role as a member of the Australian Hub of the Food Literacy International Partnership (FLIP), a three-year project funded by a Partnership Development grant from the Canadian government. She was there to deliver a face-to-face workshop of the project findings and took the opportunity to meet with the research team to advance the writing of a paper and conceptualise a follow-up project.
FLIP is a global network of scholars and practitioners who work across early childhood to year 12 to develop evidence-based food literacy education. Enhancing food literacy among young people not only equips them with the knowledge and skills to maintain their health and wellbeing it also gives them an understanding of the impact of food practices on the sustainability of our society.
The research partnership draws together a multidisciplinary team of experts from the University of British Columbia Canada, Deakin University Australia, the University of Gothenburg Sweden and Sweet Briar College in the US. The four research hubs share their food literacy work, which enables a comparative analysis of food literacy education practices and outcomes in different geographic contexts. The Australian Hub includes colleagues from REDI and the Faculty of Health at Deakin.
The overall aim of the Australian hub is to assist in the dissemination of valid food and nutrition knowledge and skills in schools by:
- investigating school food and nutrition environments and exploring different approaches to food literacy education in primary and secondary schools
- developing sustainable professional development programs for teachers in food and nutrition education in partnership with relevant national and state authorities.
Professor Nolan explains how she became involved in the FLIP project and discusses the benefits and challenges of being part of an international research group:
What is your role as part of the Australian Research Hub of FLIP?
I work as advisor for the professional learning aspect of the entire partnership project. I assist with the transferability of the research outcomes into effective teacher resources across all educational year levels to support, develop and enhance the practice of educators in the area of food literacy education.
Developing the skills, capabilities and attributes necessary for children and young people to participate in their social context as informed citizens depends on creating teaching and learning materials that are responsive to their lived experience. This means involving everyone – researchers, teachers, students and organisations to come together and work collaboratively.
How did you become involved in this project?
I was approached by the chief investigator of FLIP, Professor Kerry Renwick, to help conceptualise the project from the beginning.
I had previously worked in the same university School of Education as Professor Renwick. Even though our areas of expertise differed (i.e. home economics and early childhood), we would have engaging conversations whenever we met at staff meetings or in the staff room. We both subsequently moved universities with Professor Renwick taking up a position at the University of British Columbia and me moving to Deakin University.
A number of years later we met at the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) conference in Brisbane and that was where the idea for FLIP was born.
What has been a highlight of your involvement in this project?
It has been a highlight to work with colleagues from across the world. Working across the different time zones is challenging but developing resources to support food literacy education is a very rewarding experience.
How has being involved in the project impacted your research?
Initially, I struggled to see my place in the project apart from heavily supporting the writing of the application, which I have experience doing, and connecting with any research that involved early childhood aspects. I have come to realise that my research in teachers’ professional learning has more universal application and scope outside of the early childhood sector. The team is now planning the next project that leads on from this initial project.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a similar experience?
I would encourage anyone to be courageous and step outside their comfort zone to experience how researchers from other disciplines work, and to make strong international connections that could lead to other exciting research opportunities. They may be surprised by how transferable their knowledge and skills are.
Professor Andrea Nolan at the University of British Columbia
