Daniela Acquaro

Daniela Acquaro is Associate Professor in Teacher Education and Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. She holds a PhD and a Master's degree from the University of Melbourne, a Graduate Diploma in Education from the Australian Catholic University, and a Bachelor of Arts. Acquaro joined the University of Melbourne in 2010 and has advanced through several leadership roles, including Program Director for Initial Teacher Education and Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership. She currently chairs the University Academic Board Teaching and Learning Quality Assurance Committee. Her extensive experience spans secondary and tertiary education sectors, where she has contributed to program development and quality assurance in teacher preparation.

Acquaro's research specializations encompass teacher education, educational leadership, school-university partnerships, pre-service teacher motivations and barriers—particularly for rural teaching placements—clinical practice in education, and the impacts of COVID-19 on schooling. As lead investigator, she received the Melbourne Graduate School of Education Research Development Grant for 2018-2019. Key publications include the highly cited "Exploring metropolitan university pre-service teacher motivations and barriers to teaching in rural schools" (Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 2018; 114 citations), "Music, rhythm and trauma: A critical interpretive synthesis of research literature" (Frontiers in Psychology, 2020; 101 citations), "COVID-19: What have we learned from Italy’s education system lockdown" (International Studies in Educational Administration, 2020), and the co-authored "Australian education survey: Examining the impact of COVID-19 report summary" (University of Melbourne, 2020). She co-edited "School-University Partnerships—Innovation in Initial Teacher Education" (Springer, 2022) and contributed chapters such as "Clinical practice in education: Towards a conceptual framework" and "Leadership Development in Initial Teacher Education" (Encyclopedia of Teacher Education, 2022). Acquaro's scholarship shapes practices in initial teacher education, leadership literacy, and partnerships, influencing both policy and pedagogy through her committee roles and publications.

Professional Email: d.acquaro@unimelb.edu.au