Rate My Professor Susan Sandretto

Professor Susan Sandretto serves as Professor and Associate Dean Research in the College of Education at the University of Otago. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Davis, Master of Arts and Diploma in Teaching from California State University, Sacramento, and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Otago in 2004. Before moving to New Zealand in 1997, she taught as a Spanish Immersion primary school teacher in California. From 1999, she contributed as a research assistant and guest lecturer at the University of Otago's Faculty of Education and Higher Education Development Centre. Following her doctoral completion, she was appointed Lecturer in 2004, progressing to her current professorial role.

Sandretto's research focuses on multiliteracies, critical literacy, gender issues in education, and practitioner research. She teaches across primary teacher education and education studies programmes and supervises postgraduate research. Her influential publications include "Telling half the story: A critical review of research on the teaching beliefs and practices of university academics" (2002, Review of Educational Research, cited 1367 times), "An investigation into excellent tertiary teaching: Emphasising reflective practice" (2004, Higher Education, cited 487 times), "Enrolling in the closest school or not? Implications of school choice decisions for active transport to school" (2017, Journal of Transport & Health), and recent articles such as "“Why are you rushing this minister?” Imposing an Aotearoa New Zealand strain of the science of reading" (2025, Education Policy Analysis Archives) and "“More like a manifesto than a curriculum”: A collaborative, critical discussion on English curriculum-making" (2026, New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies). In 2014, she was awarded the OUSA New Supervisor of the Year. Sandretto delivered her Inaugural Professorial Lecture, "A case for future-facing literacies," on September 3, 2024. As part of the Ohu Mātanga for the English Learning Area, she contributes to national curriculum development for Te Mātaiaho. Her scholarship, with over 2,900 Google Scholar citations, significantly impacts teacher education, literacy pedagogy, and educational policy.