Rate My Professor Tess Rendoth

Dr Tess Rendoth is a Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education, a Master of Special Education, and a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Fine Art (Special Education), all from the University of Newcastle. With 15 years of experience as a visual art and inclusive/special education teacher across diverse classroom settings in Australia and internationally, including school leadership, policy, and community development, she applies practical insights to her academic role. Her research centres on inclusive and specialist education for students with complex disabilities, educational technology and creative arts-based pedagogies in initial teacher education, teachers' adaptation of standardised curriculum in excluded educational spaces, and the impact of teachers' personal and professional identities on curriculum decision-making and wellbeing. She contributes to projects on data literacy, AI in education for social justice, and simulation technologies, leading the School of Education’s SimCave 360-degree immersive learning space. As Special & Inclusive Education Pathway Convenor, she fosters collaborative partnerships with peak bodies, networks, and organisations like Wollotuka, HMRI, HNELHD, and The Creator Incubator.

Dr Rendoth teaches courses including Inclusive and Special Education (EDUC3026), Planning for Teaching in Special Education (EDUC4063), Students with Diverse Needs (EDUC6740), Meeting Special Needs in Diverse Social and Educational Contexts (EDUC4002), and Assessment Programming and Intervention in Behaviour Problems (EDUC6079). Her innovative teaching approach has earned the UON Academy $1,000 professional development prize in 2016 for excellence in student experience. Key publications include 'Curriculum Decision-Making for Students with Severe Intellectual Disabilities or Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties' (International Journal of Disability Development and Education, 2025), 'Curriculum effectiveness for secondary-aged students with severe intellectual disabilities or profound and multiple learning difficulties in Australia: Teacher perspectives' (Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 2025), 'Curriculum in conflict: influences of Australian teacher's decision-making for students with complex disabilities' (Journal of Curriculum Studies, 2025), and 'Making Reasonable Adjustments for Students with Disability in Australian Mainstream Classrooms: A Scoping Review' (Australian Journal of Special and Inclusive Education, 2024). She has presented at numerous conferences on curriculum inclusion, innovative pedagogies, and simulation in teacher education. Beyond academia, she serves as President of Arts in Recovery (AiR), facilitating arts workshops for mental health recovery.