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Dr Michael Johnston

Senior Fellow

Dr Michael Johnston has held academic positions at Victoria University of Wellington for the past ten years. This includes being the Associate Dean (Academic) of the University’s School of Education for the last 3 years.

Prior to his time at Victoria, Dr Johnston was the Senior Statistician at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, a position he held for 6 years. Before that, he held positions at Melbourne and Latrobe universities.

Dr Johnston holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Melbourne.

He lives in Roseneath, Wellington, with his wife and two young children.

Phone: 044990790

Email: michael.johnston@nzinitiative.org.nz

Recent Work

EPS 151 Professor Dr Antje Barabasch

Podcast: Vocational education and training

In this week’s podcast, Oliver Hartwich and Michael Johnston are joined by visiting professor Dr Antje Barabasch to discuss vocational education and training, the Swiss dual education system, and the differences with the New Zealand system. Professor Dr Antje Barabasch is head of the research axe “Teaching and Learning in VET” and the research field “Learning cultures and instruction”. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich
Dr Michael Johnston
Professor Dr Antje Barabasch
Podcast
30 March, 2023
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Shameful legacy: NZ’s ‘open society’ takes well-deserved beating

In September 1969, hippies thronged to Auckland’s Albert Park to stand up for free speech, protest the Vietnam War, and enjoy the grass. It was part of a movement for free love and free minds that was sweeping the English-speaking world at the time. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston
Dr James Kierstead
The Australian
28 March, 2023
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Critical failure

For a brief moment last year, it looked as if the Ministry of Education was finally going to embrace methods of teaching literacy and numeracy supported by scientific evidence. They published a new literacy and numeracy strategy that made reference to structured teaching methods. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston
Insights Newsletter
24 March, 2023
EPS 147 Public service

Podcast: Public Service Political Neutrality

The public service, and the neutrality of its leaders, has become a recent issue. In this episode, Drs Oliver Hartwich and Michael Johnston discuss New Zealand's public service, how it is run, and the importance of public servants being impartial and objective in their work. Read more

Dr Oliver Hartwich
Dr Michael Johnston
Podcast
8 March, 2023

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