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Dr Michael Johnston

Senior Fellow

Dr Michael Johnston is a Senior Fellow at the New Zealand Initiative. He leads the workstream on education.

Prior to his time at the Initiative, Dr Johnston held academic positions at Victoria University of Wellington from 2011-2022. From 2020 until 2022 he was the Associate Dean (Academic) in the University’s Faculty of Education.

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 was a lecturer in psychology at the University Melbourne and a Research Fellow at Latrobe University.

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

Phone: 044990790

Email: michael.johnston@nzinitiative.org.nz

Recent Work

students

Boys’ underachievement at school is a problem for everyone

As we digest the results of the election and contemplate the future, it is an opportune time to shine a light on an educational and social timebomb that was completely ignored during the campaign. Young men, many of them barely literate, fill our prisons and dominate our suicide statistics. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

044990790

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Bali Haque
The Post, The Press and Waikato Times
24 October, 2023
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Podcast: Teacher education in NZ: Past and present

Dr Michael Johnston talks to Dr Mark Sheehan, from Victoria University of Wellington, about the transition of teachers' colleges into the universities, discusses the state of teacher education today and considers what might need to change in order to make a difference in the lives of young people. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

044990790

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Dr Mark Sheehan
24 October, 2023
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Podcast: Teacher education

Dr Michael Johnston talks to Maryanne Spurdle, Researcher at the Maxim Institute, and Stephanie Martin, Adjunct Fellow at NZ Initiative, about teacher education. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

044990790

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Stephanie Martin
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Maryanne Spurdle
6 October, 2023

Webinar: Data down under: An expert panel discussion on quantitative research in the Aotearoa New Zealand education sector

Dr Valerie Sotardi, a Senior Lecturer of Educational Psychology at the University of Canterbury, facilitates this webinar to discuss expert views and opinions on quantitative research in the current education landscape. Joining her in this panel discussion are Dr Michael Johnston, Agate Ponder-Sutton, and Stuart McNaughton. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

044990790

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Dr Valerie Sotardi, Agate Ponder-Sutton and Stuart McNaughton
Webinar
4 October, 2023
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Podcast: MMP vs FPP

Dr James Kierstead talks to Dr Michael Johnston about NZ's interesting Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) system vs First Past the Post (FFP), in the run-up to the 2023 NZ election. To listen to our latest podcasts, please subscribe to The New Zealand Initiative podcast on iTunes, Spotify or The Podcast App. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

044990790

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Dr James Kierstead

04 499 0790

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28 September, 2023

Podcast: Issues With Teacher Training

Dr. Michael Johnston is joined by Adjunct Fellow Stephanie Martin and Dr. Kevin Knight, founder and owner of the New Zealand Graduate School of Education in Christchurch, for a discussion about the issues currently facing the training of our teachers. The New Zealand Initiative · EPS. Read more

Dr Michael Johnston

044990790

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Stephanie Martin
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Dr Kevin Knight
14 September, 2023

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