Published Research

Robust Educational Research

The case for teaching and learning about taxation and superannuation at school

This Research Review aims to engage Australian policy makers, curriculum writers, and school leaders in thinking about the importance of and possibilities for teaching and learning about taxation and superannuation in the compulsory years of schooling (Foundation to Year 10).

Exploring secondary commerce teachers' opportunities and readiness to teach consumer, economic and financial literacy

This Research Report presents the findings of a teacher survey and makes recommendations what key stakeholders might do differently to engage with teachers and impact their professional work.

Teachers' perceptions of financial literacy and the implications for professional learning

This article reports research exploring practising teachers’ perceptions of the opportunities for financial literacy teaching and learning. The findings suggest a need to educate teachers to: reflect upon the knowledge, skills and capabilities required to make informed financial decisions; identify and interpret the possibilities for financial literacy teaching and learning in the Australian Curriculum; and enact sophisticated pedagogical practice.

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Sawatzki, C., Zmood, S. & Davidson, A. (2020). Using financial modelling to decide "Should I tap into my super?" Australian Mathematics Education Journal, 2(2), 22-27.

Sawatzki, C. & Sullivan, P. (2019). Developing financially literate children. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 24(4), 3-5.

Sawatzki, C., Downton, A., & Cheeseman, J. (2019). Stimulating proportional reasoning through questions of finance and fairness. Mathematics Education Research Journal. DOI: 10.1007/s13394-019-00262-5

Hunter, J. & Sawatzki, C. (2019). Discovering diverse students’ funds of knowledge related to finance: Pāsifika students in New Zealand. Mathematics Education Research Journal. DOI: 10.1007/s13394-019-00259-0

Sawatzki, C. & Goos, M. (2018). Cost, price and profit: What influences student’s decisions about fundraising? Mathematics Education Research Journal. DOI: 10.1007/s13394-018-0241-y

Sawatzki, C. & Sullivan, P. (2017). Shopping for shoes: Teaching students to apply and interpret mathematics in the real world. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 1-19. DOI: 10.1007/s10763-017-9833-3

Sawatzki, C.M. & Sullivan, P.A. (2017). Teachers’ perceptions of financial literacy and the implications for professional learning. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 42(5), 51-65. DOI: 10.14221/ajte.2017v42n5.4

Sawatzki, C. (2017). Lessons in financial literacy task design: Authentic, imaginable, useful. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 29(1), 25-43. DOI: 10.1007/s13394-016-0184-0

Commissioned reports

Sawatzki, C. & Zmood, S. (2018). The case for teaching and learning about taxation and superannuation at school: A research review for the Australian Taxation Office.

Sawatzki, C. Zmood, S., Forsyth, A. & Downton, A. (2017). Exploring secondary commerce teachers' opportunities and readiness to teach consumer, economic and financial literacy.

Sawatzki, C., Gindidis, M., Tour, E., Ludecke, M., Rutherford, S., Marangio, K., Rady, D. & Southcott J. (2017). Evaluation of a pilot personalised professional learning program.

Sawatzki, C. (2016). Report for the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority [ACARA], Consumer and financial literacy in the Australian Curriculum v8.1: Identifying opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching and learning through real world issues.

Sawatzki, C. (2016). Information paper for the Victorian Commercial Teachers Association, The Victorian Curriculum F-10: A critical analysis of implementation opportunities in Civics & Citizenship and Economics & Business.

Refereed conference papers

Sawatzki, C., Downton, A., & Cheeseman, J. (2018). Sharing the cost of a taxi ride. In (Eds.). Making waves, opening spaces, Proceedings of the 41st Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (p.55-58). Auckland, New Zealand: MERGA.

Sawatzki, C. (2017). Pricing: Exploring the intersection between values, maths, finance and entrepreneurship. In A. Downton, S. Livy, & J. Hall (Eds.). 40 years on: We are still learning, Proceedings of the 40th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (p.458-465). Melbourne, Australia: MERGA.

Sawatzki, C. (2016). Insights from a financial literacy task designer: The curious case of problem context. In B. White, M. Chinnappan., & S. Trenholm (Eds.). Opening Up Mathematics Education Research, Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 576-583). Adelaide, Australia: MERGA.

Sawatzki, C. (2015). Context counts: The potential of realistic problems to expose and extend social and mathematical understandings. In M. Marshman, V. Geiger, & A. Bennison (Eds.). Mathematics Education in the Margins: Research Guided Practice, Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 555-562). Sunshine Coast, Australia: MERGA.

Sawatzki, C. (2014). Connecting social and mathematical thinking: The use of “real life” contexts. In J. Anderson, M. Cavanagh, & A. Prescott (Eds). Curriculum in Focus: Research Guided Practice, Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 557-564). Sydney, Australia: MERGA.

Sullivan, P., Clarke, D., Cheeseman, J., Mornane, A., Roche, A., Sawatzki, C. & Walker, N. (2014). Students’ willingness to engage with mathematical challenges: Implications for classroom pedagogies. In J. Anderson, M. Cavanagh, & A. Prescott (Eds). Curriculum in Focus: Research Guided Practice, Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 597-604). Sydney, Australia: MERGA.

Sawatzki, C. (2013). What financial dilemmas reveal about students' social and mathematical understandings. In V. Steinle, L. Ball, & C. Bardini (Eds.). Proceedings of the 36th annual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 602-609). Melbourne, Australia: MERGA.

Sawatzki, C. & Richardson, P. (2012). Part-time teaching in Victorian government schools: The policy frameworks and the dilemmas facing school leaders, Proceedings of the 2011 Australian Association of Research in Education [AARE] Conference (pp.1-22). Hobart, Australia: AARE.

Book chapters

Sawatzki, C. (2016). Teaching economics and business. In R. Gilbert & B. Hoepper (Eds.), Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: History, Geography, Economics and Citizenship in the Australian Curriculum, 6th edition (pp.306-262). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Forgasz, H., Bleazby, J., & Sawatzki, C. (2014). Ethics and the challenges for inclusive mathematics teaching, In A. Bishop, T.N. Barkatsas, and H. Tan (Eds.), Diversity in mathematics education: Towards inclusive practices, Melbourne, Australia: Springer. pp.147-165.

Sawatzki, C. (2014). Teaching economics and business. In R. Gilbert & B. Hoepper (Eds.), Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences: History, Geography, Economics and Citizenship in the Australian Curriculum, 5th edition (pp.278-296). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Sawatzki, C. (2011). Teaching about the economy. In R. Gilbert & B. Hoepper (Eds.), Teaching Society and Environment, 4th edition (pp.305-323). Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning.

Conference presentations

Sawatzki, C. (2019, November). Rethinking the possibilities for preparing a financially capable citizenry through school education. Keynote presentation at The Westpac Massey Fin-Ed Centre in collaboration with Alliance of Financial Capability Academics (AFCA) “Building financially capable communities: Our pathways to success” Conference. Auckland, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://webcast.massey.ac.nz/Mediasite/Play/981d494ed5e34833b41bb79811781dd81d

Sawatzki, C. (2015, November). The Victorian Curriculum: Years 7-10 curriculum models to consider in Civics & Citizenship and Economics & Business. Keynote presentation at Comview, 23-24 November 2015, Melbourne, Australia.

Sawatzki, C. (2013, December). The nature of teacher education in the first year at Monash. Keynote presentation at the International Conference on Teacher Education, 1-2 December 2013, Bandung, Indonesia.

Sawatzki, C. (2012, July). Financial literacy education: A critical review of the literature. Individual paper presentation at the 35thannual conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia [MERGA], 2-6 July 2013,Singapore.

Sawatzki, C. (2010, November). Flexible working arrangements for teachers in Victorian government schools: A critical analysis of the policy frameworks. Individual paper presentation at the 2010 Australian Association of Research in Education [AARE] 2010 Conference, 28 November - 2 December 2010, AARE, Melbourne, Australia.