Debra Miles has worked in the tertiary education sector in Australia since 1995 teaching across a wide array of undergraduate and postgraduate subjects in professional social work and women’s studies courses at James Cook University and Charles Darwin University. She is currently the Director of the Women’s Studies Research Group. Her teaching foci include human rights and social work practice. Deb’s research has focused on feminist social work practice particularly in child protection, women’s services, violence against women and working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.  Her current research projects include technology in social work education; internationalisation of social work education; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their experience in field education.

Teaching

• WC2001: Australian Women's Studies (Level 2; TSV)
• WS3027: Social Welfare Practice with Children and Families (Level 3; TSV)

Interests

Research

• Women and Gender issues, International Social Work, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and Social Work Practice

Teaching

• Human Rights, Women Studies, Counselling/Interpersonal skills

Awards

• 2015 - Advisory Panel of the Year Award
• 2013 - Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning
• 2012 - JCU Award for Excellence - Partnerships and Collaboration

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Miles D, Mensinga J and Zuchowski I (in press) Harnessing opportunities to enhance the distance learning experience of MSW students: an appreciative inquiry process. Social Work Educaton,
• Zuchowski I, Miles D, Howard E, Harris N and Francis A (in press) Sustaining quality learning abroad opportunities in Australian schools of social work. International Social Work,
• Harris N, Miles D, Howard E, Zuchowski I, King J, Dhephasadin Na Ayudhaya P, Jones P, Francis A, Gopalkrishnan N and Puthantharayil G (2017) International student exchange in Australian social work education. Australian Social Work, 70 (4). pp. 429-440
• Jones P and Miles D (2017) Transformative learning in international student exchange: a critical perspective. Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education, 19 (2). pp. 47-60
• Jones P, Rowe S and Miles D (in press) Beyond practical preparation: a critical approach to preparing social work students for international experiences. International Social Work,
• Zuchowski I, Miles D, Woods C and Tsey K (in press) Continuous quality improvement processes in child protection: a systematic literature review. Research On Social Work Practice,
• Nickson A, Gair S and Miles D (2016) Supporting isolated workers in their work with families in rural and remote Australia: exploring peer group supervision. Children Australia, 41 (4). pp. 265-274
• Babatsikos G and Miles D (2015) How parents manage the risk of child sexual abuse: a grounded theory. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 24 (1). pp. 55-76
• Gair S, Miles D, Savage D and Zuchowski I (2015) Racism unmasked: the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in social work field placements. Australian Social Work, 68 (1). pp. 32-48

Book Chapters

• Salter P, Halbert K, Howard E, Singh M, Miles D, Jones P, Bhati A, Wong C and Han J (in press) Local connections, global perspectives. In: The Globalisation of Higher Education: developing internationalised education in research and practice. Palgrave Macmillan, Sydney, NSW, Australia
• Miles D and Jones P (2016) International social work student exchange. In: Local Global Citizenship in Higher Education: a framework and case studies for curriculum development. James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia, pp. 39-49

Conference Papers

• Miles D, Jones P, Gopalkrishnan N, Francis A, Harris N, Howard E, King J, Zuchowski I, Dhephasadin Na Ayudhaya P and Puthantharayil G (2016) Contested concepts of 'partnership' in international student exchange programs. Proceedings of the 37th HERDSA Annual International Conference. In: HERSDA 2016: 39th Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Annual International Conference: the shape of higher education, 4-7 July 2016, Freemantle, WA, Australia

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 43+ research outputs authored by A/Prof Debra Miles from 1998 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Women's Experiences of the Family Violence Intervention Order Process Across Rural, Regional and Metropolitian Victoria (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• The Search for Counsellor's Professional Identity: A Singapore Study (PhD , Secondary Advisor/AM)
• Understanding and Developing Appropriate Service Responses for Aboriginal Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System (PhD , Advisor Mentor)
• Domestic and Family Violence Perpetrator Interventions - How Successful Are They? (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)
• Exploring the Lived Experiences of Indigenous Australian Child Protection Workers Who Work Within a Statutory System that is/was Responsible for Historical Harm to Indigenous Communities. (PhD , Primary Advisor/AM)
• Social Adjustment Beyond Teenage Motherhood: Navigating Life Stages and Issues of Identity into Adulthood (PhD , Secondary Advisor)

Completed

• Towards a decolonizing practice: a qualitative inquiry informed by non-Indigenous and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders working together (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Social work field education with external supervision (2015, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Unravelling foster care and finding family support (2015, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Women serving in the Royal Australian Navy: the path towards equality 1960 to 2015 (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Exploring peer group supervision in virtual teams in rural and remote Australia (2016, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• Shift happens: transformative learning in social work education (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)
• What makes a good foster carer?: the views of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience (2013, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Sentencers’ Attitudes toward Women in the Criminal Justice System: Explanations for Sentencing Treatment Disparities between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Women (2018, PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Re-visioning child protection management embedded in family empowerment (2017, PhD , Primary Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.