Tryon Francis

DipRLSS, BSc(Hons)/BEd (W. Aust), LLB (UNDA), GDLP (ANU), LLM (ANU)
Lecturer

Email: tryon.francis@nd.edu.au
Phone: (02) 8204 4244

  • Biography

    Tryon Francis is a teacher educator in the School of Education Sydney. Tryon has taught in Western Australian government schools, has practiced law in the field of education law in NSW, and commenced his tenure at Notre Dame in 2011.

    Mr Francis has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) majoring in Chemistry and Human Movement which consisted of a dissertation on the design of first-year general chemistry courses at the University of Western Australia. Mr Francis graduated as the valedictorian of the Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Western Australia which consisted of a one year study abroad program at The University of Washington, Seattle, USA. Mr Francis has completed a Bachelor of Laws (UNDA) a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (ANU) and Masters of Law (ANU). Mr Francis is admitted to both the NSW Supreme Court and the High Court of Australia. Mr Francis is currently completing his PhD on school principals in NSW public schools and the role of administrative law in sound decision-making. It is the combination of these experiences that has provided Mr Francis with a view of science, physical education, education, law and research that attempts to accommodate a holistic view towards education. Mr Francis has an active interest in education law in both Australia and internationally to improve the decision-making legality of school principals in Australia.

    Mr Francis is an Officer in The Royal Australian Air Force Reserves receiving a Prince of Wales Award in 2013 for research into his PhD studies. Mr Francis received the Australian Operational Service Medal - Greater Middle East Region in 2017 for his service on Operation Accordion.

    In 2002 Mr Francis was awarded the Royal Life Saving Society Diploma which recognises significant contributions to RLSS lifesaving knowledge. It is one of the Society’s oldest and most prestigious international awards and is awarded to individuals and teams, who have added to RLSS knowledge in ways that can save lives and prevent drowning. Mr Francis' contribution to reducing drowning deaths has seen him instruct over 6,000 pre-service teachers of swimming and water safety since 2004.

  • Teaching Areas

    Education Law and Policy
    Science Education
    Physical Education
    Public Education
    Aboriginal Education

  • Research Expertise and Supervision

    Education Law and Policy
    Science Education
    Higher Education Engagement
    Physical Education (Swimming and Water Safety)

  • Journal Articles and Proceedings

    • Francis, T., Kennedy-Clark, S., Eddles-Hirsch, K., & a'Beckett, C. (2020). Developing a Shared Understanding of a Sense of Community in Large Classes, Global Research in Higher Education, 3(1).
    • Eddles-Hirsch, K., Kennedy-Clark, S., & Francis, T., (2019). Developing creativity through authentic programming in the inclusive classroom, Education 3-13, DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2019.1670714.
    • Kennedy-Clark, S., Eddles-Hirsch, K., Francis, T., Cummins, G., Feratino, L., Tichelaar, M., & Ruz, L. (2018). Developing Pre-Service Teacher Professional Capabilities through Action Research. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 43(9), 39-58.
    • Pelletier, R., Handal, B., Khalil, J. & Francis, T. (2015). Cyberbulling - Where does a school authority's liability in tort end? The West Australian Jurist, 6(1), 83.

  • Conference Papers

    • Francis, T. (2019, October). Public school principals undertaking ADR in the resolution of conflict in accordance with the rules of procedural fairness. Paper presented at the 28th Annual Australian and New Zealand Education Law Association Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
    • Francis, T., Eddles-Hirsch, K., & Casey, A. (2018, June). An Exploratory Study Investigating the Impact of a Differentiated Framework of Instruction on Generalist Pre-service Primary Education Teachers Perceived Confidence to Teach Science Education. Paper presented at the 2018 Hawaii University International Conferences on STEM/STEAM and Education.
    • Francis, T (2016, September). Decision-making of NSW government school principals and the application of procedural fairness: identifying their knowledge and equipping them for practice. Paper presented at the 25th Annual Australian and New Zealand Education Law Association Conference, Auckland, New Zealand.
    • Francis, T (2012, July). Swimming teachers and the law and their duties in recent cases. Paper presented at the Austswim Splash out Conference, Sydney, Australia.

  • In the Media

    Austswim Award Recipients
    Education Lecturer awarded Defence Force Medal for service in Middle East

  • Professional Affiliations

    • Australian Defence Force
    • Australian and New Zealand Education Law Association (ANZELA)
    • AUSTSWIM
    • New South Wales Education Standards Authority
    • Law Society of New South Wales
    • National Tertiary Education Union
    • Teacher Registration Board Western Australia

  • Community Engagement

    • Australian Defence Force
    • AUSTSWIM
    • Francis Swim School
    • Justice of the Peace for New South Wales
    • UNDA WHS Representative Group Chairman
    • NTEU UNDA Branch Committee Member

  • Awards

    • 2019 - AUSTSWIM NSW Most Outstanding Contribution Award Nominee
    • 2017 - AUSTSWIM National Presenter of The Year Award
    • 2017 - Australian Operational Service Medal - Greater Middle East Operation
    • 2016 - AUSTSWIM NSW Presenter of the Year Award
    • 2016-2018 - Dean's Letter of Merit for Outstanding Teaching
    • 2013-2015 - Vice-Chancellors Commendations for Teaching
    • 2013 - Department of Defence Prince of Wales Award Recipient - $6,500
    • 2013 - Australian Defence Medal
    • 2011 - Blake Dawson Paper Presentation Winner
    • 2010 - AUSTSWIM WA Presenter of the Year Award
    • 2007 - Final Year Teaching Scholarship - $40,000
    • 2002 - Diploma Royal Life Saving Society

  • Other

    $220,000 grant (2013 -2015) OLT: Real Science to improve the ability of graduate teachers to teach science in primary schools. Macquarie University is the lead organisation. Six universities are involved in the project. I am the academic responsible for the execution of the project at UNDA.