Associate Professor John Williams
Associate Professor John Williams, an Avondale graduate of 1974, was admitted in 2011 to the Academy of Fellows of the International Technology and Engineering Education Association, based in the USA. The citation commences: “This is the highest recognition that the International Technology and Engineering Education Association (ITEEA) can bestow upon any person.” Only one non-American has ever before received the award. The honour is conferred in recognition of prominence in and service to the profession.
John Williams began his tertiary education at Avondale, graduating in secondary teaching with a major in industrial arts. “I remember Brian Houliston, Trevor Lloyd and Alan Lindsay as key people in ensuring that learning was a pleasure,” he says. He met Susan (Parker) in his final year at college, and they married the next year. After graduating John worked as a builder for a few years, but then “bit the bullet” and decided to teach, and for the next three years taught industrial arts in Adelaide. He wanted to do postgraduate work, but because this was not available in technology education in Australia, he and Sue went to Andrews University, Michigan, where he gained a master’s degree and a doctorate.
He then returned to Australia and worked at Avondale in 1985. He and Sue had not returned to Australia during the five years they were in the US, and did not anticipate the reverse culture shock felt in settling back in Cooranbong. An opportunity arose to work in Zimbabwe as part of an Australian aid scheme to develop education in that country, and he and Sue subsequently spent five years there, John training technical teachers and Sue working at the Australian High Commission.
On returning to Australia in 1991 John taught initially in a secondary school in Sydney, then accepted a position at the University of Newcastle training technology teachers. He later moved to Edith Cowan University in Perth as coordinator of technology education, did a stint as Associate Dean for International Relations, and became the director of the university’s secondary teacher training program. He maintained his African connections during this time, which led to the supervision of teacher training programs in Botswana, Seychelles and Mauritius, and of postgraduate students from South Africa and Zimbabwe. While in Perth he became a chief examiner for the International Baccalaureate Organisation and external examiner for the Mauritius and Hong Kong Institutes of Education.
In 2010 John took up a position in the Centre for Science and Technology Education Research at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, subsequently becoming the director. He has published fifty articles and authored and co-authored eleven books. He regularly presents at international and national conferences, consults on technology education in a number of countries, is a longstanding member of eight professional associations and is on the editorial board of four professional journals.
“I feel God has richly blessed me throughout my journey,” he said. “Avondale’s strong foundation of scholarship and inspirational leadership has led me to a lifelong love of learning.”
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