Senior Modern History for Queensland (print and digital)

Brian Hoepper taught history in secondary schools before joining the Education faculty at QUT. He has been active in syllabus writing and professional development programs, including advising ACARA on the development of the Australian Curriculum: History. Brian has authored and co-authored textbooks for school history and university social education. Since 2002 he has worked independently as a curriculum adviser and writer.

Dr Brian Hoepper was awarded the Dr Russell Cowie 'Excellence in History Education' Award 2019 at the QHTA State Conference. Read more about this award and Dr Hoepper's contribution to History education here.

Julie Hennessey is the Head of History at Brisbane Girls Grammar School and an executive member of the Queensland History Teachers’ Association. Julie teaches Modern History including Australian history and world history. In 2018, Julie received the inaugural Dr Russell Cowie prize for Excellence in History Education in Queensland. She has contributed to a number of history textbooks.

Clayton Barry has taught history at various government high schools for the past 20 years. He lectures in history education for early childhood, primary, and secondary undergraduates. For most of his career Clayton has served as Head of Humanities.

Ryan Slavin has been teaching Humanities subjects for over a decade. He has headed Humanities departments and led eLearning and literacy, among other teaching and learning positions, at numerous schools. He has been a member of the Executive for the Queensland History Teachers’ Association for many years and is the editor of the Association’s eJournal publication. Ryan has written for Cambridge University Press, including Senior Modern History for Queensland published in 2019.

Sonia Ackerman graduated from the Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Business and worked as a journalist for several Central Queensland newspapers before moving into public relations. After completing a Graduate Diploma in Teaching, she spent six years at Whitsunday Anglican School teaching English and History. She is currently teaching casually in public and private schools across Brisbane.

Mark Avery has taught history in middle years as well as Senior Modern and Ancient Histories. He has been on Panels in the Central Queensland and Central Brisbane regions and has delivered numerous professional development seminars on history teaching in Central Queensland and Brisbane. He created the Paterson Hall Heritage Museum at Rockhampton Girls Grammar School.

Susan du Rand teaches Modern History and Humanities at The Gap State High School in Brisbane. Her background of over 25 years of teaching includes Senior History, English, French and Junior Secondary Humanities. Susan is a member of the Modern History District Panel and the Executive Committee of the Queensland History Teachers’ Association.

Peter Lawrence is HOD Humanities and LOTE at Meridan State College. He has been teaching history and other humanities subjects in Queensland State High Schools for over twenty years, and was a part of the initial implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies in Queensland. Peter has been on the Queensland State Panel for Modern History since 2012.

Richard Leo has taught a range of subjects in the humanities, including history, in South Australia and Queensland. Before moving into teacher education he was Head of Humanities at Nambour Christian College. Currently he lectures in Education and History at CHC Higher Education in Brisbane where he also coordinated the Graduate Diploma of Education program.

Tony Ogden is the teacher-librarian at Carmel College, Thornlands. He has taught Modern History in Queensland state and Catholic schools for over 35 years, as well as Ancient History, Economics and English. He has been a long-term member of District Review Panels during this time and has been responsible for writing and implementing Modern History work and assessment programs.

Kira Sampson is an experienced and passionate teacher of Modern History currently working at Somerville House in south Brisbane. She has presented and written articles for the QHTA, HTAA, QCAA and Macquarie University’s Big History project. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Queensland History Teachers’ Association.

Aaron Sloper is Head of Humanities at a co-educational independent school on the Gold Coast. After initially studying Law and Psychology, Aaron graduated in Secondary Education from the University of Queensland in 2009. Since then he has taught Secondary English, Ancient History, Modern History, Geography and Legal Studies to senior students and worked as a Curriculum Head of Department since 2016. He has experience lecturing and tutoring in the tertiary sector, holding a Masters Degree in History from Macquarie University, and was a contributing author for Senior Modern History for Queensland, recently published by Cambridge University Press. He is passionate about seeing students develop a deep critical awareness of the world around them through developing 21st century skills via the study of history and the humanities.