Margaret Kumar

Dr Margaret Kumar is Adjunct Professor at Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India. She has been appointed Senior Fellow (Honorary) at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Dr Kumar has worked at the University of Melbourne and Deakin University, Australia, in several faculties and at the Institute of Koorie Education, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia. Her forte lies in her multi-skilled qualities. She has a diversified experience of being an academic, an...See more

Dr Margaret Kumar is Adjunct Professor at Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India. She has been appointed Senior Fellow (Honorary) at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Dr Kumar has worked at the University of Melbourne and Deakin University, Australia, in several faculties and at the Institute of Koorie Education, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia. Her forte lies in her multi-skilled qualities. She has a diversified experience of being an academic, an academic skills adviser, a Higher Degree by Research Language and Learning Advisor, Senior Lecturer in Teaching, Research and Research Support, Master of Education Co-ordinator, Strand Coordinator of International Education, Lecturer in Applied Linguistics and Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education. She has a deep cultural and educational awareness of the ethos of Indigenous societies and its diverse knowledge systems. This arises from her educational, cultural and social background. She has a high level of experience in interacting with cultures where protocol, hierarchical systems, customs, norms and values are integral parts of daily living, in facilitating communication within and among different educational, cultural and individual groups. She speaks several languages and has a Catholic, Hindu, Pacific and Western upbringing. Throughout her personal and professional development, she has lived with people from a number of cultures and diasporic communities. This coupled with experiential learning and teaching gives her an acute awareness of what is involved in capacity building for marginalized societies. To this end, she has a long track record of research and publications in areas such as: Indigeneity and Aboriginal cultures; new knowledge systems; cross-cultural understandings; cultures of learning; global literacies; internationalizing the curriculum and interdisciplinarity. She espouses knowledge that views pedagogy as a social practice and helps students learn within a holistic and comprehensive curriculum. She utilizes theoretical frameworks and methodologies to translate teaching and learning principles into practice. Her work in the area of cross-cultural and intercultural exchanges has been instrumental in supporting research students in bringing 'new' Knowledge Systems to the academy and the scholarship of learning. See less