Kylie Sturgess
Encyclopedia
Kylie Sturgess is an award-winning blog
ger and independent podcast host of 'The Token Skeptic Podcast'. A Philosophy
and Religious Education
teacher with over ten years experience in education, Kylie has lectured on teaching critical thinking
, feminism
, new media
and anomalistic beliefs worldwide. She is a Member of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Education Advisory Panel and regularly writes editorial for numerous publications, and has spoken at The Amazing Meeting Las Vegas, Dragon*Con (US), QED Con (UK). She was a presenter and Master of Ceremonies for the 2010 Global Atheist Convention and returns to the role in 2012.
At the beginning of 2007 Kylie had completed her first Masters of Education in Special Learning needs, with a particular focus on Gifted and Talented education and gender issues. For the final unit for her second Masters of Education, Kylie chose to focus on the criticisms raised by Watt and Wiseman, Aarnio and Lindeman regarding the Tobacyk Revised Belief in the Paranormal Scales, particularly in reference to beliefs in teenagers.
Kylie’s professional background includes working for a number of private schools in Western Australia. In 2010 Kylie taught Religious Education, Philosophy and Ethics. Currently, she is a volunteer at Perth’s SciTech as she completes her Graduate Diploma in Psychology.
Kylie has created teaching resources and helped deliver professional development for the Curriculum Council and was a research assistant at Curtin University (on engagement in secondary schools in rural and remote areas).
, the West Australian Skeptic Association ran an Award for challenging pseudo-scientific and paranormal claims. Kylie used this opportunity as a 'theme' for her Term 2 upper-ability English class (along with studies of Macbeth
, GATTACA
and The Chrysalids
) who subsequently submitted six group reports. The class was commended with two awards and one honourable mention. This was later repeated in 2007 with two Awards and three honourable mentions.
Kylie was recognised for this work by a runner-up award by the Australian Skeptics
in 2006. At that conference, she presented a speech written by the West Australian Skeptics regarding their project and their request for support; with the proceeds she began her Graduate Diploma in Psychology. Also as a result of the award, Kylie was invited to speak on Radio National
in December 2006. The transcript of which then became an article in the Australian Skeptics
.
In 2011, Kylie was the Australian co-ordinator of the 10:23 campaign
.
Kylies' work has featured in Educational Journals and Publications:
Other notable publications:
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger and independent podcast host of 'The Token Skeptic Podcast'. A Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Religious Education
Religious Education
Religious Education is the term given to education concerned with religion. It may refer to education provided by a church or religious organization, for instruction in doctrine and faith, or for education in various aspects of religion, but without explicitly religious or moral aims, e.g. in a...
teacher with over ten years experience in education, Kylie has lectured on teaching critical thinking
Critical thinking
Critical thinking is the process or method of thinking that questions assumptions. It is a way of deciding whether a claim is true, false, or sometimes true and sometimes false, or partly true and partly false. The origins of critical thinking can be traced in Western thought to the Socratic...
, feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, new media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
and anomalistic beliefs worldwide. She is a Member of the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) Education Advisory Panel and regularly writes editorial for numerous publications, and has spoken at The Amazing Meeting Las Vegas, Dragon*Con (US), QED Con (UK). She was a presenter and Master of Ceremonies for the 2010 Global Atheist Convention and returns to the role in 2012.
Professional Background
Since 2003, Kylie has gained Levels 1 and 2 accreditation in the Federation of Australasian Philosophy in Schools Association’s ‘Philosophy / Teacher Educator’. She went on to begin a Graduate Diploma in Psychology at Monash University by distance education in 2006.At the beginning of 2007 Kylie had completed her first Masters of Education in Special Learning needs, with a particular focus on Gifted and Talented education and gender issues. For the final unit for her second Masters of Education, Kylie chose to focus on the criticisms raised by Watt and Wiseman, Aarnio and Lindeman regarding the Tobacyk Revised Belief in the Paranormal Scales, particularly in reference to beliefs in teenagers.
Kylie’s professional background includes working for a number of private schools in Western Australia. In 2010 Kylie taught Religious Education, Philosophy and Ethics. Currently, she is a volunteer at Perth’s SciTech as she completes her Graduate Diploma in Psychology.
Kylie has created teaching resources and helped deliver professional development for the Curriculum Council and was a research assistant at Curtin University (on engagement in secondary schools in rural and remote areas).
Skepticism
Kylie's influence in skepticism began during The Amaz!ng Meeting 3 where she helped as a volunteer. At the beginning of 2006, after an influential lecture on ‘Teaching Critical Thinking in the Physical Sciences’ by Liam McDaid of Sacramento City CollegeSacramento City College
Sacramento City College is a two-year community college located in Sacramento, California. SCC is part of the Los Rios Community College District and had an enrollment of 25,307 in 2009. Sacramento City College is officially accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges , offering...
, the West Australian Skeptic Association ran an Award for challenging pseudo-scientific and paranormal claims. Kylie used this opportunity as a 'theme' for her Term 2 upper-ability English class (along with studies of Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, GATTACA
Gattaca
Gattaca is a 1997 science fiction film written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Jude Law with supporting roles played by Loren Dean, Ernest Borgnine, Gore Vidal and Alan Arkin....
and The Chrysalids
The Chrysalids
The Chrysalids is a science fiction novel by John Wyndham, first published in 1955 by Michael Joseph. It is the least typical of Wyndham's major novels, but regarded by some people as his best...
) who subsequently submitted six group reports. The class was commended with two awards and one honourable mention. This was later repeated in 2007 with two Awards and three honourable mentions.
Kylie was recognised for this work by a runner-up award by the Australian Skeptics
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
in 2006. At that conference, she presented a speech written by the West Australian Skeptics regarding their project and their request for support; with the proceeds she began her Graduate Diploma in Psychology. Also as a result of the award, Kylie was invited to speak on Radio National
Radio National
ABC Radio National is an Australia-wide non-commercial radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Radio National broadcasts national programming in areas that include news and current affairs, the arts, social issues, science, drama and comedy...
in December 2006. The transcript of which then became an article in the Australian Skeptics
Australian Skeptics
The Australian Skeptics is a non-profit organisation based in Australia which investigates paranormal and pseudoscientific claims using scientific methodologies.-History:...
.
In 2011, Kylie was the Australian co-ordinator of the 10:23 campaign
10:23 campaign
The 1023 Campaign is an awareness campaign & protest against homeopathy. The campaign is organised by The Merseyside Skeptics Society, a non-profit organisation of skeptics in the United Kingdom...
.
Publications
Kylie regularly writes editorials for numerous publications, including the:- The Australian Skeptics,
- UK Skeptic,
- Skeptical Briefs,
- Skeptical InquirerSkeptical InquirerThe Skeptical Inquirer is a bimonthly American magazine published by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry with the subtitle: The magazine for science and reason....
, and the - Committee for Skeptical Inquiry’s (CSI) ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’ online column.
Kylies' work has featured in Educational Journals and Publications:
- Journal of the Science Teachers Association of Western Australia,
- Lab Talk – Science Teachers Association of Victoria,
Other notable publications:
- Kylie was a co-author of the paper ‘The structure of superstitious action – A further analysis of fresh evidence‘, in the journal Personality and Individual Differences (Science Direct), a peer-reviewed publication. It involves a re-analysis of Wiseman and Watt’s short scales of positive and negative superstitions.
- Kylie released an essay which was featured in "The Australian Book of Atheism", distributed in Australia by Embiggen Books.
- Cavanagh, R., Kennish, P., & Sturgess, K. (2008). Development of a theoretical framework to inform measurement of secondary school student engagement with learning. AARE 2008 International Education Research Conference. Changing Climates: Education for Sustainable Futures, 30/11/2008. Brisbane: AARE Inc.
- What Do I Do Next?: Leading Skeptics Discuss 105 Practical Ways to Promote Science and Advance Skepticism. Ed. Daniel Loxton, www.skeptic.com.
- Sturgess, K. ‘Skepticism In The Classroom‘ in Knight, S. & Collins, C. (Eds.). (2005). Critical and Creative Thinking: The Australasian Journal of Philosophy in Education, 13(1).
Awards
- The Open Laboratory Best Of Science Blogs 2008
- The Young Australian Skeptics Blog Anthology
Podcasts
- SkepticalitySkepticalitySkepticality is the official biweekly podcast of The Skeptics Society's Skeptic magazine. It explores rational thought, skeptical ideas, and famous myths from around the world and throughout history...
Podcast
- Meet the Skeptics
- Skeptically Speaking
- Skeptic Zone
- The Skeptical Experience (UK)
- Birmingham Skeptics (UK)
- Strange Quarks
Radio
- ABC Darwin
- Skeptically Speaking
- Fremantle Radio
- Curtin University Radio