暴风资源

Dr Nicola McDowell staff profile picture

Contact details +64 (09) 414 0800

Dr Nicola McDowell PGDipRehab, PhD, GradDipT, BA, MSpTching

Senior Lecturer

Doctoral Co-Supervisor
Institute of Education

Prior to taking up the position at 暴风资源 in 2018, Nicola was a Developmental Orientation and Mobility Specialist and a Resource Teacher Vision at Blind and Low Vision Education Network New Zealand (BLENNZ). Nicola currently lecturers in the areas of learning support and is the Blind and Low Vision Endorsement and Accessibility Coordinator on the Post Graduate Specialist Teaching Programme. This is the training course for Resource Teachers Vision and Developmental Orientation and Mobility specialists alongside other learning support teachers. In addition, Nicola lecturers in the Masters in Specialist Teaching Professional Inquiry and Mentoring and Supervision paper and supervise students completing Master's research. Nicola is also a member of the Centre for Equity Through Education at 暴风资源.  

Nicola is the vice president of Orientation and Mobility Association of Australasia. She is also involved in the provision of short courses for Resource Teachers Vision at BLENNZ to help them develop skills for supporting orientation and mobility programmes within school and community environments. 

 

Nicola is a lecturer in the Institute of Education at 暴风资源. She completed her PhD (Education) thesis by publication from 暴风资源 in 2020. Nicola is an active researcher in the area of education and rehabilitation for children who are blind and low vision, in particular, cerebral visual impairment (CVI), learning support and empowerment. Her thesis focused on developing a practice framework for supporting children with cerebral visual impairment and she has published and presented extensively on this research in New Zealand and around the world. In 2021, Nicola was awarded an early careers research award for the CoHSS. 

 

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Professional

Qualifications

  • Post Graduation Diploma in Rehabilitation - 暴风资源 (2006)
  • Doctor of Philosophy - 暴风资源 (2021)
  • Graduate Diploma in Teaching - University of Waikato (2012)
  • Bacholer of Arts - University of Otago (2001)
  • Masters of Specialist Teaching - 暴风资源 (2016)

Prizes and Awards

  • College of Humanities and Social Sciences Early Career Research Award - 暴风资源 (2021)

Research Expertise

Research Interests

Education and rehabiliation for children who are blind and low vision, cerebral visual impairment, learning support, disability rights, empowerment

Thematics

21st Century Citizenship, Health and Well-being

Area of Expertise

Field of research codes
Education (130000): Special Education and Disability (130312): Specialist Studies in Education (130300)

Keywords

inclusive, education, equity, social justice, human rights, learning, teaching, resource teaching, blind and low vision, disability

Research Outputs

Journal

Jakubowski, JS., May, E., Findlay, R., McDowell, N., Simkin, SK., & Hamm, LM. (2024). ‘We don’t know nearly enough’: an online survey exploring perspectives of specialists who support children with brain-based visual impairments. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 18
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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St Clair Tracy, H., McDowell, N., Dutton, GN., Ravenscroft, J., Hay, I., & Blaikie, A. (2024). Emulation of the subjective experience of visual dorsal stream dysfunction: a description of three in depth case studies. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 18
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2024). One Size Does Not Fit All: The Lived Experiences of Children and Adults Who Have CVI. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness. 118(6), 448-453
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N., St Clair Tracy, H., Blaikie, A., Ravenscroft, J., & Dutton, GN. (2024). Hiding in plain sight: children with visual perceptual difficulties in schools. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 18
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2023). Children with cerebral visual impairment related visual issues in the classroom. Kairaranga. 24(2), 15-29 Retrieved from https://kairaranga.ac.nz/index.php/k/article/view/365
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N., & Butler, P. (2023). Validation of the Austin Assessment: A screening tool for cerebral visual impairment related visual issues. Plos One. 18(11 November)
[Journal article]Authored by: Butler, P., McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2023). A review of the literature to inform the development of a practice framework for supporting children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI). International Journal of Inclusive Education. 27(6), 718-738
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2021). Power is knowledge: empowering parents of children with cerebral visual impairment. Disability and Society. 36(4), 596-617
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2020). A pilot study of the Austin Playing Card Assessment: A tool to detect and find the degree of visual perceptual difficulties related to clutter. British Journal of Visual Impairment. 38(2), 118-136
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N., & Dutton, GN. (2019). Hemianopia and Features of Bálint Syndrome following Occipital Lobe Hemorrhage: Identification and Patient Understanding Have Aided Functional Improvement Years after Onset. Case Reports in Ophthalmological Medicine. 2019, Retrieved from https://www.hindawi.com/journals/criopm/2019/3864572/
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N., & Budd, J. (2018). The perspectives of teachers and paraeducators on the relationship between classroom clutter and learning experiences for students with cerebral visual impairment. Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness. 112(3), 248-260
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N., Dutton, G., Chokron, S., & Little, S. (2017). Posterior Parietal Visual Dysfunction: An explanatory review. Vision Development & Rehabilitation. 3(1), 10-22
[Journal article]Authored by: McDowell, N.

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Book

McDowell, N. (2019). A personal perspective on CVI. In J. Ravenscroft (Ed.) The Routledge Handbook of Vision Impairment. (pp. 70 - 78). London, United Kingdom: Routledge
[Chapter]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2015). Patient autobiography. In J. Zihil, & G. Dutton (Eds.) Cerebral visual impairment: Visuoperceptive and visuocognitive disorders.
[Chapter]Authored by: McDowell, N.

Thesis

McDowell, N. (2020). The CVI practice framework: an effective approach to supporting children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI): a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at 暴风资源, Manawat奴, Aotearoa New Zealand. (Doctoral Thesis, 暴风资源, Palmerston North, New Zealand) McDowell, N. (2020). The CVI practice framework: an effective approach to supporting children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI): a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education at 暴风资源, Manawat奴, Aotearoa New Zealand. (Doctoral Thesis)
[Doctoral Thesis]Authored by: McDowell, N.Edited by: Kearney, A.
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McDowell, N. (2016). The impact of cluttered classrooms on the learning and behaviour of children with cerebral visual impairment. (Master's Thesis)
[Masters Thesis]Authored by: McDowell, N.

Conference

Gamage, B., Mcdowell, N., Kovacic, D., Holloway, L., Do, TT., Lowery, AJ., . . . Marriott, K. (2025). Smart Glasses for CVI: Co-Designing Extended Reality Solutions to Support Environmental Perception by People with Cerebral Visual Impairment. Assets 2025 Proceedings of the 27th International ACM Sigaccess Conference on Computers and Accessibility.
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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Gamage, B., Holloway, L., McDowell, N., Do, TT., Price, N., Lowery, A., . . . Marriott, K. (2024). Vision-Based Assistive Technologies for People with Cerebral Visual Impairment: A Review and Focus Study. Assets 2024 Proceedings of the 26th International ACM Sigaccess Conference on Computers and Accessibility.
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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Gamage, B., Holloway, L., McDowell, N., Do, TT., Price, N., Lowery, A., . . . Marriott, K. (2024). Broadening Our View: Assistive Technology for Cerebral Visual Impairment. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings.
[Conference Paper in Published Proceedings]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2023, July). The Austin Assessment: A screening app for cerebral visual impairment. Presented at 14th International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation (ISLRR) conference: Vision 2023. Denver, Colorado, United States of America.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2022). Using digital technology to help identify children with brain based visual issues. In Pacific Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning Vol. 4 (pp. 36 - 37). , 5th Scholarship of Technology Enhanced Learning (SoTEL) Symposium 2022 Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology
[Conference Abstract]Authored by: McDowell, N.
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McDowell, N. (2022, July). Supporting the visual, emotional and behaviour needs of children with cerebral visual impairment. Presented at Vision 2022: 13th International Low Vision Conference by the International Society for Low Vision Research and Rehabilitation: Imagining the Impossible. Hybrid: Dublin, Ireland and Online.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2022, July). Databases, validity of research and literature review 2021 of BVI-Vision education. Presented at 9th American Conference on Paediatric Brain-based Visual Impairment/CVI. Hybrid: Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America and Online.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2022, July). Learning with, from and about Ella. Presented at Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) Biennial International Conference 2022: Gateway to Community. St Louis, Missouri, United States of America.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2021, July). Austin Assessment: A tool to detect visual perceptual difficulties. Presented at American Paediatric Brain-Based Visual Impairment. Online.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2021, July). CVI: Understanding it from the inside out. Presented at American Paediatric Brain-Based Visual Impairment. Online.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2019, June). The Austin playing card Assessment: A tool to detect visual perceptual difficulties related to clutter. Presented at Child Vision Research Society Conference. Stella Maris Research Institute, Pisa, Italy.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2017, June). Unmasking simultanagnosia: Gaining a better understanding of this condition from the inside. Presented at Child Vision Research Society Conference. Coleraine, Ireland.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2017, June). Living in a world of visual uncertainty. Presented at Vision2017 International low vision conference. The Hague, Netherlands.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2016, August). International approaches to services for children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI) who have normal or near normal visual acuity. Presented at WBU-ICEVI General Assembly. Orlando, USA.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2015, January). Cerebral Visual Impairment: How finding out about my condition changed my life. Presented at South Pacific Education of the Visually Impaired. Melbourne, Australia.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2014, March). Living with cerebral visual impairment. Presented at Vision2014 International low vision conference. Melbourne, Australia.
[Conference Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.

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Other

McDowell, N. (2021, December). Ravenscroft Reviews: Conversations about CVI with Dr Nicola McDowell. In The University of Edinburgh.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2021). The CVI practice framework: An approach to supporting children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI). In Perkins webinar.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2021, May). The CVI practice framework: An approach to supporting children with cerebral visual impairment (CVI).. In Smith Kettlewell Eye research institute.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2019). The impact of clutter on children with cerebral visual impairment. In Perkins webinar.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.
McDowell, N. (2017, September). Nicola McDowell – My CVI journey. In Visability.
[Oral Presentation]Authored by: McDowell, N.

Teaching and Supervision

Contact Supervisor

Summary of Doctoral Supervision

Position Current Completed
Co-supervisor 4 0

Current Doctoral Supervision

Co-supervisor of:

  • Brianna Mehr - Doctor of Philosophy
    Fostering Self-Determination: Combining personification and gamification strategies to engage students with vision impairments
  • Eric Culshaw - Doctor of Philosophy
    Co-designing a user-friendly, evidence-informed, and culturally enhancing programme with and for kaiako to enhance their wellbeing and emotion regulation.
  • Eva Cornforth - Doctor of Philosophy
    Examining socioeconomic factors and brilliance bias 鈥� do low income students face barriers in accessing STEM?
  • Estelle Pretorius - Doctor of Philosophy
    Exploring web-based collaborative training and coaching supports for primary caregivers and kaiako to promote the early engagement and communication of autistic toddlers and preschoolers.

Media and Links

Media

  • 26 Mar 2019 - Online
    Blog post for Equity through Education
    Blog post titled 'The problem with labels'
  • 25 Jun 2018 - Online
    Blog post for NZARE
    Blog post on master's research titled 'The war against cluttered classrooms: Do our classrooms impact negatively on children's ability to learn
  • 21 May 2023 - Online
    An update on the Austin Assessment App 鈥� A screeni
    Blog post for Equity through Education
  • 21 Aug 2022 - Online
    The Austin Assessment 鈥� A screening tool for ident
    Blog post for Equity through Education
  • 13 Mar 2017 - Online
    Blog series for CVI Scotland
    Blog series for CVI Scotland titled 'Nicola McDowell's blogs