Dr Morton's undergraduate teaching areas are extensive and include general biology, ecology, environmental issues, Australian flora and fauna, geography, and introductory mathematics. His PhD investigated sex-changing fishes (wrasses), with subsequent marine research extended to saltmarshes, estuarine rocky shores, coastal intertidal rocky shores and sandy beach ecology. Dr Morton's research areas have since broadened, resulting in HDR supervision, publications and projects in various fields, such as lifestyle medicine, mathematics education, school garden programs, rubrics, faith formation, missionary service and sustainable development.
| Year | Level | Research title | Institution | Supervisor type |
| Current | PhD | Student Perceptions of Faith Formation in New Zealand Seventh-Day Adventist High Schools | Avondale University | Co-supervisor |
| 2023 | PhD | Identifying indicators of restoration success in saltmarshes | University of Newcastle | Co-supervisor |
| 2022 | PhD | The effectiveness of an online multimodal intervention for mental health promotion | Avondale University | Co-supervisor |
| 2022 | PhD | Facilitators and barriers to adherence in a digital mental health intervention | Avondale University | Co-supervisor |
| 2016 | BSc (Hon) | Shell shape in cultured Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata) Gould (1850): the influence of grow-out methods and selective breeding | University of Newcastle | Co-supervisor |
| 2010 | MSc | The reproductive biology and spawning behaviour of Chromis hypsilepis (Pisces: Pomacentridae) | University of Newcastle | Co-supervisor |
Williams, P., Morton, J. K., & Christian, B. J. (2023). Mathematics from the ground up: an emerging model for enriching mathematical learning for children aged 4–12 using a school garden program, Education 3-13, 51(5), 740-753. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2021.2007159
Rankin, C., Gaston, T., Sadat‐Noori, M., Glamore, W., Morton, J., & Chalmers, A. (2023). Innovative tidal control successfully promotes saltmarsh restoration. Restoration Ecology, 31(7), e13774. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13774
Przybylko, G., Morton, D., Morton, J. K., Renfrew, M., & Hinze, J. (2022). An interdisciplinary mental wellbeing intervention for increasing flourishing: Two experimental studies. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 17(4), 573-588. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2021.1897868
Williams, P., Morton, J. K., & Christian, B. J. (2022). Enhancing financial literacy in children 5–12 years old using authentic learning within a school market garden programme.Education 3-13, 50(3), 361-374. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2020.1851741
Christian, B. J., & Morton, J. (2022). Becoming better people: Children's perceptions of how a school's garden program has impacted their actualisation of values. TEACH Journal of Christian Education, 16(1), 27-34.
Przybylko, G., Morton, D., Morton, J., & Renfrew, M. (2021).
The influence of gender and age on the outcomes of and adherence to a digital interdisciplinary mental health promotion intervention in an Australasian nonclinical setting: Cohort study. JMIR Mental Health, 8(11), e29866.
doi: 10.2196/29866
Renfrew, M. E., Morton, D. P., Morton, J. K., & Przybylko, G. (2021). The influence of human support on the effectiveness of digital mental health promotion interventions for the general population. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 716106. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.716106
Renfrew, M. E., Morton, D. P., Northcote, M., Morton, J. K., Hinze, J. S., & Przybylko, G. (2021). Participant perceptions of facilitators and barriers to adherence in a digital mental health intervention for a nonclinical cohort: Content analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(4), e25358. https://doi.org/10.2196/25358
Przybylko, G., Morton, D., Kent, L., Morton, J., Hinze, J., Beamish, P., & Renfrew, M. (2021). The effectiveness of an online interdisciplinary intervention for mental health promotion: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychology , 9(1), 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00577-8
Renfrew, M. E., Morton, D. P., Morton, J. K., Hinze, J. S., Przybylko, G., & Craig, B. A. (2020). The influence of three modes of human support on attrition and adherence to a web- and mobile app–based mental health promotion intervention in a nonclinical cohort: Randomized comparative study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e19945. doi:10.2196/19945
Cooke, B. C., Morton, J. K., Baldry, A., & Bishop, M. J. (2020). Backshore nourishment of a beach degraded by off-road vehicles: Ecological impacts and benefits. Science of the Total Environment, 724, 138115. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138115
Renfrew, M. E., Morton, D. P., Morton, J. K., Hinze, J. S., Beamish, P. J., Przybylko, G., & Craig B. A. (2020). A web- and mobile app–based mental health promotion intervention comparing email, short message service, and videoconferencing support for a healthy cohort: Randomized comparative study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(1), e15592. doi:10.2196/15592
Rankin, C., Moltschaniwskyj, N., Morton, J. K., & Wilkie, E. (2018). Shell shape and meat condition in selectively bred Sydney rock oysters, Saccostrea glomerata (Gould, 1850): The influence of grow‐out methods. Aquaculture Research, 49(3), 1189-1199. doi:10.1111/are.13572
Morton, J. K., Ward, E. J., & de Berg, K. C. (2015). Potential Small- and Large-Scale Effects of Mechanical Beach Cleaning on Biological Assemblages of Exposed Sandy Beaches Receiving Low Inputs of Beach-Cast Macroalgae. Estuaries and Coasts, 38(6), 2083-2100. doi:10.1007/s12237-015-9963-1
Morton, J. K., & Gladstone, W. (2014). Changes in rocky reef fish assemblages throughout an estuary with a restricted inlet. Hydrobiologia, 724(1), 235-253. doi: 10.1007/s10750-013-1740-1
Timms, B. V., Morton, J. & Green, K. (2013). Temporal changes in the Macroinvertebrate Fauna of two Glacial Lakes, Cootapatamba and Albina, Snowy Mountains, New South Wales. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 135, 45-54.
Morton, J., & Gladstone, W. (2011). Spatial, temporal and ontogenetic variation in the association of fishes (family Labridae) with rocky-reef habitats. Marine & Freshwater Research, 62(7), 870-884. doi:10.1071/MF10315
Morton, J. K., Gladstone, W., Hughes, J. M., and Stewart, J. (2008). Comparison of the life histories of three co-occurring wrasses (Teleostei: Labridae) in coastal waters of south-eastern Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 59(7), 560–574. doi:10.1071/MF07216
Morton, J., Platell, M. & Gladstone, W. (2008). Differences in feeding ecology among three co-occurring species of wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae) on rocky reefs of temperate Australia. Marine Biology, 154(3), 577-592. doi:10.1007/s00227-008-0951-x
Hancock, M., Timms, B., Morton, J. & Renshaw, B. (2000). The structure of the littoral invertebrate communities of Kosciuszko region lakes. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 122, 69-77.
Morton, J. K. (2020). Intertidal rocky shore life: An identification guide for the Central and Hunter Coasts of NSW, Australia. Cooranbong, Australia: Avondale University College.
Rogers, L., Christian, G., Boddey, K., Morton, J., & Ward, E. (2014). Science for primary teachers (3rd ed.). Cooranbong, Australia: Avondale College of Higher Education.
Renfrew, M., Morton, D., Morton, J., Hinze, J., Beamish, P., Przybylko, G., & Craig, B. (2019, October). The influence of human support on the effectiveness of an online mental wellbeing initervention. Abstract presented at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference, Orlando, Florida.
Renfrew, M., Morton, D., Morton, J., Hinze, J., Beamish, P., & Przybylko, G. (2019, June). The influence of human support on the effectiveness of a web- and mobile app-based multimodal lifestyle intervention targeting mental health: A randomised comparative study. Abstract/poster presented at the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine Conference, Auckland, New Zealand.
Przybylko, G., Morton, D., Kent, L., Hinze, J., Beamish, P., Renfrew, M., Morton, J. (2018, October). The effect of an online multimodal lifestyle intervention on mental health and emotional wellness: A randomised control trial. Abstract presented at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Williams, A., Morton, J., Kilgour, P., & Northcote, M. (2018). How engaged are our students? Using analytics to identify students at-risk. In T. Bastiaens (Ed.), Proceedings of EdMedia: World Conference on Educational Media and Technology (pp. 122-128). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/184189
Williams, A., Northcote, M., Morton, J. & Seddon, J. (2017). Towards engaging students in curriculum transformation: What are the effective characteristics of rubrics? In R.G. Walker & S.B. Bedford (Eds.), Research and Development in Higher Education: Curriculum Transformation, 40 (pp. 423-433). Sydney, Australia, Retrieved from http://www.herdsa.org.au/research-and-development-higher-education-vol-40-423
