She holds a PhD in English Literature from the University of New England (1991). She has published widely in the fields of English education, teacher motivation and early career teacher experience. She has published six books in the field of English education, the most recent being Teenagers and Reading: Literary Heritages, Cultural Contexts and Contemporary Reading Practices (2012). Jackie has been a member of the NSW Higher School Certificate English Examination Committee (Standard and Advanced, 2004–2006) and Chief Examiner of these courses (2007-2011).