Shirley's research focuses on how digital technologies can be used to enhance learning. Shirley has more than 25 years of experience in the design, development, implementation, evaluation and research of learning environments supported by the use of digital technologies. Her research interests include investigating teacher design practices and how learners can support their own learning using digital technologies.

Shirley has led and contributed to research supported by project funding (exceeding $1.5M) from government (e.g., 3 ARC grants, CI in a Centre of Excellence), industry, and internal sources (UOW) for research focused on teacher design and student learning practices in both university and school education contexts. 

Shirley currently leads an ARC Discovery project (DP210100164) “Investigating professional learning lives in the digital evolution of work” (Agostinho, Lockyer (QUT), Buckley-Walker, Choy (Griffith), Bennett, Littlejohn (UCL), Post-doctoral fellow - Dr Claire Rogerson). This project focuses on investigating the learning practices of professionals whose work is effected by digitalisation with the aim to generate new conceptual thinking about lifelong professional learning. 

Shirley was a Chief Investigator in Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CE170100015 ) (2022-2024): Shirley was invited to join the CoE, which is an interdisciplinary team of researchers, to do translational research work of CABAH research for teaching and learning. Shirley built an education team that conducted multiple research projects focused on involving teachers and school students in design challenges on how to use CABAH research in their teaching and learning. The team comprised Dr Lauren Knussen (post-doctoral fellow) and Associate Investigators: Dr Peter Andersen, Dr Tiffani Apps, and Dr Anthony McKnight.

Shirley leads a faculty research group - Centre for Higher Education Research, Innovation and Impact (CHERII). CHERII's research focus is investigating higher education issues relating to the student learning experience, teacher design practices, discipline specific pedagogy, and teacher education.