ORCID Profile
0000-0002-5377-2296
Current Organisation
Macquarie University
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators | Early Childhood Education (excl. Māori) | Education Systems |
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Learner and Learning Processes | Pedagogy | Assessment and Evaluation of Curriculum
Related Links
Publications
Supporting regional and remote children’s participation in high quality early years services
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 29-05-2023
DOI: 10.1177/18369391231173178
Abstract: Little is known about children’s participation in early childhood education (ECE) in regional and remote areas in Australia. This research addresses this gap by investigating the perspectives of early childhood centre directors and educators who work directly in ECE services in these areas. The study used a two-stage mixed methodology, including focus groups with 52 centre directors/educators of ECE services in regional and remote areas of NSW, followed by a survey completed by centre directors/educators in 37 services, to identify the most relevant and pressing barriers to children’s participation, and their views on what can be done to support children’s participation. Using Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (1995), multi-tiered barriers to children’s participation were identified, revealing that the entrenched problem of children’s non-participation in high quality ECE requires a nuanced and holistic policy approach that operates at the familial, service, community and socio-political level, targeting the specific challenges faced by communities.
Supporting infants and toddlers in low socio-economic early childhood settings in Australia
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 05-05-2022
DOI: 10.1177/18369391221091295
Abstract: Research shows that high quality programs can support positive outcomes for all children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Little research has examined the perspectives of directors working with infants and toddlers in families who are experiencing low socio-economic status (SES) in early childhood settings. This qualitative research addresses this gap by exploring directors’ understandings of inclusion relating to the needs of low SES children under 3 years and their families in the ECEC context. Qvortrup and Qvortrup’s (2018) lens of inclusion was used to analyse (a) the conceptualisation of inclusion held by the directors interviewed for this project and (b) what aspects of inclusion directors were able to influence. Findings showed that directors’ understandings were multidimensional, involving a combination of professional and contextual concerns. This paper discusses implications for working with infants and toddlers from low SES families.
The role of digital technologies in supporting quality improvement in Australian early childhood education and care settings
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-02-2023
DOI: 10.1186/S40723-023-00107-6
Abstract: This national study explored the role of digital technologies in early childhood education and care settings and whether they could contribute to quality improvement as reported by educators and assessors of quality in Australia. In this paper, data from Stage 2 of the Quality Improvement Research Project were used, which comprised 60 Quality Improvement Plans from educators linked with 60 Assessment and Rating reports from the assessors who visited early childhood centres as part of the administration of the National Quality Standards by each of Australia’s State and Territory jurisdictions. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory ( Bronfenbrenner, U. (1995). Developmental ecology through space and time: A future perspective. In P. Moen, G. H. Elder, Jr., & K. Lüscher (Eds.), Examining lives in context: Perspectives on the ecology of human development (pp. 619–647). American Psychological Association. 0.1037/10176-018 Bronfenbrenner & Ceci, Bronfenbrenner and Ceci, Psychological Review 101:568–586, 1994) was adopted to facilitate a systemic and dynamic view on the use of digital technologies in these 60 ECEC settings. References (e.g. comments/ suggestions/ ex les) made by the educators about the implementation of digital technologies were counted and thematically analysed. Results revealed the strong role new technologies (e.g. documentation and management platforms, tablets, apps, etc.) play in the majority of ECEC settings and especially in relation to three of the seven Quality Areas: Educational programme and practice (Quality Area 1) Collaborative partnerships with families and communities (Quality Area 6) and Governance and leadership (Quality Area 7). Future directions for research are suggested and implications for embracing a more holistic, integrated and broad view on the use of digital technologies are discussed.
Cultural diversity in the Australian early childhood education workforce: What do we know, what don’t we know and why is it important?
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 06-12-2021
DOI: 10.1177/18369391211057292
Abstract: This paper reviews current literature and research relevant to the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce in Australia, including data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Australia is a highly multicultural society, with one out of every three people born overseas. Anecdotally, the Australian early childhood sector is reported to have a highly multicultural workforce. Yet there is a noticeable lack of data and research concerning cultural ersity in the Australian ECE workforce. This paper reports on the data from the ABS-Census of Population and Housing (ABS-Census), the small body of literature on the CALD ECE workforce and literature pertaining to CALD in other Australian workforces to argue that more data and research is needed. Developing a richer understanding of the status, experience and contributions of CALD educators would enable the sector to recognise and support the potential benefits of such a workforce for children and families and social cohesion in Australia.
Educators’ use of questioning as a pedagogical strategy in long day care nurseries
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 13-10-2015
Who cares? Infant educators’ responses to professional discourses of care
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 23-04-2015
Mapping the leap: differences in quality improvement in relation to assessment rating outcomes
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 14-06-2023
DOI: 10.3389/FEDUC.2023.1155786
Abstract: Australia’s National Quality Standard (NQS) outlines the criteria to assess the quality of early childhood services. A four-point rating scale: (i) Exceeding NQS (ii) Meeting NQS (iii) Working Toward NQS and (iv) Significant Improvement Required is applied to services following a regular assessment and rating process. Settings rated as Working Toward are reassessed within 12 months. Most settings achieved a one-step improvement in this Time 2 reassessment, moving to a Meeting rating but some settings made a two-step improvement, moving to an Exceeding rating. The QIP is a key document used by authorities to assess the quality of a service. A grounded theory, data driven approach was taken to deepen understanding of quality rating improvements in long day care services in Australia of quality rating improvements by early childhood education and care [ECEC] services in Australia. This study, part of the second phase of a three phase study involved a document analysis of the Time 2 Quality Improvement Plans (QIPs) of a representative s le of Long Day Care (LDC) services (n = 60) from all Australian states and territories to determine what factors may have contributed to these different levels of improvement, with a focus on Quality Area 1 (QA1) (Educational programs and practices) and Quality Area 7 (QA7) (Governance and leadership). The study utilized the semantic analysis tool Leximancer 4.5. Leximancer 4.5 statistically analyses the semantic relationships between concepts in documents by measuring word proximity and correlation. The software creates visual maps of concepts and their connections to each other in texts. Concepts located near one another on the map are more likely to be contextually related. This tool is particularly useful when there are multiple, complex documents to analyze, reducing the potential biases that can arise from documents that use language with which these researchers are very familiar with. The analysis found clear differences between the Time 2 QIPs of services who had made a two-step rating improvement and those who made a one-step improvement. Two-step (Exceeding NQS) category improvers for QA1 placed attention in their QIPs on improvement to the program and overall practice, with an orientation to the role of the educational leader. Two-step (Exceeding NQS) category improvers for QA7 seemed to be more oriented to a systemic view of the processes encompassed by QA7 how the management of the service and information supports the work of educators, with stronger links made between leadership roles (the manager and nominated supervisor) and the work of educators. The QIPs demonstrated how the intentional and systemic processes in these quality areas related to practice, management, and leadership.
Infant and toddler pedagogy
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: 27-10-2022
DOI: 10.1093/OBO/9780199756810-0294
Abstract: The development and learning that occurs during the first three years of life is widely accepted to form a foundation for lifelong learning and well-being. While infants are born with powerful innate social and learning dispositions, over fifty years of observational and experimental research now demonstrates the critical role played by the social and physical environment in fostering early learning. Recently, due to a recognition that families are increasingly sharing the care of their infants and toddlers with early childhood (EC) educators, this research attention has been expanded to include early childhood education and care (ECEC) contexts. Research about the characteristics and consequences of infant-toddler pedagogies is itself still in infancy, but a robust evidence base is emerging to demonstrate the importance of infant-toddler early education pedagogies. There is a developing appreciation that the efforts of infant-toddler educators complement those of families to shape early learning and development. In a context where infant-toddler education and care suffers from societal attitudes about the low status of care and ‘women’s work,’ this evidence base challenges early childhood professionals, leaders, and policymakers to recognize and support the specialized nature of infant-toddler pedagogies. This article outlines international research about infant-toddler pedagogies across nine sections. The first provides some key Textbooks and Reference Works which collectively present and synthesize the research evidence for pre- and in-service educators and academic readers. The second section, Conceptualizing Quality in Infant-Toddler Pedagogies, examines evidence about the characteristics, contributors, and consequences of high-quality pedagogies. This bibliography then progresses to detail research into pedagogies that have been shown to foster specific areas of learning and development. Across three sections, cited articles identify particular teaching strategies that have been associated with infant-toddler social and emotional development, cognitive and language development, and physical health and development. The sixth section, Infant-Toddler Pedagogies That Support Inclusion, presents research and practitioner articles about the inclusion of infants and toddlers with disabilities, and sociocultural and linguistic backgrounds. The final two sections, The Infant-Toddler Workforce and Pre-service Education and Professional Learning, show that the capacity of educators to deliver high quality infant-toddler pedagogies is constrained by workforce conditions and professional learning opportunities. The evidence detailed in these sections provides a sobering reminder that effective infant-toddler pedagogies are reliant on the knowledge, capabilities, and well-being of educators, and that, internationally, leadership is needed to make meaningful improvements to infant-toddler educators’ preparation, working conditions, and status.
A Prospective Audit of Inpatient Medical Oncology Consultation Patterns in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in South Australia
Publisher: Savvy Science Publisher
Date: 15-06-2022
DOI: 10.12974/2313-0946.2014.01.02.2
Abstract: Objectives: Given the expanding role of medical oncology practice, with increasing therapeutic options for those with advanced malignancy, we sought to document the population of patients receiving inpatient medical oncology consultation. The aim of the study was to document patterns of inpatient referral to medical oncology in order to better understand service needs. We looked to define the relative frequency of cancer types, stage and treatment recommendations. Design: A large prospective clinical audit was undertaken between January 2005 and January 2007. Settings: The audit was conducted at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, a major tertiary referral hospital. Participants: During the two year study period 1,173 consecutive inpatient referrals for medical oncology consultations were included in this analysis. Main Outcome Measures: Information was collected regarding patient demographics, referral unit, cancer diagnosis and stage, treatment recommendations and follow-up plans. Results: The most common referral units were General Medicine (19.8%) and Thoracic medicine (15%). The most common primary sites of cancer were lung (22.6%), colorectal (14.9%), primary brain tumours (9.6%) and head and neck (9.3%). The clear majority of patients had Stage 4 disease (80%) and were thus incurable in most cases. Chemotherapy was recommended in 43.7% of patients, chemo-radiation in 12.6% of patients, radiotherapy alone in 16.9% of patients and best supportive care in 24.1% of patients. Conclusions: This large prospective clinical audit defines the population of patients referred for inpatient medical oncology consultation at our tertiary hospital. Cancer patients are being cared for by a wide variety of non-cancer specialists. The majority of patients have advanced, non-curable disease but anticancer therapy is provided to most with the intention of prolonging survival and maintaining quality of life.
Educators’ understandings of, and support for, infant peer relationships in early childhood settings
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 08-2014
Abstract: This research adopted a qualitative methodology to investigate the reported beliefs and pedagogical practices relating to infant peer relationships held by three early childhood infant educators. Thematic analysis was used to derive commonalties and differences that reflected these educators’ views and practices about children’s early peer relationships. Results indicate in-depth understandings about children’s capacities that did not, however, appear to be translated into their reported practice. This research has implications for planning and programming experiences designed for social interactions, along with the significant role of the early childhood educator in recognising and fostering young children’s early peer relationships.
Children’s Meaning Making: Listening to Encounters with Complex Aesthetic Experience
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-01-2023
Abstract: This paper describes young children’s symbolic meaning-making practices and participation in complex aesthetic experiences in a contemporary art museum context. Through an ongoing long-term research and pedagogy project, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia (MCA) is working with researchers to provide regular opportunities for young children (aged birth–5 years) and their families—all members of the same early childhood education (ECE) services—to encounter art works, engage with materials, and experience the museum environment. The program provides a rich experience of multiple forms of communication, ways of knowing and ways of expressing knowings: through connecting with images, videos and told stories about artists and their practice, sensorial engagement with tactile materials, and embodied responses to artworks and materials. Children also experience the physicality of the museum space, materials for art-making and the act of mark-making to record ideas, memories, and reflections. The project supports the development of a pedagogy of listening and relationships and is grounded in children’s rights as cultural citizens to participation, visibility and belonging in cultural institutions such as the MCA.
Infants and toddlers: how visible are they in the Early Years Learning Framework?
Publisher: No publisher found
Date: 2015
Structures and systems influencing quality improvement in Australian early childhood education and care centres
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-01-2023
Educators working with infants and toddlers from low socio-economic status families
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 22-02-2022
Making the personal visible: emotion in the nursery
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 19-02-2018
Understanding infants: characteristics of early childhood practitioners' interpretations of infants and their behaviours
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 10-2008
D Chalmers, Communicating with children from birth to four years
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 05-11-2018
Professional identity in the infant room
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 18-06-2019
Abstract: The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has shown that there is a steady growth in the numbers of infants attending early childhood services. Despite growing interest in infant learning, recognition of infant teachers as specialised professionals is limited. This research aims to explore the role of early childhood teachers working with infants in early childhood education and care settings through the following questions: (1) What are the teachers’ reported reflections about their role in working with infants? (2) How does this help shape their professional identity? Visual methodologies alongside narrative inquiry were used to capture the lived experiences of infants and their teachers in early childhood education settings. Thematic analysis was conducted within a constructivist paradigm utilising descriptive codes based on Molla and Nolan’s classes of professional functionings. Findings showed infant teachers’ pedagogical work with infants to be subtle, based on specialised understandings of in idual children and this age group. The teachers were self-aware, making purposeful pedagogical decisions based on knowledge and experience. Nevertheless, communicating this work with parents, untrained staff and employers remains a challenge. Professional recognition and identity should be reconceptualised with wider recognition of the specialisation of infant teachers including changes in policy and remuneration.
Related Organisations
Related Funding Activities
Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP210301171
Start Date: 06-2023
End Date: 06-2026
Amount: $544,236.00
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded Activity