I am a lecturer in the Bachelor of Education - The Early Years degree. I also coordinate the Professional Partners in Practice (PPP) mentoring program and provide organisational support for students enrolled in the flexible B.Ed EY degree. Prior to completing PhD research at the University of Wollongong, I previously served as a preschool teacher and director for 22 years and as a project officer with Community Child-care Cooperative NSW. It is very important to me that the research I undertake is relevant and accessible to early childhood practitioners and pre-service teachers.
My research interests focus on early childhood visual arts education, John Dewey’s philosophy and the Reggio Emilia educational project. Awards received include: IER NSW Best Applied Research Project (2014); Jean Denton Memorial Scholarship (2011); ACE award for Outstanding Achievement in Education (2008); REAIE scholarship (2008); CeeCees Advocacy Award (2007).
Experience
2014–present
Lecturer, University of Wollongong, School of Education - The Early Years
2009–2012
Project Officer, Community Child Care Co-operative
Education
2017
University of Wollongong, PhD
2002
University of Southern Queensland, Bachelor of Education Studies with Distinction
1989
University of Southern Queensland, Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) with Distinction
Publications
2021
Visual Arts Pedagogy in Early Childhood Contexts: The baggage of self-efficacy beliefs, pedagogical knowledge and limited pre-service training, Australasian Journal of Early Childhood
2018
Stitching voices into the patchwork quilt of qualitative research, Provoking international perspectives: The visual arts dissertation in education
2016
Do visual art experiences in early childhood settings foster educative growth or stagnation? , International Art in Early Childhood Research Journal
2016
John Dewey and Reggio Emilia: worlds apart - one vision., Australian Art Education
2015
Reflections in the Mirror of Reggio Emilia's Soul: John Dewey's Foundational Influence on Pedagogy in the Italian Educational Project. , Early Childhood Education Journa
2012
The transformation of an educator., The Challenge: research for a new culture of childhood.
2009
A blueprint for beauty., The Challenge: research for a new culture of childhood.
2008
More questions than answers., The Challenge: research for a new culture of childhood.
2008
We are the symphony: playing the song of the child., The Challenge: research for a new culture of childhood.
2008
If this is quality and we want it to be like this for us:" how can we make it happen?, The Challenge: research for a new culture of childhood.
2008
REAIE Study Grant: reflecting on the opportunity., The Challenge: research for a new culture of childhood.