Waves of Wisdom Early Childhood Research Conference

Keynote Speakers

Professor Susan Danby

Professor Susan Danby’s areas of expertise are in early years language and social interaction, childhood studies, and early literacy. Her methodological expertise is in qualitative approaches, including ethnomethodology and conversation analysis. She has published in the following areas: qualitative research, classroom discourse, helpline talk, gender, classroom interaction, early childhood education pedagogy, talk and interaction, children's work and play, teacher-student interactions. Her research explicates the everyday social and interactional practices of children, showing their complex and competent work as they build their social worlds within school settings, homes and communities.

Professor Andrea Nolan

Professor Andrea Nolan is Professor of Early Childhood Education in the School of Education at Deakin University, Australia. She is a member of the university’s strategic research centre, Research for Educational Impact. Andrea is the founder and Chair of the Victorian Early Childhood Research Consortium, a group of 83 cross-disciplinary researchers from Victorian universities who support research capacity building in early childhood. She has conducted research in both schools ad preschools and has worked on a number of state, national and international projects. Her research is framed around the capabilities of the Early Childhood Education and Care workforce, focusing on the professionalisation and practice of teachers. She has researched the impact of the current Australian reform agenda on professional identities and educator practice, mentoring, inter-professional work, and reflective practice.