Research Candidates

Kelly Simpson

Supervisors: Professor Sue Walker, Professor Liz Mackinlay & Professor Andrea Nolan 

Program: PhD by Thesis

Thesis Title: Accelerated Initial Teacher Education Programs and the Early Childhood Teacher

Summary of Thesis: A paucity of research on what constitutes quality in ECT ITE is evident in educational literature (Couse & Recchia, 2016; Simpson et al., 2023). Research on the design, development and delivery of ECT AITE programs to address stakeholder needs and the tensions evident within Australia’s ECEC sector is largely absent from the literature. Acting to address this gap, this project aims to understand: 

  1. The needs that AITE programs leading to ECT qualification are meeting within the Australian ECEC context. 
  2. Where tensions exist in the capacity of AITE programs to address these needs within the frame of policy, ECEC teacher readiness, and sector quality from the perspective of key ECT ITE stakeholders.
Woman smiling at camera

Supervisors: Professor Wendy Boyd and Dr Tracy Young 

Program: PhD by Publication

Thesis Title: Understanding the decisions and influences shaping international students’ pathways into early childhood teaching careers in Australia

Summary of Thesis: International students are an increasingly visible presence within Australian early childhood education and care (ECEC) initial teacher education programs, yet little is known about what attracts them to the profession or what supports their participation in the workforce. This research explores how international students enter early childhood teaching pathways and how personal, educational, and systemic influences shape their study and career trajectories. Using a mixed methods approach, the study examines both broader patterns and individual experiences. The findings aim to strengthen understanding of international students’ career pathways and their potential contribution to ECEC workforce attraction, retention, and sustainability.

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Supervisors: Professor Wendy Boyd, Dr Tracy Young and Dr Chris Speldewinde

Program: PhD by Publication

Thesis title: Ethical use of generative artificial intelligence in early childhood education and care in Australia

Summary of thesis: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools are increasingly being used by educators in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings, particularly in relation to documentation, planning, and communication.  This research explores educators’ experiences with GenAI, the values and beliefs shaping their engagement, and the organisational, technological, and policy contexts influencing ethical decision-making. To date, limited research has examined how early childhood educators understand and navigate the ethical use of GenAI in their professional work.

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Supervisors: Professor Sue Walker and Dr Olivera Kamenarac 

Program: PhD by Thesis

Thesis Title: “Let’s play” : exploring the benefits of collaborative play experiences (with children) for educators

Summary of Thesis: This study will consider the collaborative working-together effort between educator and child engaged in play. While there has been extensive research on this partnership (Fleer, 2020; Lindqvist, 1995) and evidence of its benefits to children, little is understood about the benefits of joint play experiences to adult educators due to limited research on the subject. It is important to gain this understanding and to advance existing knowledge by paying attention to this research gap. To date, research on adult playing is limited (Guitard et al., 2005), and so are the resulting benefits of play by adults (educators). Thus, this study aims to uncover the professional and personal benefits, primarily for the educator, that come from the resulting encounters of collaborative play experiences.  Using Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, collaborative efforts resulting from play encounters between educator and learner will be proposed to uncover potential benefits for the educator that can potentially enhance their respective role in the teaching profession.

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Supervisors: Dr Stefania Giamminuti, Associate Professor Samantha Owen and Associate Professor Madeleine Dobson (Curtin University)

Program: PhD by Thesis

Thesis title: Exploring the role of la piazza-like spaces in Australian early childhood contexts

Summary of thesis: In a time shaped by acceleration and growing experiences of social disconnection, this research explores how everyday spaces in early childhood settings can support belonging, participation, and democratic life. Situated within an Australian early childhood context inspired by the Reggio Emilia Educational Project, the inquiry investigates, though a post qualitative inquiry, how la piazza-like spaces are lived, inhabited, and experienced over time.