This last month we celebrated many achievements, including confirmation milestone, education and research awards, and collaboration with the academic community in Australia and abroad.
Two of our PhD candidates celebrated their confirmation milestone
There was a buzz in the PhD community as Tanya Stephenson and Xingjie Wang completed their Confirmation Milestone last month. Tanya Stephenson is doing pioneering research about the role of gender in STEM education, creating better conditions for girls’ engagement with STEM in early years. Xingjie Wang is doing important research about STEM engagement in family settings supporting families to facilitate STEM learning and development at home for every child. Congratulations to Tanya and Xingjie!
Awards, awards, awards
Our very own Laureate Professor Marilyn Fleer received the 2019 Monash University Vice-Chancellor's Education and Research Award named the Ashley Goldsworthy Award for Leadership in Collaboration. What's more, Dr Jonathan Li, our very close collaborator from the Department of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering also received a Vice Chancellor's Award for Technological Innovation in Learning and Teaching. Fascinating interfaculty research is taking between Jonathan’s team (including our joint PhD student Ha Dang) and the Conceptual PlayLab.
Marilyn, along with Dr Hilary Monk, Dr Corine Rivalland, Dr Gloria Quinones and Dr Liang Li (who received the Award for Research Impact - Economic & Social) also received the Faculty of Education Dean's Awards 2019.
International collaboration
The Conceptual PlayWorlds are creating an innovative pedagogical space linking researchers and building collaborations within Australia and overseas.
Associate Professor Siv Ødemotland, Department of Arts Education, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences visited Conceptual PlayLab sharing her expertise in drama and theatre for early years.
We also welcomed Dr Jane Webb-Williams, School of Education, University of South Australia, adding to the conversation about play and playful pedagogies in early years.
Dr. Janette Kelly-Ware from University of Waikato visited the Conceptual PlayLab sharing updates for early years education in New Zealand and worldwide.
And Marilyn travelled to Switzerland, hosted by Professor Gabriel Kappeler, Haute École Pédagogique du canton de Vaud (HEP Vaud) at Lausanne!
We wish everyone a wonderful and relaxing time celebrating the end of 2019 with your friends and family!
Our newsletter contains further details.
We would love to hear from you about what this research means to you and if you would like to get involved.
If you are an early childhood educator who would like to have an opportunity to participate in the Conceptual PlayLab research activities in the future, you can register your interest and join our private Facebook group - Conceptual PlayWorlds for Educators. You can also access free resources for educators, including our STEM PlayWorlds for Infants and Toddlers video.
If you are a parent who would like to have an opportunity to participate in the Conceptual PlayLab research activities in the future, you can register your interest. You can also access free resources for families.
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