ECIR at AJEC Research Symposium

The 2024 Australian Journal of Early Childhood (AJEC) Research Symposium is taking place virtually on 8 and 9 February. 

https://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/events/ajecsymposium/ 

https://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2024-AJEC-Research-Symposium_Discussion-papers_Final.pdf

The conference includes papers on innovative research methodologies, research and pedagogical practices. It will be attended by early years professionals, policymakers, researchers, leaders, academics, and students from Australasia and beyond. The 2024 AJEC Research Symposium program includes more than 50 presentations by Australian and international early childhood researchers. 

The CSU Early Childhood Interdisciplinary Research Group (ECIR)presented a symposium on the first day.

Our presentations were titled: Empowering children’s voices through the Children Draw Talking Project 

• Listening to children: The Children Draw Talking Project - Belinda Downey, Sharynne McLeod 
• Development of an instrument and protocol for the virtual collection and analysis of children’s drawings - Carolyn Gregoric, Van H. Tran, Suzanne C. Hopf, Sharynne McLeod 
• A meaning-making analysis of children’s drawing vs children’s talking in the drawing: A cultural-historical perspective - Shukla Sikder, Lysa Dealtry, Sarah Stenson 

Dr Belinda Downey

Dr Carolyn Gregoric

Dr Shukla Sikder

ECIR member Leanne Gibbs also presented this morning. Her presentation was entitled "Leading early childhood education through crises and complex times".

We enjoyed the International Keynote Address by Associate Professor Sonja Macfarlane titled “He Awa Whiria and Early Literacy: The emancipatory power of braiding knowledge streams in research and practice”. The keynote speaker shared this resource: https://www.education.govt.nz/early-childhood/teaching-and-learning/assessment-for-learning/te-whatu-pokeka-english/