Furthering Early Childhood Research and Learning - research group

The established field of early childhood education has maintained itself for approximately 75 years, and the dominant discourses and theoretical frameworks that are used to build policy and practice (developmentalism) have colonised many majority poor nations, and marginalised Indigenous peoples, migrants and cultural communities within European heritage countries (see publications profiles for whole group as evidence). Approximately five years ago the members of this Node came together at Peninsula to activate their research agenda and to address this marginalisation in order to generate new knowledge and to contribute to the task of remediating low levels of early childhood infrastructure and poor theorisation of the early childhood profession in both developed and developing nations. The members of this node see early childhood reform as relating to the status of women and which addresses the cultural practices related to the family and the social-historical function of education in the context of childrearing.

The Furthering Early Childhood Research and Learning (FE©RAL) Node’s main agenda has centred on re-theorising early childhood education nationally and internationally through both empirical research and through theoretical activity. Drawing upon cultural-historical theory and alternative theoretical frameworks (eg poststructuralism, critical theory, queer theory; place and space pedagogies) the members of this Node have investigated subjugated knowledges within marginalised groups with a view to generating new conceptual, methodological and pedagogical frameworks for mainstream early childhood and early years education. Through this research agenda, the Node seeks to actively enact change in practice in early childhood education and to build scholarly knowledge in an under theorised area.

Group members

Asterisk (*) denotes accredited supervisors.

• Marilyn Fleer* (leader)
• Joseph Agbenyega*
• Mindy Blaise*
• Susan Edwards*
• Marie Hammer*
• Joce Nuttall*
• Chris Peers*
• Kerith Power *
• Jane Bone

Associate Members:

• Jo Hansen
• Trish Rivalland
• Ted Brown
• Liang Li
• Gloria Quinones
• Avis Ridgway
• Helen Grimmett

Contact

Professor Marilyn Fleer
Professor
Ph: +61 3 990 44235
Fax: +61 3 9904 4235
Marilyn.Fleer@Education.monash.edu.au

Ms Emma White
Administrative Officer Research Support
Ph: +61 3 990 44430
Fax: 61 3 990 4027
emma.white@education.monash.edu.au