Tinkering with non-working digital technologies, writes Honor Mackley, a Brisbane-based primary teacher and ECEC researcher at Australian Catholic University, increases children’s wellbeing, boosts active learning and interest in technologies, and lays the groundwork for play-based learning with functional technology. Photo by Kevin Jarrett on Unsplash What is tinkering? What comes to mind when you hear…
Children will benefit from the new laws that enable their parents to access up to 10 days of paid leave if they are experiencing domestic violence. Police are now recording more than 10,000 cases of domestic violence a year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The number of children this involves as either victims…
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash South Australia’s royal commission into early childhood education led by Julia Gillard has released an interim report. The key recommendation is preschool for all three-year-olds (in a move similar to other states). But the report notes one of the critical considerations around this change will be the early education workforce. SA’s…
The future of Australia relies on developing a strong vision for the early years. This vision should reflect the needs of children, families and the community, focusing on improving positive outcomes for all children. As a signatory to the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (1989), Australia is bound by a profound…
Are you curious about why the environment is called the ‘third teacher’? This concept rose in popularity through the global growth and influence of the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy. The founder, Loris Malaguzzi, said there are three teachers of children—adults, other children and their physical environment. Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash How does the…
During the 2023 Live Wires Digital Technology Forum, we invite you to take part in one of our ‘Stay and Play’ sessions at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Children’s Technology Centre on the fourth floor of the Education Building at the Kelvin Grove campus. We are excited to have you join us at the…
As many readers will know, Early Childhood Australia (ECA) has been committed to supporting educators in the digital space for many years. While in many ways our children are living in a digital age, ECA entered into this space cautiously, and as an academic and researcher (and ECA member) I support this approach. ECA has…
In this article, the FOOSHC team discusses the Playwork Principles, which the service has embedded in its practice, resulting in strong developmental outcomes for children and awards for excellence. Image: supplied, FOOSHC Forrest Out of School Hours Care (FOOSHC), rated ‘Excellent’ under the National Quality Standard, is a community-based, not-for-profit service in Canberra run by…
ECA: You’re an Inclusion Professional with Early Childhood Australia Northern Territory. What does your job involve? What is an Inclusion Professional? Alex: My job involves a wide range of hats and roles. No one day is the same. You can find me in the office or out at services, both remote and regional. While in…
I was very fortunate to attend the Early Learning Summit hosted by The Front Project in Canberra late last year. On the journey home, I found myself reflecting on the conversations and future visions for our sector along with a lingering question: Why did I choose this career? Photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash I…