Jamie Sisson is Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion (CRESI) in Education Futures at the University of South Australia. As an Associate Professor in Childhood Studies, Sisson's research expertise includes qualitative and co-design research approaches in working with partners to improve the educational experiences and social inclusion of children, families, and educators within early childhood settings. Her program of research aims to create educating communities where children, families, and teachers can thrive together through two research strands: 1. research addressing the challenges that cause early childhood teachers to leave the field and 2. research addressing the need for culturally... Read more
About me
Jamie Sisson is Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Educational and Social Inclusion (CRESI) in Education Futures at the University of South Australia. As an Associate Professor in Childhood Studies, Sisson's research expertise includes qualitative and co-design research approaches in working with partners to improve the educational experiences and social inclusion of children, families, and educators within early childhood settings. Her program of research aims to create educating communities where children, families, and teachers can thrive together through two research strands: 1. research addressing the challenges that cause early childhood teachers to leave the field and 2. research addressing the need for culturally and linguistically inclusive early childhood education and practices. To advance this research agenda, Sisson co-founded and now leads the Culturally Inclusive Early Childhood Pedagogy International Network (CIECP).
Sisson is currently the Lead CI on the Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Early Childhood Pedagogies project funded by the Lillian de'Lissa Trust with Partners Gowrie SA, Catholic Education SA, Department for Education NSW, KU Children's Services and Ngutu College. This research investigates:
Culturally and linguistically responsive engagement with children, families and communitiesTranslation of theory and research into culturally responsive early childhood pedagogiesSite-based professional learning and leadership through critical action research to progress and sustain culturally and linguistically responsive practices. Sisson's research provides insights into the identities and agency of children and teachers in early childhood settings (Sisson, 2023; 2018; et al., 2018; et al., 2020). In responding to the complexities of diversity Sisson led the development of a co-constructed approach to leadership (Sisson, Lash, Shin & Whitington, 2021) and family engagement (Sisson, Rigney, Hattam, & Morrison, 2024).
Sisson has successfully attracted considerable external research funding and publishes in high-impact early childhood and general education international journals. Her research publications have contributed to a growing international presence with invited presentations in China, United States and New Zealand. In 2017 Sisson received the highly coveted Early Career Researcher of the Year award from the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences at UniSA in recognition of her leading role on multiple research projects.
In addition to her significant research contributions, Sisson has supervised several higher degree by research students and has also developed materials for and taught a range of courses in teacher education programs within the United States and Australia. She has over ten years of experience working in a variety of early childhood care and education contexts with children from birth to age ten. Sisson has served on the South Australian Early Childhood Australia Executive Board (2012-2015) and was elected the Vice President of Cleveland branch of the Association for the Education of Young Children (2006-2007).
About me
About me
Doctor of Philosophy Kent State University
Masters of Educational Studies The University of Queensland
Bachelor of Science in Human and Consumer Sciences The Ohio University
My research program focuses on collaborating with teams to generate new knowledge in the areas of early childhood education and teacher education through the following lines of inquiry:
Early childhood curriculum and pedagogy- Through this line of inquiry I am interested in exploring pedagogies that engage children as active protagonists in their learning such as democratic based, emergent inquiry based, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Reggio Emilia inspired pedagogies. I am also interested in how cultural models of education come together to inform policy and practice.
Connecting theory, research and practice in teacher education- I am interested in understanding the experiences of pre-service teachers and... Read more
Research
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Early Childhood Pedagogies, NSW Department of Education, 01/06/2023 - 30/06/2025
Children learning to live together in a diverse community: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Reggio Emilia inspired Early Learning Settings, Department for Education, 04/06/2018 - 20/02/2020
Investigating the Reconceptualising of Early Childhood Education in South Australia, SA Dept for Education and Children's Services, 01/10/2017 - 14/12/2018
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
Year | Output |
---|---|
2024 |
Open access
1
2
|
2024 |
Open access
5
5
1
|
2023 |
Open access
2
35
|
2018 |
Open access
4
4
|
2016 |
31
25
|
Year | Output |
---|---|
2017 |
Open access
|
Year | Output |
---|---|
2024 |
1
|
2024 |
Open access
1
2
|
2024 |
Open access
5
5
1
|
2024 |
Open access
1
|
2023 |
Open access
2
35
|
2022 |
Open access
7
2
3
|
2022 |
Open access
2
3
1
|
2020 |
Open access
3
|
2020 |
Open access
9
5
5
|
2018 |
Open access
4
4
|
2017 |
Open access
|
2017 |
Open access
5
5
|
2017 |
|
2016 |
31
25
|
2014 |
Open access
16
|
2009 |
8
8
|
Year | Output |
---|---|
2020 |
Open access
|
2018 |
Open access
|
Sisson, J.H. (2015, April) Undercover: Teaching privately in a public preschool. Paper presented in the Lives of Teachers Sig at the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, Il.
Sisson, J. H. (2013, December) Building a classroom community: A space for agency and recovery. Paper presented in the symposium, shaping research that strengthens and understands voice and identities in early childhood at the Australian Association for Research in Education, Adelaide, AU.
Sisson, J. H. (2012, April) Professional identity: A narrative inquiry of one public preschool teacher. Paper presented in the Lives of Teachers Sig at the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, CA.
Iverson, S. & Sisson, J. H. (2011, November) Disciplining professionals: A feminist Foucauldian analysis of public preschool teachers. Paper presented at the National Women’s Studies Association, Atlanta, GA.
Sisson, J. H. (2011, June) Professional identity and play: A narrative inquiry of five public preschool teachers. Paper presented at the Curriculum and Pedagogy Conference, Canton, OH.
James, J. H & Sisson, J. H. (2008) The loud, active girl: Disrupting and implicating binary constructs of gender in education. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
Sisson, J. H. (2008, April) Complicating the parent/teacher relationship: A comparative case study of two Reggio-inspired schools. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
Research
My research program focuses on collaborating with teams to generate new knowledge in the areas of early childhood education and teacher education through the following lines of inquiry:
Early childhood curriculum and pedagogy- Through this line of inquiry I am interested in exploring pedagogies that engage children as active protagonists in their learning such as democratic based, emergent inquiry based, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Reggio Emilia inspired pedagogies. I am also interested in how cultural models of education come together to inform policy and practice.
Connecting theory, research and practice in teacher education- I am interested in understanding the experiences of pre-service teachers and exploring innovative practices for engaging in collaborative models with pre-service teachers, mentor teachers and academics as an alternative to current approaches.
Teacher identity- within this line of inquiry I am interested in exploring the significance of identity and agency in the lives of teachers and the connection to their professional practices.
External engagement & recognition
Organisation | Country |
---|---|
Gowrie SA | AUSTRALIA |
Kent State University | UNITED STATES |
Metropolitan State University | UNITED STATES |
University of Georgia | UNITED STATES |
University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
University of Wyoming | UNITED STATES |
External engagement & recognition
Engagement/recognition | Year |
---|---|
Board memberLillian de Lissa Trust |
2023 |
Co-Founder and ConvenerCulturally Inclusive Early Childhood Pedagogies International Network |
2023 |
Early Childhood Advisory Committee MemberLincoln Institute of Higher Education Sydney |
2023 |
Board memberLillian de Lissa Trust |
2022 |
Co-Founder and ConvenerCulturally Inclusive Early Childhood Pedagogies International Network |
2022 |
Expert panel member, Early Childhood Teaching Performance Assessment Working GroupAustralian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership |
2022 |
Co-Founder and ConvenerCulturally Inclusive Early Childhood Pedagogies International Network |
2021 |
Convenor of International Symposium at Australian Association for Research in Education ConferenceUniversity of Maynooth, Ireland |
2021 |
Chair of Nominations and ElectionsAmerican Education Research Association, Lives of Teachers SIG |
2020 |
Co-ConvenerKey early childhood organisations in South Australia |
2020 |
Co-Founder and ConvenerCulturally Inclusive Early Childhood Pedagogies International Network |
2020 |
Co-Founder and ConvenerCulturally Inclusive Early Childhood Pedagogies International Network |
2019 |
Founder and ConvenerInternational Collaboration for Culturally Inclusive Early Childhood Pedagogies |
2019 |
Invited Keynote PresentationEducation Department Centre, SA |
2019 |
Invited PresentationMaple Leaf Education System, Dalian, China |
2019 |
MemberAssociation for Childhood Education International (ACEI) |
2019 |
MemberEarly Childhood Organisation (EChO) |
2019 |
MemberEarly Childhood Australia (ECA) |
2019 |
MemberAmerican Educational Research Association (AERA) |
2019 |
MemberNational Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) |
2019 |
MemberAustralian Association for Research in Education (AARE) |
2018 |
MemberEarly Childhood Australia (ECA) |
2018 |
MemberAmerican Educational Research Association (AERA) |
2018 |
MemberAmerican Educational Research Association (AERA) |
2017 |
MemberAustralian Association for Research in Education (AARE) |
2017 |
MemberEarly Childhood Australia (ECA) |
2017 |
Committee Memberde Lissa and Denton Trust |
2015 |
Executive Board MemberEarly Childhood Australia |
2015 |
Invited PresentationKent State University Early Childhood Program and laboratory school, Ohio, USA |
2015 |
Committee Memberde Lissa and Denton Trust |
2014 |
Executive Board MemberEarly Childhood Australia |
2014 |
Invited Keynote PresentationEarly Childhood Organisation Annual General Meeting |
2014 |
Nominated Early Career Researcher AwardEarly Education and Child Development SIG |
2014 |
Advisory Board MemberForum on Workforce Strategies- Professor Carla Rinaldi Thinker-in-Residence |
2013 |
Committee Memberde Lissa and Denton Trust |
2013 |
Executive Board MemberEarly Childhood Australia |
2013 |
Executive Board MemberEarly Childhood Australia |
2012 |
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
Thesis title | Student status |
---|---|
An investigation of arts-based pedagogies for democratic participation in early childhood | Current |
An Investigation of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Early Childhood Teacher Retention | Current |
An Investigation of Educational Leadership for Indigenous Engagement in South Australian Schools | Current |
The place and role of numeracy assessment in early childhood education | Current |
What does respect for children mean in light of children's rights? perspectives of preschool children's parents and educators in an early childhood program in South Australia | Current |
Early childhood students and international transitions | Completed |
Exploring Filipino teachers' identity and community engagements | Completed |
Religiously responsive pedagogies in an Australian preschool: a narrative inquiry based on Muslim parents' and non-Muslim educators' perspectives and experiences | Completed |
Teacher self-efficacy and practice: a case study of eight South Australian reception teachers | Completed |
Toddler educator identity and enactment of social and emotional learning: a narrative inquiry | Completed |
Value Guided Practice: the ethics of care and justice in early childhood education and care | Completed |