Associate Professor Jamie Huff Sisson

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).

• American Educational Research Association,
• AERA,Early Childhood Australia,
• ECA,
• Australian Association for Research in Education,
• AARE

Qualifications

• 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