Issue 18, October 2013 Issue 18, October 2013 Issue 18, October 2013 Issue 18, October 2013 Issue 18, October 2013 Issue 18, October 2013

Media based addictions workshopMedia based addictions workshopMedia based addictions workshopMedia based addictions workshopMedia based addictions workshopMedia based addictions workshop

A free workshop sponsored by the Faculty of Human Sciences at Macquarie University presented a range of perspectives on media-based addictions to 40 participants on 13 August. The workshop was the brainchild of Dr Kate Highfi eld (CFRC member) and Dr Wayne Warburton (CFRC Deputy-Director), with Dr Philip Tam (Sydney University).

While technology and media have extraordinary potential to enhance people’s lives, fi nding the balance between use that enhances and use that detracts from the human experience is not easy. In this workshop a range of fascinating speakers explored this highly contentious topic and debated the current evidence.

International authority from St. Bonaventure University (New York), Dr Kimberly Young, outlined the history and development of internet addiction, including online gaming, internet

gambling, and internet sex addictions. She introduced her Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire and outlined treatment methods and trends most commonly used for the disorder.

Dr Philip Tam, child psychiatrist from Rivendell Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, spoke about the likely impact of the inclusion of ‘Internet Gaming Disorder’ as a potential new diagnosis in the mental health fi eld. Dr Tam surveyed the options for assessment and treatment of this challenging condition, and how it is likely to evolve in coming years.

Dr Wayne Warburton from the Department of Psychology at Macquarie spoke about the phenomenon of video games, with a focus on research showing both positive and negative impacts on the way players think, feel and behave. He also examined the more recent phenomenon of massive multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs).

Fact or fi ction: A discussion of key issues for the 21st century

Media Based Addictions P.1 /P.2

CFRC Change in Leadership P.2

65th World Congress OMEP P.3

Bulletin Board P.4

To conduct high quality interdisciplinary research that contributes to knowledge about the learning and development of children and families with a commitment to applying research to policy recommendations and outreach activities in a variety of communities

CFRC Mission Statement this issuethis issuethis issue

CFRC.NewsChildren and Families Research Centre (CFRC) Institute of Early Childhood

Dr Kimberly Young, St. Bonaventure University

Dr Wayne Warburton,Macquarie University

CFRC Colloquium23 July 2013

Dr Sarada Balagopalan

Re-forming Lives: The Child on the Street and the ‘Street Child’

Dr Sarada Balagopalan is a researcher at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in Delhi and senior supervisor in the Max Weber Foundation Transnational Research Group on poverty reduction and education in India.

Her paper discussed street children’s lives in relation to the local materialisation of a global politics of affect. Through presenting NGO efforts to secure the lives of street children within a set of more optimistic coordinates against these children’s more ambiguous insertion into these projects of reform, the paper provided an opening to explore the tensions and impossible resolutions of such efforts. The impossibility of these resolutions exceeds the workings of this particular NGO, and the paper presents the stable ordinariness of labor in these children’s lives as produced within a longer history of postcolonial capitalism.

Dr Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, a CFRC member from the Institute of Early Childhood, discussed the evidence for the risks and benefits of social technologies and social connections for children aged 8-12. While not denying children’s exposure to aggression and cyberbullying and the impact on parent-child relationships, Dr Neilsen-Hewett spoke of the positive role that social networking sites have in shaping children’s peer networks, self-esteem and social competence.

Journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Sacha Molitorisz, drew on contemporary ethical theories to focus on privacy issues in a digital age. While changes to the way people interact have been viewed as leaps forward in notions of personal identity, friendship and community, they can also be perceived as grave threats to privacy, truth and even to the future of humanity, he declared.

L to R: Dr Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett, Dr Philip Tam, Dr Kimberly Young, Dr Wayne Warburton, Dr Kate Highfield,

Mr Sacha Molitorisz (missing Dr Mubarak Rahamathulla)

CFRC Change of Leadership

After eight years as the founding Director of the CFRC, Professor Jennifer Bowes has decided to pass the baton. CFRC welcomed Associate Professor Marina Papic, formerly Head of the Institute of Early Childhood (IEC) at Macquarie, as Director from1 July. Learn more about her vision for the research centre in the next issue of CFRC.News.

Professor Bowes, with a research background in educational and developmental psychology, has been Professor of Early Childhood at the IEC since 2006. During her career she has brought in over $3 million in external funding for research and outreach activities, including two Child Care Choices research projects funded by the NSW Department of Family and Community Services: a longitudinal investigation of the effects of multiple and changeable child care on the development of young children and an investigation of the child care choices of Indigenous families. She also led studies into early childhood education for potentially marginalised groups of children for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Current research projects focus on the effects of parenting programs and of a literacy tutoring program for low-progress readers.

Professor Bowes has taken a strong mentoring role for six postdoctoral fellows in the early years of the CFRC and has supervised seven PhD students to successful completion, with another four underway. She set up a training team for the Parents as Teachers program in Australia and has been director of PAT Australia since 2007, with PAT training a major source of funding for CFRC. Her role as lead editor for the four editions of the book Children, Families and Communities has given her credibility as leader of the CFRC Writing Group in recent years.

As Professor Janet Greely (Dean of the Faculty of Human Sciences) wrote, Professor Bowes has “made an outstanding contribution to research and development, mentorship and program delivery. She has been tireless in raising the public profile of Children and Families as an important area for advancing research nationally and internationally.”

Parents as Teachers

The foundational training for Parents as Teachers took place from 16 - 18 October 2013 at the City Campus,11 York Street, Sydney.

The website for Parents as Teachers has been upgraded and can be found at http://www.iec.mq.edu.au/research/cfrc/parents_as_teachers/

Anyone interested in Parents as Teachers training or Foundational Training should contact Althea Travis on AltheaTravis@aol.com

Dr Mubarak Rahamathulla from the Department of Social Work and Social Planning at Flinders University presented his study on internet addiction and its effect on the mental health of university students in South Australia. He found that 9% of the respondents had frequent problems due to their internet use.

Dr Kate Highfield focused on mobile media use by young children. She indicated that young children are increasingly accessing a range of technologies including traditional media (e.g., television) and interactive media (e.g., iPads and tablets). She examined the educational opportunities and limitations of popular Apps and explored current research in the use of these devices in learning and play, with a focus on benefits and risks to young children.

Parenting and Adolescents’ Well-being in Multicultural

Malaysia

Malaysia’s population is characterised by the existence of various ethnic groups-Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan, and ethnic minorities such as the Orang Asli, the Siamese and also recent migrants (mostly Indonesians). This study focused on the three major ethnics groups in Malaysia: Malay, Chinese, and Indians. Although varied in their beliefs and customs, contemporary parents from the three ethnic groups were generally perceived by a considerable proportion of their school-going adolescents (n=2934) as uninvolved in their parenting, which clearly contradicts the view that Asians are authoritarian in nature. Further analysis indicated that Malay and Chinese parents were perceived as uninvolved, whereas Indians were somewhat authoritative. Adolescents having uninvolved parents tend to demonstrate poor developmental outcomes (i.e., exhibit symptoms of depression, and delinquency) compared to those with authoritative parents. These findings may need to be interpreted cautiously as Western typologies were applied. The present study calls for more research that focuses on conceptualising and operationalising dimensions of Malaysian parenting that is both culturally specific and culturally sensitive.

Professor Rozumah Baharudin

CFRC Colloquium30 July 2013

Masters student presents research in Mumbai, India

Macquarie University Masters student, Sanobia Palkhiwala, was part of the IEC team who presented a symposium at the OMEP conference in Shanghai in July 2013. While there, Sanobia met Dr Sonawat, Head of the early childhood program at Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey (SNDT) Women’s University, Mumbai, India. Dr Sonawat invited her to share her research experiences with postgraduate early childhood students at SVDT Women’s University on her way back to Sydney. This became a major event. Invitations were sent out to various colleges that operate under the University’s umbrella, and more than 60 academic staff and students trudged through the heavy monsoon rains for the presentation.

Sanobia’s presentation, entitled Multiple Realities, Multiple Possibilities: Stories from an Australian Perspective, incorporated a discussion of the complexities that underlie the notion of good practice, emphasising the importance of context and culture in defining constructs of quality for early childhood programs. There was strong agreement on the need for research that bridges the gap between theories that tend to be developed in the North and their applicability to early childhood settings in the South. Sanobia has agreed to continue shared explorations of key issues with Dr Sonawat and her students when she returns to India in December 2013.

Over 60 academic staff and

postgraduate students braved

monsoon weather to attend the

presentation by Sanobia Palkhiwala.

65th World Congress of OMEP, Shanghai

Farewell

Professor Rozumah Baharudin from the University of Putra, Malaysia was farewelled at a lunch on 10 September. She held Visiting Professor status within the Children and Families Research Centre from 1 July - 19 September 2013.

A symposium, entitled The Game-Changers: Towards a redefined notion of quality ECE through the meaningful participation of stakeholders in research projects, explored the use of critical, socio-cultural, pluralistic and multi-perspective lenses to challenge prevailing discourses regarding the objectivity and universality of quality. The four papers presented by the team drew on the body of literature that contests the notion of quality as an ‘objective reality that can be universally standardised and measured’. Each case study - undertaken in Australia, Jamaica, India and Namibia - provided a demonstration of how quality is shaped by socio-culturally constructed ideologies. Together the case studies illustrated the emergent nature of quality ECE programs and the importance of children’s participation, rights, agency and power in navigating the complex people-to-people systems which shape their lives. They also suggested ways in which complexity theory and meaningful participation of respondents can result in unexpected and, sometimes, confronting findings for researchers.

Ms Sanobia Palkhiwala , Ms Clare Britt, Ms Zinnia Mevawalla and

Professor Jacqueline Hayden presented a symposium at the

65th World Congress of OMEP in Shanghai, July 2013.

CFRC Bulletin BoardAwardsBaird, K. (2013, July). Australasian Human Development Association (AHDA) Conference Student Scholarship. Van Bergen, P. (2013, September). Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Programs that Enhance Learning.Peer reviewed papersWade-Leeuwen, B. (2013). The Bwo-Me (Life’s Breath) Creativity Workshop: Visual art and education. International Journal of the Arts Education, 7 (7), 68-79.Presentations in AustraliaBaird, K. (2013, July). Unheard voices: An investigation of the experiences of vulnerable young children in early childhood services. Paper presented at the Australasian Human Development Association (AHDA) 18th Biennial Conference, Gold Coast.

Highfield, K. (2013, August). How young is too young? Mobile media use by young children, concerns and benefits. Paper presented at the workshop Media based addictions – fact or fiction: A discussion of key issues for the 21st century. Macquarie University, Sydney.

Neilsen-Hewett, C. (2013, August). Social technologies and social connections: Risks and benefits for primary school children. Paper presented at the workshop Media based addictions – fact or fiction: A discussion of key issues for the 21st century. Macquarie University.

Wade-Leeuwen, B. (2013). Boundary breaking: Intercultural ‘hands-on’ Creative arts workshops. Paper presented at the joint AARE-APERA International Conference, Sydney 2012.

Walsh, R. (2013, July) Extending young gifted children using high order thinking techniques. Paper presented at the DEC Gifted and Talented Conference: Unleash the Gifted Potential, Sydney.

Warburton, W. A. (2013, August). The phenomenon of video games, focussing on research showing a range of impacts, positive and negative, on the way players think, feel and behave. Paper presented at the workshop Media based addictions – fact or fiction: A discussion of key issues for the 21st century. Macquarie University.International PresentationsHighfield, K. (2013, Aug-Sept). Playing with simple robotics: A tool for mathematics learning in the early years. In J. Novotna & H. Moraova (Eds.), Tasks and tools in elementary mathematics. Proceedings of the International Symposium of Elementary Mathematics Teaching (pp. 122 – 129), Prague, Czech Republic.

Wade-Leeuwen, B. (2013). Global creativity: Intercultural ‘hands-on’ workshops for pre-service primary art teachers. EKSIG2013 conference, Loughborough University, UK.

Zanoni, L. (2013, September). Reducing the number of children in out-of-home care by supporting fathers: A study from Australia. International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) European regional conference, Dublin, Ireland.Other PresentationsWade-Leeuwen, B. (2013, August) School of Education representative for 3 minute thesis competition, Macquarie University.

Wade-Leeuwen,B (2013, June) ‘Bwo-Me (Life’s Breath) Aboriginal Artists recreate their Past’: Exploring cross-cultural ways of knowing through Visual Arts. Macquarie University.

Walsh, R. (2013, August) Institute of Early Childhood representative for 3 Minute Thesis Competition, Macquarie University.

Walsh, R. (2013, September). Higher order questioning with young gifted children. Presentation for staff at Tigger’s Honeypot Childcare Centre, UNSW.

Walsh, R. (2013, August). Catering for young gifted children in Early Stage 1. Presentation for early childhood staff at St Luke’s Grammar School, Dee Why.Media MentionsHighfiled., K. (2013, September). Online: Daily Life, Kasey Edwards. Babysitting your children with apps. http://www.dailylife.com.au/life-and-love/parenting-and-families/babysitting-your-children-with-apps-20130924-2ub12.html

Warburton, W.A. (2013, September). Online: Bendigo Advertiser, Kristen Alebakis. New release video game in the firing line. http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/1785680/new-release-video-game-in-the-firing-line/

Warburton, W. A. (2013, September). Children and Families Research Centre mentioned in an article by Dr Dale Archer from Psychology Today. Violence, The Media And Your Brain. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201309/violence-the-media-and-your-brain.

Cologon, K. (2013, August). Quoted by Victoria Birch of Essential Kids on ‘Raising inclusive kids’ http://www.essentialkids.com.au/younger-kids/kids-education/raising-inclusive-kids-20130816-2s0e2.html

Warburton, W. A. (2013, August). Interview: 720 ABC Drive, Russell Woolf. What electronic gaming is doing to our kids. http://blogs.abc.net.au/wa/2013/08/what-is-electronic-gaming-doing-to-our-kids.html

Warburton, W. A. (2013, July). Featured in story ‘Parents urged to join games’ by Rihanna King in the West Australian. Available at: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/18168524/parents-urged-to-join-games/GrantsWalsh, R. (2013). Macquarie University Postgraduate Research Fund grant to attend 2014 Wallace Research and Policy Symposium in Washington DC. $5000.

Edited and produced by Ms Sally Thompson and Dr Kerry Hodge

Children and Families Research CentreA Macquarie University Research CentreInstitute of Early ChildhoodMacquarie University NSW 2109

Phone: 02 9850 9882 Fax: 02 9850 9887Website: http://www.iec.mq.edu.au/research/cfrc/

CFRC Colloquium6 August 2013

Ms Elisabeth JacobKnowledge and Practice of

Canadian, Aboriginal Preschool Teachers on Emergent Literacy in

the Context of Symbolic Play: A Collaborative Research Project.

Education of aboriginal children in Canada changed in the year 1980: most communities decided to administer their own schools on the reserve. As a positive consequence, many schools have decided to teach children in aboriginal language for the early grades. Research has demonstrated that children learn literacy during early childhood through social interaction with adults and through the print environment within the family and in the community (Thériault & Lavoie, 2004). However, limited books and teaching materials in native language are two factors that affect the development of emergent literacy among aboriginal children (Ball, 2007; Jacob, 2012). Aboriginal preschool teachers still have to improve emergent literacy in these conditions, but they lack knowledge and training in relation to emergent literacy (Lynch, 2009).

FarewellMs Elisabeth Jacob from the University of Quebec, Montreal was hosted as an Occupational Trainee in CFRC from 12 June to 15 September 2013. She worked in the Grandparenting Literacy Tutoring program during her traineeship.

Ms Jacob was farwelled at a lunch on 10 September 2013.