Fiona Mayne has a PhD in early childhood research ethics and participation. She teaches technology education (early childhood/primary) at the Graduate School of Education. Her current research interests include enhancing the quality of young children’s research participation, empowering children to have their voices heard, digital influences on children’s learning environments, and use of digital technologies and mixed reality in pre-service teacher education. Fiona is the co-convenor, with Dr Gemma Scarparolo, of the inaugural Children's VOICE Conference 2019 hosted by UWA in partnership with UNICEF Australia.

https://childrensvoice.net/

Qualifications:

- Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours), Curtin University (2006)

- PhD in early childhood research ethics and participation, UWA (2016)

Early childhood and ICT Education

Education Futures Scholarship (2017)

Lecturer Certificate in Tertiary Teaching - EDUC5708: Digital Technologies for Learning, UWA (Semester 2 2016) (Fully online)

Lecturer Master of Educational Leadership - EDUC5608: Integrating Pedagogy & Technology, UWA (Semester 2 2016)

Lecturer Master of Teaching - EDUC5618: Teaching & Learning with ICTs, UWA (Semester 2 2016)

Sessional Tutor EDUC1104: World of Mobile Learning, UWA (Semester 1 2016)

Sessional Tutor EDUC1102: Learning Effectively: Improving Your Learning and Teaching, UWA (Semester 1 2016)

PhD Candidate, Graduate School of Education, University of Western Australia (2011-2015) - Thesis entitled: Enhancing young children’s meaningful participation in research ethics processes through an interactive narrative approach (ARC Linkage Grant (LP110200756) to Christine Howitt and Léonie J. Rennie, in partnership with Scitech and Rio Tinto Future Fund)

Sessional Lecturer in Science Education, UWA (2013)

Education Faculty Health & Safety Student Representative, UWA (2012, 2013)

Education Faculty Postgraduate Students’ Association Representative, UWA (2013)

Unit Coordinator and Sessional Tutor, School of Education (ECE), Curtin University/Online Universities Australia (OUA) (2010-11)

ECE Classroom Teacher, Primary Science Specialist and ECE/Primary Art Specialist, Carey Baptist College (2007-11)

Research Assistant, Science and Maths Education Centre, Curtin University (2005-06)

Using mixed-reality simulation technology to enhance classroom readiness of pre-service teachers: TeachLivE as the virtual classroom (2017)

Early childhood and Technology Education

Fiona researched and developed the interactive nonfiction narrative (INN) approach to enhancing research participation with young children.In January 2016 I completed my PhD as a ‘series of papers’ in early childhood education research ethics, entitled Enhancing young children’s meaningful participation in research ethics processes through an interactive approach.The thesis introduced Interactive Nonfiction Narrative (INN) as an innovative tool for obtaining informed consent from 3- and 4-year-old children. Based on a story (narrative) of the research, it employed reading strategies such as sustained shared thinking and dialogic reading, and used touch-screen technologies (interactive) to deliver information about a research project (nonfiction). An interpretive multiple case design was used to evaluate children’s understanding of the research as presented through the INN. Children were found to understand many of the aspects of the research purpose and their rights as participants. Results of the cross-case analysis also suggested that the informed consent process is not only an essential component of children’s rights, but can add to the quality of early childhood research and has the potential to enhance research outcomes with young children. This research focused primarily on young children's meaningful participation in the informed consent process. However, it also speaks about enhancing young children's participation in research more generally and offers support to researchers wanting to move toward a more rights-based approach to early childhood research.