Alison Watson

Position: Lecturer, Early Childhood Education
Study area: Education
Location: Gippsland Campus, Building 2S, Room 105
Phone: (03) 5122 6456
Email: a.watson@federation.edu.au

ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0756-2930

Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy (currently completing) - Federation University

Master of Educational Studies – Federation University- 2016

Bachelor of Education (Primary) – Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education - 1986

Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood) – Institute of Early Childhood Development - 1981

Certificate IV in Training and Assessment – Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE – 2011

Certificate in Gifted Education – Monash University - 1997

Teaching

Courses

  • TY5 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood and Primary)
  • TC5 Bachelor of Education Studies
  • TK5 Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education)

Units

  • Curriculum through Play (EDECE1019)
  • Curriculum Approaches (EDECE2016)
  • Science and Environmental Education in Early Childhood (EDECE2018)
  • Understanding Early Human Development (EDECE1002)
  • Foundations of Language and Literacy (EDECE2022)
  • Numeracy and Digital Technology (EDECE2017)
  • Planning, Supporting, and Assessing (EDECE1020)
  • Social justice and agency in ECE Settings (EDECE4004)

Biography

In May 2022 Alison was appointed as an Early Childhood Lecturer within the Institute of Education, Arts, and Community based at the Gippsland Campus of Federation University. Alison joined the School of Education at Federation University, Gippsland in 2016 as a Sessional Lecturer. Prior to this (since 2012) Alison worked as a Partner Lecturer with the University based at another site.

Alison is a very experienced teacher who has worked primarily within early childhood settings and then in the tertiary setting (TAFE and University) in the field of early childhood education and care.

Alison currently is a PhD candidate investigating early childhood educator’s perceptions of vulnerable/disadvantaged children and the professional knowledge base they draw from to support and educate such children.

Areas of expertise

Alison is an accomplished early childhood professional with an extensive range of experience. Alison has taught within and coordinated many of the early childhood units within the Initial Teacher Education Programs at Federation University. Through the completion of her PhD, Alison is developing her research skills and has plans to disseminate the findings through publications and conferences. In 2021 Alison presented at the World Federation Association of Teacher Education Biennial Conference.

Research interests

  • Vulnerable/disadvantaged children
  • Gifted/Talented children
  • Quality early childhood education
  • Professional development/learning of early childhood educators

Conference Proceedings

  • Watson, A. (2021, November). Vulnerability in the early childhood years: How early childhood educators embrace inclusive practices. World Federation Association of Associations for Teacher Education (WFATE) Sixth Biennial Conference [Online].

Associations

  • Victorian Institute of Teaching [Current teacher registration]
  • Community Panel Member: Early Childhood Development Group (Latrobe City)
  • World Federation Association of Associations for Teacher Education (WFATE)
  • World Federation Association of Associations for Teacher Education (WFATE) Research Development Group (RDG) Early Childhood in a Global Context.
  • Social Justice, Inclusion and Diversity in Education (SJIDE). Research Group, Federation University Australia