{"id":407,"date":"2022-11-24T03:05:37","date_gmt":"2022-11-24T03:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains\/early-childhood-voices-conference-2022\/?page_id=407"},"modified":"2022-12-01T04:58:34","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T04:58:34","slug":"ecv2022-keynote-speaker-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains\/early-childhood-voices-conference-2022\/ecv2022-keynote-speaker-6\/","title":{"rendered":"06 – Keynote 6 – Innovations in early childhood: Understanding and responding to children\u2019s needs through effective assessment"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Presentation - ECV2022-Keynote 6<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Innovations in early childhood: Understanding and responding to children\u2019s needs through effective assessment<\/h1>\n

<\/h1>\n

<\/h1>\n

Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett<\/strong>, University of Wollongong, Australia (cnhewett@uow.edu.au<\/a> )<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

Biography: <\/strong>Associate Professor Cathrine Neilsen-Hewett is the Academic Director of the Early Years, University of Wollongong. She has demonstrated leadership and scholarship in translational research with a strong track record in supporting professional development initiatives across the early childhood education sector. She has co-led six large-scale transformational Early Start research projects across three Australian states, in over 450 early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, with more than 3,500 children.\u202fHer current research projects focus on quality early childhood environments and workforce development, integrated early childhood service platforms, approaches to assessment, along with children\u2019s self-regulation and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n

Background: <\/strong>Educators\u2019 ability to respond to the inherent differences in children\u2019s abilities plays a crucial role in supporting learning and development. Intentional and differentiated teaching models demand a deeper awareness of children\u2019s current capabilities, yet few tools exist that provide a comprehensive and rich picture of each child\u2019s early learning. The ability to shift children\u2019s early developmental trajectories therefore depends on educators\u2019 ability to develop a rich and comprehensive picture of children\u2019s abilities, capabilities, and dispositions for learning.<\/p>\n\n

The presentation introduces the audience to the Early Years Toolbox, a set of playful tools (activities and games) that provide early childhood educators with actionable information about children\u2019s progress in key areas of learning and development.\u202fTogether we explore the value of early childhood assessment and the role it plays in empowering educators to meet children where they are at as well as create rich and responsive learning environments that enrich and extend children\u2019s learning and development.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

This presentation begins with an overview of the Toolbox and the practice framework (i.e., activities and pedagogical practices) that supports it.\u202fIn the second part, practitioners from the University of Wollongong\u2019s Early Start Engagement Centre network will share real-life examples, highlighting both the efficacy of the tools and the complementary work of a professional development model. The practitioners will discuss how they have used the Early Years Toolbox with children, the support gained through coaching and mentoring, and the impact it has had on their practice with children and families.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Implications for practitioners:<\/strong> The more we understand children, the better placed we are to support their development. The power of early childhood assessment lies not in the data per se but in its ability to strengthen educators\u2019 pedagogy and practice. In this presentation, we discuss how early childhood assessment can empower you to create rich learning environments that respond to and enrich children\u2019s engagement and learning.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

Key words<\/strong>: professional voices, innovations, early childhood education quality, assessment, child development\u00a0<\/p>\n\n

This presentation relates to the following<\/strong> United Nations Sustainable Development Goals<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n