Professor Caroline Cohrssen
Professor , Early Childhood Education - School of Education
Phone: +61 2 6773 5501
Email: ccohrsse@une.edu.au
Biography
After graduating from the Master in Teaching (Early Childhood) course at The University of Melbourne, I was offered an APA(I) scholarship to undertake doctoral research within the E4Kids study, the largest longitudinal study to investigate effective early educational experiences of young children in Australia to date. After several years, I accepted a three-year contract at The University of Hong Kong as I am very interested in the impact of culture and context on both early childhood teaching practice and children’s learning and development. At the same time, I am also very interested in the fine-grained processes that occur during learning interactions. These interests are reflected in the theoretical underpinning of much of my work which aims to translate research into practice. This is reflected in my efforts to disseminate research to early childhood teachers and educators through blogs and social media. Whilst the research I lead leans towards qualitative research, I frequently collaborate with quantitative researchers. Working with diverse colleagues over the last several years has broadened my perspectives as well as my international network. I am eager to build up a team of graduate research students at UNE. Both my research experience and anticipated research collaboration and supervision are testament to my commitment to quality outcomes in research training.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Arts
Post-graduate Diploma (Early Childhood Education)
Master of Teaching (Early Childhood)
Doctor of Philosophy
Awards
MGSE Engagement Excellence Team Award, 3 June 2020, The University of Melbourne
MGSE Mid-Career Research Excellence Award, 16 May 2019, The University of Melbourne
MGSE Innovation in Curriculum Award, member of the Master of Teaching Team (Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary), 30 May 2017, The University of Melbourne
Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) three-year doctoral scholarship, 2010-2013
Teaching Areas
Various early childhood education-related subjects
Research Interests
Influences on children’s learning in the years prior to school commencement, in the home learning environment and in early childhood education and care settings
Translation of research into teaching practice
Pre- and post-qualification early childhood practitioners’ professional learning
Publications
Edited Books
Mahat, M., Blannin, J., Cohrssen, C. & De los Reyes, E. (Eds.). (2022). Academic Resilience: Personal Stories and Lessons Learnt from the COVID-19 Experience. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group.
Cohrssen, C. & Garvis, S. (2021). Co-editors: Embedding STEAM in Early Childhood Education and Care. Palgrave: London. DOI 10.1007/978-3-030-65624-9
Niklas, F., Lehrl, S. Napoli, A. & Cohrssen, C. (2021). Children's competencies development in the home learning environment Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88971-122-2
Curriculum materials
Northern Territory Preschool Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Games (suite of four books): https://education.nt.gov.au/support-for-teachers/preschool-stem-games
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Planning Cycle Resource (book and videos on VCAA website): https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/earlyyears/ey-curriculum-resources/Pages/EarlyYearsPlanningCycleResource.aspx
Book Chapters
Goel, P., de Los Reyes, E. J., Chung, G. Y., Zulfiqar, A., Mahat, M., Cohrssen, C., Blannin, J., & Villafranca, E. (2024). Beyond perseverance: Developing academic resilience for a better normal. In P. Goel, J. Simmons, S. Marwah, L. Andersson, S. Neuhaus, & M. Mahat (Eds.), Building a better normal: Visions of Schools of Education in a post-pandemic world. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Papic, M., Highfield, K., & Cohrssen, C. (2023). Numeracy. In D. Pendergast & S. Garvis (Eds.), Teaching Early Years: Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment (2 ed., pp. 49-67). Routledge.
Cohrssen, C. (2023.) Research conundrums and reflections. In A. Keary, Scull, J., Garvis, S., & Walsh, L. (Eds.) Decisions and Dilemmas of Research Methods in Early Childhood Education. New York, NY: Routledge.
Cohrssen, C., Blannin, J., De los Reyes, E. & Mahat, M. (2022). Academic resilience: An uncharted terrain. In M. Mahat, J. Blannin, C. Cohrssen, & E. De los Reyes (Eds.), Academic Resilience During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group.
Mahat, M., Blannin, J., Cohrssen, C. & De los Reyes, E. (2022). Thriving in times of adversity. In M. Mahat, J. Blannin, C. Cohrssen, & E. De los Reyes (Eds.), Academic Resilience during and beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group.
Mahat, M., Blannin, J., Cohrssen, C. & De los Reyes, E. (Eds.). (2022). Academic Resilience during and beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic. Bingley, UK: Emerald Publishing Group.
Cohrssen, C. (Accepted 2 November 2020). Mathematical thinking: Early childhood educators modelling spatial concepts and language in the context of play-based learning. In, A. Church & A. Bateman (Eds.), Talking with Children: A Handbook for Early Childhood Education. Cambridge University Press.
Church, A. & Cohrssen, C. (2021). The mechanics of interaction in early childhood STEAM. In, S. Garvis & C. Cohrssen. (Eds.) Embedding STEAM in Early Childhood Education and Care. London: Palgrave. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030656232
Cohrssen, C. (July, 2020). Numeracy learning in early childhood. In D. T. Cook (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Children and Childhood Studies (1st ed., Vol. 3, pp. 1148-1152). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc. ISBN: 978-1473942929
Niklas, F., Tayler, C. & Cohrssen, C. (2017). What is 'school readiness' and how are smooth transitions to school supported? In T. Bentley & G. C. Savage (Eds.), Educating Australia: Challenges for the decade ahead (pp. 117-132). Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
Cohrssen, C. & Church, A. (2017.) Mathematics knowledge in early childhood: Intentional teaching in the third turn. In A. Bateman & A. Church (Eds.), Children’s knowledge-in-interaction: studies in conversation analysis. Dordrecht: Springer.
Cohrssen, C. & Niklas, F. (2016). Partnering with families to promote learning. In J. Page & C. Tayler (Eds.), Learning and teaching in the early years (pp. 90-111). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Peer-reviewed Conference Paper
Brookes, I., Cohrssen, C., Eadie, P. & Tayler, C. (2017). Seeing myself as others see me: Using video to support reflective practice in initial teacher education with a cross-country cohort. Special Issue of Global Science and Technology Forum (GSTF) Journal on Education. (7-12).
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles - COVID 19
De los Reyes, J., Blannin, J., Cohrssen, C. & Mahat, M. (2021.) Resilience of higher education academics in the time of 21st century pandemics: A narrative review. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management (CJHE). doi: 10.1080/1360080X.2021.1989736
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles - Teacher education/pedagogy
Cohrssen, C. (2023). The contribution of learning trajectories to enacting the Early Years Learning Framework V2.0. Research Conference 2023: Becoming Lifelong Learners, 53-59. https://doi.org/10.37517/978-1-74286-715-1-18
Guarrella, C., van Driel, J. & Cohrssen, C. (2022). Towards assessment of playful learning in early childhood: Influences on teachers’ science assessment practices. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21811
Guarrella, C., van Driel, J. & Cohrssen, C. (2022). Science education in early childhood education—are we approaching a cure for the state of chronic illness? Research in Science Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-022-10087-1
Cohrssen, C., Slaughter, Y. & Nicolas, E. (2021). Leveraging languages for learning: Incorporating plurilingual pedagogies in early childhood education and care. TESOL in Context, 30(1), 11-31.
Cohrssen, C. (2021). Considering form and function: A commentary on the review of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. doi: 10.1177/18369391211018518
Guarrella, C., Cohrssen, C. & van Driel, J. (2021). The quality of teacher-child interactions during the enactment of the Northern Territory Preschool Science Games. Early Education and Development. doi: 10.1080/10409289.2021.1900993
Madanipour, P. & Cohrssen, C. (2019.) Augmented Reality as a form of digital technology in early childhood education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. doi: 10.1177/1836939119885311
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Vidmar, M., Segerer, R., Schmiedeler, S., Galpin, R., Klemm, V., Kandler, S. & Tayler, C. (2018.) Early Years professionals' perceptions of children's school readiness characteristics in six countries. International Journal of Educational Research. 19. 144-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.06.001
Niklas, F., Tayler, C. & Cohrssen, C. (2018). Bilingual children’s language learning in Australian early childhood education and care settings. Research Papers in Education, 33(4), 544-560. doi:10.1080/02671522.2017.1353672
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2018.) Making a difference to children's reasoning skills before school entry: The contribution of the home learning environment. Contemporary Educational Psychology. 54 (July). 79-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2018.06.001
Cohrssen, C., de Quadros Wander, B., Page, J. & Klarin, S. (2017.) Between the big trees: A project- based approach to investigating shape and spatial thinking in a kindergarten project. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 42(1), 94-104. doi:10.23965/AJEC.42.1.011
Cohrssen, C. & Page, J. (2016.) Articulating a rights-based argument for mathematics teaching and learning in early childhood education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood 41(3), 104-108.
Cohrssen, C., Niklas, F. & Tayler, C. (2016.) 'Is that what we do?' Using a conversation analytic approach to highlight the contribution of dialogic reading strategies to educator-child interactions during storybook reading in two early childhood settings. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 16(3), 361-382. doi: 10.1177/1468798415592008
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles - Early childhood mathematics
Cohrssen, C., Fielding, J., & Bird, J. (2024). Informal assessment of preschool children’s concepts of zero. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01634-8
Pollitt, R., Cohrssen, C. & Seah, W. T. (2020). Assessing spatial reasoning during play: Educator observations, assessment and curriculum planning. Mathematics Education Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00337-8
Cohrssen, C. & Pearn, C. (2019) Assessing preschool children’s maps against the first four levels of the Primary curriculum: Lessons to learn. Mathematics Education Research Journal. doi 10.1007/s13394-019-00298-7
Cohrssen, C. & Niklas, F. (2019). Using mathematics games in preschool settings to support the development of children’s numeracy skills. International Journal of Early Years Education, 27(3), 322-393, DOI 10.1080/09669760.2019.1629882
Hedge, K. & Cohrssen, C. (2019.) Between the red and yellow windows: A fine-grained focus on supporting children’s spatial thinking during play. SAGE Open. doi: 10.1177/2158244019829551
Cohrssen, C., Church, A. & Tayler, C. (2016.) Play-based mathematics activities as a resource for changing educator attitudes and practice. SAGE Open. doi: 10.1177/2158244016649010
Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016.) Early childhood mathematics: A pilot study in pre-service teacher education. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. 37(1) (25-40). doi: 10.1080/10901027.2015.1131208
Deans, J. & Cohrssen, C. (2015.) Children dancing mathematical thinking. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40(3), 61-67.
Pollitt, R., Cohrssen, C., Church, A. & Wright, S. (2015.) Thirty-one is a lot! Assessing four-year old children’s number knowledge during an open-ended activity. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 40(1), 13-22
Cohrssen, C., Tayler, C. & Cloney, D. (2014.) Playing with maths: Implications for early childhood mathematics teaching from an implementation study in Melbourne, Australia. Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, doi: 10.1080/03004279.2013.848916.%
Cohrssen, C., Church, A. & Tayler, C. (2014.) Purposeful pauses: Teacher talk in early childhood mathematics activities. International Journal of Early Years Education. doi: 10.1080/09669760.2014.900476
Cohrssen, C., Church, A. & Tayler, C. (2014.) Pausing for learning: Responsive engagement in mathematics activities in early childhood settings. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 39(4) (95- 102).
Cohrssen, C, Church, A., Tayler, C. & Ishimine, K. (2013). Playing with maths. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 38(1) (95-99).
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles - The home learning environment
Cohrssen, C., Richards, B. & Wang, R. (2023). Using smartphones to disseminate home learning support to primary caregivers: An exploratory proof-of-concept study. Infant and Child Development, Article e2399. https://doi.org/10.1002/icd.2399
Cohrssen, C., Rao, N., Kapai, P. & La Londe, P. G. (2021). Kindergarten children’s perceptions of the social unrest in Hong Kong. Journal of Early Childhood Research. doi: 10.1177/1476718X211062728
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Lehrl, S. & Napoli, A. R. (2021). Editorial: Children’s competency development in the home learning environment. Frontiers in Psychology. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.706360
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). Parents supporting learning: Literacy and numeracy in the home learning environment. International Journal of Early Years Education, 24(2), 121-142. doi: 10.1080/09669760.2016.1155147
Cohrssen, C., Niklas, F., Logan, D. & Tayler, C. (2016). The self-reported academic self-concept of four- year-old children: global and fixed, or nuanced and changing in the year before school? Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 41(3), 4-11.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). Home learning environment and concept formation: A family intervention study with kindergarten children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 44(5), 419- 427. doi: 10.1007/s10643-015-0726-1
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). The sooner, the better: Early reading to children. SAGE Open, 1-11. doi:10.1177/2158244016672715
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Tayler, C. & Schneider, W. (2016.) Erstes Vorlesen: Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm. [First reading to children: The early bird catches the worm.] Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie 30(1) (35-44). doi: 10.1024/1010-0652/a000166
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). Improving preschoolers’ numerical abilities by enhancing the home numeracy environment. Early Education and Development, 27(3), 372-383. doi: 10.1080/10409289.2015.1076676
Peer-reviewed Journal Articles - Other
Rao, N., Yang, Y., Su, Y., & Cohrssen, C. (2023). Promoting equity in access to quality early childhood education in China. Children, 10(1674). https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/10/1674
Raikes, A., Rao, N., Yoshikawa, H., Cohrssen, C., Behrman, J., Cappa, C., Devercelli, A., Lopez Boo, F., McCoy, D., & Richter, L. (Accepted 4 April 2023). Global tracking of access and quality in early childhood education and care. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy.
Cohrssen, C., de Rosnay, M., Neilsen-Hewett, C., & Garvis, S. (2023). Assessing the quality of early childhood education and care in Australia: Challenges and opportunities. Frontiers in Education,8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1147669
Meng, C., Cohrssen, C., & Lau, C. G. L. (2023). Perspectives of children, parents and teachers on school readiness and school transitions in Mainland China: A narrative literature review. Asia-Pacific Journal of Research in Early Childhood Education, 17(1), 91-114. https://doi.org/10.17206/apjrece.2023.17.1.91
Fredman, S., Donati, G., Richter, L., Naicker, S., Behrman, J., Lu, C., Cohrssen, C., López Bóo, F., Raghavan, C., Devercelli, A., Heymann, J. & Stein, A. (2021). Recognizing early childhood education as a human right in international law. SSRN. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3964160
Richter, L., Behrman, J., Britto, P., Cappa, C., Cohrssen, C., Cuartas, J., Daelmans, B., Devercelli, A., Fink, G., Fredman, S., Heymann, J., Lopez Boo, F., Lu, C., Lule, E., McCoy, D., Naicker, S., Rao, N., Raikes, A., Stein, A., Vasquez, C. & Yoshikawa, H. (2021).
Measuring and forecasting progress in education: What about early childhood? npj Science of Learning.
doi: 10.1038/s41539-021-00106-7
Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., Sun, J., Su, Y. & Perlman, M. (2021). Early child development in low- and middle-income countries: Is it what mothers have or what they do that makes a difference to child outcomes? Advances in Child Development and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.acdb.2021.04.002
Chan, S. W. Y., Rao, N. Cohrssen, C. & Richards. (2021). Predicting Child Outcomes in Bhutan: Contributions of Parenting Support and Early Childhood Education Programmes. Children and Youth Services Review 126. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106051
Liang, X. & Cohrssen, C. (2019.) Towards creating inclusive environments for LGBTIQ-parented families in Early Childhood Education settings: A review of the literature. Australasian journal of Early Childhood.https://doi.org/10.1177/1836939119885304
Church, A., Mashford-Scott, A. & Cohrssen, C. (2018). Supporting children to resolve disputes. Journal of Early Childhood Research. 16(1), 92-103. doi: 10.1177/147671818X171770055414
Niklas, F., Tayler, C. & Cohrssen, C. (2017.) Bilingual children’s language learning in Australian early childhood education and care settings. Research Papers in Education, 544- 560. doi:10.1080/02671522.2017.1353672.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). The sooner, the better: Early reading to children. Sage Open, 6(4), 1-11. doi: 10.1177/2158244016672715
Hildenbrand, C., Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2015.) Children’s mathematical and verbal competence in different early education and care programs in Australia. Journal of Early Childhood Research. doi: 10.1177/1476718X15582096
Barber, H., Cohrssen, C. & Church, A. (2014.) Meeting the National Quality Standard: A case study of the professional learning requirements of early childhood educators in one municipal area of Melbourne, Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 39(4) (21-26).
Social Media
VicTESOL, 17 February 2021: Leveraging Languages for Learning https://victesol.vic.edu.au/index.php/early-childhood-education-series/keynotes/
Cohrssen, C.(2021). Being aware of what children hear and see. Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. 20 December 2021. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/23782-2/
Cohrssen, C. (2021). Podcasts: https://resilientacademics.com
Cohrssen, C. “An EYLF wish list: What’s on yours?” Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. 12 March 2021. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/eylf-wish-list-whats/
RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong) live podcast, 16 December 2020, Play-based Learning https://podcast.rthk.hk/podcast/item.php?pid=717&eid=172575&lang=en-US
Planning Cycle Resources and associated videos, Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/earlyyears/ey-curriculum-resources/Pages/EarlyYearsPlanningCycleResource.aspx
Media release, Lucas, F. (2020). More than a rainbow flag: Researchers dig deep on the experiences of LGBTIQ families. The Sector. https://thesector.com.au/2020/06/07/more-than-a-rainbow-flag-researchers-dig-deep-on-the-experiences-of-lgbtiq-families/ Reporting on journal publication (Liang & Cohrssen, 2019)
Media release, Northern Territory Preschool Science Games. http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/mediaRelease/28814
Cohrssen, C. “Name a job where you can play like a child” Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. August 2018. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/name-job-can-act-like- child/
Cohrssen, C. “Dominoes and drones: How do we teach our kids for the 21st Century?” Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. June 2018. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/dominoes-drones-teach-children-21st-century/
Brookes, I. & Cohrssen, C. "Using video to support reflective practice: The eResource." Online article, The Pursuit. December 2017. https://education.unimelb.edu.au/news_and_activities/news/news- articles/2017/using-video-to-support-reflective-practice-the-eresource2
Cohrssen, C. “I did it! Young children’s academic self-concept in the year before school.” Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. June 2018. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/young-childrens-academic-self-concept-year-school/
Cohrssen, C. “Families leading learning”. Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. November 2015. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/families-leading-learning/
Cohrssen, C. “You need to use your words!” Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. June 2015. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/you-need-to-use-your-words/
Cohrssen, C. “Professional learning – what lights your fire?”. Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. April 2015. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/professional-learning- what-lights-your-fire/
Cohrssen, C. “Conversations with children that support responsive engagement”. Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. February 2015. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/conversations-children-support-responsive- engagement/
Magazine articles
Niklas, F. & Cohrssen, C. (2017). Counting games really count. Barnados’ Child Links, Issue 1, (16-20).
Pollitt, R., Seah, W.T. & Cohrssen, C. (2017) Spatial reasoning and mathematics in early childhood education. Every Child, 23(3). 18-19.
Reports
Protestors and Police: Kindergarten children’s perceptions of the 2019 social unrest in Hong Kong. (Cohrssen, C. & Rao, N.) September 2020. Unpublished.
An evaluation of the Early Childhood Care and Development Programme in Bhutan (Researchers: Rao, N., Cohrssen, C., Chan, S., Richards, B., Lee, D.). https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=2.+An+evaluation+of+the+Early+Childhood+Care+and+Development+Programme+in+Bhutan&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Memberships
Victorian Institute of Teaching, full registration
Early Childhood Australia (ECA)
Australian Graduates of Early Childhood Studies (AGECS)
International Play Association (IPA)
European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) SIG: Mathematics
Editorial Board membership
Mathematics Education Research Journal (MERJ)
Early Childhood Research Quarterly (ECRQ)
