Dr Cynthia àBeckett

Dip KTC, Grad Dip Ed St, BA (Hons) PhD UNSW
Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood UND
Senior Lecturer

Email: Cynthia.aBeckett@nd.edu.au
Phone: 02 8204 4420

  • Biography

    Dr àBeckett is an experienced early childhood teacher who has worked with young children and their families in a number of different early childhood settings. She also worked as an advisor for early childhood teachers and for the past twenty years as an academic in early childhood education programs at Queensland University of Technology, the University of New England and now here at UNDA.

    Her research interests explore connections between the sociology of childhood, young children and families and early childhood education, and the topic of play. Her thesis entitled Playing in the In-between: implications for early childhood education of new views of social relations, explores these ideas in a more detailed way. She has presented her work both nationally and internationally.

    Dr àBeckett is an active participant in the Reconceptualising Early Childhood Education (RECE) group having presented research seminars over the past decade at the RECE conferences.

  • Teaching Areas

    She coordinates and teaches in Human Development and Learning units, Family and Community Partnerships and Learning Environments in the Early Years.

  • Research Expertise and Supervision

    She is currently engaged in research about culturally responsive approaches in teaching and another publication on this topic is currently under review.

    She is also an active member of the research project entitled ‘State of Play: Birth and Beyond’. In 2013 she helped to co-ordinate an interdisciplinary symposium on play held at the Sydney campus of UNDA. This has resulted in a forth coming publication co-edited with two other staff members from UNDA involved in this study, the details of the book are: Lynch, Sandra, Deborah Pike, and Cynthia àBeckett, eds. Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Play from Early Childhood and Beyond. Springer. (Accepted October 2014; forthcoming). Supervision work has included masters and PhD levels and currently has a PhD student.

  • Book Chapters

    • Proud, D. & àBeckett, C. (2014) Our story of early childhood collaboration: Imagining love and grace. In M. Bloch, B. Swadener, & G. Cannella (Eds.) Reconceptualizing early childhood care and education: Critical questions, diverse imaginaries and social activism—A reader, N.Y.: Peter Lang Publishers.
    • àBeckett, C. (2010). Imaginative education explored through the concept of Playing in the In-between, in Imagination in Educational Theory and Practice, a Many-sided Vision. Nielsen, T., Fitzgerald, R. & Fettes, M. (Eds). Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
    • àBeckett, C. & Proud, D.(2004) Fall from Grace? Reflecting on Early Childhood Education while Decolonizing Intercultural Friendships from Kindergarten to University and Prison, K. Mutua & B. Swadener (eds) Decolonizing Research in Cross-Cultural Contexts. State University New York Press :Albany, USA.
    • àBeckett, C. (2000) Forum Groups: Creating Opportunities for Empowerment and Collaboration, In N. Yelland (ed) Promoting Meaningful Learning in Educating Early Childhood Professionals. Washington DC National Association for the Education of Young Children. (included as publication for comprehensive members NAEYC)
    • Berthelsen, D., Irving, K. & àBeckett, C. (1996). Parental Satisfaction in Child Care. In M. Cusinato (ed.) Research on Family Resources and Needs across the World. Milan, Italy: LED.
    • àBeckett, C. (1991). Promoting Aesthetic Appreciation in Young Children. In S. Wright (ed.) The Arts In Early Childhood. Sydney: Prentice Hall.
    • àBeckett, C. (1988) Parent/Staff Relationships. In A. Stonehouse (ed.) Trusting Toddlers: Programming for One to Three Year Olds in Child Care Centres. Fyshwick, A.C.T.: A.E.C.A.

  • Journal Articles and Proceedings

    àBeckett, C. Konakov, S., Robertson, J. & (2012). More meaning ways through culturally responsive approaches. Every Child, 18(1), 36-37.

    Konakov, S., àBeckett, C.& Robertson, J. & (2015). Care Ethics and Relational Theory: New ways to understand Culturally Responsive Approaches Under review AJEC

  • Conference Papers

    • àBeckett, C. (2013.) Playing in the In-Between: New approaches to foster imagination in teaching and learning in current contexts 8th International Conference on Imagination and Education. Vancouver, BC, Canada.
    • Proud, D. & àBeckett, C. (2011) Rethinking Inclusive Practices in Early Childhood a Decade of Discoveries through RECE: 19th International Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education Conference Politics of Care: Sharing Knowledges, Love and Solidarity, University of East London: 25th – 29th October
    • àBeckett, C., Denise Proud & Monique Proud. (2006, Decolonizing through Intercultural friendships; creating community, implications for early childhood practice.14th Conference, ReconceptualizingEarly Childhood Education: Research, Theory and Practice. Decolonizing/anti-colonial early childhood research and practice. Rotorua, New Zealand. 30th Nov-4th Dec.
    • àBeckett, C. (2009). Pedagogies of Hope Explored Through Playing in the In- Between 17th International Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education Conference: Pedagogies of Hope - Reconceptualizing Research, Policy, and Practice in Early Childhood. Bethlehem City.
    • àBeckett, C. (2005) Ideas of the inbetween explored through wordless but pivotal times with implications for early childhood practice.13th Conference, Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education: Research, Theory and Practice. “Language(s) in Childhood(s) University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Oct. 16-20.
    • àBeckett, C. (2004), October. Time to dream, time to be … new considerations about the formation of relations: implications for early childhood education. K U, Annual Seminar Program. (Invited presentation)
    • àBeckett, C (2004), July. Time to dream, time to be … new considerations about the formation of relations: implications for early childhood education. Staff development session for Marrickville Local Government Area Directors Networking Meeting. (Invited presentation)
    • àBeckett, C. (2004), May. The trouble with identities: an argument for otherness and the in-between rather than the logic of identities, implications for early childhood practice. 12th Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education: Research, Theory, and Practice. ‘Troubling Identities’, Oslo University College, Norway.
    • àBeckett, C. (2004), April. Time to dream, time to be … new considerations about the formation of relations: implications for early childhood education. Workshop for National Association of Community Based Children’s Services (NSW) 'Hope and Empowerment staying strong for children'. (Invited presentation)
    • àBeckett, C (2003), Dreaming, Breathing, Being... New Considerations of How Relations Form: Implications for Early Childhood Education. 11th Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education: Research, Theory, and Practice "Border Crossings" Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona,USA
    • àBeckett, C. (2003), Dreaming, Breathing, Being... New Considerations of How Relations Form: Implications for Early Childhood Education. The Australian Early Childhood Association Biennial National Conference, Hobart.
    • àBeckett, C. (2001), Silence in Early Childhood Education. The Australian Early Childhood Association Biennial National Conference, University of New South Wales, Sydney.
    • àBeckett, C. & Denise Proud (2001) Fall from Grace Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education from Kindergarten to University and Prison. Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education: Research, Theory, and Practice Ten Years Later: What's Relevant? Bank Street College of Education, New York, NY. USA.
    • àBeckett, C. (2000), Research Seminar UNE Reporting on the progress of my Doctoral studies.
    • àBeckett, C. (1995), Exploring Parent/Child Encounters:The Construction of Intersubjectivity in Familial Settings. The Australian Sociological Association National Conference. University of Newcastle (Dec).
    • àBeckett, C. (1995), Exploring Parent/Child Encounters through Critical Perspectives of Phenomenology and Critical theories of Developmental Psychology. Postgraduate Mini-Conference. School of Sociology and Anthropology, La Trobe University, Melbourne (October).
    • Berthelsen, D., Irving, K. & àBeckett, C. (1995), Families and Early Childhood Programs. The China-Asia Pacific Early Childhood Conference. Beijing, China.
    • àBeckett, C. 1994, Theoretical Approaches to Family Research, Seminar Post Graduate Support Program, QUT Brisbane (Nov).
    • àBeckett, C. (1994), Social Theory Approaches to Family Research, Staff Development Session for the Centre for Applied Studies in Early Childhood. QUT Brisbane (April).
    • àBeckett, C. (1994), Led Discussion, Social Theory and Family Research. Post Graduate Seminar, Social Theory & Feminism, School of Sociology and Anthropology, La Trobe University Melbourne (June).
    • Berthelsen, D., Irving, K. & àBeckett, C. (1994), Developmental Outcomes for Children in Centre-Based Care: The Effects of Auspice of Centre. 2nd Annual Conference Of Australian Research in Early Childhood Education. Canberra (January).
    • Berthelsen, D., Irving, K. & àBeckett, C. (1994), In The Australian Context: The Developmental Outcomes for Children in Centre-Based Care. Thirteenth Biennial Meetings of the International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development. Amsterdam (June)
    • Berthelsen, D., Irving, K. & àBeckett, C. (1994), Commonalities and Differences in Parental and Staff Satisfaction with Centre-Based Child Care. 2nd International Congress of family Psychology. Padua, Italy (July).
    • Berthelsen, D., Irving, K. & àBeckett, C. (1993), Child Care: Parental Satisfaction. Australian Family Research Conference: Australian Institute of Family Studies. Sydney (February).

  • Professional Affiliations

    Dr a' Beckett is an active contributor to professional early childhood groups and served as an executive member of NSW Branch of Early Childhood Australia for ten years. In 2013 she was appointed to the Board of SND Children Services and chairs the Research Ethics subcommittee of the Board.

  • Community Engagement

    Community Arts Projects
    2000 Coordination of Early Childhood Community Arts project for UNE & Australian Early Childhood Association & New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM). The program involved Ursula Kolbe working as artist in residence at NERAM, providing arts seminars to community and university staff and exhibiting her own art work at NERAM. There was also an Armidale launch of Ursula's latest book, Rapunzel's Supermarket. This is an exciting publication that encourages innovative approaches to the issues of the arts and young children.

    1994 Selection Panel for Children’s Art Works for the Vietnam Children’s Art Exchange.

    1990-1995 Public Election to Management Committee of Brisbane Fringe Festival. Contemporary Experimental Arts Festival attached to the Biennial. Chair of the Management Committee, 1993, 1994.

    1992 Assistant Curator/Presenter of the first Brisbane exhibition of work by Tony Smibert Japanese influenced water colourist from Tasmania.

  • Other

    2011, Theoretical Approaches to Research Guided by Phenomenology, 20 minute video recording included in the series Worldviews theories and philosophies in children's services for The Early Years Learning Framework, Canberra: Australia.

    1988, I completed a joint video project titled Music for Life. The Media Services Production Unit of the Brisbane College of Advanced Education produced the video and Marguerite Jenvy and I provided the script and acted as presenters.

    1987, I scripted and presented a twenty minute video titled For the Love Of Music. This work was commissioned by the Brisbane Lady Gowrie Child Centre. It is distributed through the Lady Gowrie centres to parent and teacher groups and is used in tertiary institutions with teacher education students.

    1985, I scripted and presented a ten minute video titled Music and Young Children. This work was commissioned by the Brisbane Lady Gowrie Child Centre. It is distributed through the Lady Gowrie centres to parent and teacher groups and in tertiary institutions with teacher education students.