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Michael GaffneyProgramme Co‑ordinator (Early Childhood Education)
Lecturer | Mātauraka Kōhukahuka
Member of the Kaiāwhina Māori – Māori student support team
PhD, MA, MEd, BA, Dip Tchg

Kāi Tahu

Dunedin Campus
Waea | Tel +64 3 479 4214
Īmēra | Email michael.gaffney@otago.ac.nz
Tari | Office 2.04, Tower Block, College of Education, Dunedin

Biography

I am a Lecturer in the Early Childhood Education Programme. My research interests are quite broad as a result of working at the Childrenʻs Issues Centre, University of Otago from 1995–2010 as a researcher and lecturer. During this time I was involved in the development and teaching of the Post Graduate Diploma of Child Advocacy and supervising students in the Masters of Childhood and Youth Studies programme.

My current research interests often take me into evaluation studies of social and education service providers. I am particularly interested in how people learn to be parents and how communities, including early childhood settings, can support them. I am involved in a couple of Ministry of Social Development activities locally – Strengthening Families http://www.strengtheningfamilies.govt.nz and Community Response Forums https://www.communityresponse.org.nz

Research interests

  • Childhood Studies: Children and Young People's views of their experiences
  • Disability Studies and inclusion
  • Socio-Cultural theory and Communities of Practice
  • Social and Educational Evaluation

Publications

Gunn, A. C., Carvalho, R., Gaches, S., & Gaffney, M. (2024). Influencing teacher learning with narratives of care-full teaching. Proceedings of the 32nd European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) Annual Conference. A16. [Abstract] Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Gaches, S., Gunn, A., Gaffney, M., & Carvalho, R. (2024). Refocusing care as central to teaching within ECE. Early Childhood Folio, 28(1), 13-17. doi: 10.18296/ecf.1137 Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M., & McAnelly, K. (2024, July). The importance of fun to rights-orientated inclusive EC curriculum. Verbal presentation at the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) 76th World Assembly and Conference, Bangkok, Thailand. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Feng, K., & Gaffney, M. (2024). Parenting styles and student academic achievement: An exploration among secondary-school graduates in Beijing, China. Frontiers in Educational Research, 7(6). doi: 10.25236/FER.2024.070601 Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M., & McAnelly, K. (2024). Disabled children's active participation in early childhood education: A story of love, rights and solidarity from Aotearoa New Zealand. In A. E. Beckett & A.-M. Callus (Eds.), The lives of children and adolescents with disabilities. (pp. 32-48). Abingdon, UK: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003102915-6 Chapter in Book - Research

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