Linda Harrison

Linda Harrison is a Professor of Early Childhood Education at Charles Sturt University, where she is actively involved in research and serves as a registered supervisor. Her work focuses on early childhood education, educators' practices, and childcare dynamics. She holds a prominent academic role within the School of Education, contributing to both research and policy development in the field.

Her research interests include infant sociality, peer group interactions in childcare settings, and the professional development of early childhood educators. Key projects involve analyzing job demands and satisfaction among early childhood educators, as well as investigating the role of drawing as a research method to amplify children’s voices in policy-making. Harrison has collaborated on influential studies such as the Assessment and Rating process for quality improvement in childcare centers and the Observe, Reflect, Improve Children’s Learning (ORICL) tool development.

Harrison has been recognized for her contributions through grants like the 2016 ARC grant for early childhood teaching research. Her work often emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, integrating qualitative methodologies to explore complex educational challenges. She has published extensively on topics ranging from educator multitasking to the long-term impacts of play on child development.

She leads efforts to update national early learning frameworks, ensuring child participation and family engagement are central to policy reforms. Her research also addresses systemic issues such as quality improvement in educational settings and the communication of health information during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.