Anamika Devi

Anamika Devi is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at Swinburne University of Technology, within the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education. She holds a PhD from Monash University and brings over 13 years of experience in research, teaching, and program leadership in early childhood education. Previously, she served as Lecturer and Program Director of the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood at RMIT University, where she led curriculum redesign, re-accreditation, and course mapping.

• Doctor of Philosophy, Monash University, Australia

Anamika's research is deeply rooted in cultural-historical theory, focusing on imaginative play, pedagogical positioning, STEM integration, virtual reality in teacher training, and inclusive education. She explores how children develop scientific and everyday concepts through play, and how educators can effectively support this process across diverse cultural contexts. Her work emphasizes play-based learning, digital technologies in education, and teacher preparation.

Her recent publications reveal a strong trend toward innovative pedagogies, particularly the use of virtual reality to prepare pre-service teachers and the integration of STEM/STEAM in early childhood through culturally valued play. She frequently collaborates with researchers across institutions in Australia and internationally, including Charles Sturt University, RMIT, and Wenzhou-Kean University, China.

Her scientific recognition includes the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) from Monash University in 2013. She is an active member of professional organizations such as the Early Childhood Australia (ECA), Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA), and others.

Anamika supervises higher degree research students, including a current PhD candidate investigating play-based learning in makerspace design. She has contributed to curriculum development, re-accreditation processes, and interdisciplinary team leadership involving academic, administrative, and placement teams. She has also been involved in funded and non-funded research projects on STEM in early childhood education.

She maintains an active public engagement profile, contributing media articles on home-schooling, daily routines, and virtual learning during the pandemic, reflecting her commitment to bridging research and practice.