Fiona Mayne

Dr Fiona Mayne is a Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of School (Research) at the Graduate School of Education, The University of Western Australia. She specializes in child wellbeing, children’s rights, and participatory research methodologies, with a focus on early childhood education and technology integration. Her work bridges Early Childhood Education and Allied Health, emphasizing ethical research processes that empower young children's agency and voice. She co-created the Children's VOICE initiative with UNICEF Australia and leads projects like the MiStory digital wellbeing game.

• Education:
  • PhD in Education (Children’s voice and agency in research), UWA (2016)
  • Graduate Certificate of Tertiary Teaching, UWA (2018)
  • B Ed (Hons), Curtin University (2006)

Her research interests include participatory research methods, educational technology, and the development of wellbeing measures for young children. She has secured grants totaling over $150,000, including the Channel 7 Telethon Trust and Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) projects. Fiona has authored 20 publications, including her book The Narrative Approach to Informed Consent, and holds eight awards, including the 2023 Mid-Career Research Award and UWA’s Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning.

Teaching responsibilities include units on child development, technology in education, and pedagogy. She currently supervises 8 EdD and 1 Master’s students, with completed supervision of 1 PhD and 1 Master’s. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in education and wellbeing.

• Grants & Projects:
  • Telethon Trust Grant (2023): Developing a digital wellbeing game for young children
  • AERO Consultancy (2023): Prototyping a wellbeing measure for 3–8-year-olds
• Labs/Teams: Children’s VOICE (UWA-UNICEF partnership), SimLab (mixed-reality simulations)