Madeleine Dobson

Associate Professor Madeleine Dobson is an academic in Early Childhood Education at Curtin University's School of Education within the Faculty of Humanities. She holds roles in the Office of the Provost and leads initiatives like the Power of Play conference. Her research focuses on social justice, children's rights, trauma-informed pedagogies, digital technologies, and participatory methodologies. She has won teaching awards including the 2024 Curtin Student Guild Excellence in Teaching Award and is involved in curriculum design and professional development. Madeleine's creative works integrate social justice themes with personal narratives, published in journals like Limina and Eucalypt. She edits Early Child Development & Care and contributes to policy statements like the School of Education's Position on Play.

Her teaching includes units on pedagogical contexts for play, social justice in early childhood, and trauma-informed practices. She supervises HDR students researching early education, wellbeing, and community-focused learning. Madeleine's work extends to industry partnerships through reports like Valuing Children Initiative Survey 2023 and the Thoughtful Schools Program Guidebook. She chairs the Humanities Inclusion & Belonging Committee and is part of networks like the Curtin Gender Research Network.

Research highlights include studies on conversational AI in early years (2025), trauma-informed school practices (2023), and digital childhood ethics (2024). Her creative outputs explore themes of resilience and identity, blending academic rigor with artistic expression.