Mia Chen

Mia Chen is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the School of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education, Swinburne University of Technology. She is actively involved in research, teaching, and professional development in early childhood pedagogy and curriculum.

Research Interests: Her work centers on intentional teaching, play-based learning, outdoor education, and the integration of emerging technologies like generative AI in teacher preparation. She explores how educators make active decisions in child-centered learning environments and how policy shapes pedagogical practices.

The recent publications highlight a strong trend in redefining intentional teaching through decision-making processes, with a focus on outdoor and play-based contexts. Her work bridges theory and practice, contributing to national frameworks like Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework (2023). There is a growing emphasis on technology integration and global comparative perspectives, particularly between China and Australia.

Professional Activities:

• Member, Advisory Board of Early Childhood Professional Practice Project, University of Melbourne (2022–2023)

Supervision and Grants: Dr. Chen supervises multiple HDR candidates on topics including play-based learning and educational inequality in China. While specific grants are not listed, her research outputs suggest active involvement in funded or institutional research projects.

Labs and Teams: While no formal lab is mentioned, she collaborates with researchers across institutions and contributes to national dialogues on early childhood education through professional bodies and publications.