Queena Lee

Queena Lee is a Lecturer in Early Years 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 extensive experience from prior roles at Monash University and Australian Catholic University, where she worked with pre-service teachers in undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Monash University, Australia (2020–2024)

Her research is rooted in early childhood education, with a focus on child agency, pedagogy, curriculum development, and cultural-historical theory. She explores how children’s voices and participation are fostered in dynamic social-cultural contexts, and investigates sustainability, citizenship, and play as integral components of early learning. She also examines the impact of curriculum policies and the application of cultural-historical methodology in educational research.

Recent publications highlight her innovative work using virtual reality (VR) and simulation technologies to enhance pre-service teacher education. Her research trends show a strong emphasis on immersive learning, teacher preparation, and cross-cultural comparative studies in early childhood settings across Australia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. She also reflects on academic identity and resilience, particularly during the pandemic.

Scientific Awards:

• Doctoral Thesis Award 2024, Early Childhood Australia

Queena actively contributes to the academic community through advising, professional development, and leadership. She is a convenor of the Cultural-historical & Activity Theory Special Interest Group (SIG) in the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE), and is a member of professional organizations including Early Childhood Australia (ECA), AARE, and EECERA. She has led funded and non-funded research projects, particularly in pedagogy for pre-service teacher learning and VR applications in education. Her collaborative network includes researchers across Australia and internationally.

Labs and Research Teams: While no formal lab is mentioned, Queena is actively involved in research teams focused on cultural-historical activity theory, early childhood pedagogy, and technology-enhanced teacher education. She collaborates with scholars on VR-based simulations and comparative international studies in early childhood education.