Sandra Della Porta

Dr. Sandra Della Porta is an Associate Professor in the Department of Early Childhood Education at Brock University's Faculty of Education. She holds a PhD and is a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE). Her research focuses on children’s social power dynamics, informal learning in family contexts, and early childhood development. She directs the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education program and teaches courses such as EDUC 5Q97 and ECEC 4P81.

Her educational background includes multidisciplinary studies in Psychology and Education. She has received the Brock Chancellor’s Chair for Teaching Excellence and secured multiple grants, including the 2023 Brock Research Initiative Award and the Social Justice Research Institute Community Engagement Grant.

Her research explores how children navigate social power in family interactions, conflict resolution, and moral development. Recent publications address topics like motherhood in academia during the pandemic and parent-child teaching in home environments.

Dr. Della Porta advocates for holistic early childhood education, emphasizing agency, identity, and well-being. She collaborates on projects like the Match of Minds Award initiatives and has advised on over a dozen research grants since 2015.