معرفی
Şule Alıcı is an Associate Professor in the Department of Basic Education, Faculty of Education, at Kırşehir Ahi Evran University, Turkey. Since 2022 she has held the rank of Doçent (Associate Professor) on a full-time basis, and since 2022 she also serves as Deputy Director of the University Research & Application Centre. Previously she was Assistant Professor (Dr. Öğretim Üyesi) at the same university (2022-2025) and Research Assistant at Middle East Technical University (2007-2018) and Queensland University of Technology (2017).
Education
- PhD in Preschool Education, Middle East Technical University, Institute of Social Sciences, 2013-2018
- MA in Preschool Education (Thesis), Middle East Technical University, Institute of Social Sciences, 2009-2013
- BA in Mathematics & Science Education, Gazi University, Gazi Faculty of Education, 2002-2007
Research Focus
Dr Alıcı’s scholarship lies at the intersection of early childhood education, education for sustainability, creative drama, and media literacy. She explores how preschool teachers can be empowered to integrate sustainability principles into daily practice, how creative drama can be harnessed to enhance children’s environmental awareness, and how critical media literacy can be used as a transformative tool in teacher professional development. Her work spans curriculum development, teacher education reform, and cross-cultural comparative analyses.
Her recent publications reveal a consistent trajectory toward re-orienting early childhood teacher education for sustainability. Using mixed-methods and case-study designs, she investigates teacher candidates’ experiences during practicum, the role of forest schools and outdoor learning, and generational changes in traditional children’s play. Collectively, these studies highlight systemic challenges and innovative pathways for embedding sustainability and creativity within Turkish and international ECE contexts.
Awards & Recognition
- TÜBİTAK Publication Incentive Award (2023)
- OMEP Special Achievement Commendation – Education for Sustainable Development (2017)
- National Publication Incentive Award (2011)
Projects & Grants
Dr Alıcı has led or co-investigated five funded projects, including ReNCitReScArCe (2024, UN & EU supported), Dijital Dünyada Siber Kimlik Farkındalığı (TÜBA-TÜBİTAK 2021-2022), and Müzede Yeşeren Umutlar (Ministry of Development, 2019). These initiatives engage pre-service teachers, school counsellors, rural women, and museum visitors in sustainability and digital citizenship education.
Professional Service & Leadership
She is Vice-Chair of the Transnational Dialogues in Research in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability network and of the EECERA Sustainability SIG, an active member of AERA, EECERA, OMEP and TEMA, and has organised several international conferences and special journal issues.
