Rebecca Andrews

Rebecca Andrews is a Lecturer in Early Childhood and is the Director of Initial Teacher Education (Acting) in the Department of Educational Studies. She has been working in the early childhood sector for the last twenty-five years. Since 2001 she has been at the Institute of Early Childhood (now Department of Educational Studies) lecturing, teaching and studying. Prior to working at Macquarie University, Rebecca worked as an Early Intervention Adviser at Vision Australia (formerly Royal Blind Society of NSW) and in a number of prior to school services, teaching children from birth to five years.

Research:
Rebecca’s primary area of research examines autobiographical memory through educator-child reminiscing and future talk. Her research extends contemporary mother-child reminiscing and future talk research by examining how early childhood educators reminisce and talk about the future with young children aged 2.5 years – 5 years. She is especially interested in determining educator-child conversations can enhance children’s understanding and use of temporal and mental state language. Furthermore she is interested in investigating whether quality educator conversations offer an ameliorating benefit for children not engaged in high quality conversations in other contexts.

Rebecca is also interested in the student experience in early Professional Experience programs. This led to investigations in the factors impacting on diploma qualified students as they undertook their first professional experience unit as part of a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) degree.

Rebecca will supervise Higher Degree Research students whose projects lie within her areas of research specialisation. 

Teaching:
Rebecca lectures and teaches Professional Experience (practicum) and child development at both undergraduate and post graduate levels. She is interested in early childhood teacher education including early childhood philosophy and pedagogy as part of the student experience in early practicums. Her research into diploma students’ experiences in Professional Experience has led to the creation and implementation of support strategies for these students in relevant units. In terms of child development, Rebecca is interested in all aspects of children's development (typical and atypical) however she has a particular focus on the socio-emotional and language aspects of development. She currently convenes:

• ECHP122 (Academic Coordinator) Professional Experience 1
• ECHP222 (Professional Experience Coordinator) Professional Experience 2
• ECHE220 (Academic Coordinator) Early Childhood Pedagogy and Curriculum
• ECED600 (Academic Coordinator) Early Childhood Phiosophy and Pedagogy

Community:
Rebecca is Chair of Mia Mia Child and Family Study Centre Advisory Board.