WOW Conference - Southern Cross University
Source: https://www.scu.edu.au/education/events/wow-conference
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:17
WOW Conference - Southern Cross University
View all events
Conference/Symposium
Waves of Wisdom Early Childhood Research Conference
Date
Friday, 1 May 2026
Time
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Location
Gold Coast Campus
Register
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Categories
Education and Teaching
Research & Academic
Hosted by:
Early Years Research Lab
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Waves of Wisdom Early Childhood Research Conference
1st May 2026
Early Years Research Lab
Southern Cross University, Gold Coast Campus
We are thrilled to announce that the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University is hosting the
Waves of Wisdom Early Childhood Research Conference (WOW)
on May 1, 2026, on the beautiful Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, Australia.
1st May 2026 8.30am to 4.30pm
The WOW Conference is an opportunity to come together and (re)awaken our collective wisdom and reaffirm a sense of community, agency, creativity, and commitment to co-creating a more equitable, just, caring, and welcoming world for children, families, and the early childhood sector.
We invite proposals from early childhood researchers and practitioners, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island researchers, early-career researchers, and practice-led researchers.
The call for abstracts for workshops, research presentations, and roundtables is now open
.
Join us for engaging face-to-face discussions, workshops, and research with a global community of researchers and professionals at the WOW conference on May 1, 2026, at Southern Cross University, Gold Coast Campus.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The WOW Conference
Organising Committee
Early Years Research Lab - Southern Cross University
Education - Southern Cross University
Register
Apple
Google
iCal File
Microsoft 365
Outlook.com
Keynote speakers
Registration
Program
Venue
Get in touch
Keynote Speakers
Professor Susan Danby
Professor Susan Danby’s areas of expertise are in early years language and social interaction, childhood studies, and early literacy. Her methodological expertise is in qualitative approaches, including ethnomethodology and conversation analysis. She has published in the following areas: qualitative research, classroom discourse, helpline talk, gender, classroom interaction, early childhood education pedagogy, talk and interaction, children's work and play, teacher-student interactions. Her research explicates the everyday social and interactional practices of children, showing their complex and competent work as they build their social worlds within school settings, homes and communities.
Professor Cris Townley
Dr Cris Townley is a Research Fellow in the research centre Transforming Early Education and Child Health at Western Sydney University, a sociologist, and a member of the NSW Government LGBTIQA+ Advisory Council. Their research in early childhood education settings includes how belonging and identity influence parental social support in playgroups; embedding Aboriginal knowledges in practice and programming; and place based professional development of educators working in a high poverty context.
Cris is currently exploring how the child led approach of the Early Years Learning Framework creates practical possibilities for the inclusion of LGBT headed families and trans and gender diverse children.
Professor Andrea Nolan
Professor Andrea Nolan
is Professor of Early Childhood Education in the School of Education at Deakin University, Australia. She is a member of the university’s strategic research centre, Research for Educational Impact. Andrea is the founder and Chair of the Victorian Early Childhood Research Consortium, a group of 83 cross-disciplinary researchers from Victorian universities who support research capacity building in early childhood. She has conducted research in both schools ad preschools and has worked on a number of state, national and international projects. Her research is framed around the capabilities of the Early Childhood Education and Care workforce, focusing on the professionalisation and practice of teachers. She has researched the impact of the current Australian reform agenda on professional identities and educator practice, mentoring, inter-professional work, and reflective practice.
Registration fee
Registration is $200 or $150 for students/alumni.
New: Virtual Registration – $50
WOW is now accessible wherever you are. Register online and take part in the conference remotely, with access to live sessions and presentations from leading educators and researchers.
Registrations close Tuesday, 28th April 2026, at 5pm.
Register here
WOW Conference Program
Full Program
Conference venue
Location
Terminal Dr, Bilinga QLD 4225 (adjacent to the Gold Coast Airport)
Southern Cross University's Gold Coast campus is located at Coolangatta, just 400 metres from North Kirra Beach and adjacent to the Gold Coast Airport. Views of the Pacific Ocean and Gold Coast Hinterland can be enjoyed from many vantage points in the campus buildings.
For those needing accommodation,
Rydges Gold Coast Airport
is the closest option—located only a 5‑minute walk from the campus.
Car parking at the Gold Coast campus is free of charge.
More information
Organising Committee
Professor Wendy Boyd
Dr Wendy Boyd is a Professor of early childhood education and care & the Chair of Discipline (ECEC) in the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University. Her research focuses on quality early childhood education in Australia and globally. She is a Chief Investigator on a 2023 Australian Research Council Discovery Grant on attraction & retention of early childhood teachers. Her work also explores peer mentoring, pedagogy, parental perspectives, and sustainability in early childhood education.
Dr Shaila Banu
Dr. Shaila Banu is a Lecturer in Education at Southern Cross University, specialising in inclusive and culturally responsive Early Childhood Education. Her research focuses on play-based learning, postcolonial perspectives on teaching quality, and inclusive pedagogies. Grounded in equity, her work supports educational environments where diverse children and educators feel valued in Australia and internationally.
Dr Fazlin Mohd Nazir
Dr Fazlin Mohd Nazir is an Associate Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Perth Campus Education Coordinator at Southern Cross University. Her research interests include schools’ connection with culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) families in the early years of school, cultural responsiveness, culturally responsive pedagogy, funds of knowledge and culturally safe spaces.
Dr Chris Speldewinde
Chris’s primary research focus is on Early Childhood STEM teaching and learning in nature-based contexts such as Australian bush kinders. Chris has an excellent track record in publishing his research and has his bush kinder research has featured in many high ranking international academic and practitioner journals. His current research foci are investigating assessment of learning in bush kinders and nature-based approaches to primary school education in Australia.
Get in touch
wowconference@scu.edu.au
View all events
Conference/Symposium
Waves of Wisdom Early Childhood Research Conference
Date
Friday, 1 May 2026
Time
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Location
Gold Coast Campus
Register
Apple
iCal File
Microsoft 365
Outlook.com
Categories
Education and Teaching
Research & Academic
Hosted by:
Early Years Research Lab
Share
Waves of Wisdom Early Childhood Research Conference
1st May 2026
Early Years Research Lab
Southern Cross University, Gold Coast Campus
We are thrilled to announce that the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University is hosting the
Waves of Wisdom Early Childhood Research Conference (WOW)
on May 1, 2026, on the beautiful Gold Coast Campus, Queensland, Australia.
1st May 2026 8.30am to 4.30pm
The WOW Conference is an opportunity to come together and (re)awaken our collective wisdom and reaffirm a sense of community, agency, creativity, and commitment to co-creating a more equitable, just, caring, and welcoming world for children, families, and the early childhood sector.
We invite proposals from early childhood researchers and practitioners, especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island researchers, early-career researchers, and practice-led researchers.
The call for abstracts for workshops, research presentations, and roundtables is now open
.
Join us for engaging face-to-face discussions, workshops, and research with a global community of researchers and professionals at the WOW conference on May 1, 2026, at Southern Cross University, Gold Coast Campus.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The WOW Conference
Organising Committee
Early Years Research Lab - Southern Cross University
Education - Southern Cross University
Register
Apple
iCal File
Microsoft 365
Outlook.com
Keynote speakers
Registration
Program
Venue
Get in touch
Keynote Speakers
Professor Susan Danby
Professor Susan Danby’s areas of expertise are in early years language and social interaction, childhood studies, and early literacy. Her methodological expertise is in qualitative approaches, including ethnomethodology and conversation analysis. She has published in the following areas: qualitative research, classroom discourse, helpline talk, gender, classroom interaction, early childhood education pedagogy, talk and interaction, children's work and play, teacher-student interactions. Her research explicates the everyday social and interactional practices of children, showing their complex and competent work as they build their social worlds within school settings, homes and communities.
Professor Cris Townley
Dr Cris Townley is a Research Fellow in the research centre Transforming Early Education and Child Health at Western Sydney University, a sociologist, and a member of the NSW Government LGBTIQA+ Advisory Council. Their research in early childhood education settings includes how belonging and identity influence parental social support in playgroups; embedding Aboriginal knowledges in practice and programming; and place based professional development of educators working in a high poverty context.
Cris is currently exploring how the child led approach of the Early Years Learning Framework creates practical possibilities for the inclusion of LGBT headed families and trans and gender diverse children.
Professor Andrea Nolan
Professor Andrea Nolan
is Professor of Early Childhood Education in the School of Education at Deakin University, Australia. She is a member of the university’s strategic research centre, Research for Educational Impact. Andrea is the founder and Chair of the Victorian Early Childhood Research Consortium, a group of 83 cross-disciplinary researchers from Victorian universities who support research capacity building in early childhood. She has conducted research in both schools ad preschools and has worked on a number of state, national and international projects. Her research is framed around the capabilities of the Early Childhood Education and Care workforce, focusing on the professionalisation and practice of teachers. She has researched the impact of the current Australian reform agenda on professional identities and educator practice, mentoring, inter-professional work, and reflective practice.
Registration fee
Registration is $200 or $150 for students/alumni.
New: Virtual Registration – $50
WOW is now accessible wherever you are. Register online and take part in the conference remotely, with access to live sessions and presentations from leading educators and researchers.
Registrations close Tuesday, 28th April 2026, at 5pm.
Register here
WOW Conference Program
Full Program
Conference venue
Location
Terminal Dr, Bilinga QLD 4225 (adjacent to the Gold Coast Airport)
Southern Cross University's Gold Coast campus is located at Coolangatta, just 400 metres from North Kirra Beach and adjacent to the Gold Coast Airport. Views of the Pacific Ocean and Gold Coast Hinterland can be enjoyed from many vantage points in the campus buildings.
For those needing accommodation,
Rydges Gold Coast Airport
is the closest option—located only a 5‑minute walk from the campus.
Car parking at the Gold Coast campus is free of charge.
More information
Organising Committee
Professor Wendy Boyd
Dr Wendy Boyd is a Professor of early childhood education and care & the Chair of Discipline (ECEC) in the Faculty of Education at Southern Cross University. Her research focuses on quality early childhood education in Australia and globally. She is a Chief Investigator on a 2023 Australian Research Council Discovery Grant on attraction & retention of early childhood teachers. Her work also explores peer mentoring, pedagogy, parental perspectives, and sustainability in early childhood education.
Dr Shaila Banu
Dr. Shaila Banu is a Lecturer in Education at Southern Cross University, specialising in inclusive and culturally responsive Early Childhood Education. Her research focuses on play-based learning, postcolonial perspectives on teaching quality, and inclusive pedagogies. Grounded in equity, her work supports educational environments where diverse children and educators feel valued in Australia and internationally.
Dr Fazlin Mohd Nazir
Dr Fazlin Mohd Nazir is an Associate Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Perth Campus Education Coordinator at Southern Cross University. Her research interests include schools’ connection with culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) families in the early years of school, cultural responsiveness, culturally responsive pedagogy, funds of knowledge and culturally safe spaces.
Dr Chris Speldewinde
Chris’s primary research focus is on Early Childhood STEM teaching and learning in nature-based contexts such as Australian bush kinders. Chris has an excellent track record in publishing his research and has his bush kinder research has featured in many high ranking international academic and practitioner journals. His current research foci are investigating assessment of learning in bush kinders and nature-based approaches to primary school education in Australia.
Get in touch
wowconference@scu.edu.au