Publications

Learn more about this project from our book, journal articles, submissions, theses, conference presentations, invited presentations, seminars, media releases, and curriculum mapping documents.

Book

Edwards, S., & Straker, L. (Eds.). (in press). Young children in digital society: Now and into the future. Routledge.

Journal articles

Edwards, S. (2021). Cyber-safety and COVID-19 in the early years: A research agenda. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 19(3), 396–410. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X211014908

Edwards, S. (2021). Digital play and technical code: What new knowledge formations are possible? Learning, Media and Technology, 46(3), 306–319. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2021.1890612

Edwards, S. (2023). Concepts for early childhood education and care in the postdigital. Postdigital Science and Education, 5(3), 777–798. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-022-00356-7

Edwards, S., Nolan, A., Henderson, M., Grieshaber, S., Highfield, K., Salamon, A., Skouteris, H., & Straker, L. (2020). Rationale, design and methods protocol for participatory design of an online tool to support industry service provision regarding digital technology use ‘with, by and for’ young children. Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23), Article 8819. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238819

Nolan, A., Edwards, S., Salamon, A., Straker, L., Grieshaber, S., Skouteris, H., Henderson, M., Highfield, K., & Bartlett, J. (2021). Young children’s agency with digital technologies. Children and Society, 36(4), 541–563. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12512

Nolan, A., & Moore, D. (2024). Broadening the notion of peer-to-peer interactions when young children engage with digital technology. Early Childhood Education Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01662-4

Stavholm, E., Mackley, H., Caughey, J., Heard, A., & Edwards, S. (in press). Co-design with children, families, and educators for understanding children’s digital life-worlds for play and learning. CoDesign. (URL pending).

Zabatiero, J., McCormack, D., Stone, L., Zarb, D., Edwards, S., & Straker, L. (2024). “Yeah, no more tantrums, whoo!”: Practices parents valued to help children transition away from screens. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 42, Article 100691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2024.100691

Zabatiero, J., Stone, L., McCormack, D., Zarb, D., Nolan, A., Highfield, K., Skouteris, H., Edwards, S., & Straker, L. (2024). “I use technologies strategically with my family now”: Practices that parents value to promote physical activity in young children. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2024-0317

Submissions

Edwards, S., Straker, L., Nolan, A., Henderson, M., Grieshaber, S., Skouteris, H., Highfield, K., Haylen, S., Stone, L., Grant, A., Donahoo, D., Barwick, A., Zarb, D., Holland, K., Mercer, R., Egan, B., & Smith, K. (2023). Early Years Strategy. Australian Catholic University, Online. View PDF

Theses

Caughey, J. (submitted). Children, adults, and online sociodramatic play in the family home [PhD Thesis]. Australian Catholic University Learning Sciences Institute. (URL pending)

Mackley, H. (2024). Tinkering, play-based learning and children’s funds of knowledge in the post-digital: Responding to the problem of technology integration in ECEC [PhD Thesis]. Australian Catholic University Learning Sciences Institute. https://doi.org/10.26199/acu.90145

Conference presentations

Caughey, J. (2022, February). A theoretical framework for exploring the institution of online sociodramatic play [Doctoral thesis presentation]. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Research Symposium: Early Childhood Knowledges, Generations and Time, Online.

Edwards, S., & Highfield, K. (2024, November). Young children in digital society. Bright Start International Conference, London, England.

Edwards, S., Straker, L., Nolan, A., Henderson, M., Grieshaber, S., Highfield, K., Skouteris, H., Salamon, A., Bartlett, J., Donahoo, D., Stone, L., Thompson, K., McCormack, D., & L’Enfant, A. (2021, November). Young children in digital society: An online tool for service provision [Workshop]. Australian Association for Research in Education, Online.

Edwards, S., Straker, L., Nolan, A., Henderson, M., Grieshaber, S., Salamon, A., Highfield, K., Skouteris, H., Bartlett, J., McCormack, D., & Donahoo, D. (2022, November). Transforming education through academic-industry research relationships [Paper presentation]. Australian Association for Research in Education, Adelaide, Australia.

Edwards, S., Straker, L., Nolan, A., Henderson, M., Grieshaber, S., Salamon, A., Highfield, K., Skouteris, H., Zabatiero, J., & Bartlett, J. (2021, February). Young children in digital society [Oral presentation]. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Research Symposium: Complexity and Change: Contemporary Research in Early Childhood, Online.

Grieshaber, S., & Caughey, J. (2024, September). Digital technologies and educator ‘control’ [Paper presentation]. Early Childhood Australia National Conference: Realising the vision – An Integrated Future for the Early Years, Brisbane, Australia.

Grieshaber, S. & Caughey, J. (2024, September). Entry points for integrating media, popular culture, and digital technologies into early childhood pedagogies [Paper presentation]. European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, Brighton, United Kingdom.

Grieshaber, S., & Caughey, J. (2024, September). Using technologies to enhance children’s play [Paper presentation]. Early Childhood Australia National Conference: Realising the vision – An Integrated Future for the Early Years, Brisbane, Australia.

Grieshaber, S., Edwards, S., Caughey, J., & Highfield, K. (2023, July). Eager children and cautious educators [Paper presentation]. Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, Bali, Indonesia.

Grieshaber, S, Edwards, S., Highfield, K., & Caughey, J. (2023, September). Media as a portal to support children’s play and learning [Paper presentation]. European Early Childhood Education Research Association, Lisbon, Portugal.

Grieshaber, S., Herbert, J., & Ford, L. (2023, July). We didn’t think technology was our responsibility until we looked through a “safety” lens [Oral presentation]. The C&K Annual Conference, Brisbane, Australia.

Grieshaber, S., Highfield, K., Caughey, J., & Edwards, S. (2024, February). Digital media as a portal to enhance children’s learning [Paper presentation]. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Research Symposium: Listening, Empowering and Innovating, Online.

Mackley, H. (2022, February). Tinkering with unplugged technologies in the post-digital world [Doctoral thesis presentation]. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Research Symposium: Early Childhood Knowledges, Generations and Time, Online.

Nolan, A., & Moore, D. (2024, February]. Tuning into young children’s peer-to-peer interactions when engaging with digital technologies [Paper presentation]. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Research Symposium: Listening, Empowering and Innovating, Online.

Invited presentations

Caughey, J. (2023, May). How is online sociodramatic play constituted as an institution in the family home for 8- to 12-year-old children and their adult caregivers? [Invited doctoral thesis presentation]. Gothenburg University, Sweden, Online.

Edwards, S. (2022, October). The role and use of digital technologies with, for, and by children. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plJ-p3XzWhM

Edwards, S. (2024, May). Enacting and sharing digital practices in the early years [Oral presentation]. The Education University of Hong Kong.

Edwards, S. (2024, October). Leading the ‘Young Children in Digital Society’ research project [Oral presentation]. Early Childhood Australia Victorian Committee 2024 Research Forum, Gowrie Docklands, Melbourne, Victoria.

Edwards, S. (2024, November). Enacting and sharing digital practices in the early years: Working with children, families, educators and industry [Oral presentation]. University of Birmingham, England.

Edwards, S. (2024, November). Enacting and sharing digital practices in the early years: Working with children, families, educators and industry [Oral presentation]. University of Edinburgh at the Centre for Research in Digital Education, Scotland.

Edwards, S. (2024, November). Understanding educational technology through philosophies of technology [Oral presentation]. The Education University of Hong Kong.

Edwards, S. (2024, November). Young children and digital technologies [Keynote Address]. The Education University of Hong Kong.

Edwards, S., Donahoo, D., Stone, L., & Caughey, J. (2022, October). End user supervision [Invited oral presentation]. Australian Catholic University, Online.

Edwards, S., Straker, L., Nolan, A., Henderson, M., Grieshaber, S., Salamon, A., Highfield, K., Skouteris, H., & Bartlett, J. (2022, August). Young children in digital society [Invited oral presentation]. University of Western Sydney, Blended.

Grieshaber, S. (2021, February). Supporting children’s digital literacy [Invited plenary speaker]. South Australian Department for Education Literacy Summit.

Grieshaber, S. (2022, October). Young children in digital society [Invited plenary speaker]. 8th International Conference on Science, Education and Technology. Semarang State University, Indonesia.

Henderson, M. (2020, November). Onlife by design [Invited oral presentation]. Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education Symposium, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne.

Mackley, H. (2023, May). Tinkering, play-based learning and children’s funds of knowledge in the post-digital [Invited doctoral thesis presentation]. Gothenburg University, Sweden, Online.

Zabatiero, J., Mullin, S., Edwards, S., Stone, L., McCormack, D., Zarb, D., & Straker, L. (2022, February). Using digital technologies to support family practices encouraging physical activity by young children [Invited oral presentation]. University of Sydney Digital Health & Informatics Network, Online.

Seminars

Caughey, J., Edwards, S., & Skouteris, H. (2023, December). What can we learn from children and families about online play at home? [Oral presentation]. Young Children in Digital Society, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA1uLQOUmao

Nolan, A., Edwards, S., Donohue, D., & Highfield, K. (2023, July). Understanding the practices that matter [Oral presentation]. Young Children in Digital Society, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thRfKtYFes4

Salamon, A., Edwards, S., Grieshaber, S., Donahoo, D., & Highfield, K. (2023, October). From data analysis to online content: Making research findings accessible [Oral presentation]. Young Children in Digital Society, Online. https://youngchildrendigitalsociety.com.au/seminar-3-video

Straker, L., Zabatiero, J., Edwards, S., McCormack, D., Stone, L., & Zarb, D. (2023, March). Designing an integrated ARC Linkage Project with multiple partners [Oral presentation]. Young Children in Digital Society, Online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMzdT1NT-x8

Media

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2019, March 5). How much is too much screen time for your kids? [TV series episode]. In The 7.30 Report. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSPnUbJ17TM

Borg, R., & O’Brien, S. (2024, November 11). Landmark study generates online hub that’s helping kids from birth to eight-years-old use tech safely. Herald Sun.
https://transition.meltwater.com/paywall/redirect/OXl0ir4-uCUMdS5kmjUQIumzAFc?cid=e5fa8084-79ff-4186-a001-d2535bbc2426&productType=explore-dataservice

Care for Kids (2021, June 16). Fun new eSafety resources for under fives. https://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-articles/article/936/fun-new-esafety-resources-for-under-fives

Constantinou, M. (2024). Why we need a mindset shift in child online safety. Impact. Australian Catholic University. https://www.impact.acu.edu.au/community/why-we-need-a-mindset-shift-in-child-online-safety

Digital practices in the early years, Australian Catholic Education News. https://ncec.schoolzineplus.com/newsletter/article/301

Donahoo, D. (2020, October 7). Playing IT safe: Developing young children’s understanding of digital networks. Parenting for a Digital Future. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/parenting4digitalfuture/2020/10/07/playing-it-safe/

eSafety Commissioner (2019, September 25). Online safety for our very youngest Australians. https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/blogs/online-safety-for-our-very-youngest-australians

Funnel, A. (Host). (2020, June 14). Toddlers and teens – better understanding their digital needs [Audio podcast episode]. In Future Tense. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/futuretense/toddlers-and-teens-–-better-understanding-their-digital-needs/12266526

Halliday, C. (2024, November 12). Keeping our youngest kids digital safe with new evidence-based resource. Education Daily. https://educationdaily.au/parents/groundbreaking-website-offers-a-one-stop-hub-to-help-educators-and-parents-keep-children-safer-online/

Henebery, B. (2023, February 7). Protecting your school from cyberthreats in 2023. The Educator Australia. https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/protecting-your-school-from-cyberthreats-in-2023/281880

Henebery, B. (2024, November 12). New website helps teachers guide students’ safe tech habits. The Educator Australia. https://www.theeducatoronline.com/k12/news/new-tools-help-teachers-guide-students-safe-tech-habits/286029

Highfield, K. (2022, July 8). ‘Screen time’ for kids is an outdated concept, so let’s ditch it and focus on quality instead. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/screen-time-for-kids-is-an-outdated-concept-so-lets-ditch-it-and-focus-on-quality-instead-186462

Lucas, F. (2023, February 7). Professor Susan Edwards speaks out on 20th global Safer Internet Day. The Sector. https://thesector.com.au/2023/02/07/professor-susan-edwards-speaks-out-on-20th-global-safer-internet-day/

Curriculum mapping

Caughey, J., Heard, A., & Edwards, S. (Eds). (2024). Young Children in Digital Society: Connections to relevant standards (Early Years). Australian Catholic University. (URL pending)

Caughey, J., Mackley, H., & Edwards, S. (Eds). (2024). Young Children in Digital Society: Connections to relevant standards (Lower Primary). Australian Catholic University. (URL pending)