Dr Sandy Houen

Sandy’s frontline experience in early childhood education informed her transition to academic research. Sandy’s research interests focus on early childhood education quality and its impact on children’s lifelong trajectories. Sandy’s expertise is in qualitative research approaches, such as conversation analysis, with a key focus on data collection methods that include interviews with children and video recording everyday classroom interactions and practices. Sandy has a special interest in the translation of research findings to inform and guide educators’ practice. Sandy’s work has contributed to the ongoing development of the ECEC workforce in recent years, with activities including the co-development and facilitation of professional development resources and workshops for improving sleep, rest and relaxation practices in ECEC settings. She has also mentored early childhood educators in relation to their provision of sleep, rest and relaxation for children in their programs, and delivered presentations to practitioners working in ECEC services.

Research Interests

• Early childhood education
• Lifelong trajectories from childhood
• Research translation