Emma Cross has been a practitioner research in the Young Children’s Digital Play with Tangible Coding Devices project, working in a collaborative team to develop the A to E of Creativity: A Framework for Children’s Creativity, which was published in the journal Issues in Educational Research. Emma delivered a series of seminars in China (Shang Hai and GuangZhou) as an international consultant for the AUSUM group, discussing positively guiding children’s behaviours, the Australian standards of early childhood education, and the daily operations of an Australian early years service. Emma presented at the Global DigCit Summit sharing research about children’s digital creativity when engaging with tangible coding devices.

As a Research Assistant, Emma provides support across a range of initiatives within the Children’s Creativity and Connectedness with Digital Technologies project. Emma is an early childhood specialist with a Bachelor degree in commerce (management and marketing), Masters degree in early childhood education, and is currently studying her PhD exploring quality leadership and positionality in the Australian early childhood sector. Emma has experience as a centre director for Australian early childhood service providers.

Emma hopes her research in the Centre will highlight the ways that digital technologies can be used to foster and facilitate the development of creativity. Emma aims to support educators working in early years services to embed digital technologies into learning environments in meaningful ways based on emerging research. Her vision is to support young children to use digital technologies creatively for innovation, play, and connection through her work in the centre.

Earliest digital memory
Climbing onto a chair at all of about three years of age to turn on my home computer to find it wasn’t working. Turns out my pet mouse (Mickey) had escaped from its hutch and was living inside the computer chassis.