Murray School of Education
Prof. Sue Dockett 
B.Ed (Hons), M.Ed(Hons), PhD (Sydney)
Position: Professor
Phone: (02) 605 19403
Fax: (02) 605 19424
Campus: Thurgoona
Room: 106
Email: sdockett@csu.edu.au
Biography
Sue is Professor in Early Childhood Education, Charles Sturt University. Prior to entering tertiary education, Sue worked as an educator in prior-to-school settings as well as the early years of school. Since 1988, Sue has been involved in early childhood teacher education and research. Much of her research agenda is focused on educational transitions, particularly transitions to school and the expectations, experiences and perceptions of all involved. With Bob Perry, Sue has published widely, both nationally and internationally in the area of transition to school. Integral to the investigations of educational transitions is a commitment to incorporating children’s perspectives. Much of Sue’s current collaborative work is focused on refining and critiquing these approaches as well as conceptual and theoretical analysis of what is meant by engaging children and young people’s voices within research agendas.
Research
Sue’s major research areas include:
- Educational transitions, particularly the transition to school;
- Notions of school readiness;
- Indigenous communities supporting the transition to school;
- Children’s perspectives in research;
- Young children’s mathematics;
- Children’s play;
- Tertiary teaching and learning; and
- The first year of school.
Current research grants include:
ARC Discovery Grant, 2007-2011
- Early childhood sustained home visiting: outcomes at 4 years and the transition to school.
- Chief Investigators: Harris E, McMahon C, Vimpani G, Matthey S, Dockett S, Perry R, Anderson T, Schmied V.
ARC Linkages Grant 2007-2009
- Facilitating children’s transition to school within families with complex support needs
- Chief Investigators: Dockett S , Perry B, Mason J, Hampshire, A, Schmeid, V.
ARC Linkages Grant 2009-2012
- Staying on at school: strategies for increasing high school completion rates in low retention regions of NSW
- Chief investigators: Vickers, M., Barker K., Perry, B., Dockett S., Hyam, M.
CSU grants
- Building a child friendly city: Consultations with children and young people
- Chief investigators: Dockett, S., Perry, B.
Teaching
Sue teaches across a number of research subjects, particularly those undertaken by research students and within the Honours program.
Professional Engagement
- NSW Board of Studies (1994- )
- NSW Board of Studies K-6 Curriculum and Assessment Standing Committee/Primary Curriculum Committee (1994- )
- Member, Editorial Panel, Early Childhood Research and Practice (2003-)
- Patron, NSW Early Childhood Education Council, (2002-)
- Board member, Contact Incorporated (2007- 2008)
Publications
Key publications include:
- Arthur, L., Beecher, B., Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2008) Programming and planning in early childhood settings (4th edition). Melbourne: Thomson.
- Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2006). Starting school: A handbook for educators. Sydney: Pademelon Press.
- Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2007). Starting school: Perceptions, expectations and experiences. Sydney: UNSW Press.
- Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2007). Trusting children’s accounts in research. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 5(1), 47-63.
- Dockett S., & Perry, B., (2007). The role of schools and communities in children’s school transition. Encyclopedia of the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development and the Early Childhood Learning Knowledge Centre. Available on-line: http://www.excellence-earlychildhood.ca/documents/DockettPerryANGxp.pdf
- Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2009). Readiness for school: A relational construct. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 34(1), 20-26.
- Einarsdottir, J., Dockett, S., & Perry, B. (2009). Making meaning: Children’s perspectives expressed through drawings. Early Child Development and Care, 179 (2), 217-232.
- Perry, B. & Dockett, S. (2006). Our family is starting school. Sydney: Pademelon Press.
- Perry, B., & Dockett, S. (2008). Young children’s access to powerful mathematical ideas. In L. D. English (Ed.). Handbook of international research in mathematics education (2nd ed) (pp. 75-108). New York: Routledge.