Murray School of Education
Laura McFarland
BA, MA, Ph.D. (The University of Texas)
Position: Lecturer
Phone: (02) 605 19413
Fax: (02)605 19424
Campus: Thurgoona
Room: 113
Email: lmcfarland@csu.edu.au
Bio
I am originally from Texas, and earned my doctorate in Human Development and Family Sciences at The University of Texas. For six years, I taught undergraduate subjects at UT-Austin in child guidance, early childhood curriculum, and child development. While teaching University subjects, I also was lead teacher at the University of Texas Lab School, where I taught toddlers and supervised Uni students on practicum in my classroom. Additionally, I conducted staff and director training sessions in early childhood services, as well as parent education classes in the Austin area for three years. In 2006 I moved to Australia and began my work at CSU on the Dubbo campus. I have since transferred to the Murray School of Education in Albury.
Research
Guidance and children’s well-being
Parent-child relationships
Early childhood education
Teacher education
Research grants
2007 Faculty of Education Research Development Fund ($5,634.91). Bringing professional experience to the rural university classroom: authentic learning and engagement with communities.
2008 CSU Small Grant ($4,734.50). Bringing professional experience to the rural university classroom through play groups and parenting sessions: authentic learning and engagement with communities.
Teaching
Children as Learners
Health and Safety
Teacher as Researcher
Professional Engagement
- Member of:
Australian Association for Research in Education
Early Childhood Australia
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Texas Association for the Education of Young Children
Society for Research in Child Development
- Chair of MSE ethics committee
- Member of ATEA conference planning committee
Publications
McFarland, L., Saunders, R., Allen, S. (2008). Learning and teaching positive guidance skills: Lessons from early childhood practicum students, Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 29 (3).
McFarland, L. (2008). Anecdotal records: Valuable tools for assessing young children’s development, Dimensions; Journal of the Southern Early Childhood Association, 36 (1), 31-36.
McFarland, L. & Adhikary, M. (2006). Enhancing the Outdoor Environment; Bringing the Indoors Outdoors, Texas Child Care Quarterly, 30 (2), 24-33.
Hazen, N., Jacobvitz, D., McFarland, L. (2005).Antecedents of Boundary Disturbances in Families with Young Children:Intergenerational Transmission and Parent-Infant Caregiving Patterns. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 5 (2/3), 85-110.
McFarland, L. (2005). Gardening With Young Children; It’s Easier Than You Think. Texas Child Care Quarterly, Fall 2005.
McFarland, L. (2000) Father Involvement in the Preschool Classroom. Texas Child Care Quarterly, 24 (2), 2-9.
Conference presentations
Lord, A. & McFarland, L. (2007). Bringing professional experience to the rural university classroom: Authentic learning and engagement with communities. Paper accepted for the annual AARE conference, Freemantle, WA.
Boyd-Soisson, E., Hazen, N., McFarland, L., & Jacobvitz, D. (2007). A longitudinal study of the emotional sensitivity in the Family. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development: Boston, MA.
McFarland, L., Allen, S. & Saunders, R. (2007). Education in positive guidance: culturally diverse experiences and perspectives. Paper presented at the annual ATEA conference, Wollongong, NSW
McFarland, L. & Smith, M. (2006). Observations, Programming, and Interactions with Children. NSW Aboriginal Early Childhood Education Conference: Dubbo, NSW.
McFarland, L. & Adhikary, M. (2005). Outdoor environments for young children; Re-creating indoor centers. Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, Austin, TX.
McFarland, L. & Hazen, N. (2002), Parent-child Interaction and Toddler’s Peer Competence: A Longitudinal Analysis. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Southwestern Society for Research in Human Development: Austin, TX.
McFarland. L., Hazen, N., Jacobvitz, D. J., & Boyd, E. (2000). The relationship between adult attachment classification and various aspects of caregiving for mothers and fathers. Poster presented at the biennial meeting of the Southwest Society for Research in Human Development: Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
Dix, T., McFarland, L., Thompson, E. E. (1999, April). Mothers’ depressive symptoms and the monitoring and identification of children’s emotions. Paper presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development.