Rate My Professor Lisa Kervin

Lisa Kervin AM is a Professor in the School of Education, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, at the University of Wollongong, holding this position since 2018. She serves as Director of Early Start Research and academic lead for the UOW Children’s Technology Play Space. Kervin completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Literacy at the University of Wollongong from 2001 to 2004. Her academic career at the university exceeds two decades, encompassing prior appointments including Associate Professor. She holds Principal Fellow status with the Australian Literacy Educators Association since 2016 and acts as Chief Investigator for the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child since 2020, where she co-leads the national “Educated Child” program of research. Kervin is available to supervise Masters and PhD students in her fields of expertise.

Professor Kervin’s research focuses on young children’s engagement with literate practices, adult-child interactions in writing and play contexts, and digital technologies in early childhood education. Her forthcoming ARC Future Fellowship from 2025 investigates Intergenerational Play. In 2024, she received the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to tertiary education and research in early childhood digital literacy. Notable publications include the textbook Research for Educators, 3rd edition (2023, co-authored with Steven Howard, Rachel Jones, and Anthony McKnight), and Teaching: Dilemmas, Challenges and Opportunities (2023). Other key works feature “Powerful and playful literacy learning with digital technologies” (2012), “Digital play in the early years: A systematic review” (2024, co-authored with C. Chu and S. Edwards), and contributions to teacher education and pedagogy. Through leadership in transdisciplinary initiatives like the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, involving multiple universities and partners, Kervin advances quality education, curriculum development, and educational technology.