Rate My Professor Nicole Leggett

Nicole Leggett’s research interests center on the creative thought processes of young children within early childhood education and care settings, intentional teaching practices, play-based learning in indoor and outdoor environments, practitioner research, and the Reggio Emilia pedagogical approach. She leads international research collaborations, including the Creative Collaborations project and the La Sorella sister-centre partnerships between Australian and Italian early childhood services. Key publications include “Early Childhood Creativity: Challenging Educators in Their Role to Intentionally Develop Creative Thinking in Children” (Early Childhood Education Journal, 2017), “A Fine Balance: Understanding the Roles Educators and Children Play as Intentional Teachers and Intentional Learners within the Early Years Learning Framework” (Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 2013), “Play: Challenging Educators’ Beliefs about Play in the Indoor and Outdoor Environment” (Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 2017), and “Practitioner Research: With Intent” (European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 2019). Her contributions have been recognized with the 2017 University of Newcastle Research Advantage Early Career Researcher Scholarship, the inaugural Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Merit List Award for Teaching and Learning Excellence, the 2017 EECERA Practitioner Research Paper Award (with Linda Newman), and the 2018 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence and Contribution to Student Learning (team award).