Research Program

I don’t believe in the question: If you could pick one superpower, what would it be? I think we all already have one! Mine is keen observation, particularly in the social realm. I’ve always had this salient understanding, that humans become literate through their social worlds. Using my superpower, I study children, families, and group dynamics through observations of their behaviour in social interactions between individuals and within groups.

My primary area of study surrounds children’s use of social power as it presents itself in different contexts (e.g., family, early learning programs, community). Social power is an attribute of social relationships, naturally part of our interactions in all social realms (e.g., personal, familial, and organizational systems). I believe social power to be just as impactful, if not more, on the lives of children as in the lives of adults.

The end goal is to build knowledge and understanding on the concept of social power in children’s learning and development and recognize how it can complement other aspects of children’s well-being, including agency and assertiveness, social justice and equity, and multiliteracy.

Current Research Projects

Social Power Review Paper

Though empirical and theoretical literature on social power has contributed to our understanding of the concept, as (a) it occurs in different fields (e.g., political science, sociology, psychology), (b) is expressed using certain behaviours (e.g., dominance, control, authority), and (c) is emanated through social contexts (e.g., conflict, family, school, community), limited attention has been paid in the field of child development and education. This paper reviews literature on the concept of social power in childhood.

Early experiences with social power

Starting in infancy, children are exposed to sources of power through daily interactions with the family. This project studies parent-child interaction through play in the context of the home. Videos of 93 parent-child dyads are presently being coded for parent and child power. Identifying power behaviour and opportunities presented to and expressed by children between the ages of 12 and 24 months provides a starting point to understanding power developmentally.

Power Relations in Pedagogical Approaches

This research project investigates social power dynamics as they exist in pedagogical approaches to early childhood education. Varied notions of power are present in any given educational setting, including adult-child, child-child, group, child-material, and space and place. At present, there are 15 early learning approaches being investigated for power dynamics including Indigenous Early Learning Framework, Nature Education, Reggio Emilia, Bank Street, and Montessori.