PANEL: Risks and benefits for cognitive development
Dr Michael Nagel
Child Development In A Digital Age – A Toxic Combination?
Dr Michael Nagel is an Associate Professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast where he teaches and researches in the areas of neurodevelopment, cognition, behaviour and learning. He is the author of thirteen books on child development and learning used by teachers and parents in over twenty countries. Dr Nagel has delivered over 300 workshops and seminars for parents and teachers nationally and internationally. Nominated as Australian Lecturer of the Year each year since 2010, Dr Nagel has been an invited guest on ‘TV New Zealand Breakfast’, ‘Canada AM’, ‘Sunrise’, ‘A Current Affair’ and ‘The Project’, is a member of the prestigious International Neuropsychological Society, sits on a number of education boards and committees and is a feature writer for ‘Jigsaw’ and the ‘Child’ series of magazines which collectively offers parenting advice to more than one million Australian readers.
Dr Michelle Neumann
The impact of apps on early literacy and language development
Dr Michelle Neumann is a researcher and lecturer in the School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Australia. Michelle is also a registered Queensland school teacher with 10 years’ experience teaching primary and secondary school students. Michelle’s research interests are in early childhood education particularly in the fields of emergent literacy, parent-child interactions, home environment, and the effects of touch screen tablets and new technologies on early learning. Michelle holds professional memberships with the Society for the Scientific Studies of Reading, Education Queensland, and Queensland College of Teachers. Michelle has developed educational and assessment apps, published a book, several book chapters and research articles in national and international peer reviewed journals. A video highlighting Michelle’s research with tablets and young children.
Dr Kate Highfield
Cognitive engagement and reward structures
Dr Kate Highfield is an experienced teacher, teacher educator and researcher, currently working with Early Childhood Australia as the General Manager or Professional Learning and Research Translation. Kate’s work explores effective technology integration and use, with a focus on potential impacts on learning (for adults and children), pedagogy and play. Prior to her arrival at ECA, Kate spent over two decades working as a classroom teacher and then as a teacher educator and researcher at Swinburne, Macquarie and Charles Sturt Universities.
Kate's current research explores the impact of technology as a tool with young children, parents and educators. This work specifically focusses on the use of technology in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEAM), with a focus on touch technologies, including Interactive Screens, Tablets, iPads and smartphones; robotics and techno-toys. This work examines digital play, technology integration, healthy media use and parents’ and educators’ use of technology as a tool to enhance learning.