Dr. Yuwen Ma
Lecturer, Early Childhood
Campus
Biography
Dr. Yuwen Ma is a lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the Institute of Education, Arts and Community. Her research is centered on play-based learning, enhancing children's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, fostering imagination and creativity, promoting children’s agency, and facilitating smooth transitions from early childhood to primary school. Additionally, she explores education policy to better support these areas. Yuwen collaborates extensively with international scholars and early childhood educators to design and implement effective professional development programs. These programs emphasize play-based pedagogy and STEM learning, aiming to promoting teachers' confidence and competence in these critical areas.
Affiliated with the Conceptual PlayLab at Monash University, Yuwen brings a wealth of experience in play-based pedagogy, particularly through the Conceptual PlayWorld approach. She is proficient in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, with a particular expertise in digital video observation and analysis.
Yuwen is passionate about empowering young children through play and imagination in STEM learning, believing that these elements are essential for fostering lifelong curiosity, creativity and children's agency.
- Publications
Exploring children's perceptions of family relationships in China through kinetic family drawing: insights from 5- to 6-year olds
- Journals
- DOI reference: 10.1080/1350293X.2024.2437763
Innovating Professional Development in Early Childhood Education: The Integration of Generative AI and Gamification