Deborah Harris

Biography

Deborah originally worked as a primary school teacher both in Luton and Dudley. Her main role was working within the Foundation Stage but she also worked throughout key stages 1 and 2, predominantly as a Creative Arts Coordinator. Her interest in early childhood and creativity led to her being awarded Advanced Skills Teacher Status for Early Years and Creativity shortly before making the transition into higher education in 2004.

Deborah is currently an active member of Children’s University and helps to facilities sessions with students to support children from local schools. Deborah was awarded Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in 2015.

Profile

Administrative Responsibilities

As Programme coordinator for the BA (Hons) ECEC and Postgraduate Certificate in ECEC Deborah has been actively involved in developing the programmes and taking a lead in validation and revalidation processes. Part of the role also focuses on quality assurance through moderating scripts and attending subject and programme boards.

 

Teaching

Deborah has taught on a range of modules on the BA Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Programme, the Foundation Degree Early Years Programme and Post Graduate (ECEC) Programmes. More recently Deborah has taught on the Initial Teacher Training Programme, delivering music education across a range of modules and she has also lead on the Early Years Initial Teacher Training Programme. Her interest in creativity has enabled her to develop two modules that focus on creativity within education. She has also developed a PG Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care which focuses on Pedagogy in Early Childhood and the Developing Child. Deborah is currently Programme Coordinator for the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and Care for the PG Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care. Deborah currently leads and teaches on modules which focus on Research Methods, Dissertation, Creativity, Contemporary Issues, Professional Practice in Early Childhood and Dissertation.

 

Research Interests

Deborah’s research interests include Student Engagement and Developing the Early Years Graduate Workforce.  Deborah has been involved in collaborative research with the University of West Hungary and more recently has worked in collaboration with the University of Winchester and the University of Exeter exploring the concept of student engagement as part of the REACT project. Deborah has also undertaken research projects with students which focused on the transition to higher education, and the child’s view of the world.

Other Activities

Conference Papers

Harris, D. and Davies, H. (2009) ‘Role of the Pedagogue’ Conference at Newman University

Harris, D. and Farr, A. (2010) ‘Working with Young Children and Families in England’ Early Years Conference at Alice Salamon University, Berlin

Argent K, Harris D. McGillivray G. ’Play and Learning in the Early Years for Inclusion (PLEYIn): an international partnership project with Romania, Poland and the United Kingdom’ at 21st EECERA Annual conference Education from birth: research, practices and educational policy, Geneva, Switzerland, September 14-17, 2011.

Harris, D.(2011) ‘How Music Can Support Communication in Pre School Settings’ at 21st EECERA Annual conference Education from birth: research, practices and educational policy, Geneva, Switzerland, September 14-17.

Harris D. Baylis, S.   Andrews, M.   Boyce, D. (2013) ‘The Early Years Teacher’, Information presentation at Workforce Development Conference, Birmingham

Harris, D. and Beniston J. (2016) ‘Student Engagement’ RAISE conference, Loughborough University September 9.

Harris, D., Beniston J., Cotton E. and Bhagotra R. (2017) ‘Realising Engagement through Active Culture Transformation’ REACT conference, University of Winchester

Harris, D., Beniston J., Cotton E. and Bhagotra R. (2017) ‘Realising Engagement through Active Culture Transformation’ REACT conference, Newman University

Publications

  • Baranowska, W., McGillivray, G., Pope, A., Argent, K., Collett, C., Harris D., Leszka J., Mara, D., Mara, E., Tatton A. and Treadwell, L. (2011) Play and learning in the Early years for Inclusion – PLEYIN. Birmingham: Newman University

  • Harris, D. (2011) Shake, Rattle and Roll, can music be used by parents and practitioners to support communication, language and literacy within a pre-school setting?, Education 3-13 39 (2), pp. 139-151.

  • Trotman, D., Davies, H., and *Harris, D. (2013) `Nice to think I`m not on my own’: lessons from an arts-based workshop in an urban Children`s Centre, Education 3-13. International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 42 (5), pp.554-562.

  • Beniston, J. and Harris, D. (2015) The child’s vision of the world in Laszlo, V. (ed) Early Childhood Education International Research Report. University of West Hungary: Hungary

  • Harris, D. (2016) ‘Action needed to recruit and retain early years teachers’, Nursery World, 7 April. Available at https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/opinion/1156756/action-needed-to-recruit-and-retain-early-years-teachers (Accessed: 4.12.17).

  • Beniston, J., Harris, D. (2017) ‘To Engage or not to Engage: That is the Question.’ Journal of Education Innovation, Partnership and Change: REACT Special Issue, 3 (1) pp.135-146.