Dr COHRSSEN, Caroline
Dr COHRSSEN, Caroline
Associate ProfessorAcademic Unit of Teacher Education and Learning Leadership
Qualification
B.A.(Natal), MTeach (EC) (Melb), Ph.D. (Melb)
[javascript protected email address]
Phone
(852) 3917 5283
Location
Room 508, Meng Wah Complex
Research Expertise
Child Development
Early Childhood Education
Teacher Education and Development
Prospective PhD/ EdD/ MPhil Applications
I am not accepting any further PhD/EdD/MPhil applications.
Links
HKU Scholars Hub
Areas of Expertise
Early childhood education, play-based learning, early childhood mathematics, home learning environment, early childhood teacher professional development, conversation analysis
Awards
Honorary Fellow, The University of Melbourne
Team member, Melbourne Graduate School of Education Engagement Excellence Award (3 June 2020)
Melbourne Graduate School of Education Mid-Career Research Excellence Award (16 May 2019)
Member of the Master of Teaching Team (Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary) MGSE Innovation in Curriculum Award (30 May 2017)
Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) three-year doctoral scholarship (2010-2013)
Projects
Selected research projects:
Resilient Academics (Mahat, Blannin, Cohrssen, de los Reyes). Re-imagining academic horizons: Stories we tell. A Universitas 21-funded project. https://resilientacademics.comPublic Policy Research Funding Scheme: Protestors and Police: Kindergarten Children's Perceptions of the 2019 Social Unrest in Hong Kong (Cohrssen & Rao). 2020-
Opportunities for Play And Learning at home (Cohrssen) Investigating the impact of a light-touch intervention on the quality of the home learning environment in Hong Kong and on child literacy and numeracy skills. 2020-.
Evaluation of Early Childhood Development in the Kingdom of Bhutan. (Rao, Cohrssen, Chan and Richards) 2019
Planning Cycle Resource Videos. (Cohrssen) Preparation and delivery of video recordings for inclusion one the Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority (Australia) website. 2019.https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/earlyyears/ey-curriculum-resources/Pages/EarlyYearsPlanningCycleResourceVideos.aspx
Early Childhood Language Program – Professional Learning Course (Slaughter, Cohrssen, Nicolas, Farmer, Hannan, Cross, Hajek, & Grieve) Developed an Early Childhood pedagogy module and served as Early Childhood expert advisor. 2019
Assessment tool and practice guide for Instructional Support Professional learning tool to support EC teacher reflective practice as a means of raising the quality of intentional teaching in EC settings. (Eadie & Cohrssen) 2018-2019
Northern Territory Preschool Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Games (Project lead: Cohrssen) 2016-2019
Investigating preschool children’s demonstrations of spatial thinking. (Cohrssen, Page, de Quadros-Wander). Explored how four-year-old children articulate or demonstrate spatial thinking during a project focusing on the transition to school. 2015
How do early childhood educators and early years teachers prioritize children’s school readiness characteristics? (NIklas & Cohrssen) Explored early childhood and primary school teachers’ perspectives on children’s school readiness in several countries using snowball sampling. 2015
Enhancing the home learning environment (Niklas, Cohrssen, Tayler) Longitudinal, intervention study of 113 four-year-old children and their families. 2014
The contribution of the mathematics component of EDUC90391 (Early Childhood Mathematics and Science) to the preparation of EC professionals to teach mathematics. (Cohrssen & Tayler). Assessed the efficacy of a newly conceptualized early childhood mathematics subject. 2010
Early childhood educators’ resolution of peer disputes. (Cohrssen) 2010
Publications
Editedbooks:
Cohrssen, C.,& Garvis, S. (Eds.). (In production - due 15 May 2021). Embedding STEAM in Early Childhood Education and Care. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65624-9 .Book chapters:
Cohrssen, C. (2020). Numeracy learning in early childhood. In D.T. Cook (Ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of children and childhood studies (1st ed., Vol. 3, pp. 1148-1152). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc.Niklas, F., Tayler, C., & Cohrssen, C. (in production). Bilingual children’s language learning in Australian early childhood education and care settings. In W. K. Smidt & S. Lehrl (Eds.), Special Issues as Books: Research Papers in Education. Routledge.
Niklas, F., Tayler, C., & Cohrssen, C. (2017). What is 'school readiness' and how are smooth transitions to school supported? In T. Bentley & G. C. Savage (Eds.), Educating Australia: Challenges for the decade ahead (pp. 117-132). Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
Cohrssen, C., & Niklas, F. (2016). Partnering with families to promote learning. In J. Page & C. Tayler (Eds.), Learning and teaching in the early years (pp. 90-111). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Cohrssen, C., & Church, A. (2016.) Mathematics knowledge in early childhood: Intentional teaching in the third turn. In A. Bateman & A. Church (Eds.), Children’s knowledge-in-interaction: studies in conversation analysis. Dordrecht: Springer.
Selected peer reviewed journal articles – Teacher education/pedagogy:
Cohrssen, C. (Accepted 29 April 2021.) Considering form and function: A commentary on the review of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood.Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Vidmar, M., Segerer, R., Schmiedeler, S., Galpin, R., Klemm, V., Kandler, S. & Tayler, C. (2018.) Early Years professionals' perceptions of children's school readiness characteristics in six countries. International Journal of Educational Research,19. 144-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2018.06.001
Niklas, F., Tayler, C., & Cohrssen, C. (2018). Bilingual children’s language learning in Australian early childhood education and care settings. Research Papers in Education, 33(4), 544-560. https://doi.org/10.1080/**.2017.**
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., & Tayler, C. (2018.) Making a difference to children's reasoning skills before school entry: The contribution of the home learning environment. Contemporary Educational Psychology,54,79-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2018.06.001
Cohrssen, C., de Quadros Wander, B., Page, J., & Klarin, S. (2017.) Between the big trees: A project- based approach to investigating shape and spatial thinking in a kindergarten project. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 42(1), 94-104.https://doi.org/10.23965/AJEC.42.1.11
Cohrssen, C., & Page, J. (2016.) Articulating a rights-based argument for mathematics teaching and learning in early childhood education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 41(3), 104-108.
Cohrssen, C., Niklas, F., & Tayler, C. (2016.) 'Is that what we do?' Using a conversation analytic approach to highlight the contribution of dialogic reading strategies to educator-child interactions during storybook reading in two early childhood settings. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 16(3), 361-382.https://doi.org/10.1177/**92008
Cohrssen, C., Church, A., & Tayler, C. (2016.) Play-based mathematics activities as a resource for changing educator attitudes and practice. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2**9010
Selected peer reviewed journal articles – Early childhood mathematics:
Pollitt, R., Cohrssen, C., & Seah, W. T. (2020). Assessing spatial reasoning during play: Educator observations, assessment and curriculum planning. Mathematics Education Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00337-8Cohrssen, C., & Pearn, C. (2019) Assessing preschool children’s maps against the first four levels of the Primary curriculum: Lessons to learn. Mathematics Education Research Journal.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-019-00298-7
Cohrssen, C., & Niklas, F. (2019). Using mathematics games in preschool settings to support the development of children’s numeracy skills. International Journal of Early Years Education,27(3), 322-339https://doi.org/10.1080/**.2019.**
Hedge, K., & Cohrssen, C. (2019.) Between the red and yellow windows: A fine-grained focus on supporting children’s spatial thinking during play. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2**9551
Pollitt, R., Cohrssen, C., Church, A & Wright, S. (2015.) Thirty-one is a lot! Assessing four-year old children’s number knowledge during an open-ended activity. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood,40(1), 13-22.
Deans, J., & Cohrssen, C. (2015.) Young children dancing mathematical thinking. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 40(3), 61-67.
Cohrssen, C., Tayler, C., & Cloney, D. (2014.) Playing with maths: Implications for early childhood mathematics teaching from an implementation study in Melbourne, Australia. Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 43(6), 641-652.https://doi.org/10.1080/**.2013.848916
Cohrssen, C., Church, A., & Tayler, C. (2014.) Purposeful pauses: Teacher talk in early childhood mathematics activities. International Journal of Early Years Education, 22(2), 169-183.https://doi.org/10.1080/**.2014.900476
Cohrssen, C., Church, A. & Tayler, C. (2014.) Pausing for learning: Responsive engagement in mathematics activities in early childhood settings. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood,39(4),95- 102.https://doi.org/10.1177/****
Cohrssen, C, Church, A., Tayler, C., & Ishimine, K. (2013). Playing with Maths: Facilitating the learning in play-based learning. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood,38(1), 95-99.https://doi.org/10.1177/****
Selected peer reviewed journal articles – The home learning environment:
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). Parents supporting learning: Literacy and numeracy in the home learning environment. International Journal of Early Years Education, 24(2), 121-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/**.2016.**Cohrssen, C., Niklas, F., Logan, D. & Tayler, C. (2016). The self-reported academic self-concept of four- year-old children: Global and fixed, or nuanced and changing in the year before school? Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 41(3), 4-11.https://doi.org/10.1177/****
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., & Tayler, C. (2016). Home learning environment and concept formation: A family intervention study with kindergarten children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 44(5), 419- 427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-015-0726-1
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., & Tayler, C. (2016). Improving preschoolers’ numerical abilities by enhancing the home numeracy environment. Early Education and Development, 27(3), 372-383. https://doi.org/10.1080/**.2015.**
Selected peer reviewed journal articles – Other:
Liang, X., & Cohrssen, C. (2019.) Towards creating inclusive environments for LGBTIQ-parented families in Early Childhood Education settings: A review of the literature. Australasian journal of Early Childhood, 45(1), 43-55. https://doi.org/10.1177/**85304Madanipour, P., & Cohrssen, C. (2019.) Augmented reality as a form of digital technology in early childhood education. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 45(1), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1177/**85311
Church, A., Mashford-Scott, A., & Cohrssen, C. (2018). Supporting children to resolve disputes. Journal of Early Childhood Research. 16(1), 92-103. https://doi.org/10.1177/**X**
Niklas, F., Tayler, C., & Cohrssen, C. (2017) Bilingual children’s language learning in Australian early childhood education and care settings. Research Papers in Education, 33(4), 544- 560. https://doi.org/10.1080/**.2017.**
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2016). The sooner, the better: Early reading to children. Sage Open, 6(4), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2**2715
Hildenbrand, C., Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C. & Tayler, C. (2015.) Children’s mathematical and verbal competence in different early education and care programs in Australia. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 15(2), 144-157. https://doi.org/10.1177/**X**
Barber, H., Cohrssen, C., & Church, A. (2014.) Meeting the National Quality Standard: A case study of the professional learning requirements of early childhood educators in one municipal area of Melbourne, Australia. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. 39(4) (21-26).
Selected conference presentations:
Cohrssen, C., & Niklas, F. (2019, August). Knowing the (mathematics) part in order to know the (STEM) whole. European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA), Thessaloniki, Greece.Niklas, F., Schneider, W., & Cohrssen, C. (2018, July). Home learning environment and the development of child competencies from kindergarten until the end of primary school.International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Gold Coast, Australia.
Cohrssen, C., & Niklas, F. (2018, July).Teaching children mathematical ideas through play: Supporting preschool teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Gold Coast, Australia.
Holwell, M., & Cohrssen, C. (2018, May). Switched-on teaching: Supporting educators’ enactment of the EYPC in STEM teaching and learning. Early Learning Association Australia Conference, Melbourne.
Cohrssen, C. (2018, May). Evidence-based practice: The planning cycle. Invited keynote. South African Research Association for Early Childhood Education (SARAECE), Centurion, South Africa.
Cohrssen, C. (2018, May). Mapping the route from home to school: Integrating numeracy in a preschool curriculum. South African Research Association for Early Childhood Education (SARAECE), Centurion, South Africa.
Cohrssen, C.,& Niklas, F. (2018, July). Teaching children mathematical ideas through play: Supporting preschool teachers' pedagogical content knowledge.Poster Presentation. International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Gold Coast, Australia.
Niklas, F., Schneider, W., & Cohrssen, C. (2018, July). Home Learning Environment and the development of child competencies from kindergarten until the end of primary school. Poster Presentation. ISSBD), Gold Coast, Australia.
Brookes, I., Cohrssen, C., Eadie, P., & Tayler, C. (2017, September 25-26). Seeing myself as others see me: Using video to support reflective practice in initial teacher education with a cross-country cohort. Education eLearning Conference, Singapore.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Tayler, C. & Schneider, W. (2017, September 11-14). Die Entwicklung des Fa?higkeitsselbstkonzepts bei Kindergartenkindern. Vortrag gehalten im Rahmen der 16. Fachgruppentagung Pa?dagogische Psychologie, Mu?nster.
Schmiedeler, S., Niklas, F., Galpin, R., Segerer, R., Cohrssen, C., & Tayler, C. (2017, September 11-14). Schulfa?higkeitskriterien aus Sicht von Lehrkra?ften – Ein Vergleich der Einscha?tzungen in Deutschland, Nicaragua & Australien. Poster pra?sentiert auf der 16. Fachgruppentagung Pa?dagogische Psychologie, Mu?nster.
Holwell, M., & Cohrssen, C. (2017, May). Linking theory and practice to support young children’s emerging numeracy skills. Early Learning Association Australia Conference, Melbourne.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Schmiedeler, S., Segerer, R., & Schneider, W. (2016, July). How do early childhood professionals prioritise children’s school readiness characteristics in Australia and Germany? Poster Presentation. International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Vilnius, Lithuania.
Cohrssen, C., De Quadros- Wander, B., Page, J. Klarin, S. & Tayler, C. (2016, July). Investigating preschool children’s demonstrations of spatial thinking. Poster Presentation. International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Vilnius, Lithuania.
Cohrssen, C., Niklas, F. & Tayler, C. (2016, July). The home learning environment and children’s Concept Formation in the year prior to starting school. Poster Presentation. International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Vilnius, Lithuania.
Cohrssen, C., & Church, A. (2015, September 29). The ‘how’ of high quality child-educator interactions in play-based mathematics. Symposium paper presented at the inaugural Early Start Conference, University of Wollongong, Wollongong.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., Tayler, C. & Schneider, W. (2015, September 14-16). Vorlesen: je fru?her, desto besser. Poster presented at the 15th meeting of the "Fachgruppe Pa?dagogische Psychologie", Kassel.
Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., & Tayler, C. (2015, March). Bilingual children’s language learning in Australian kindergarten programs and other forms of formal childcare. Symposium paper presented at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), Philadelphia, United States of America.
Cohrssen, C., Niklas, F., & Tayler, C. (2015, March). Parents leading learning: A non-intensive intervention to support the home learning environment. Symposium paper presented at the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), Philadelphia, United States of America.
Tayler, C., Niklas, F., & Cohrssen, C. (2014, September). Leading the change: Increasing the quality of mathematics learning in play-based programs. Early Childhood Australia Early Childhood Australia National Conference, Seasons of Change, Melbourne, Australia.
Pollitt, R., & Cohrssen C. (2014, August). Assessing four-year-old children’s number knowledge in a play-based program. Early Childhood Management Services Conference, Beyond Tomorrow: inspiring Journeys, Melbourne, Australia.
Hildenbrand, C., Niklas, F., Cohrssen, C., & Tayler, C. (2014, July). Children’s mathematical and verbal competence in early education and care settings in Australia. Poster Presentation. International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Shanghai, China.
Cohrssen, C., & Tayler, C. (2014, July). Children learn when educators play with maths: Implications for early childhood mathematics learning from an implementation study. Poster Presentation. International Society for the Study of Behavioural Development (ISSBD), Shanghai.
Cohrssen, C.,Church, A., & Tayler, C. (2013, April). Pause for thought: The contribution of ‘wait time’ to the quality of interactions during play-based mathematics activities in six different pre-school settings. Poster presentation. Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD), Seattle, United States of America.
Cohrssen C., Tayler, C. & Cloney, D. (2012, October 25). Playing with maths: Does implementation dosage affect children’s learning outcomes? Led by Cohrssen. Australian Implementation Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Cohrssen, C. (2013, May 31). Pause for thought: Sometimes quality interactions happen when you deliberately say nothing at all. Early Learning Association Australia conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Cohrssen, C. (2012, June). Playing with maths: the importance of teaching mathematical ideas to children in early childhood settings. Kindergarten Parents Victoria (now Early Learning Australia Association) Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Church, A., Mashford, A., & Cohrssen, C. (2011, June). Young children’s peer conflict in early childhood settings. Kindergarten Parents Victoria conference.
Knowledge Exchange:
Invited keynote, VicTESOL, 17 February 2021: Leveraging Languages for Learning https://victesol.vic.edu.au/index.php/early-childhood-education-series/keynotes/RTHK podcast, 16 December 2020, Play-based Learning https://podcast.rthk.hk/podcast/item.php?pid=717&eid=172575&lang=en-US
Invited contributor, EdUHK Interconversations, 21 August 2020: Play-based Pedagogies https://www.eduhk.hk/ece/en/highlights.php?id=5661&s=archive
Media activity
(2019, March 21). Investing in Generational Change: From little things, big things STEM. Media release, Northern Territory Preschool Science Games. http://newsroom.nt.gov.au/mediaRelease/28814Cohrssen, C. (2018, August 8). Namea job where you can actlike a child?Online blog.The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/?s=Name%C2%A0a+job+where+you+can+play+like+a+child
Cohrssen, C. (2018, June 21). Dominoes and drones: How do we teach our children for the 21st century? Online blog. The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia's Blog.http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/dominoes-drones-teach-children-21st-century/
Niklas, F., & Cohrssen, C. (2017). Counting games really count. ChildLinks: the quarterly journal of Barnados' Child Links, 1, 16-20.
Pollitt, R., Seah, W.T., & Cohrssen, C. (2017) Spatial reasoning and mathematics in early childhood education.Every Child, 23(3). 18-19. https://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=**3515;res=IELAPA
Cohrssen, C. (2017, January 30).I did it! Young children’s academic self-concept in the year before school.Online blog. The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog.http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/young-childrens-academic-self-concept-year-school
Cohrssen, C. (2015, November 2). Families leading learning. Online blog.The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/families-leading-learning/
Cohrssen, C. (2015, June 17). You need to use your words!Online blog.The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/you-need-to-use-your-words/
Cohrssen, C. (2015, April 9). Professional learning – what lights your fire? Online blog, The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/?s=Professional+learning+%E2%80%93+what+lights+your+fire%3F
Cohrssen, C. (2015, February 27). Conversations with children that support responsive engagement. Online blog. The Spoke: Early Childhood Australia’s Blog. http://thespoke.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/conversations-children-support-responsive- engagement/
Professional Community Services
Selected examples of non-institutional engagement:
2016 to 2020In consultation with the Northern Territory Department of Education Early Yearsgroup, led the development and trialling of a suite of STEM curriculum resources. Engineering and Technology due for release in March 202029 Nov 2019Invited keynote presentation at the OMEP Hong Kong AGM
June/July 2018 Invited member of the judging panel for the Victorian Department of Education and Training’s Victorian Early Years Awards, Category 4: Promoting Children’s Health and WellbeingSep 2019 - BSc (ACD) and BEd Faculty Committee, Education Faculty, HKU
May 2018 Led the MGSE/Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) response to Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s call for proposed revision of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
March 2015Coordinated the MGSE Early Childhood academic team’s response to Early Childhood Australia’s call for proposed revision to the Code of Ethics
Others
Affiliations/memberships:
Early Childhood Australia, 2011 to dateAustralian Graduates of Early Childhood Studies, lifetime membership
Institutional responsibilities:
Jan2020 - Faculty Human Resource Committee, Education Faculty, HKUSep 2019 - BSc (ACD) and BEd Faculty Committee, Education Faculty, HKU
Aug 2019 -BSc (ACD) academic advisor, Education Faculty, HKU
Editorial responsibilities:
ReviewingEarly Years: An International Research Journal
International Journal of Early Childhood
Journal of Early Childhood Research
Journal of Early Childhood Literacy
International Journal of Early Years Education
Mathematics Education Research Journal
SAGE Open
International Journal of Science Education
Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood
Australasian Journal of Eearly Childhood
Teaching and Subject coordination:
2019 - 2020. Bachelor of Science (Applied Child Development). Children’s Play and Learning. HKU.2019 - 2020. Master of Education. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood. HKU.
2019 - 2020.Master of Education. Learning and Teaching in Early Childhood. HKU.
2017 - 2019.Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) and (Early Childhood & Primary) Numeracy in Early Childhood. MGSE.
2013 - 2017.Master of Teaching (Early Childhood) and (Early Years) Science and Mathematics in Early Childhood. MGSE.
2015 - 2016.Master of Teaching (Early Childhood). Sociology of Childhood. MGSE.
2011 - 2015.Master of Teaching (Early Childhood). Professional Practice ‘clinical specialist’, MGSE.
