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Maria Kambouri

Dr Maria Kambouri

University and IoE Key Roles

  • Programme Director for BA Education Studies
  • Deputy Director of Teaching and Learning (DDTL)
  • IoE Undergraduate Programme Director
  • IoE Finance Director for non ITE programmes
  • Member of the Senior Management Group
  • Senior Academic Manager (SAM)
  • Teaching and assessing on Undergraduate and Postgraduate IoE programmes
  • Developing Student Engagement Practices and the Curriculum Framework (including 2017-2018 CQSD secondment)

Institute of Education

  • Teaching (undergraduate and postgraduate level)
  • Research and Scholarship
  • Module Convenor for BA Education Studies modules
  • Supervision and assessment of trainees in early years settings and school placements
  • MA, PhD and EdD supervisions
  • UG Board of Studies and PG Board of Studies
  • Academic Misconduct Cases 

Postgraduate supervision

Research Interests - MA, PhD and EdD Supervision offered in these areas:

Early years education (preschool/pre-primary education)

  • How children learn
  • Play and play based learning
  • Learning theories and pedagogies - Theory and practice  
  • Children and staff interactions

Adult and Lifelong Learning

  • Developing resources with and for adults
  • CPD and training for Parents and Teachers
  • Evaluating adult support programmes
  • Participatory research approach

Working with parents and teachers

  • Parents, Children and their Aspirations
  • Parents and Families
  • Working in Partnership
  • Successful models of working in partnership

Gender

  • Gender differences
  • Gender stereotypes
  • Staff/Parents perceptions of gender
  • Exploring LGBTQ+ issues

Early years science

  • Teaching and Learning Science
  • Children's misconceptions in science

PhD, EdD and MA students:

PhD

  • Alaa Alamri: A mixed method investigation into the professional identity of kindergarten teachers in Saudi Arabia
  • Amel Abada: Muslim mothers' intersubjective perceptions of play in the early years: A UK case study focusing on Berkshire
  • Arwa Mohammed Al khamis: How Social Background Influences Parental Involvement in Early Childhood Learning in Saudi Arabia. A Case Study of Saudi Mother and Father in the United Kingdom Verses Parents in Other Parts of the World.
  • Fei Lian: The Moon and Sixpence: A Qualitative Study of the Professional Identity Development of Highly-educated Female Teachers at Primary/Secondary Schools in Beijing.
  • Louise Carrington-Dye: How and in what ways can parents at risk of losing their children best be supported to make positive changes to their parenting practice.
  • Cecilia Muldoon: Perceptions of Higher Education: Narratives from working class mothers – stigma and stereotypes. (Scholarship with 'Marvellous Mums' project)
  • Jassim Alazemi (completed): The perceptions of classroom teachers and school leaders about the effectiveness of the ongoing policy reform (2005-2015) in Kuwait.
  • Khaled Al Jarallah (completed): The benefits of after school/outdoor activities on character traits.
  • Mohammed Alshaikhi (completed): Investigating the Effectiveness of Using Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) to Develop English Vocabulary as a Foreign Language in English Primary Classrooms in Saudi.
  • Nora Aljebreen (completed): Academic female leaders, in a Quality Management Department at Saudi Universities
  • Tiantian Zhou: Family and children’s transition: Families’ experiences, perceptions, and home-based practices of children’s transitions to kindergarten in China

EdD

  • Philip Armstrong Philip: Fishes out of water? An exploration of the relationship and understanding primary school leaders have of the early years.
  • Dawn Burnham: Co-regulation to support Self-regulation in Early Years: A Practitioners journey to a co-regulatory pedagogy.
  • Ugochy Uzo: Student Mindset – an exploration of the perceptions, perspectives and experiences of resilience of students and staff at a sixth form college.
  • Graziana Di Pede (completed): How students learn to lead: Insights into the lived experiences of undergraduate business students during their placement year.
  • Sarah Rogers (completed): Exploring perceptions of quality in early years' education in the UAE.
  • Sheralee Virdi (completed): Practitioners’ understanding of using extrinsic motivation with children in the foundation stage and its effects on their learning and well-being.

Teaching

  • BA in Education Studies
  • Early Years Teaching Status (EYTS)
  • Post-Graduate Certificate in Early Years Practice (PGC EYP)
  • MA in Education (MA)
  • Doctorate of Education (EdD)
  • PhD, EdD and MA supervision

Research projects

Funded Research Projects:

  • 2021-2023: Participatory Research Project

This project aimed to support teachers and parents to work together to explore ways to talk to children about LBGTQ+ issues, by looking at how the school can bring these issues into the classroom, in a way that parents and carers are comfortable with. https://research.reading.ac.uk/lgbtqplusedu/ 

  • 2018-2022: Widening Participation Funding

Marvellous Mums Marvellous Me Project. Principal Investigator: Carol Fuller, Co-Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos. A 3-year project and a 5-year PhD scholarship for this ‘outreach’ activity targeted on the development of long-term relationships with the community. https://research.reading.ac.uk/education/marvellous-mums/

  • 2016-2018: The Froebel Trust - 4Ps- Project

Practitioners & Parents Play Partnership - Strengthening practitioner-parent collaboration through the use of CPD and play built on Froebelian principles and pedagogy. Principal Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos. Co-Investigators: Dr Myria Pieridou (Open University), Dr Suzanne Quinn-Flannery (Roehampton University), Mrs Teresa Wilson, Dr Geoff Taggart, Ms Jo Elsey, Dr Anna Tsakalaki and Dr Jie Liu (all University of Reading). https://research.reading.ac.uk/inedutogether/

  • 2017-2018: Partnerships in Learning and Teaching (PLanT) Projects Funding Scheme

Students as partners in co-creating a new module: Focusing on assessment criteria Engaging FDCDL and BACDL students. Principal Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos (leading a group of IoE staff and students).

  • 2016-17: British Academy Workshop Grants Researcher Links

Gender Issues in STEM Education. Principal Investigators: Paul Hernandez-Martinez - Loughborough University; Angeles Dominguez - Tecnologico de Monterrey. Co-Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos.

  • 2015-2016: Reading Teaching and Learning Award

Tackling Stereotypes, sexism and unconscious biases in teaching and learning, Principal Investigator: Dr Karen Jones. Co-Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos.

  • 2015-2016: Reading Project

Children's Play-based Learning Opportunities in the Early Years and the potential Gender and Socio-economic Differences. Principal Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos. Co-Investigators: Dr Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai and Dr Myria Pieridou (Runner Up Winners of Research Collaboration Award 2016 – University of Reading).

  • 2015-2016: Santander Scholarships - Phase 2

Learning Greek vocabulary as an additional language through drama techniques: Teachers’ perceptions and Teacher-Training. Principal Investigator: Dr Myria Pieridou, Open University. Co-Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos.

  • 2014-2015: Santander Scholarships - Phase 1

Evaluate the effects of employing drama for the teaching of Greek vocabulary to a group of early years (English) children. Principal Investigator: Dr Myria Pieridou, Open University. Co-Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos.

  • 2013-2015: Kingston Funded Project

Identifying young children’s (2-5 years) ecological concepts aiming to build a website for practitioners focusing on teaching about the environment. Principal Investigator: Dr Michael Allen (Kingston University). Co-Investigator: Maria Kambouri-Danos.

  • 2012-2013: Research Associate for ECERS-Cyprus

The Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale-Revised, was implemented in Cyprus to evaluate Early Years Provision in Cypriot settings.

  • 2010-2012: Research Associate for GRID project

Designing, implementing and validating a research framework for both mathematical and scientific literacy for the Cypriot first-schooling ages.

  • 2010-2012: Research Fellow for PreSciNet project

Creating a pan-European network for professionals and academics in the field of primary science education. The goal is to provide training and professional support to teachers to help them design and implement lessons based on inquiry.

Selected publications

  • Dominguez, A., Hernandez-Martinez, P., Zavala, Z., Kambouri, M. Zubieta, Z., Clark, R. (2022). Applying the Delphi method with early-career researchers to explore a gender-issues agenda in STEM education. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/12508
  • Kambouri, M., Wilson, T., Pieridou, M., Quinn, S.F., & Liu, J. (2021). Making partnerships work: Proposing a model to support parent-practitioner partnerships in the early years. Early Childhood Education Journal. www.doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01181-6
  • Pieridou, M., & Kambouri-Danos. M. (2020). Qualitative Doctoral Research in Educational Settings: Reflecting on Meaningful Encounters. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education. 9(1). www.doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v9i1.20360
  • Kambouri-Danos, M., Ravanis, K., Boilevin, J.M., & Jameau, A. (2019). The water state changes in 6 years old children's thinking. Early Childhood Education Journal. www.doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00937-5
  • Pieridou, M. & Kambouri-Danos, M. (2019). The use of drama techniques as a communicative approach to teaching Greek vocabulary to children of the Greek diaspora community, Theory and Research in Education, (original in Greek).
  • Allen, M. & Kambouri-Danos, M. (2016). Substantive conceptual development in preschool science: contemporary issues and future directions. Early Child Development and Care: www.doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2016.1237561
  • Olteanu, A., Kambouri, M., & Stables, A. (2016). Predicating from an Early Age: Edusemiotics and the Potential of Children's Preconceptions. Studies in Philosophy and Education. 35(3), p1-20. www.doi.org/10.1007/s11217-016-9526-3
  • Kambouri, M., Pampoulou, S. E., Pieridou, M., and Allen, M. (2016). Science Learning and Graphic Symbols: An Exploration of Early Years Teachers’ Views And Use of Graphic Symbols When Teaching Science. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology, 12(9), 1-19. www.doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2016.1275a
  • Olteanu, A., & Kambouri-Danos, M. (2016). Experiential nature: Learning by living. Book chapter in Strand, T., Smith, R., Pirrie, A., Gregoriou, Z., & Papastephanou, M. (Ed.) Philosophy as Interplay and Dialogue: viewing landscapes within philosophy of education. Oslo: LIT Verlag.
  • Kambouri, M. (2015). Investigating Early Years Teachers’ Understanding and Response to Children’s Preconceptions. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. 25(3). www.doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2014.970857 

Scholarship and Reports

  • Kambouri-Danos, M., & Evans, A. (2019). Perceptions of Gender Roles within the Early Years: A Case Study Focussing on a Mainstream Reception Classroom in England. The Journal Early Years Educator.
  • Kambouri-Danos, M., Pieridou, M. Quinn, S.F., Wilson, T. (2018). Practitioners & Parents Play Partnership: Strengthening practitioner-parent collaboration through the use of partnership sessions built on Froebelian principles and pedagogy. Final Report for The Froebel Trust. https://research.reading.ac.uk/inedutogether/wp-content/uploads/sites/37/pdfs/Final-Report-Froebel-4Ps-project.pdf
  • Kambouri-Danos, M., Liu, J., Pieridou, M. & Quinn, S.F., (2017). Exploring the partnerships between parents and practitioners in the early years. The Journal of Early Years Educator. 19(10), 26-29. doi.org/10.12968/eyed.2018.19.10.26
  • Kambouri-Danos, M. (2017). Engaging students in assessment design. T&L Exchange. Available at: https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/t-and-l-exchange/engaging-students-in-assessment-design/
  • Jones, K. & Kambouri-Danos, M. (2017). Generative lab to tackle gender stereotypes and unconscious biases in teaching and learning. T&L Exchange. Available at: http://blogs.reading.ac.uk/t-and-l-exchange/generative-lab-to-tackle-gender-stereotypes-and-unconscious-biases-in-teaching-and-learning/
  • Kambouri, M. & Pieridou, M. (2016). Symbols and their use in Early Years Science. The Journal of Early Years Educator.
  • Kambouri, M. & Michaelides. A. (2015). Dramatic Water: Using a Drama-Based approach to science in the early years. Primary Science Journal, 136(10-12).
  • Kambouri, M. (2015). Children's preconceptions of science: How these can be used in teaching. The Journal of Early Years Educator. 16(11), 38 - 44.
  • Kambouri, M. & Michaelides, A. (2014). Using Drama Techniques for the Teaching of Early Years Science: A Case Study. Journal of Emergent Science. (7), 7-14. ISSN 2046-4754
  • Kambouri, M. (2012). Children’s Misconceptions and a Look on How Teachers Respond to them. WIEGA Journal, 5(1), 41-53.
  • Kambouri, M. (2012). Review: The Educational System in Cyprus. WIEGA Journal, 5(1), 57-67.
  • Kambouri, M. (2011). Children’s Misconceptions and the Teaching of Early Years Science: A Case Study. Journal of Emergent Science, 2(2), 7-16. ISSN 2046-4754

Book Chapters and Other Publications

  • Kambouri-Danos. (2020). Girls and Boys: The Role of Professionals and Play in the Early Years, in Challenging Gender Stereotypes in Education (edited). SAGE: London.
  • Fuller, C., Kambouri-Danos, M, & Muldon, C. (2020). Empowering Women from the bottom to the top; parents, community and partnership (edited). SAGE: London.
  • Olteanu, A., & Kambouri-Danos, M. (2016). Experiential nature: Learning by living. Book chapter in Strand, T., Smith, R., Pirrie, A., Gregoriou, Z., & Papastephanou, M. (Ed.) Philosophy as Interplay and Dialogue: viewing landscapes within philosophy of education. Oslo: LIT Verlag.
  • Olteanu, A. & Kambouri-Danos, M. (2016). To learn and to love: creativity as discovery. A Semiotic and Empirical Approach, International Semiotics Institute, University of Kaunas, Lithuania.
  • Kambouri, M. & Pieridou, M. (2016). Symbols and their use in Early Years Science. The Journal of Early Years Educator.
  • Kambouri, M. (2015). Children's preconceptions of science: How these can be used in teaching. The Journal of Early Years Educator. 16(11), 38 - 44.
  • Kambouri, M. (2012). Children's Misconceptions and a Look on How Teachers Respond to them. WIEGA Journal, 5(1),41-53.
  • Kambouri, M. (2012). Review: The Educational System in Cyprus. WIEGA Journal, 5(1),57-67.

Conference Publications

  • Kambouri-Danos, M. & Pieridou, M. (2017). Using drama for the teaching of science vocabulary, in the early years, to children with Greek as a second language, Proceedings of the SECE conference (original in Greek).
  • Kambouri, M. & Briggs, M. (2013). The teaching of science in the early years: Do early years teachers identify children's preconceptions. Proceeding of the ESERA conference 2013: ESERA e-Book Edition.
  • Kambouri, M. (2012). Identification of alternative ideas in Early Years Natural Sciences (original in Greek) Special Edition of the: 7th Proceeding of the Panhellenic Conference in Science and Early Childhood Education.
  • Kambouri, M. (2011). Teachers and children's misconceptions in science. Proceeding of the BERA conference 2011, BEI's Education-line collection (available online here).
  • Kambouri, M. (2010). Teachers' Responses to Young Children's Preconceptions in Science. Proceedings of the 2010 Conference: Education Researchers: Diverse Experiences and Perspectives, Birmingham, UK, July 4th.
  • Kambouri, M. (2009). Teachers' Perceptions of Children's Misconceptions in Science and their Response. Proceedings of the 2009 Conference: Educational Researchers: Research or Change?, Birmingham, UK, July 10th.
 

Enterprise Activity, External Roles and Consultancy:

  • Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy
  • External Examiner for BA Early Childhood Studies course - Middlesex University
  • Journal Reviewer for European Early Childhood Research Journal
  • Journal Reviewer for Journal of Research in Childhood Education
  • Journal Reviewer for Journal of Emergent Science Reviewer
  • Research Group Member: Improving Equity and Inclusion through Education (IEIE)
  • OMEP member (World Organisation for Early Childhood Education)
  • ASE member (The Association of Science Education)
  • ESERA member (European Science Education Research Association).

Publications

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