Dr Valerie Huggins
Profiles

Dr Valerie Huggins

Associate Head of School (Undergraduate)

Plymouth Institute of Education (Faculty of Arts & Humanities)

Role

I am currently the Associate Director  for Teaching and Learning in the Plymouth Institute of Education

I am also an Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies


I am a passionate advocate for Early Childhood Education and the focus of my work is on providing well-qualified and knowledgeable adults to support young children's learning and development in a range of contexts. 

I am particularly interested in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability and the development of pre-primary education and Education for Emergencies in Majority World contexts. 

I have a wide range of prior experiences of teaching in Primary schools, with a focus on Early Years and of acting as an Early Years consultant, working with a wide range of settings to improve the quality of provision for the children aged 0-6.

I volunteered as a Teacher Educator for the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia with VSO for a year and have subsequently lead educational projects in Ethiopia as a Trustee of Exeter Ethiopia LInk. 

Qualifications

Doctorate in Education, focussing on Interculturalism


BA(Open);PGCE Early Years;MEd(Primary Education);PGCert(Leadership in Integrated Settings)


Teaching interests

Associate Professor in Early Childhood Studies
Associate Director for Teaching and Learning in Plymouth Institute of Education

Professional Tutor for the PGCE Early Years
Interested in teaching and learning in the Early Years, with a focus on Majority World contexts; Early Childhood Education for Sustainability; role of play; historical and sociological perspectives of Early Years Education; professional identity; leadership within the Early Years workforce; gender issues; ethnographic research.

Research interests

Early Childhood Education for Sustainability Young children's learning, with a focus on outdoor learning 
Professional learning and identity of Early Years practitioners
Educational research and development in the Majority World

Other research

Doctorate in Education on intercultural capabilities and international study visits

PEDRIO Fellowship Award research project Collaborative Inquiry on Education for Sustainability 
Introduction of pre primary education in Majority World contexts 
Lead on a Teaching Fellowship Award research project on using hand held technology on international study visits

Research groups

  • Early Childhood Studies
  • Professional Theory and Practice

Key publications are highlighted

Journals
Articles
Huggins VA & Siraj-Blatchford J 2015 'Editorial: Sustainable development in early childhood education and care' Early Education 76, (Summer 2015)
Huggins VA & Siraj-Blatchford J 2015 'Education for sustainable development through international partnerships' Early Education 76, (Summer 2015)
Huggins VA, Huggins VA & Campbell-Barr V 2011 'Enhancing student learning from international study trips: An exploration of the possibilities and difficulties of using digital technologies to share experiences' Tarsadalomtudomanyi Tanulmanyok IV
Books
Evans D & Huggins V 2017 Early Childhood Care and Education for Sustainability International Perspectives.
Parker-Rees ROD; Leeson C 2015 Early Childhood Studies. 4th London Sage/Learning Matters Limited 1 Publisher Site
Chapters
Huggins VA 2017 'Complexities in Implementing Early Childhood Education for Sustainability in a Majority World context' in Evans D Early Childhood Care and Education for Sustainability International Perspectives
Huggins VA 2017 'Enhancing the Outdoor Learning Spaces in Pre-Primary Classrooms in Ethiopia' The Sage Handbook of Outdoor Play and Learning Sage Publications Limited 562-578
Huggins VA & Evans D 2017 'Introduction' in Huggins V; Evans D Early Childhood Care and Education for Sustainability International Perspectives
Huggins VA & Wickett K 2017 'Very Young Children Learning Outdoors: its place in the schooling system' in Waite S; Pratt N Children Learning Outside the Classroom From Birth to Eleven Sage Publications Limited
Huggins VA 2015 'Childhood and Well-being in the Majority World’' in Parker-Rees R; Leeson C Early Childhood Studies: an introduction to the study of children’s worlds and children’s lives London Sage
Huggins VA, Anderson J & Winfield L 2015 'Exploring the experience and support needs of part-time Master’s students' in Kneale P; Brown S Perspectives in Masters Level teaching, learning and student experience London Palgrave
Huggins VA 2015 'Reflecting on my Masters experience as a student and teacher' in Kneale P; Brown S Perspectives in Masters Level teaching, learning and student experience. London Palgrave
Huggins VA, Tadesse T & Tadesse T 2015 'Supporting the expansion of pre-primary education in Ethiopia: a collaboration between a UK and an Ethiopian HE institution' in Blessinger P; Cozza B University Partnerships for Community and School System Development Emerald Group Publishing Limited 61-79 , DOI
Leeson C & Huggins V 2015 'Working with Colleagues' in Parker-Rees R; Leeson C Early Childhood Studies: an introduction to the study of children’s worlds and children’s lives London Sage
Huggins VA, Huggins V, Wickett K & Waite S 2014 'Risky Outdoor Play: embracing uncertainty in the pursuit of learning' in Maynard T; Waters J Exploring Play in the Outdoors Open University Press
Huggins VA 2013 'Widening awareness of international approaches: an imperative for twenty-first century Early Years practitioners?' in Georgeson J International perspectives on Early Childhood Education and Care
Carter Dillon RM & Huggins V 2011 'Children’s well-being in the developing world: issues of family, economics, health and education' in Leeson C; Parker-Rees R Early Childhood Studies Exeter Learning Matters
Huggins V & Wickett K 2011 'Crawling and toddling in the outdoors: very young children's learning' in Waite S Children Learning Outside the Classroom Sage Publications Ltd
Wickett K & Huggins V 0 'Using the local community as part of the Early Years learning environment' in Pratt N; Waite S Learning outside the classroom: birth to eleven London Sage
Leeson C & Huggins V 0 'Working with colleagues' in Parker-Rees R; Leeson C Early childhood studies: an introduction to the study of children's worlds and children's lives Exeter Learning Matters
Conference Papers
Huggins VA, Anderson J & Jackson A 2015 'Experiences and challenges around working with teachers in schools at M level' UCET Annual Conference Birmingham 03/11/2015 04/12/2015
Huggins VA 2015 'Promoting Education for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood Care and Education' Bluecoat EYTC Conference Torrington, Devon 20/10/2015 PEARL
Huggins VA 2015 'Early Childhood Education for Sustainability: ethical approaches to working in partnership' European Green Capital Conference Redcliffe Children’s Centre, Bristol 22/09/2015 PEARL
Huggins VA 2015 'Promoting Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) in outdoor learning spaces in a Majority World context' EECERA Barcelona 07/09/2015 10/09/2015
Huggins VA 2015 'Promoting Early Childhood Education for Sustainability in an Early Childhood Initial Teacher Education programme in England' EECERA Barcelona 07/09/2015 10/09/2015
Huggins VA 2015 'Developing Zero Grade education in partnership with an Ethiopian community: a knowledge exchange project in Nekemte, Ethiopia' 19th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies:"Ethiopia - Diversity and Interconnections through Space and Time" University of Warsaw 24/08/2015 28/08/2015
Huggins VA 2015 'Developing Zero Grade education in partnership with an Ethiopian community: a knowledge exchange' 67th OMEP International Conference Washington DC, USA 29/07/2015 01/08/2015
Huggins VA & Siraj-Blatchford J 2015 'Effective Pedagogy in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Teacher Education' Education for Sustainability in Higher Education Plymouth University 08/01/2015
Huggins VA 2014 'An evaluation of an innovative project of training for Zero Grade teachers in Nekemte, Ethiopia' 24th EECERA ANNUAL CONFERENCE ‘US, THEM & ME: Universal, Targeted or Individuated Early Childhood Programmes' Crete 07/09/2014 10/09/2014
Huggins VA 2013 'International study visits and the promotion of intercultural capabilities' Internationalisation and the Student Experience Plymouth University 18/12/2013 18/12/2013
Huggins VA 2013 'Facet Methodology' Postgraduate Conference, Faculty Health, Education and Society Plymouth University 15/06/2013
Huggins VA 0 'The Professional Identities of a group of Early Years teachers: An exploratory study' International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation Madrid, Spain 15/11/2010 17/11/2010
Posters
Huggins VA Huggins VA 0 'Promoting Early Childhood Education for Sustainable Development in an Ethiopian context' 0 0 PEARL

Other academic activities

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Huggins, V. (2015) Doctoral studies and transformation: Panel participant. PGR Conference, Plymouth University 21st June 2015 Huggins, V. (2015) ‘Education for Sustainability in Majority World contexts’, PEDRIO conference, Plymouth University, 8th January 2015 Huggins, V. & Siraj-Blatchford, J. (2015) ‘Preparing student teachers to promote Education for Sustainable Development with young children’, co-presenting with Professor John Siraj-Blatchford, PEDRIO conference, Plymouth University, 8th January 2015 Huggins, V. Sept 2014 An evaluation of an innovative project of training for Zero Grade teachers in Nekemte, Ethiopia, EECERA, Crete Huggins, V. Dec 2013 ‘International study visits and the promotion of intercultural capabilities’. Plymouth University Internationalisation Conference Huggins, V. (2013). "Facet Methodology" PGR Conference, Plymouth Institute of Education, Plymouth University. Carter-Dillon, R. & Huggins V. (2011) The Value and Potential Pitfalls of Study Trips in Challenging Euro-Centric Perspectives on Early Years Provision and Child Well-being in The Gambia. Early Childhood in Developing World Contexts International Conference, University College, Cork, 7th- 8th April 2011 July 2011 IPA World Conference 2011, Cardiff: ‘Preparing early years teachers to understand their role in promoting play: American and English challenges. With Dr. M. Tetkowski Berkley Huggins, V. (2009) Using video to capture children’s self-initiated activities and learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage: Paper presented at the Fifth International Postgraduate Student Conference, University of Leicester: Making a Difference? The impact of educational research on theory, practice or policy Huggins, V. (2010) Using video to capture children’s self-initiated activities and learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage: Paper presented at the Methods@Plymouth conference, May 2010 Huggins, V. (2010) The professional identities of a group of Early Years student teachers – an exploratory study: Paper presented at the Postgraduate Conference at the University of Plymouth, June 2010 PAPERS ACCEPTED: Huggins (2015) “Developing Zero Grade education in partnership with an Ethiopian community: a knowledge exchange”. Institute for Global Education Diplomacy, Washington DC 5-8th March 2015 Huggins (2015) "Promoting Early Childhood Education for Sustainable Development in an Ethiopian context". OMEP International Conference, Washington DC, 29th July – 1st Aug 2015 Siraj-Blatchford, J. & Huggins, V. (2015) Education for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood Teacher Education”. OMEP International Conference, Washington DC, 29th July – 1st Aug Huggins (2015) “Developing Zero Grade education in partnership with an Ethiopian community: a knowledge exchange project in Nekemte, Ethiopia”. 19th International Conference of Ethiopian Studies: University of Warsaw."Ethiopia - Diversity and Interconnections through Space and Time" 24-28 August, 2015 Huggins, V. (2015) “Promoting Early Childhood Education for Sustainability in an Early Childhood Initial Teacher Education programme in England”, EECERA, 7-10th Sept 2015 Huggins, V. (2015) “Promoting Early Childhood Education for Sustainability (ECEfS) in outdoor learning spaces in a Majority World context”. EECERA, 7-10th Sept 2015