Cambridge
0845 196 2535
tim.waller@anglia.ac.uk

Qualifications & Memberships

• Doctor of Education (Ed.D) Leicester University (2002)
• Masters in Education (MA Education) London University (1985)
• Bachelor of Education (B.Ed Honours) London University (1978)
• Certificate in Education (Cert.Ed Nursery/Infant) London University (1977)

• Member of the British Educational Research Association (BERA) [Early Years SIG]
• The European Early Childhood Education Research Association [Co-Convenor of the Outdoor Learning SIG, Children's Participation SIG]
• TACTYC - The Association for the Professional Development of Early Years Educators [Executive Board].

Courses

• PhD Research Training Programme
• MA Early Years Education
• MA Early Childhood
• BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies

Outline of career

Tim Waller is Professor of Child and Family Studies at the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education. He was formerly Reader in Early Years Education and Coordinator of the Childhood Research Cluster at the University of Wolverhampton and Director of Postgraduate Studies in the Department of Childhood Studies at Swansea University.

Previously he taught in nursery, infant and primary schools in London and has also worked in the USA. He has undertaken research on a variety of care and education topics including funded projects for Local Authorities, the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and the Department for Education (DfE). For example, he is currently co-directing a large national project, the 'Longitudinal Evaluation of the Role and Impact of Early Years Professional Status' for the CWDC (2009-12).

Since September 2003 he has been coordinating an ongoing research project designed to investigate children's perspectives of their outdoor play. This project has involved developing and using a range of 'participatory' methods for research with young children. He has also helped to establish the Men in Childcare Network in Wales. Recently, he has been contracted to edit the third edition of An Introduction to Early Childhood: a multi-disciplinary approach to be published by SAGE.

Research Interest

Tim's substantive research interest concerns ethnographic and participatory research methods and he is particularly interested in research involving children's rights, children's culture and children's everyday lives.

A current focus of his research is on outdoor learning in early years education. For the past nine years Tim has organised a well known and ongoing outdoor learning project, which is included in the DfE research summary for practitioners and policy makers. This project has sought to explore and develop a range of participatory methods, including the use of visual images recorded by the children, practitioners and parents to document and reflect on their experiences and perspectives in outdoor environments.

The implications of this research have led to a number of challenges around how and when it is appropriate for young children to fully participate in research and consequently Tim has also developed an interest in research ethics, particularly involving young children and families.

Selected Publications

Edited Journal Special Editions
Waller, T., Sandseter, E., Wyver, S., Ärlemalm-Hagsér, E. and Maynard, T. (2010).
Special Edition of the European Early Childhood Education Association Journal - Outdoor Play and Learning, December. 18(04): 437 - 443. DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2010.525917.

Journal Articles
Waller, T. and Bitou, A. (2011). 'Research with children: three challenges for participatory research in early childhood'. European Early Childhood Education Research Association Journal, 19 (1): 129-147. March 2011.

Waller, T. (2010). " 'We don't want to sit next to each other ... because the boys mess around all the time': an exploration of gender in the construction of shared narratives around outdoor spaces". Special Edition of the European Early Childhood Education Association Journal - Outdoor Play and Learning, December. 18(04): 527 - 542. DOI: 10.1080/1350293X.2010.525953

Edited Books
Waller, T., Whitmarsh, J. and Clarke, K. (Eds) (2011). Making Sense of Theory and Practice in Early Childhood: the Power of Ideas. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Harcourt, D, Perry, B. and Waller, T. (Eds) (2011). Young children's perspectives: Ethics, theory and research. Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer (March 2011)

Waller, T. (Ed) (2009). An Introduction to Early Childhood: a multi-disciplinary approach (2nd Edition). London: Sage.

Clark, M. M. and Waller, T. (eds) (2007). Early Childhood Education and Care: policy and practice. London: Sage.

Chapters in Books
Waller, T. (2011). 'Adults are essential: the roles of adults outdoors'. In, J. White (ed) Outdoor Provision in the Early Years. London: Sage.

Waller, T. (2010). 'Digital play in the classroom: A twenty-first century pedagogy?' In, S. Rogers (ed) Rethinking Play and Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education: Concepts, Contexts and Cultures. Abingdon: Routledge Falmer.

Waller, T. (2008). 'ICT and Literacy'. In, J. Marsh and E. Hallett (eds), Desirable Literacies: Approaches to Language and Literacy in the Early Years (2nd Edition). London: Sage.