Dr Ruby Oates
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Job title: Assistant Subject Head: Early Childhood Studies & Education Studies
Email: r.oates@derby.ac.uk
Phone No: 01332 591824
Room: E202
I'm a media friendly expert
Recent publications
Oates, R. & Sanders, A. (2009) Making a little difference for early childhood studies students in Papatheodoru, T. & Moyles, J. Learning Together in the Early Years: Exploring Relational Pedagogy. London: Routledge.
Sanders, A., Oates, R. & Kahn, T. (2010) Hard to Reach? Engaging fathers in early years settings. Derby: University of Derby with the Pre School Learning Alliance.
Experience in Industry
Human Relations.
Current Activities / Links with Industry
Early childhood education and care workforce/sector including private, voluntary, charity, independent and maintained sectors.
Faculty: Education, Health and Sciences
School: School of Education
Subject Area: Early Years
Assistant Subject Head: Social Studies overseeing the UG programmes BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies and BA (Hons) Education Studies. Previously Programme Leader for Early Childhood Studies.
Teaching responsibilities
Early childhood studies, sociological and psychological perspectives. Research methodologies and early childhood studies.
Professional interests
Professionalisation of early childhood workforce.
Research interests
Professionality and professionalism in early childhood; power and politics in the construction of the early childhood worker; reflective practice; relational pedagogy, the social construction of childhood; gender, power and education.
International Experience
Led the development of European collaborative in Greece within the Subject Area of Social Studies.
Membership of professional bodies and advisory committees
British Sociological Association. European Early Childhood Education Research Association. Early Childhood Studies Degree Network. Gender & Education.
Recent Conferences
European Early Childhood Education Research Association - Stavenger, Norway, and University of Birmingham. University of East Anglia: Relational Pedagogy and Early Childhood. Institute of Education, London, on Gender, Regulation & Resistance. Understanding Professionalism: University of Derby. New Horizons: University of Derby.
Additional Interests and Activities
Scuba diving, marine and wildlife conservation.
Media experience
Most recently a two appearances on BBC Radio Derby's Breakfast Show discussing issues in relation to topics such as childhood, gender and toy choices, commericalisation of childhood, children and TVs in bedrooms. Previously, BBC TV East Midlands Today on an item on men working as practitioners in early childhood settings.
Undergraduate qualifications
- BA (Hons) Humanities, Trent Polytechnic (now NTU)
Postgraduate qualifications
- Master of Education (Human Relations), University of Nottingham
- PGCE QTS, Loughborough University of Technology
Research qualifications
- Doctor of Education, University of Derby
