Queena Lee | Qualitative Hypotheses | Excellence in Innovation Award

Queena Lee | Qualitative Hypotheses | Excellence in Innovation Award

Dr Queena Lee, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia

Dr. Queena Lee is an early-career academic and lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology, specializing in early childhood education and teacher development. With a deep-rooted passion for nurturing future educators, Dr. Lee focuses on fostering agency and citizenship in young learners through innovative pedagogical approaches. Her journey reflects a rich blend of teaching, academic research, and cross-cultural education across Australia and Asia. Known for her dynamic workshops, digital simulation strategies, and immersive teaching tools, she integrates cultural-historical theory into practice to support professional growth. Her doctoral work at Monash University explored how Victorian early education frameworks shape children’s agency. Dr. Lee’s recent publications and collaborative research on virtual reality-based learning environments have received international attention. She is also the current convenor for the AARE’s Special Interest Group on Cultural Historical Activity Theory, demonstrating leadership and vision in transforming teacher education. Her work bridges theory, practice, and technology to create meaningful learning environments.

Publication Profile

Orcid

Education

Dr. Lee holds a Doctor of Philosophy (2020–2024) from Monash University, where she also completed her Graduate Certificate of Educational Research (2019), Master of Teaching in Early Years Education (2017), and Graduate Diploma of Education Studies (2015). Her educational journey in Australia has been marked by progressive exploration of pedagogy, curriculum, and educational theory with a focus on early childhood development. Her doctoral thesis provided a cultural-historical analysis of children’s agency development in Victorian early learning environments. Before her education in Australia, she earned a Bachelor of Management in Electronic Commerce (2014) from Nanjing Auditing University, China. This multidisciplinary foundation allows Dr. Lee to engage with digital innovations in educational practices. Her qualifications reflect not only academic excellence but also her deep commitment to blending research with teaching to shape reflective, competent, and compassionate educators prepared for the challenges of contemporary classrooms.

Experience

Dr. Queena Lee brings rich and multifaceted experience as a Lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology (2024–present), where she coordinates units and research in early childhood education. Her previous roles include Teaching Associate at Swinburne, Australian Catholic University, and Monash University, delivering both undergraduate and postgraduate education across early childhood, primary, and secondary sectors. Her roles also involved assessment design, unit planning, and facilitating online and face-to-face workshops. As a Program Facilitator at Monash University’s English Connect, she enhanced global communication skills for higher degree research students. Additionally, her career includes impactful roles as an Early Childhood Teacher and Educational Leader (2016–2022), applying hands-on pedagogical strategies in kindergartens and long day care services. Dr. Lee’s trajectory showcases her seamless integration of academic research, educational innovation, and classroom leadership. Her academic and field-based experiences empower her to create immersive, student-centered learning environments that are responsive to cultural and technological shifts in education.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Queena Lee has been recognized for both her academic excellence and her contributions to the educational research community. She was awarded Best Presenter at the 2020 International Graduate Research Symposium, reflecting her exceptional ability to communicate complex research in accessible and engaging ways. In addition to academic accolades, Dr. Lee has held numerous leadership and voluntary roles that underline her service to the educational field. These include her ongoing role as Convenor of the AARE Special Interest Group: Cultural Historical Activity Theory, where she manages national-level research activities, and her previous roles as Mentor, PhD Ambassador, and Research Community Leader at Monash University. These positions not only underscore her leadership capabilities but also highlight her dedication to mentoring future researchers and fostering collaborative learning environments. Through these accolades and roles, Dr. Lee demonstrates the innovative spirit, collaborative ethos, and research-driven leadership that align with the values of the Excellence in Innovation Award.

Research Focus

Dr. Lee’s research focuses on children’s agency development, teacher education, play-based pedagogy, curriculum studies, and the application of cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) in early childhood settings. A significant component of her work involves analyzing how educational systems influence young children’s sense of agency and identity. Her doctoral research explored teaching practices in Victoria and how these shape children’s agency development. She is particularly interested in exploring how virtual reality (VR) simulations can serve as social situations of development for early childhood pre-service teachers, transforming traditional fieldwork and professional practice experiences. Her comparative studies across Australia, Vietnam, and Indonesia also highlight her interest in transnational pedagogy and culturally responsive practices. By applying both qualitative methodologies and theoretical frameworks like CHAT, Dr. Lee produces research that not only informs teaching practices but also advocates for equity, innovation, and reflective practice in early education.

Publication Top Notes

📘 Li, Y. (2020). The discourse of agency in early childhood: A corpus-driven discourse analysis of a state-level curriculum in Australia. Vietnam National University Press, pp. 611-626.
📘 Lee, Q. (2022). PhD candidature during the pandemic: Hansel and Gretel’s trip through the woods. In Springer Nature Singapore, pp. 275-285.
📘 Lee, Q. Y. (2024). Teaching practices in early childhood educational settings in Victoria and the development of children’s agency: A cultural-historical analysis [Doctoral thesis, Monash University].
📘 Lee, Q., Utami, A.D., & Minh, T.D. (2024). Comparative studies of play practices in Australia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. In Springer Nature Singapore, pp. 207-228.
📘 Lee, Q., Devi, A., & Cutri, J. (2025). Harnessing virtual reality to enrich pre-service teachers’ professional experiences. Education Sciences, 15(5), 635.
📘 Devi, A., Cutri, J., & Lee, Q. (2025). Virtual reality in postgraduate pre-service teacher education. In W. Goff (Ed.), Immersive learning in teacher education. IGI Global. (In press).

 

Mediatrice NIYONSABA | Qualitative Hypotheses | Best Paper Award

Mediatrice NIYONSABA | Qualitative Hypotheses | Best Paper Award

Mrs Mediatrice NIYONSABA, Rwanda Biomedical center, Rwanda

Mediatrice Niyonsaba is a dedicated health professional and researcher. Currently a second-year Master’s student in Epidemiology at the University of Rwanda, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anesthesia from the same institution. Since 2012, she has served as an anesthesia clinical officer at RBC/SAMU 🚑. Her research includes co-authoring a study on motorcycle crash epidemiology in Kigali and assisting in several projects, including those on anemia in trauma, substance abuse screening, and the impact of COVID-19 on CNS injuries. She is the lead author of a study on mHealth tools in prehospital care, published in the African Journal of Emergency Medicine 📚.

Publication profile

scupos

Education

Since November 2021, she have been pursuing a Master of Science in Epidemiology at the University of Rwanda’s College of Medicine and Health Sciences 📚. I previously earned a Bachelor’s degree in Anesthesia from the same university (2015-2017) 🎓. My professional journey includes working as an anesthesia clinical officer at RBC/SAMU (Service d’Aide Medicale d’Urgence) since November 2012 🏥. Before that, I taught Biology at SAKE Secondary School from January to November 2009 👩‍🏫.

Experience

Since January 2019, I’ve been part of the SAMU team collaborating with Utah University to develop and pilot test a mobile health communication tool (912 m Health tool) aimed at enhancing emergency medical services 🚑. I co-authored “Epidemiology and prehospital care of motorcycle crashes in Kigali, Rwanda,” published in November 2019 🏍️. From January to April 2020, I was a research assistant for the Kigali Anemia in Trauma and Transfusion Study at CHUK 🏥. Between August 2020 and September 2021, I assisted in adapting screening instruments for detecting alcohol and drug abuse in Rwanda using ACASI 🍷💊. In late 2021, I contributed to research on the impact of COVID-19 on CNS injury treatment and outcomes 🧠. Recently, I authored “Challenges and opportunities to improve efficiency and quality of prehospital emergency care using an m Health platform,” published in the African Journal of Emergency Medicine in September 2023 📚.

Research focus

Dr. Sharmistha Jayaraman’s research focuses primarily on improving prehospital emergency care and trauma management in low-resource settings, particularly in Rwanda. Her studies encompass various aspects of emergency medical services (EMS), including challenges in locating emergency scenes 🚑, enhancing efficiency through m Health platforms 📱, neurotrauma management 🧠, and the epidemiology of trauma, such as motorcycle crashes 🏍️. Additionally, Dr. Jayaraman investigates the initial management of traumatic brain injuries and factors influencing HIV testing among emergency patients. Her work aims to improve healthcare outcomes by addressing critical gaps in prehospital care and emergency response systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Publication top notes

Challenges Locating the Scene of Emergency: A Qualitative Study of the EMS System in Rwanda

Challenges and opportunities to improve efficiency and quality of prehospital emergency care using an mHealth platform: Qualitative study in Rwanda

Trends in Neurotrauma Epidemiology, Management, and Outcomes during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kigali, Rwanda

Factors associated with HIV testing among patients seeking emergent injury care in Kigali, Rwanda

The Initial Prehospital Management of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Kigali, Rwanda

The epidemiology and prehospital care of motorcycle crashes in a sub-Saharan African urban center

Data-driven prehospital training to decrease motorcycle crash deaths in a Sub-Saharan African urban center