Dr Michael Gaffney, Our People, College of Education, University of Otago, New Zealand

Michael Gaffney Programme Co‑ordinator (Early Childhood Education)
Lecturer | Mātauraka Kōhukahuka
Member of the Kaiāwhina Māori – Māori student support team
PhD, MA, MEd, BA, Dip Tchg

Kāi Tahu

Dunedin Campus
Waea | Tel +64 3 479 4214
Īmēra | Email michael.gaffney@otago.ac.nz
Tari | Office 2.04, Tower Block, College of Education, Dunedin

Biography

I am a Lecturer in the Early Childhood Education Programme. My research interests are quite broad as a result of working at the Childrenʻs Issues Centre, University of Otago from 1995–2010 as a researcher and lecturer. During this time I was involved in the development and teaching of the Post Graduate Diploma of Child Advocacy and supervising students in the Masters of Childhood and Youth Studies programme.

My current research interests often take me into evaluation studies of social and education service providers. I am particularly interested in how people learn to be parents and how communities, including early childhood settings, can support them. I am involved in a couple of Ministry of Social Development activities locally – Strengthening Families http://www.strengtheningfamilies.govt.nz and Community Response Forums https://www.communityresponse.org.nz

Research interests

Childhood Studies: Children and Young People's views of their experiences
Disability Studies and inclusion
Socio-Cultural theory and Communities of Practice
Social and Educational Evaluation

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Publications

Waterworth, K., Gaffney, M., Taylor, N., & Gibson, B. E. (2023). The civil rights of disabled children in physiotherapy practices. Physiotherapy Theory & Practice, 39(3), 547-559. doi: 10.1080/09593985.2021.2011511

McAnelly, K., & Gaffney, M. (2022). The role of love, rights and solidarity in creating inclusive early childhood education. Proceedings of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) Conference: Transforming the Future of Education. Retrieved from https://www.aareconference.com.au/program

McAnelly, K., & Gaffney, M. (2021, November). "We are diverse but we are also one": Teachers and families of disabled children finding ways of working together. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Association for Research in Education (NZARE) Virtual Conference: Learning in Crises, [Online].

Waterworth, K., Nicholls, D. A., Burrows, L., & Gaffney, M. (2021). Physiotherapy for children and the construction of the disabled child. In D. A. Nicholls, K. S. Groven, E. A. Kinsella & R. L. Anjum (Eds.), Mobilizing knowledge in physiotherapy: Critical reflections on foundations and practices. Abingdon, UK: Routledge.

Gaffney, M. (2020). Kia ora from Aotearoa New Zealand. Children Australia, 45(2), 71-73. doi: 10.1017/cha.2020.31

MacArthur, J., & Gaffney, M. (2001). Bullied and Teased or Just Another Kid? The Social Experience of Students with Disabilities at School. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research, 116p.

Authored Book - Research

Smith, A., & Gaffney, M. (1996). An Evaluation of Early Childhood Professional Development Programs: Research Report to the Ministry of Education. Dunedin: Children's Issues Centre, University of Otago, 122p.

Authored Book - Research

Chapter in Book - Research

McAnelly, K., & Gaffney, M. (2020). Producing an understanding of autistic tamariki in early childhood settings: The case for a new materialist approach. In A. C. Gunn, N. Surtees, D. Gordon-Burns & K. Purdue (Eds.), Te aotūroa tātaki: Inclusive early childhood education: Perspectives on inclusion, social justice and equity from Aotearoa New Zealand. (2nd ed.) (pp. 109-125). Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Gaffney, M., & McAnelly, K. (2019). The Aotearoa New Zealand curriculum Te Whāriki as a basis for developing dispositions of inclusion: Early childhood student teachers partnering with families as part of their pedagogical practice. In B. M. Rice (Ed.), Global perspectives on inclusive teacher education. (pp. 181-195). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. doi: 10.4018/978-1-5225-7703-4.ch011

Chapter in Book - Research

MacArthur, J., McLaughlan, T., & Gaffney, M. (2019). Special education needs and disabilities in early childhood education (New Zealand). In C. Mutch (Ed.), Bloomsbury education and childhood studies. London, UK: Bloomsbury Academic. doi: 10.5040/9781350996298.0008

Chapter in Book - Research

McAnelly, K., & Gaffney, M. (2019). Achieving citizenship for all: Theorising active participation for disabled children and their families in early childhood education. In A. Guerin & T. McMenamin (Eds.), Belonging: Rethinking inclusive practices to support well-being and identity. (pp. 56-72). Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. doi: 10.1163/9789004388420_005

Chapter in Book - Research

Gaffney, M., & Munro, J. (2012). Young people's participation in service evaluation. In J. Fleming & T. Boeck (Eds.), Involving children and young people in health and social care research. (pp. 138-148). Abingdon, UK: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9780203116319

Chapter in Book - Research

Duncan, J., Darker, D., McLean, T., Parata, B., Preedy, K., & Gaffney, M. (2009). What counts as support for families? In A. Meade (Ed.), Generating waves: Innovation in early childhood education. (pp. 31-38). Wellington, New Zealand: NZCER Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Gaffney, M. (2009). Drawing threads together: The development of early childhood education in New Zealand. In R. M. Clifford & G. M. Crawford (Eds.), Beginning school: U.S. policies in international perspective. (pp. 83-94). New York: Teachers College Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Gaffney, M., Taylor, N., & Atwool, N. (2008). New Zealand. In I. Epstein & J. Pattnaik (Eds.), The Greenwood encyclopedia of children's issues worldwide: Asia and Oceania. (pp. 301-323). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Chapter in Book - Research

Gaffney, J. M. D., & Smith, A. B. (2001). An evaluation of New Zealand's targeted individual entitlement scheme. In C. R. Hepburn (Ed.), Can the Market Save our Schools? (pp. 151-166). Vancouver, Canada: Fraser Institute.

Chapter in Book - Research

Holton, D., & Gaffney, M. (1996). Teaching talented students. In J. N. Neyland (Ed.), Mathematics Education: A Handbook for Teachers. (pp. 397-409). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers in Mathematics.

Chapter in Book - Research

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M. (2020). Peer reciprocity and friendship in the classroom: A disabled student's experience. Ethnography & Education, 15(4), 462-478. doi: 10.1080/17457823.2019.1698308

Journal - Research Article

Gaches, S., & Gaffney, M. (2019). Children's rights and the draft Strategic Plan for Early Learning: Where are the children? Early Childhood Folio, 23(1), 22-27. doi: 10.18296/ecf.0064

Journal - Research Article

McAnelly, K., & Gaffney, M. (2019). Rights, inclusion and citizenship: A good news story about learning in the early years. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 23(10), 1081-1094. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2019.1629123

Journal - Research Article

Boon, B., Greatbanks, R., Munro, J., & Gaffney, M. (2017). Service delivery under translation: Multi-stakeholder accountability in the non-profit community sector in New Zealand. Health & Social Care in the Community, 25(2), 402-413. doi: 10.1111/hsc.12319

Journal - Research Article

McAnelly, K., & Gaffney, M. (2017). He waka eke noa: A case study of active participation for a disabled child in an inclusive early childhood community of practice. Early Childhood Folio, 21(1), 16-21. doi: 10.18296/ecf.0031

Journal - Research Article

Drummond, B. K., Gaffney, M., & Marshall, K. (2016). And investigation of the views of parents in Otago on dental care for primary school-aged children by the Community Oral Health Service prior to the introduction of the hub-based clinic system. New Zealand Dental Journal, 112(4), 108-115.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M. (2014). Calling forth disability in the classroom. Disability & Society, 29(3), 359-372. doi: 10.1080/09687599.2013.816627

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M., Munro, J., with Inns, B., Morgan-Hudson, D., Kennedy, K., Nyman, L., & Buckley, M. (2013). Young people's participation in service evaluation. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 25(4), 62-70.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M. (2009). Young carers: The challenges of identifying a 'hidden' group of children. Childrenz Issues, 13(1), 50-55.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M. (2008). Participatory action research: An overview: What makes it tick? Kairaranga, 9(Spec. ed), 9-15.

Journal - Research Article

Macarthur, J., Sharp, S., Kelly, B., & Gaffney, M. (2007). Disabled children negotiating school life: Agency, difference and teaching practice. International Journal of Children's Rights, 15, 99-120. doi: 10.1163/092755607X181720

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M., McCormack, J., Higgens, N., & Taylor, N. (2004). Improving school culture: What we learnt from three primary schools. Kairaranga, 5(2), 36-43.

Journal - Research Article

Smith, A. B., Gaffney, M., & Nairn, K. (2004). Health rights in secondary schools: Student and staff perspectives. Health Education Research, 19(1), 85-97. Oxford University Press.

Journal - Research Article

Smith, A. B., Nairn, K., & Gaffney, M. (2004). Secondary students' involvement in recreational activities at school. Childrenz Issues, 8(1), 29-34.

Journal - Research Article

Smith, A. B., Nairn, K., Taylor, N. J., & Gaffney, J. M. D. (2003). Staff and student perspectives on children's rights in New Zealand secondary schools. Childrenz Issues, 7(1), 9-16.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, J. M. D. (2002). Research as a journey: The new researcher as a first-time traveller. New Zealand Research in Early Childhood Education, 5, 1-11.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, J. M. D., & Smith, A. B. (2001). Future directions for early childhood research in New Zealand. Research in Early Childhood Education, 4, 189-204.

Journal - Research Article

Henaghan, R. M., Taylor, N. J., Smith, A. B., Gollop, M. M., Gaffney, J. M. D., & Gold, M. (1998). Children's views on their parents' separation. Butterworths Family Law Journal, 2(11), 277-285.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M. (1997). Education at a distance: so what's happening at the other end? Computers in New Zealand Schools, 9(1), 8-12.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M., Trewern, A., & Hills, P. (1996). A pilot study of students video-conferencing across the internet with CU-Seeme. Computers in New Zealand Schools, 8(3), 19-24.

Journal - Research Article

Gaffney, M. (2020). Kia ora from Aotearoa New Zealand. Children Australia, 45(2), 71-73. doi: 10.1017/cha.2020.31

Journal - Research Other

Gaffney, M., & White, E. J. (2018). Video activism as political advocacy for social justice: The legacy of professor Anne Smith in education. Video Journal of Education & Pedagogy, 3, 5. doi: 10.1186/s40990-018-0017-z

Journal - Research Other

Bourke, R., & Gaffney, M. (2008). Raising your sights beyond your immediate understandings: An interview with Emeritus Professor Keith Ballard. Kairaranga, 9(2), 3-8.

Journal - Research Other

Gaffney, M. (2006). [Review of the book Allies in emancipation: Shifting from providing service to being of support]. Kairaranga, 7(1), 53-54.

Journal - Research Other

Gaffney, M. (2006). [Review of the book Assessment in early childhood education: Keeping it complex, keeping it connected, keeping it credible]. Kairaranga, 7(2), 45-46.

Journal - Research Other

Gaffney, M. (2001). Editorial. Childrenz Issues, 5(2), 3-4.

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Gollop, M. M., Taylor, N. J., Smith, A. B., Gaffney, J. M. D., Gold, M., & Henaghan, R. M. (1997). Facilitating access: children's and lawyers' perspectives. LawTalk, 490, 28-30.

Journal - Professional & Other Non-Research Articles

Smith, A. B., Gollop, M. M., Taylor, N. J., Gaffney, J. M. D., Gold, M., & Henaghan, R. M. (1998). Access and other post-separation issues: a qualitative study of children's, parents' and lawyers' perspectives (abbreviated). Enhancing Children's Potential: Minimising the Risk & Maximising the Resiliency: Proceedings of the Children's Issues Centre: Second Child and Family Policy Conference. (pp. 251-297). Dunedin: Children's Issues Centre. [Full Paper]

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper