University of Sydney
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Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education & Program Director, Master of Teaching (Early Childhood), Sydney School of Education and Social Work
Music and creative arts education
Children’s literature in early learning
Inclusive pedagogy and disability studies
Published 30+ peer-reviewed articles, monographs, and book chapters, with a focus on
Editor and reviewer for the International Journal of Music in Early Childhood and Journal of Early Childhood Literacy
Children’s book author and practitioner—integrating creative arts directly into teaching
Dr Niland’s work emphasises child-led musical storytelling, exemplified in her research “The Power of Musical Play,” which documents how young children use musical play to explore identity, control, and cultural expression—especially in inclusive settings
Picture Books, Imagination and Play: Pathways to Positive Reading Identities for Young Children
Creativity and Young Children: Wondering, Exploring, Discovering, Learning
Inclusive Education Through the Creative Arts in the Early Years
Her scholarship bridges qualitative research and reflective practice, demonstrating that meaningful early learning arises from context-grounded, culturally responsive pedagogy. Featuring her in our spotlight affirms KINDERLAND’s commitment to nurturing identity, inclusion, and expressive arts in early childhood settings inspired by Australian educational best-practice.
We are also deeply grateful that she has welcomed KINDERLAND’s work and allowed us to reference her open-access publications—signals of her support that we cherish as we build an impactful and culturally grounded educational model.
Kinderland is the first Australian-standard kindergarten in Iraq.
We create joyful, inclusive learning experiences that prepare children for life — not just school.
Kinderland is the first Australian-standard kindergarten in Iraq.
We create joyful, inclusive learning experiences that prepare children for life — not just school.
