Rate My Professor Susan Raymond

Dr Susan Raymond is a Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education at the University of South Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education from the University of South Australia, a Master of Gifted Education from Flinders University and a PhD in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Australia. With over twenty years of experience in leadership and teaching in the preschool and schooling sectors in South Australia, Dr Raymond serves as Program Director for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) and related postgraduate programs in the School of Education within the College of Education, Behavioural and Social Sciences. Her PhD research examined the teacher self-efficacy beliefs of early years teachers in South Australia using a qualitative multiple case study design underpinned by Social Cognitive and Ecological theories, resulting in the proposal of an Ecological Framework for Teacher Self-Efficacy Development. Dr Raymond has contributed to the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care as an expert witness and through multiple submissions that informed the final report recommendations. She is currently on secondment to the Office for Early Childhood Development to implement those recommendations. Her research interests include democratic pedagogies in initial teacher education, supporting preservice teachers, reflective teaching practice using innovative tools such as 360-degree cameras, and trauma-informed approaches in early years settings. Key publications include “An ecological framework for early years teacher self-efficacy development” (2023) in Teaching and Teacher Education, “Democratic pedagogies in initial teacher education: co-constructing a supportive learning framework” (2024) in Educational Action Research, and “‘Someone you can run to’: teachers at the coalface of complex trauma” (2026) in the Australian Educational Researcher. Dr Raymond has led or contributed to multiple funded projects on play-based learning, international student placements, and workforce diversity in early childhood education.

Her work emphasises research-informed practice and the co-construction of supportive learning frameworks to aid the transition from preservice to graduate teachers. Dr Raymond is eligible to supervise higher degree research students as a co-supervisor and remains actively engaged in advancing early childhood education policy and practice in South Australia.