Dr Sarika Kewalramani is a Senior Lecturer in Education at Swinburne University of Technology. Her research strives to explore inclusive STEM teaching and learning strategies by understanding the needs/barriers faced by teachers while working with students who have additional needs (e.g., EAL, language delays, Autism, ADHD) and how they can improve students’ learning outcomes. Sarika’s specialist expertise is in STEM education and pedagogical practices which is a pathway for cultivating children’s quality educational opportunities. Her research expertise also resides in conceptualising teachers’ understandings of the nexus between creative STEM-based play and using technologies in their teaching and leadership practices and curate educational programs in ways that promote students learning and development. Through her research, she provides exemplars of evidence-based teaching practices to meaningfully integrate technologies (e.g., robotics, the internet of toys and artificially intelligent toys, game-based learning) in developmentally appropriate ways to progress for example disadvantaged students’ language, numeracy, computational thinking and problem-solving skills. Her work is recognised internationally; she is the founder of the ‘All Inclusive Robotics’ (AIR) teacher professional learning program funded by the Victorian Department of Training, School Readiness Funding unit.
Sarika works very closely with teachers, early learning centre directors/principals, community stakeholders, and policymakers (such as OECD, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia MOE, Vietnam MOET) in understanding the future needs and pedagogical ways for integrating technologies in STEM education. She has a comprehensive understanding of best practice evidence-based initiatives for curriculum development – right from conception to implementation within the PreK-12 private and public schooling sectors.
Click HERE for more information on the Inclusive Robotics Program