Professor Michelle M. Neumann

BSci(Hons), GradDipEd, BEd, PhD

School of Education

Professor of Education

A photo of Professor Michelle M Neumann — MICHELLE NEUMANN-pic - Michelle M Neumann

m.m.neumann@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 2228170

The Wave

Full contact details

Professor Michelle M. Neumann
School of Education
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH

Profile: Michelle M. Neumann is an expert in the field of early childhood education, digital technologies (social robots, tablets, apps), and emergent literacy development, and conducts research in preschool and primary school settings. Michelle has experience in using a multi-method approach that incorporates qualitative and quantitative analysis, and she has been recognised as a lead researcher in Australia, in the field of Early Childhood Education by the Australian Government (2021-2023) and has been successful in gaining research funding. Michelle has developed several early educational programs and digital resources for early literacy and language learning, and published a book, several book chapters and research articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals, having over 10 years’ experience working as a primary and secondary school teacher. She is passionate about leading research teams that seek to understand how young children interact, engage, and communicate with social robots and how AI-enabled social robots could be used to support early literacy and language learning in the classroom.

Research interests

Early childhood education;

Early literacy development;

Digital technologies (tablets, apps, social robots, AI);

Environmental print; Parent-child interactions;

Learning and teaching at home and preschool.

Publications

Books

Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) ACADEMIC WOMEN: Voicing Narratives of Gendered Experiences.

Journal articles

Barry R-J, Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2025) Individual differences and young children's engagement with a social robot. Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, 4, 100139-100139.
Tozadore D, Nasir J, Johal W & Neumann MM (2025) Editorial: Advances in robots for learning. Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 12. View this article in WRRO
Soong H, Nichols S, Dooley K & Neumann MM (2025) Contesting the framing of digital risk: An analysis of Australian children’s experiences. Journal of Children and Media, 19(1), 175-193.
Soyoof A, Reynolds BL, Neumann MM & Vazquez-Calvo B (2025) Correction: Maternal Scaffolding of Iranian Children’s Extramural Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE): a Qualitative Study. Early Childhood Education Journal, 53(5), 1883-1883.
Soyoof A, Reynolds BL, Neumann MM & Vazquez-Calvo B (2025) Maternal Scaffolding of Iranian Children’s Extramural Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE): A Qualitative Study. Early Childhood Education Journal, 53(5), 1865-1881.
Soyoof A, Reynolds BL, Neumann M, Scull J, Tour E & McLay K (2024) The impact of parent mediation on young children's home digital literacy practices and learning: A narrative review. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 40(1), 65-88.
Neumann MM, Park E, Soong H, Nichols S & Selim N (2024) Exploring the social media networks of primary school children. Education 3-13, 52(8), 1252-1266.
Neumann MM, Koch L-C, Zagami J, Reilly D & Neumann DL (2023) Preschool children's engagement with a social robot compared to a human instructor. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 332-341.
de Zwart M, Henderson S & Neumann M (2023) Space resource activities and the evolution of international space law. Acta Astronautica, 211, 155-162.
Neumann MM, Calteaux I, Reilly D & Neumann DL (2023) Exploring teachers’ perspectives on the benefits and barriers of using social robots in early childhood education. Early Child Development and Care, 193(13-14), 1503-1516.
Neumann MM (2023) Bringing Social Robots to Preschool: Transformation or Disruption?. Childhood Education, 99(4), 62-65.
Neumann MM (2023) Building Resilience Capacity in Young Children: Practical Insights for Early Childhood Educators. Childhood Education, 99(2), 32-39.
Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) Introduction: Gendered Narrative Experiences of Women in Academia. Academic Women: Voicing Narratives of Gendered Experiences, 1-8.
Neumann MM, Neumann DL & Koch L-C (2023) Young children’s interactions with a social robot during a drawing task. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(3), 421-436.
Neumann MM (2023) Exploring and mapping young children’s digital emergent writing on tablets. Early Years, 43(4-5), 697-711.
Neumann MM, Keioskie MK, Patterson D & Neumann DL (2022) Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality: Benefits and Barriers for Early Childhood Education. Childhood Education, 98(4), 68-79.
Neumann MM & Tillott S (2022) Why should teachers cultivate resilience through mindfulness?. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 32(1), 3-14.
Tillott S, Weatherby-Fell N, Pearson P & Neumann MM (2022) Using storytelling to unpack resilience theory in accordance with an internationally recognised resilience framework with primary school children. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 32(1), 134-145.
Neumann MM (2022) What Counts Most in Assessing Emergent Literacy With Digital Tools?. Childhood Education, 98(1), 72-77.
Neumann MM & Merchant G (2022) “That’s a Big Bad Wolf!”: Learning through Teacher-Child Talk During Shared Reading of a Story Book App. Early Childhood Education Journal, 50(3), 515-525.
Neumann MM (2020) The Impact of Tablets and Apps on Language Development. Childhood Education, 96(6), 70-74.
Neumann MM & Herodotou C (2020) Young Children and YouTube: A global phenomenon. Childhood Education, 96(4), 72-77.
Neumann MM & Herodotou C (2020) Evaluating YouTube videos for young children. Education and Information Technologies, 25(5), 4459-4475.
Neumann MM (2020) Teacher Scaffolding of Preschoolers’ Shared Reading With a Storybook App and a Printed Book. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 34(3), 367-384.
Burnett C, Merchant G & Neumann MM (2020) Closing the gap? Overcoming limitations in sociomaterial accounts of early literacy. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 20(1), 111-133.
Neumann MM (2020) Social Robots and Young Children’s Early Language and Literacy Learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48(2), 157-170.
Burnett C, Merchant G & Neumann MM (2020) The appearance of literacy in new communicative practices: interrogating the politics of noticing. Cambridge Journal of Education, 50(2), 167-183.
Brosseuk D, Exley B & Neumann M (2020) “You Know, I Could Trip and Fall Onto the Track!”: Inspiring Text Production. The Reading Teacher, 73(4), 453-460.
Neumann MM, Merchant G & Burnett C (2020) Young children and tablets: the views of parents and teachers. Early Child Development and Care, 190(11), 1750-1761.
Neumann MM, Worrall S & Neumann DL (2019) Validation of an Expressive and Receptive Tablet Assessment of Early Literacy. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 51(4), 326-341.
Mneumann M, Wang Y, Qi GY & Neumann DL (2019) An evaluation of Mandarin learning apps designed for english speaking pre-schoolers. Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 30(2), 167-193.
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2019) Validation of a touch screen tablet assessment of early literacy skills and a comparison with a traditional paper-based assessment. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 42(4), 385-398.
Neumann MM (2018) The effects of a parent–child environmental print program on emergent literacy. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 16(4), 337-348.
Neumann MM (2018) Using tablets and apps to enhance emergent literacy skills in young children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 42, 239-246.
Neumann MM (2018) Maternal Scaffolding of Preschoolers’ Writing Using Tablet and Paper-Pencil Tasks: Relations With Emergent Literacy Skills. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 32(1), 67-80.
Neumann MM (2018) Parent scaffolding of young children’s use of touch screen tablets. Early Child Development and Care, 188(12), 1654-1664.
Neumann MM, Finger G & Neumann DL (2017) A Conceptual Framework for Emergent Digital Literacy. Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(4), 471-479.
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2017) The use of touch-screen tablets at home and pre-school to foster emergent literacy. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 17(2), 203-220.
Neumann MM (2016) A socioeconomic comparison of emergent literacy and home literacy in Australian preschoolers. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 24(4), 555-566.
Neumann MM (2016) Young children's use of touch screen tablets for writing and reading at home: Relationships with emergent literacy. Computers & Education, 97, 61-68.
Neumann MM (2015) Young children and screen time: Creating a mindful approach to digital technology. Australian Educational Computing, 30(2).
Neumann MM, Summerfield K & Neumann DL (2015) Visual attention to print-salient and picture-salient environmental print in young children. Reading and Writing, 28(4), 423-437.
Neumann MM (2014) An examination of touch screen tablets and emergent literacy in Australian pre-school children. Australian Journal of Education, 58(2), 109-122.
Neumann MM (2014) Using environmental print to foster emergent literacy in children from a low-SES community. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 29(3), 310-318.
Neumann MM, Acosta C & Neumann DL (2014) Young Children's Visual Attention to Environmental Print as Measured by Eye Tracker Analysis. Reading Research Quarterly, 49(2), 157-167.
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2014) A measure of emerging print knowledge in young children. Early Child Development and Care, 184(8), 1142-1159.
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2014) Touch Screen Tablets and Emergent Literacy. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(4), 231-239.
Neumann MM, Hood M, Ford RM & Neumann DL (2013) Letter and numeral identification: their relationship with early literacy and numeracy skills. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21(4), 489-501.
Neumann MM, Hood M & Ford R (2013) Mother–Child Referencing of Environmental Print and Its Relationship With Emergent Literacy Skills. Early Education & Development, 24(8), 1175-1193.
Neumann DL, Hood M & Neumann MM (2013) Using real-life data when teaching statistics: Student perceptions of this strategy in an introductory statistics course. Statistics Education Research Journal, 12(2), 59-70.
Neumann MM, Hood M & Ford RM (2013) Using environmental print to enhance emergent literacy and print motivation. Reading and Writing, 26(5), 771-793.
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2012) The Role of Idiomorphs in Emergent Literacy. Childhood Education, 88(1), 23-29.
Neumann DL, Hood M & Neumann MM (2012) An Evaluation of Computer-Based Interactive Simulations in the Assessment of Statistical Concepts. International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education, 19(1), 17-24.
Neumann MM, Hood M, Ford RM & Neumann DL (2012) The role of environmental print in emergent literacy. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 12(3), 231-258.
Neumann MM, Hood M & Ford RM (2012) Mother–child joint writing in an environmental print setting: relations with emergent literacy. Early Child Development and Care, 182(10), 1349-1369.
Neumann DL, Neumann MM & Hood M (2010) The Development and Evaluation of a Survey That Makes Use of Student Data to Teach Statistics. Journal of Statistics Education, 18(1).
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2010) Parental strategies to scaffold emergent writing skills in the pre‐school child within the home environment. Early Years, 30(1), 79-94.
Neumann DL, Hood M & Neumann MM (2009) Statistics? You Must be Joking: The Application and Evaluation of Humor when Teaching Statistics. Journal of Statistics Education, 17(2).
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2009) For Parents Particularly: More than Just Storybooks: Promoting Emergent Literacy Skills in the Home. Childhood Education, 85(4), 257-259.
Neumann MM, Hood M & Neumann DL (2009) The Scaffolding of Emergent Literacy Skills in the Home Environment: A Case Study. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(4), 313-319.
Soyoof A, Neumann MM, Reynolds BL, Rezai A & Gözüm AİC () Investigating the relationship between Iranian parents’ demographic factors and their mediation of children’s digital gameplay at home. Education and Information Technologies.
Park E & Neumann M () Current Insights on Using Social Robots to Support Second Language (L2) International Students in Higher Education. Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 16(4).
Soyoof A, Neumann MM & Reynolds BL () Exploring maternal perceptions of critical digital engagement practices in Iranian children. Interactive Learning Environments, 1-17.
() Academic Women.
Ronksley-Pavia M & Neumann MM () Exploring Educator Leadership Practices in Gifted Education to Facilitate Online Learning Experiences for (Re)Engaging Gifted Students. Education Sciences, 12(2), 99-99.
Ronksley-Pavia M & Neumann MM () Conceptualising Gifted Student (Dis) Engagement through the Lens of Learner (Re) Engagement. Education Sciences, 10(10), 274-274.
Neumann MM, Anthony JL, Erazo NA & Neumann DL () Assessment and Technology: Mapping Future Directions in the Early Childhood Classroom. Frontiers in Education, 4.
Neumann DL, Neumann MM & Hood M () Evaluating computer-based simulations, multimedia and animations that help integrate blended learning with lectures in first year statistics. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(2).

Chapters

Sandoval EB, Park H & Neumann MM (2025) Baby-Robot Interaction: An Observational Analysis of Young Children’s Interactions with Robot Cleaners, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (pp. 250-260). Springer Nature Singapore
Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) Introduction, Academic Women Bloomsbury Academic
Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) Concepts and Perceptions of Gendered Women’s Experiences in Academia, Academic Women Bloomsbury Academic
Ronksley-Pavia M, Pickard-Smith K, Neumann MM & Manakil JF (2023) Cogent Themes from Women’s Gendered Experiences in Academia, Academic Women Bloomsbury Academic
Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) Gendered Narrative Experiences of Women in Academia Introduction, ACADEMIC WOMEN (pp. 1-8).
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2016) Parent-child interactions with environmental print, Parent-Child Interactions and Relationships: Perceptions, Practices and Developmental Outcomes (pp. 181-193).
Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2016) An analysis of mother-child interactions during an ipad activity, Parent-Child Interactions and Relationships: Perceptions, Practices and Developmental Outcomes (pp. 133-147).
Neumann DL, Power G, Hood M, Murphy K & Neumann MM (2015) Blended learning approaches for statistics teaching, Blended Learning: Student Perceptions, Emerging Practices and Effectiveness (pp. 159-180).
Neumann MM, Hyde MB, Neumann DL, Hood M & Ford RM (2012) Multisensory methods for early literacy learning, Beyond the Lab: Applications of Cognitive Research in Memory and Learning (pp. 197-216).

Datasets

Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2016) Emergent Print Identification Scale.

Research group: Early Childhood Education, Literacies and Language

Grants

Some examples of externally funded research

• (2021-2024) Co-investigator on an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant ($250K) in collaboration with University of South Australia and QUT on “Parent Involvement goes online: New ecologies of school-home relations”.

• (2024) Co-investigator on a Queensland Education Horizons grant ($131K) in collaboration with Griffith University “Building Teacher Capability to Leverage Generative AI to Personalise Learning for Neurodiverse Students: Inclusion for Students with Learning Disabilities and Neurodevelopmental Conditions”.

Teaching interests: Early childhood education; Early literacy and language development; Digital Technologies, Learning, teaching and engagement.

Professional activities and memberships

Member of UK Literacy Association (UKLA)

Registered Teacher (Education Queensland and Queensland College of Teachers)