Biography
Role
I am currently responsible for the visiting students of the Stage 2 Bachelor of Teaching (ECE). I am responsible for TER2307 modules 3 and 4. I also mark assignments for the GTEL2307 course.
Education background
I have been an educator for more than 20 years. I have taught in various educational institutions both in Malaysia and New Zealand. I have worked as a primary and secondary school teacher, teacher trainer, lecturer and early childhood teacher. The highlight of my career was when I got my New Zealand teaching certificate and started my journey as a guest lecturer and an ECE-Kaiako in New Zealand. I was then offered a position as a lecturer for the Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education at a private institution in Auckland, where I also supervised master’s students, before the Covid hit globally. I then worked at a secondary school as an ELL teacher before starting my journey at Te Rito Maioha as a lecturer.
Research background
As a qualified primary and secondary English teacher and researcher, I am interested in teacher education and educational development. My research interests lie in the broad area of blended learning and innovative teaching. In particular, I am interested in research that helps educators improve pedagogical approaches to teaching and assessment to increase student academic achievement. I am also interested in exploring the rationale and passion for working with children in early childhood education (with a particular interest in migrant and international students).
Teaching interests
In my previous work as a teacher and lecturer in Malaysia, I have achieved many successes and honours. Since my appointment at Te Rito Maioha, I have been involved in various courses as a facilitator, assignment marker, student support, overviewing online conversations and student visits for the Bachelor of Teaching (ECE). I wanted to gain as much experience as possible before setting out to become an ECE teacher and advocate for young learners. To become an ECE teacher for young people, I used to envisage and mentally prepared myself to be a future advocate in this field. Attaining an advocate for ECE is a lifelong process and I have meticulously used every teaching opportunity that came my way to understand what student teachers need, how to communicate ideas and knowledge to them, how to observe and learn from them, and how to be actively aware of new developments and trends in the field of ECE and teaching.
Recent publications
- Chellapan, L (2013) “If you talk it is just talking, If I talk is that bragging”? Perspectives of parents with young gifted children in New Zealand. The New Zealand Journal of Gifted Education.
- Chellapan, L; Van der Meer, J. (2013) “To flip or not to flip that the question” http://www.jofdl.nz/index.php/JOFDL
- Chellapan, L; Van der Meer, J. (2016) Challenges in implementing the flipped classroom model in higher education. In Handbook of research on active learning and the flipped classroom model in the digital age (pp. 352-365). IGI Global.