Professor Michelle M. Neumann

BSci(Hons), GradDipEd, BEd, PhD

School of Education

Professor of Education

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MICHELLE NEUMANN-pic - Michelle M Neumann
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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

  • (2025) . Springer Nature Singapore.
  • Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) ACADEMIC WOMEN: Voicing Narratives of Gendered Experiences.

Journal articles

  • Ronksley-Pavia M, Nguyen L, Wheeley E, Rose J, Neumann MM, Bigum C & Neumann DL (2025) . Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 9, 100437-100437.
  • Bergman Deitcher D & Neumann MM (2025) . Education Sciences, 15(7).
  • Campbell S, Neumann MM & Friend L (2025) . Education Sciences, 15(6), 684-684.
  • Barry R-J, Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2025) . Computers in Human Behavior: Artificial Humans, 4, 100139-100139.
  • Tozadore D, Nasir J, Johal W & Neumann MM (2025) . Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 12.
  • Soyoof A, Neumann MM, Reynolds BL, Rezai A & G繹z羹m A襤C (2025) . Education and Information Technologies, 30(8), 10411-10442.
  • Soong H, Nichols S, Dooley K & Neumann MM (2025) . Journal of Children and Media, 19(1), 175-193.
  • Soyoof A, Reynolds BL, Neumann MM & Vazquez-Calvo B (2025) . Early Childhood Education Journal, 53(5), 1883-1883.
  • Soyoof A, Reynolds BL, Neumann MM & Vazquez-Calvo B (2025) . Early Childhood Education Journal, 53(5), 1865-1881.
  • Soyoof A, Reynolds BL, Neumann M, Scull J, Tour E & McLay K (2024) . Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 40(1), 65-88.
  • Neumann MM, Park E, Soong H, Nichols S & Selim N (2024) . Education 3-13, 52(8), 1252-1266.
  • Neumann MM, Koch L-C, Zagami J, Reilly D & Neumann DL (2023) . Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 332-341.
  • de Zwart M, Henderson S & Neumann M (2023) . Acta Astronautica, 211, 155-162.
  • Neumann MM, Calteaux I, Reilly D & Neumann DL (2023) . Early Child Development and Care, 193(13-14), 1503-1516.
  • Neumann MM (2023) . Childhood Education, 99(4), 62-65.
  • Neumann MM (2023) . 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) . European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 31(3), 421-436.
  • Neumann MM (2023) . Early Years, 43(4-5), 697-711.
  • Neumann MM, Keioskie MK, Patterson D & Neumann DL (2022) . Childhood Education, 98(4), 68-79.
  • Neumann MM & Tillott S (2022) . Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 32(1), 3-14.
  • Tillott S, Weatherby-Fell N, Pearson P & Neumann MM (2022) . Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 32(1), 134-145.
  • Neumann MM (2022) . Childhood Education, 98(1), 72-77.
  • Neumann MM & Merchant G (2022) . Early Childhood Education Journal, 50(3), 515-525.
  • Neumann MM (2020) . Childhood Education, 96(6), 70-74.
  • Neumann MM & Herodotou C (2020) . Childhood Education, 96(4), 72-77.
  • Neumann MM & Herodotou C (2020) . Education and Information Technologies, 25(5), 4459-4475.
  • Neumann MM (2020) . Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 34(3), 367-384.
  • Burnett C, Merchant G & Neumann MM (2020) . Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 20(1), 111-133.
  • Neumann MM (2020) . Early Childhood Education Journal, 48(2), 157-170.
  • Burnett C, Merchant G & Neumann MM (2020) . Cambridge Journal of Education, 50(2), 167-183.
  • Brosseuk D, Exley B & Neumann M (2020) . The Reading Teacher, 73(4), 453-460.
  • Neumann MM, Merchant G & Burnett C (2020) . Early Child Development and Care, 190(11), 1750-1761.
  • Neumann MM, Worrall S & Neumann DL (2019) . 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) . International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 42(4), 385-398.
  • Neumann MM (2018) . Journal of Early Childhood Research, 16(4), 337-348.
  • Neumann MM (2018) . Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 42, 239-246.
  • Neumann MM (2018) . Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 32(1), 67-80.
  • Neumann MM (2018) . Early Child Development and Care, 188(12), 1654-1664.
  • Neumann MM, Finger G & Neumann DL (2017) . Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(4), 471-479.
  • Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2017) . Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 17(2), 203-220.
  • Neumann MM (2016) . European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 24(4), 555-566.
  • Neumann MM (2016) . 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) . Reading and Writing, 28(4), 423-437.
  • Neumann MM (2014) . Australian Journal of Education, 58(2), 109-122.
  • Neumann MM (2014) . Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 29(3), 310-318.
  • Neumann MM, Acosta C & Neumann DL (2014) . Reading Research Quarterly, 49(2), 157-167.
  • Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2014) . Early Child Development and Care, 184(8), 1142-1159.
  • Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2014) . Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(4), 231-239.
  • Neumann MM, Hood M, Ford RM & Neumann DL (2013) . European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 21(4), 489-501.
  • Neumann MM, Hood M & Ford R (2013) . 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) . Reading and Writing, 26(5), 771-793.
  • Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2012) . 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) . Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 12(3), 231-258.
  • Neumann MM, Hood M & Ford RM (2012) . Early Child Development and Care, 182(10), 1349-1369.
  • Neumann DL, Neumann MM & Hood M (2010) . Journal of Statistics Education, 18(1).
  • Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2010) . Early Years, 30(1), 79-94.
  • Neumann DL, Hood M & Neumann MM (2009) . Journal of Statistics Education, 17(2).
  • Neumann MM & Neumann DL (2009) . Childhood Education, 85(4), 257-259.
  • Neumann MM, Hood M & Neumann DL (2009) . Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(4), 313-319.
  • Neumann MM & Barry R-J () . Education and Information Technologies.
  • Park E & Neumann M () . Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education, 16(4).
  • Soyoof A, Neumann MM & Reynolds BL () . Interactive Learning Environments, 1-17.
  • () .
  • Ronksley-Pavia M & Neumann MM () . Education Sciences, 12(2), 99-99.
  • Ronksley-Pavia M & Neumann MM () . Education Sciences, 10(10), 274-274.
  • Neumann MM, Anthony JL, Erazo NA & Neumann DL () . Frontiers in Education, 4.
  • Neumann DL, Neumann MM & Hood M () . Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(2).

Book chapters

  • Sandoval EB, Park H & Neumann MM (2025) , Lecture Notes in Computer Science (pp. 250-260). Springer Nature Singapore
  • Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) , Academic Women Bloomsbury Academic
  • Ronksley-Pavia M, Neumann MM, Manakil JF & Pickard-Smith K (2023) , Academic Women Bloomsbury Academic
  • Ronksley-Pavia M, Pickard-Smith K, Neumann MM & Manakil JF (2023) , 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) .
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)