Associate Professor Sum Chee Wah

Selected Publications

Journal Articles:

Sum, C.W., Sia, A., Lim, C., Khoo, K. E., & Er, K. B. (2024).
Nature playgardens as sites for Early Childhood Education in a Tropical City. International Journal of Early Childhood Environment Education, 12(1), 40-49.

Nuttall, J., Grieshaber, S., Lim, S., Yun, E., Oh, J., An, H., Sum, C.W., Yang, W., & Kim, S. (2021).
Workforce diversity and quality improvement policies in early childhood education in East Asia. Early Years, 42(1), 6-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2021.1888076

Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Sum, C.W. (2013).
Understanding and advancing system leadership in the early years. Nottingham: NCTL.

Book Chapters:

Sum, C.W., & Ho, S. (2025).
Making progress in outdoor play among preschools in highly urbanized Singapore. In T. Gray, M. Sturges, & J. Barnes (Eds.), The Impact of Risks and Outdoor Play on Children’s Learning - Listening, Responding, and Acting on Collective Voices. Springer.

Lim, S., & Sum, C.W. (2022).
The next phase of developments in Singapore’s ECE: Quality in the best interest of all children? In Lee Y. J. (Ed.), Education in Singapore: People Making and Nation Building. Springer.

Sum, C.W. (2021).
Pre-school Education-Realising the potential of each child in the early years. In Mokhtar, I. A. & Ibrahim, Y. (Eds.), Social Context, Policies and Changes in Singapore: Beyond the First 50 Years. World Scientific.

Sum, C.W., Lim, S. M. Y., & Tan, C. T. (2018).
Pragmatism in policy making: Influencing a largely privatised early childhood education and care sector in Singapore. In C. Pascal, A. Bertram, & M. Veisson (Eds.), Pedagogic Innovations in Early Childhood Education in Cross Cultural Contexts. Routledge Education.

Conference Proceedings:

Sum, C.W., Narayanasamy, P., Wong, J.L.L. (2025, 25 Sept).
The Importance of Teacher Leadership and How to Promote It: Empowering Educators for Better Educational Outcomes. ECDA’s Early Childhood Conference 2025

Sum, C.W. (2024, 18 Oct).
Nurturing Teacher Leadership at Early Childhood Development Centres. National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) Conference

Sum, C.W., Wong, J.L.L., Goh-Karssen, M.S. (2024, 3 Aug).
An Exploration of Affordances and Challenges for Teacher Leadership in Singapore Preschools. 24^th PECERA Annual Conference in Tokyo

Kaveri, G., Lim, C. & Sum, C.W. (2024, 4 Aug).
Reflective Practice and Reciprocal Relationships: A Qualitative Study of Early Childhood Educators in Singapore. 24^th PECERA Annual Conference in Tokyo

Sum, C.W., Sia, A., Lim, C., & Chua, E. (2023, 27 Oct).
Creating Meaningful Play and Learning Experiences for Children at Nature Play Gardens. Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) Conference

Lim, S.M.Y. & Sum, C.W. (2023, 9 July).
Exploring Migrant Teachers’ Well-being and Professional Development Opportunities: Enhancing Cosmopolitan Ethic in Singapore’s Early Childhood Sector. 23^rd PECERA Annual Conference in Bali

Sum, C.W. (2022, 10 July).
Deliberations on Site-based Learning of Early Childhood Teachers in Singapore. 22^nd PECERA Annual Conference (On-line)

Sum, C.W. (2022, 14 May).
Site-based Learning of Early Childhood Teachers in Singapore. Japan Society of Research on ECCE 2022 Symposium (On-line)

Sum, C.W. (2021, 21 Sept).
Deliberations on the Nurturing Early Learners’ Framework. Ministry of Education and Training (Vietnam) Early Childhood Conference (On-line)

Sum, C.W. (2021, 13 Aug).
Culturally Responsive Learning and Caring for Young Children amid the Covid-19 Pandemic. Korean Association for Multicultural Education (KAME) International Conference (On-line)

Sum, C.W. (2021, 25 Jun).
What Are Some Key Elements in Capacity Building? Early Childhood Curriculum Leadership and Professional Development in Japan and Singapore: SUSS-CEDEP on-line Symposium

Invited Speeches/Plenary Sessions:

Sum, C.W. (2023, 29 Sept).
Leadership & Building a Learning Culture. MOE Kindergartens Leadership Day

Sum, C.W. (2021, 14 Jul).
Understanding Policy Making and its influence on the Early Childhood Sector. National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) Professional Symposium

Sum, C.W. (2019, 22 Oct).
The Evolving Early Childhood Care & Education Landscape in Singapore: Efforts to raise quality. 6th Kindergarten Principals’ Conference of the China National Society of Early Childhood Education, Dalian, China

Sum, C.W. (2019, 5 Sept).
The Evolving Professional Development Landscape for Early Childhood Teachers in Singapore. OMEP Asia Pacific Regional Conference 2019, Kyoto, Japan

Tan, C.T., & Sum, C.W. (2018, 12 Jun).
Deliberations on the implementation of the Nurturing Early Learners Framework. OECD International Roundtable on ECEC Curriculum Frameworks for the 21st Century, MOE Luxembourg

Sum, C.W. (2018, 17 Mar).
Professional Development of ECEC Practitioners in Singapore. Centre for Early childhood Development, Education and Policy Research (CEDEP) International Symposium, The University of Tokyo

Sum, C.W. (2017, 6 Aug).
Building capacity for learning at Preschool Centres. Leadership Forum on ECE: Touching Hearts and Engaging Minds, Universitas Negeri Jakarta

Sum, C.W. (2017, 7 Aug).
Early Childhood Leadership Development in Singapore. Leadership Forum on ECE: Touching Hearts and Engaging Minds, Universitas Negeri Jakarta