PEDAL September Speaker Series: The Way We Play – Potential in Play
This webinar was part of our September Speaker Series, recorded in September 2020. These lunchtime sessions aimed to bring together academics, practitioners & policymakers to discuss some of play research’s key issues virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this session, speakers focused on the potential of play in interventions, and also during the pandemic, for […]
PEDAL September Speaker Series: The Way We Play – Play in Challenging Settings
This webinar was part of our September Speaker Series, recorded in September 2020. These lunchtime sessions aimed to bring together academics, practitioners & policymakers to discuss some of play research’s key issues virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. This webinar focused on how play can manifest in challenging settings, and was chaired by Dr Jenny Gibson. […]
PEDAL Seminar: Toddlers Think for Themselves!
Social learning has been a large focus of early developmental psychology for the past three decades. While it reveals how culture is transmitted to young children, questions about how young children come up with their own ideas and learn for themselves have been largely ignored. This talk, with Dr Elena Hoicka from the University of […]
Reconstructing readiness: Young children’s priorities for their early school adjustment
This video provides an overview of the Children’s Thoughts about School Study (CTSS). CTSS was integrated into the evaluation of a community-led initiative called Preparing for Life (PFL) run by the UCD Geary Institute. The PFL aimed to improve levels of school readiness for children living in several disadvantaged areas of Dublin, Ireland. In the […]
Play at the Extremes: A panel discussion for parents, teachers and carers
Join the conversation about the changing nature of childhood – are we really heading from ‘free range’ to ‘hot house’? We’ll hear if children are kept too safe, if parents and schools are too risk averse, and whether adventurous and independent play opportunities provide unique developmental, social and emotional benefits. Chaired by Dr Jenny Gibson, […]
PEDAL Seminar: Not Too Early, But Just Right! – Unleashing the Power of Science in Early Childhood
Professor Daryl Greenfield is a Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics at the University of Miami. His work is positioned at the interface of research, policy and practice at the international, national and local level. His research examines school readiness with at-risk and dual language learners, with a specific focus on early science education. Science has […]
A Prescription for Play: Why play fosters social and cognitive development
Join PEDAL for a public lecture by world-renowned psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, evaluating the evidence for the importance of free play and guided play as a catalyst for learning in social and cognitive development. Kathy explored why play, particularly guided play, might offer a successful midway position between the warring factions of playful and didactic approaches […]
PlayFutures webinar with PEDAL: Playing with infants and toddlers
Listen to Dr Vicky Leong, Dr Ciara Lavery and Dr Melissa Scarpate talk about playing with infants and toddlers in this webinar hosted by PlayFutures.
PEDAL | BBC Breakfast report on playful writing
Acting Director of PEDAL, Dr David Whitebread, is interviewed in a BBC Breakfast report on playful approaches to learning and ‘playful writing’ in schools. This report was originally recorded in February 2017.
PEDAL Workshop: Pedagogy of Play Workshop
PEDAL invited Ben Mardell (Project Zero, Harvard University) and Camilla Uhre Fog (Head of the International School of Billund) to share with teachers at the University of Cambridge Primary School their experience of working together to develop a Pedagogy of Play. Through the work of the teachers at ISB, this collaboration has managed to define […]
PEDAL Seminar: Bringing Self-Regulated Learning to Classrooms through Research Practice Partnerships
Dr. Nancy Perry is the Dorothy Lam Chair in Special Education and Professor of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. Her research has two main goals: understanding how classroom processes are implicated in children’s development of self-regulated learning (SRL); working with teachers to design activities and […]
PEDAL Seminar: Play, self-regulation and early childhood – What does research say?
A rare opportunity to hear from two of the world’s foremost developmental psychologists about how their research has been applied to education and social policy. Of particular interest to academics, teachers, early years practitioners, and third/public sector professionals, Professor Blair and Professor Sylva highlight the effects of early education on development, attainment and fulfilling individual […]
PEDAL Seminar: Pretence and Creativity during Childhood and Beyond
This joint Psychology & Education and PEDAL seminar by Dr Julie Kirkham examines pretend play and creativity in the context of early and middle childhood. Dr Julie Kirkham is a Senior Psychology Lecturer and Programme Leader for the MSc Family and Child Psychology at the University of Chester. Her research interests include children’s symbolic development […]
PEDAL Seminar: Play and Learning in Finnish Education Policy and Practice
Play is a serious matter for young children across all cultures. This is evidenced by the passionate, intensive and energetic engagement many children invest in this activity. Play experiences are widely recognised to create the foundation for a child’s healthy and holistic development. In Finland, opportunities for play are highly regarded in the education of […]
Play: A window into children’s social worlds
This was a keynote lecture from world renowned Professor of Educational Psychology, Professor Anthony Pellegrini titled Object Use & Play in Childhood: Development and Possible Social Functions. Professor Pellegrini discussed the potential evolutionary significance of play and the challenges and rewards of getting scientists out of the lab and onto the playground! Professor Anthony Pellegrini […]
