PEDAL Centre Cambridge University
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- Educación
PEDAL: Centre for Research on Play in Education, Development & Learning
Sponsored by the Lego Foundation
The guiding focus of the centre’s work is to develop substantial and compelling research concerned with the role of play and playfulness in young children’s learning and development, and the potential of play-based approaches within educational contexts. The kinds of skills and accomplishments that are widely recognised as being vital components of 21st century educational provision, including critical thinking, problem-solving, interpersonal abilities, emotional resilience and creativity, have all been linked theoretically and empirically to playfulness and playful learning.
Nevertheless, the play opportunities for children living in modern urban environments (now the majority of children world-wide) are increasingly curtailed, both within their homes and communities and within their schooling. At the same time, play remains a relatively under-researched area within developmental science, with many fundamental questions still unanswered.
It is the aim of the PEDAL research centre to contribute to the process of addressing these questions, and to work with educators and policy makers to inform practice and policy in relation to this evidence.
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Play In Green Spaces
Adults instinctively feel that playing outside is good for children, but what is actually known about the benefits of play in green spaces?
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The Way We Play September Speaker Series – Play in the Pandemic
What does play look like at home and in schools and early years settings during the current Covid-19 pandemic?
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The Way We Play September Speaker Series – Potential in Play
What is the potential of play in tackling inequalities, and in providing relief and resilience to parents and children?
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THE WAY WE PLAY - Play in Challenging Settings
Charities Right to Play and Starlight discuss their approach on bringing play to challenging settings nationally and internationally
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Using play in COVID-19 Testing
A PEDAL Resource that aims to use play to help children engage with the COVID swabbing procedure and reduce some of their worry.
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PEDAL Research 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 Bristol, will present research showing that toddlers can be creative and come up with their own ideas. Elena will focus on toddlers' creation of their own novel jokes and pretending, and toddlers' divergent thinking with novel objects.