Editorial

No abstract available

National Gallery ‘Picture in Focus’ : evaluation of the national roll-out

This report builds on The National Gallery ‘Picture in Focus’ Project: A Research Evaluation by Dr Dominic Wyse and Laura McGarty (who were at the time from the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge) completed as part of their work for the National Gallery. Their work included two other research evaluations: 1) The National Gallery Initial Teacher Education Cultural Placement Partnership: A Research Evaluation, and 2) Evaluation Report: Out of Art into Storytelling. The current report is contextualised in the literature covered in these previous reports so doesn’t repeat this material. A key element across all these evaluations is the ways that art can be used as a stimulus for teaching and learning across a wide range of curriculum subjects and thematic areas

Living with supercomplexity

No abstract available

Experiential Learning for Children Aged 4-14: A Rapid Evidence Assessment

A rapid evidence assessment (REA) about experiential learning in education was undertaken to synthesise research concerning children aged 4-14. The REA investigated the effects that approaches to experiential learning had on children’s motivation, engagement, agency, wellbeing, and academic achievement. Database searches were carried out of the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), the British Education Index, the Teacher Reference Center, the Education Database and APA PsycInfo to review peer-reviewed research studies published between 2013 and 2023. Studies were screened for their relevance, and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used to assess the methodological quality of relevant studies. 88 studies were included in the final analysis. Synthesis of the findings of the 88 research studies showed positive effects for experiential learning approaches related to children’s motivation, engagement, agency, wellbeing, and academic achievement. Key effects included strong evidence for the beneficial effect of experiential learning on children’s science and maths achievement, and the positive effect that experiential learning had on the engagement and motivation of children who are at-risk, have special educational needs, have behavioural or emotional difficulties, or who are otherwise struggling in formal education. The implications of the REA include the importance of embedding experiential learning within the curriculum, and of connecting it to the wider community

Reclaiming education: ‘fake news’, research and social justice

No abstract available

Early childhood practitioner beliefs about digital media: integrating technology into a child-centred classroom environment

Early childhood practitioner beliefs about digital media: integrating technology into a child-centred classroom environment Charlotte Vidal-Hall, Rosie Flewitt and Dominic Wyse UCL Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK ABSTRACT The effective integration of educational technologies into early childhood education remains a significant challenge. An important element of this challenge is how practitioner beliefs about pedagogy relate to how digital technologies are used in the early years classroom. Focussing on early childhood practitioner beliefs in relation to pedagogy and digital technologies, this paper reports on a doctoral study where Educational Design Research (EDR) methodology was used to investigate how a technology- focussed intervention might lead to changes in one teacher’s approach to integrating digital media into her child-centred pedagogy. The data included reflective discussions over a period of 18 months, video observations of digital media use, and scrutiny of relevant documents. The intervention resulted in a change from the teacher being sceptical about the relevance of digital media for early childhood education to her developing effective strategies to integrate digital media into her child- centred pedagogy. This shift in pedagogic approach was made possible by the teacher changing her beliefs about the value of digital technologies in early education. Findings suggest professional learning should address practitioner beliefs about digital media and early years pedagogy, including providing time and space for teacher reflection

Young children's engagement with objects in science museums: a rapid evidence assessment of research

This rapid evidence assessment (REA) of literature was conducted to aggregate knowledge about young children's engagement with objects in science museums. The review focuses on empirical studies published between 2000 and 2020 reporting on children in the age range from birth to eight years. Scrutiny of a final sample of 48 peer-reviewed papers indicated that certain museum object characteristics may arouse children's curiosity more than others. Children's interest in museum objects is enhanced and sustained by dialogical and collaborative activity with peers and adults, by sensory, emotional and cognitive engagement with objects, and by children having choice and freedom to explore museum spaces on their own terms. The review identifies there is limited evidence pertaining to children's visits to STEM museums and a need for theoretically robust empirical research with children, museum educators, teachers and parents from diverse communities

Spatial Thinking in Practice: A Snapshot of teacher’s Spatial Activity Use in the Early Years’ Classroom

Spatial thinking predicts Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics achievement, yet is often absent from educational policy. We provide benchmarks of teachers' usage and perceptions of spatial activities in practice in the reception classroom (first year of primary school). In this questionnaire study of educational professionals working in the reception classroom in England (N = 104), we found that spatial and numeracy activities were perceived as significantly less important, and were reportedly completed significantly less often, than literacy or life skills. Despite the lower perceived importance of spatial skills in curriculum guidance in England, rates of reported spatial activity use were encouragingly high and were broadly comparable to those of numeracy. Teachers had moderate anxiety levels for both spatial and mathematics domains. The findings highlight a need to elevate teachers' understanding of the importance of developing children's early spatial and numeracy skills, which may begin with efforts to reduce spatial and mathematics anxiety