Combining the research talents of many long-standing members of the Association for the Study of Play, this work provides discussions of the theory and applied value of play, as well as ongoing research from America, Australia, Taiwan, and Korea. The developmental and educational theories of Lev Semenovich Vygotsky are analyzed in several chapters. The world's premiere play scholar, Brian Sutton-Smith, continues his seminal play theory work, following up on previously presented findings and constructing a developmental theory of play based on emotions. Chapters address: • Play as a parody of emotional vulnerability • Learning to observe children at play • Symbolic play through the eyes and words of children • The activities of children at recess in middle school Professors, teachers, scholars, and university students interested in early childhood education, child development, play theory and practice, and preschool and elementary education will find this volume of interest.

`An excellent overview of the development in thinking about play, based on research into different aspects of play...This book enables the reader to not only access, and engage with developing theories and ideas, but also provides practical ideas and examples that have been tried and tested in the classroom. This book should be compulsory reading for every teacher of young children who are interested in developing their practice to provide a stimulating, active and playful environment with their children in which effective learning and positive attitudes are developed' - Bernadette Hancock, Headteacher of Christ the King Primary School, Cardiff `One of the major strengths of the book is that it makes some complex theory highly accessible to its audience....This makes it an excellent introductory book for use on inservice and undergraduate programs' - Sue Rogers, Institute of Education `This book aims to improve the quality of play in "educational" settings. It will be valuable for a wide range of practitioners' - Nursery World `In this new and updated edition of an outstanding book, Wood and Attfield once again demonstrate how young children make meaning, and construct knowledge, through play. They combine an informed discussion of the 'ideological tradition' of the early childhood pioneers, which continues to underpin most contemporary provision, with a refreshing openness to the new insights provided by recent research, and the new opportunities offered by the Foundation Stage era. Their unrivalled explanation of the links between theorists, such as Vygotsky, and classroom provision for play, is now expanded through considerations of recent findings in neuroscience, and a renewed awareness of the sociocultural contexts of childhood, as well as by studies which acknowledge the importance of boisterous, rough-and-tumble, play activities for children's development. And throughout, they remind readers and practitioners of the important distinction between play as a spontaneous activity of children ('play as such'), and the play which educators offer as a medium for learning' - Elizabeth Brooker, Course Leader: MA in Childhood Studies, Institute of Education 'This book provides a thorough and up-to-date overview of the topical issue of teaching and learning through play. Chapters cover issues including assessment through play, the role of adults in children's play, the impact of play on social and emotional learning and how to develop a whole-school approach to learning through play. ...This book is theoretical and detailed but extremely interesting and there is certainly practical information to be found in it' - Early Talk This timely Second Edition explores recent developments which strongly endorse play as an integral part of the curriculum. The content has been fully revised to reflect contemporary thinking about the role and value of play in early childhood and beyond. A key focus is the provision of a secure theoretical and practical grounding for developing a pedagogy of play. In the first section, the authors provide an overview of recent developments in education policies, and reviews of research into different aspects of play. In the second section, the emphasis is on classroom practice, specifically: organizing and developing play with particular reference to the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1; establishing progression and continuity with Key Stage 1; assessing children's learning through play; the role of adults in children's play; using the plan-do-review approach to integrate child-initiated and adult-directed play; the importance of socio-dramatic play for children's social and emotional learning; and developing a whole-school play ethos. This book enables practitioners to create unity between play, learning and teaching, and to improve the quality of children's learning. New material provided by practitioners has been added, to show how this unity can be successfully achieved. This is an essential text for students of education. It is highly recommended to those undertaking degrees in Childhood Studies and those on Initial Teacher Training programmes in early years and primary education.

Plug-and-Play Education: Knowledge and Learning in the Age of Platforms and Artificial Intelligence documents and critiques how the education sector is changing with the advancement of ubiquitous edtech platforms and automation. As programmability and computation reengineer institutions towards efficiency and prediction, the perpetual collection of and access to digital data is creating complex opportunities and concerns. Drawing from research into secondary and higher education settings, this book examines the influence of digital “infrastructuring”, the automation of teaching and learning, and the very purpose of education in a context of growing platformisation and artificial intelligence integration. These theoretical, practical, and policy-oriented insights will offer educational technologists, designers, researchers, and policymakers a more inclusive, diverse, and open-ended perspective on the design and implementation of learning technologies.

This handbook examines the meanings, implications, and transformative potential of a child-rights approach for school psychology. It focuses on the school community, in which psychology is committed to promoting well-being, learning, and development of all children. The handbook begins with an overview of the 1989 United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and explores main themes such as, survival, protection, development, participation, and nondiscrimination. Chapters provide guidance in promoting and protecting child rights when dealing with critical issues relevant to the school community, including well-being, freedom from violence, and access to high quality education. In addition, chapters analyze and offer recommendations for child rights applications within the roles and responsibilities of school psychologists. The handbook concludes with future directions for achieving a child-rights approach for school psychology. Topics featured in this handbook include: The current status of child rights in the international community. Accountability for child rights by school psychology. Collaborative home, school, and community practices aimed at promoting family support. Protecting child rights within the realm of competitive sports. CRC and school-based intervention programming. Promoting child rights through school leadership. Applying child rights-respecting research to the study of psychological well-being. The International Handbook on Child Rights and School Psychology is a must-have resource for researchers, scientist-practitioners, clinicians, and graduate students in child and school psychology, educational policy and politics, social work, public health, and other school-based or child-serving mental health disciplines.

As ecological issues increase and concern worldwide is mounting about the changing nature of work and cultural life, the field of adult education must respond. Adult education holds much potential for its ability to highlight cultural knowledge, promote change, and maximize the capacity of adults to work together in strengthening mutually supportive communities that contribute to a sustainable future. It is imperative that we (re)educate adults about productive but sustainable work and stronger local community living within an understanding of the relational being and the interdependency of all things. This edited collection explores the cultural roots of the ecological/cultural crisis and its relationship to adult education. The development of sound practices and new cultural understandings among adults are emphasized. Certainly, there exists evidence of small grassroots work that builds hope and skills for the coming of a new age of sustainable and just life. This volume discusses the: Connections between sustainability, environmental and ecojustice education, Forms of radical sustainability adult education, Established cultural institutions as potential agents of change, Principles of ecojustice education, and Implementation of these principles in formal and community education settings. This is the 153rd volume of the Jossey Bass series New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. Noted for its depth of coverage, it explores issues of common interest to instructors, administrators, counselors, and policymakers in a broad range of education settings, such as colleges and universities, extension programs, businesses, libraries, and museums.

This book explores early childhood teacher educators’ lived experiences in designing and implementing intentional play-based approaches in teaching preservice teachers. The chapters cover action research, teaching stories about playful classroom practices, and diverse narratives about developing preservice teachers’ positive views toward play. Early childhood teacher educators will be encouraged to (re)explore their beliefs about the roles of play and playfulness in higher education. Readers will learn playful strategies to actively engage preservice teachers in building meaningful knowledge about play and how to use play to support young children’s learning across varied cultural contexts, experiences, and individual differences.

The Curriculum is the focal point for the study of educational practice. It is the area in which individual, group and societal needs and interests meet and is consequently the source of much friction and contention. This book, first published in 1988, introduces students to some of the major points of debate; in particular, the role of curriculum-based study in the development of physical education and the credibility of the subject as an educational activity. David Kirk emphasises the beneficial effects of physical education and suggests ways in which instructive programmes can be created. A practical and interesting title, this reissue will be of particular value to students and teachers of sport science, and educational practitioners more generally.