In this series on the science behind outdoor play Angelica talks to Gemma Goldenberg who is researching how indoor and outdoor environments affect children's stress, attention and self-regulated behaviour.
In this episode, part 1 of the series, Gemma gives us an introduction to her research, including a look at the methods she decided to use and unpicking some of the decisions and complexities around this.
The discussion focuses on making research accessible to a wider audience, specifically to those outside of academia, namely families and educators. As well as ensuring that research findings reach policy makers and have an impact on practice sooner rather than later, as is often the case.
Gemma and Angelica discuss:
00:56 - Making research more accessible for educators and parents
03:30 - The problem with research being shared on social media
05:58 - Why is research not influencing policy and practice quicker?
10:00 - Researcher bias and choosing methods carefully
14:30 - Controlling variables for accurate findings
19:00 - Measuring self-regulation
24:33 - Mixed methods research
26:19 - Educators shaping research: A two-way dialogue
27:50 - Ethics: Parental and informed consent
29:45 - Researching in areas of disadvantage
In part 2 Gemma will share with us how children and educators reacted to her research process and some of the challenges the project faced.
Read Gemma's articles and find out more on The Voice of Early Childhood website: www.thevoiceofearlychildhood.com
