As part of an ONLINE series of lectures to mark International Awareness Days, we are pleased to invite you on 20 November at 12.30pm to speed lectures and a panel discussion with leading DMU scholars. Focusing on the impact of COVID-19 in the context of Universal Children's Day the behaviour of children will be explored. The event will be chaired by Professor Jackie Labbe, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic).
Talks will include:
- The Sensory Play Toolkit: A fun way to help children try new foods by Dr Helen Coulthard, Reader in Lifespan Eating Behaviour and Dr Vicki Aldridge, VC2020 Senior Lecturer in Psychology
Around half of all children demonstrate picky or avoidant eating in childhood, often relating to a lack of experience or difficulties with tastes, smells, and textures. Despite the prevalence, few resources exist to support clinicians or caregivers in helping children to overcome these difficulties. The Sensory Play Toolkit has been designed to help increase children’s confidence to try new foods, and to enjoy doing it, using sensory activities.
- A Germ’s Journey: developing interactive health-education resources to increase children’s understanding of germs and infection control, and behaviour of handwashing practice globally by Dr Sarah Younie, Professor of Education Innovation and Sapphire Crosby, doctoral student and Project Research Assistant
Utilised across three continents (UK, Asia and West Africa) in schools, museum exhibits, community centres and refugee camps, the ‘Germ’s Journey’ interdisciplinary, co-created resources have been developed and evaluated to assess their impact on aiding children’s understanding of germs and improving handwashing behaviour to tackle infection in the UK and low-and-middle-income countries.
- Becoming the ‘Great Gatsby’… The evolution of early childhood aspirations by Aaron Toogood, Associate Professor
Poverty is linked to levels of health, participation in crime, social mobility and even psychological well-being. Studies have identified the importance of aspiration and educational opportunity to bridge the income gap. This research project explores the changes in aspiration levels of 8-10 year-olds, with a particular emphasis on children living in some of Leicester’s deprived areas.
- An Exploration of the Notion that Teacher Resilience will have a Positive Impact on Teacher Attrition Rates by Beth Miller, Lecturer in HRM and Organisational Behaviour
The phenomenon of ‘resilience’ has become a popular contemporary concept in the study of organisational success, as resilience tends to be viewed as a characteristic that enables organisations and individual workers to absorb pressure and remain robust, motivated, and productive. It has been suggested that to address the problem of high teacher attrition, which impacts pupil's continuity and progress, simply developing ‘resilience’ in those that enter the teaching profession needs prioritising.