Graduate Student, Faculty of Psychology & Education
PhD student
Thesis Title: The genesis of mathematical semiosis in early childhood
|
Bert van Oers
|
About
I have an insatiable curiosity about all sorts of things relating to young children's learning!
My central interest for the focus of my doctoral research is the role of semiotics in early childhood development and cultures, particularly in relationship to children’s understanding of the abstract symbolic language of mathematics. This is embedded in my interests in play, and young children's drawings, maps, models (using found materials); early writing - and the impact of digital media, technologies and popular culture on their play and meaning-making. My research is underpinned by cultural-historical and social-semiotic theories (and of course multimodality).
My current research builds on my earlier research on play, and two decades of research into children's mathematical graphics (conducted individually and with my colleague Elizabeth Carruthers).
For an initial (1 year) pilot study for my doctorate, I gathered data of children’s symbolic (pretend) play and their early graphicacy in nursery classes (3 - 4 year-old children). This informed my full data collection in a maintained nursery in a Children's Centre, and will provide my data for analysis for my doctorate. All data for this research been gathered in England.
I've taught in early childhood for 26 years. More recently I have taught in higher education and in a variety of educational contexts relating to early childhood education (including lecturing in early childhood education and early years and primary maths; as an early years consultant - and also managing early childhood elearning communities for school leaders).
Contact Information
| Homepage: | |
| Address: | Although I am studying of my doctorate in Amsterdam, I live in Devon, in the south-west of England. |
