Jane Reynolds

Jane Reynolds

Programme Director

Faculty and Department

  • Faculty of Arts Cultures and Education
  • School of Education

Qualifications

  • MA (Leeds Beckett University)
  • EdD (University of Sheffield)
  • EdD (University of Sheffield)
  • EdD (University of Sheffield)

Summary

My background is in the Early Years, working in the private and voluntary sector for over 10 years. This experience laid the foundation for interests in professional development and developing early intervention strategies working with local authorities and NGO's. I joined University of Hull in 2017 and am currently Programme Director on the BA Working with Children, Young People and Families, teaching in the UK and Hong Kong. My current research interests focus on the value of student placement and Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Children's Health & Well Being

Work based Pedagogy and Practice

Professional Practice

Families, Culture and Communities

Families Living in a Challenge Context

Managing Self and Others

Policy and Practice

Professional Practice: Working with 0-5's

Research Methods

Dissertation

Forest Schools

Research interests

Early Childhood Pedagogy,

Young children's mental health and wellbeing & Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)

Employability & sector competencies for Working with children and young people and families

Conference presentation

BECERA Conference -16-17 February, 2021

2021

What’s My Pedagogy? The research seeks to deconstruct understanding of pedagogy in Early Childhood Education (ECE), and how practitioner’s knowledge of pedagogy develops during work placement. Research establishes the significance of an effective pedagogical approach to support early child development and learning (Wall, 2015; EPPSE DfE, 2012, Moyles, 2003). The transformational nature of a work placement is recognised (Meiroz, 2000) however, less is known about how placement shapes pedagogical practice. A case study approach focused on experiences of a group of second year ECE under-graduates, combining theoretical and experiential learning experiences with placements in early year’s settings. It explored the relationship between the placement experience and the developing understanding of pedagogical approaches. The theoretical framework of cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) (Engestrom, 1987) was applied to support the multiple contributing factors influencing the placement experience. An interpretative qualitative approach (Horrocks, King & Brooks, 2019) saw data collected using WhatsApp (García, Welford, & Smith, 2015) and online methods to record the students’ personal journey. The data was analysed using a thematic approach and explored through literature using policy analysis to reach a shared understanding of ‘pedagogy’. Informed consent was negotiated with the students and followed the University of Sheffield guidance. The COVID 19 outbreak straddled the data collection period and curtailed the placement experience. The pandemic influenced preliminary findings and showed the significance of placement as a transformational learning opportunity for future graduates and the potential longer-term risks to the sector if such experiences are limited. Early Years, Pedagogy, Placement, CHAT

External examiner role

University of Suffolk

2019

University of Lancaster

2019

Membership/Fellowship of professional body

SFHEA

2020

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