Research interests
Melanie’s research interests have focused on early learning, creativity, alternative pedagogies, outdoor learning environments and the socio-cultural context of learning, in education and care settings as well as in the home.
Her Masters research explored the impact of socio-cultural factors on the development of language and literacy in young learners. Melanie worked on the EU funded research project ‘Creative Little Scientists’, examining the teaching of Science and Mathematics, across 9 European countries, through the lens of creativity. She presented ‘Creative Little Scientists: Using digital technology for the first time in research’ at the CARN study day, BGU (January 2015). In 2018, Melanie published ‘Footprints in the Woods: ‘tracking’ a nursery child through a Forest School session’. Melanie has recently completed her doctoral thesis ‘Degrees of Difference: A case study of Forest School in England and Denmark’. Using a Vygotskian social constructivist approach, Melanie explored the similarities and differences in Forest School pedagogy in England and Denmark. She is now working on publishing these findings and looking forward to taking her research in exciting, new directions.