Preparing Children to Become Risk Technicians in a Risk Adverse Society

Lessons Learned from Parents who Embrace Children’s Engagement in Risky Play.

What is the ‘sweet spot’ of medium risk parenting/teaching as an approach to facilitating children’s outdoor play? We will explore this and consider how this may be taken up by educators, parents and caregivers.

This interactive and engaging presentation focuses on findings from a study which was undertaken to better understand parents’ perceptions of an outdoor risky play space. Whist many have the belief that Australians are a nature-loving outdoor nation, recent research suggests that many children are becoming estranged from the natural world. As such, the modern Australian child may spend little time in nature and therefore have less opportunity to engage in risk taking in outdoor nature play (Gray, 2018, 2019; Louv, 2010; Sandseter, 2010).

The importance of children’s engagement with high risk, leisure and play activities during their formative years of growth and development has been well documented (Gill, 2014, Gray, 2013, 2020). Decisions by adults (parents, caregivers, and educators) can either support or suppress children’s appetite for risk in play.

This presentation will unpack the themes identified from the presenters research and explore Farley’s (1986) Type T attitudes to risk (big thrill and small thrill) .

Presenters:

Professor Tonia Gray

With a Masters in Community Health and a PhD in Education, Professor Tonia Gray’s transdisciplinary research explores human-nature relationships and their impact on health, well-being and risk-taking. Tonia completed her PhD in Education at the University of Wollongong, in 1997. She explored the impact of outdoor education and its impact on students. Tonia is co-editor of the Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education and past Chair of the Australian Tertiary Outdoor Educators Network (2108-2022). In 2014 Tonia received the prestigious Australian Award for University Teaching for excellence in outdoor experiential education and in 2019 received the Association of Experiential Education’s Distinguished Researcher of the Year.

Dr Marion Sturges

Dr Marion Sturges is an experienced educator of over 33 years. She has worked extensively across all educational sectors. Currently Marion works in the tertiary sector working with a team to prepare and support preservice educators as they undertake their professional experience placements. Marion has led and participated in numerous research projects working collaboratively with other researchers and educators. The focus of these projects is working with marginalised members of the community, including young children, people with disability, and women to ensure their rights are met and exploring how the place can support or inhibit these rights. Her PhD situated in Australian preschools drew heavily on the Child Friendly City framework in exploring participation and place.

Jaydene Barnes

Jaydene Barnes is an Associate Lecturer at Western Sydney University currently undertaking her PhD investigating play-based pedagogies in Australian primary schools. Jaydene leads professional experience, literacy, and pedagogy subjects in both undergraduate and post graduate early childhood/primary initial teacher education programs. Jaydene is currently working on a number of research projects including exploring childhood risk, play, explicit teaching, preservice teacher education, culturally and linguist responsive pedagogies and access to early childhood education for all children.

Cost:
Free for Play Australia Members*
Non-members: $66 inc gst per person

Tuesday 30 April 2024

12:00pm-1:30pm BNE, CBR, HBA, MEL, SYD (AEST)

*Attendees from times zones other than AEST will need to join the session per their respective time zone as follows: 

11:30am-1:00pm ADL, DRW (ACST)

10:00am-11:30pm PER (AWST)
 

Register for Preparing Children to Become Risk Technicians now

*Members to apply discount code at checkout. Please contact joanne@playaustralia.org.au to check you membership status.