معرفی
Julia Sexton is a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University's Department of Education Childhood and Inclusion, housed within the College of Social Sciences and Arts. With over 25 years of experience working with children and young people in schools, adventure playgrounds, and community programs, she specializes in play studies, childhood education, and inclusive practices.
Education:
- BA (undergraduate degree)
- PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education)
- MA in Play and Playwork (2016, Distinction)
Research Interests: Focuses on creative methodologies to explore affective atmospheres in play spaces, children's spatial experiences, and posthuman research approaches. She advocates applying playwork theory to practical adult-child interactions, emphasizing the therapeutic value of play and children's right to play in borrowed spaces.
Teaching & Leadership: Teaches on BA (Hons) Childhood Studies and Early Childhood Studies programs, focusing on modules like children’s stories, spatial experiences, and therapeutic approaches. Serves as academic adviser and admissions tutor. Collaborates with students to co-design conference workshops, integrating their perspectives into pedagogical practices.
Consultancy & Engagement: Conducted evaluations for Play England and SkillsActive, and contributed to policy development for adventure playgrounds and play projects. Regularly presents at national/international conferences (e.g., 16th National Playwork Conference, International Children and Childhoods Conference).
Key Contribution: Co-authored influential paper Whose space is it anyway? (2017), which examines educational spatial dynamics and remains a set text in undergraduate courses.
