Ms Kathrin Paal

I am a PhD student and Research Assistant at the Plymouth Institute of Education.

Qualifications

BA Educational Science and Psychology, University of Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany (2016)

MA Educational Research, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany (2018)

Professional membership

BERA - The British Educational Research Association

Roles on external bodies

Reviewer for Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning

Research interests

My research interest is the contribution of the use of a preschool garden on preschoolers' attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. As a keen gardener and environmentalist, I am interested in how a preschool garden could promote the development of children’s environmentally friendly and sustainable attitudes and behaviour.

Early Childhood Education for Sustainability, (Pre-)school gardening, Participatory research, Quantitative research methods, Qualitative research methods

Other research

• Evaluation of the "Rebuilding Bridges" project, an intergenerational music intervention that aimed to (re-)connect young children and elderly at care homes in the Torbay area (evaluation report in progress)

Conferences organised

Other academic activities

Conference presentation

• "Preschoolers' awareness of what is good or healthy for the planet and how we can help the earth", Symposium "Exploring young children's views through the mosaic approach - examples from research", EECERA Conference 2021 (6th September 2021)
• "Gardening with children: how a preschool garden can encourage preschoolers’ pro-environmental behaviour", Sustainable Earth Conference 2021 (24th/25th June 2021) [Video]

• "Gardening with children: how a preschool garden can encourage preschoolers’ pro-environmental behaviour", EECERA Conference 2021 (8th September 2021)

Conference Chair

• Chair of Symposium "The development of educational values and beliefs in teaching", EECERA Conference 2021 (6th - 10th September 2021)
• Chair of various sessions, FoAHB Doctoral Conference 2021, University of Plymouth (3rd/4th June 2021)