University of Waikato Professorial Lecture

'Transitions journeys and research journeys: Continuity, change and new beginnings' by Professor Sally

In this lecture Professor Sally Peters will consider the place of transitions in people’s lives and how a desire to understanding transition journeys became a research journey across many concepts and contexts.

Beginning as an early childhood teacher wondering ‘what happens next?’ as children move to school, Sally’s interest in supporting children’s learning as they moved to a new setting led to an in depth study of the transition to school from the perspectives of children, families and teachers. Further research, in partnership with teachers, examined the implications of transitions for curriculum and pedagogy in Aotearoa New Zealand, and the chance to explore international approaches to transition in a five-country project. Over time this research interest broadened to the wealth of other transitions across the life span and the theoretical perspectives that help to evaluate approaches to supporting transition experiences.

Sally’s research has informed curriculum and pedagogy and she has enjoyed supporting a wealth of student research into different transitions. As interest in this area has grown internationally it appears that the entire idea of transitions is at critical crossroad both conceptually and methodologically. In the lecture’s conclusion Sally draws from a forthcoming book where she and the other two editors have taken Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken to reflect on research journeys in the field of early years transitions, the current crossroads and new roads still to be taken.

This 45-minute public lecture will be held at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, starting at 5.45pm. Opus Bar will be open from 5pm.

Free parking is available on campus via Gate 2B, Knighton Road, Hamilton from 4.30pm.

Please register and bring your eticket, with you on the evening to be scanned.