Although philosophers have long claimed that reading fiction has the potential to improve imaginative capacities, empirical evidence on this topic is limited. We report an experiment that aims to conceptually replicate and extend previous work by Djikic and colleagues by testing whether reading literary fiction reduces the need for closure, and by…

Tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) are increasingly used in therapeutic and educational settings to improve the well-being of autistic people. This study investigated the potential of TTRPGs to provide a safe space where autistic adults could develop relationships with others while also engaging in character and world-building. Eight autistic…

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unpredicted disruption to international students' mobility, which has created challenges for the principal host and sending countries (i.e. the UK and China). This study focuses on the UK's prospective Chinese master's students who have, reluctantly, deferred their education abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic and…

With increasing concerns in the UK about the positive mental well-being and flourishing of children, this research, using drama and creative writing with primary school teachers, children and a theatre company, looks at the links between creative processes and children's well-being. This pedagogy applies a capability approach and we use this lens…

This article looks at the way in which changes in technology, as well as wider social and cultural patterns, bring about new materials in the landscape of young children's communication practices and play. This is done in relation to a new form of screen-less digital toy known as Avakai. Avakai are a set of digitally interactive wooden dolls that…

We report the feasibility of a novel, school-based intervention, coined 'Imagining Autism', in which children with autism engage with drama practitioners though participatory play and improvisation in a themed multi-sensory 'pod' resembling a portable, tent-like structure. A total of 22 children, aged 7-12 years, from three UK schools engaged in…

We report on an action research study conducted by two mathematics teacher educators in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. The project consisted of three phases, the first two taking place in our respective teacher education courses and a final phase in which prospective mathematics teachers from both locations engaged in dialogue through a…

Aim: This is a cross-national study with the aim to explore the development of children with autism over time in the UK and Greece. The focus of the study was to investigate the differences in language and social skills between children with autism across the two countries who were receiving different types of treatment: speech and language…

This article critically evaluates the attempt of the authors to develop a sociological imagination within first-year undergraduate students studying the discipline of sociology at a British university. Through a sociological analysis of biography and autobiography (of both teachers and students), we attempted to create a quality of mind that would…

This study investigates whether the musical development of children can be enhanced by using children's stories. The musical skills being developed are composing, performing, listening, and appraising. Two stories by well-known author Julie Donaldson and inquiry-based learning were used to engage the pupils' imaginations. The study shows that…

This paper draws on an ESRC-funded study of play and creativity in preschool-aged children's use of apps in the UK. The main objectives of the study were to collect information about access to and use of apps in the home, establish the most popular apps and identify the features of those apps that are successful in promoting play and creativity. A…

Counterfactual thinking refers to imaginative thoughts about what might have been ("if only" or "what if") which are intrinsically linked to self-conscious emotions (regret and guilt) and social judgements (blame). Research in adults suggests that the focus of these thoughts is influenced by order (temporal and causal). Little…

This article reports on a collaborative study using an innovative methodology, based on "insiders" who are Steiner practitioners knowledgeable and practised in Steiner philosophy and "outsiders" from UK mainstream early years and primary perspectives. Although the study as a whole focused on assessment and observation used in…

Autism continues to be regarded enigmatically; a community that is difficult to access due to perceived disruptions of interpersonal connectedness. Through detailed observations of two children participating in the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project "Imagining Autism: Drama, Performance and Intermediality as Interventions for…

The gradual commodification of higher education in the context of an increased focus on graduate employability attributes together with evolving labour markets is creating challenges for universities and students alike. For universities, there has been significant investment in careers services and, through institution-wide initiatives,…