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Jonathan Halls
Assistant Professor in Learning Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences
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Biography
Dr Halls is an Assistant Professor in Learning Sciences, at the Learning Sciences Research Institute, School of Education, 糖心原创.
Teaching Summary
- MA Digital Teaching and Learning
- BA Education - Learning & Development
Research Summary
My research is in the area of Early Years education, focusing on the preconceptions (misconceptions) children bring to formal education. Specifically, this includes a) how preconceptions are… read more
Recent Publications
JONATHAN HALLS and SHAARON AINSWORTH, 2023. In: ISLS Annual Meeting 2023.
HALLS, J. G., AINSWORTH, S. A. and OLIVER, M. C., 2021. International Journal of Science Education.
HALLS, J. G., TOM脕S, C., OWEN, J. S. and HAWWASH, K., 2021. European Journal of Engineering Education.
CHRIS BRIGNELL, TOM WICKS, CARMEN TOMAS and JONATHAN HALLS, 2019. MSOR Connections. 18(1), 46-55
Current doctoral students
- Adityo Adityo - Understanding learners' perception and interaction with AI-generated feedback in writing education
- Zhanetta Romaniuk - Unravelling Barriers to Fostering Communication Skills among EFL Undergraduate students during Wartime: Ukrainian University Teachers' Perspectives on Digital Education and AI Integration
I am currently accepting new doctoral students wishing to explore the following research areas:
- The development of preconceptions, or misconceptions (e.g., teleological explanations), and how these can be challenged.
- Designing effective learning environments in Early Years education, particularly early science education.
- Environmental education, with a focus on supporting belief and behaviour change. This may relate to individual-level behaviour or how individuals can drive community change.
- Belief and behaviour change more broadly.
- Choice-based games, incl. gamebooks (e.g., choose your own adventures) and video games as an educational resource.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss these areas further.
Current Research
My research is in the area of Early Years education, focusing on the preconceptions (misconceptions) children bring to formal education. Specifically, this includes a) how preconceptions are influenced by socio-cultural factors and b) how they can be challenged though the design of educational materials and learning environments. In terms of subject areas, I research science & environmental education, in early education but also across life. Within these areas my work focuses on the design of educational materials to support conceptual, belief and behaviour change. Regarding educational approaches, I have a particular interest in dialogic education and the use of choice-based games for learning.
These interests are reflected in past projects. For example, gamebooks for environmental education, which started as a 3-year project funded by the British Academy. This project explores climate change education for primary-level children. Specifically, it investigates how gamebook-based lessons can be designed to develop children's understanding that their actions can have a positive impact in the fight against climate change. My doctoral work investigated young children's preconceptions in science education (specifically teleology) and how group discussion about the nature of scientific explanations can challenge such preconceptions.
JONATHAN HALLS and SHAARON AINSWORTH, 2023. In: ISLS Annual Meeting 2023.
HALLS, J. G., AINSWORTH, S. A. and OLIVER, M. C., 2021. International Journal of Science Education.
HALLS, J. G., TOM脕S, C., OWEN, J. S. and HAWWASH, K., 2021. European Journal of Engineering Education.
CHRIS BRIGNELL, TOM WICKS, CARMEN TOMAS and JONATHAN HALLS, 2019. MSOR Connections. 18(1), 46-55
HALLS, J. G., AINSWORTH, S. E. and OLIVER, M. C., 2018. The International Journal of Science Education. 40(7), 808-826