Dr Patricia (Trish) Collins is a Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies. Trish’s research focuses on the relations between children’s personal values (i.e., motivational goals) and constructs such as social behaviour (e.g., prosocial, aggressive) and wellbeing (e.g., subjective wellbeing, self-esteem). Trish has also examined how children’s perceived social support from parents, teachers, classmates, and friends impacted the values-wellbeing and values-behaviour relations. As a part of her research, Trish has worked with collaborators to develop and publish a scale, designed specifically for children, to measure values in children from 5 to 12 years of age. This ability to develop and validate a measurement instrument complements her interest in the role digital technologies play in not only children’s learning, development, and wellbeing, but in educator’s teaching and learning, and the connection and engagement of families. Thus, she hopes her work in the Centre will help to better understand the impact of not only digital devices but traditional play on children’s health and wellbeing.

Earliest digital memory
Playing Pacman at our local takeaway shop! Which I have to say I still love playing at my friend’s house who has a ‘retro’ version!