Dr Liz Chesworth

BA (Hons), PGCE, SFHEA, PhD

School of Education

Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Education

Liz Chesworth in the garden, smiling
Profile picture of Liz Chesworth in the garden, smiling
e.a.chesworth@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 3626
The Wave

Full contact details

Dr Liz Chesworth
School of Education
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH
Research interests

Liz leads the Early Childhood Education Research cluster and is a member of the School of Education’s Research and Scholarship Committee.

Play and curriculum in early childhood education

Liz’s research focuses upon contemporary play cultures and dynamic approaches to curriculum in early childhood. In recent years she has led two funded projects in which she collaborated with early years educators to identify strategies for curriculum decision-making that are responsive to young children’s diverse interests and lived experiences.  Her research on curriculum has received national and international attention and has led to invited keynote presentations and consultancy work. 

Young children as research participants

Liz is interested in approaches to research that enable children’s participation. She has drawn upon children’s perspectives to explore issues of power, agency and choice within classroom peer cultures.

Digital play

Liz is a co-investigator on international research funded by the Lego Foundation which aims to identify the ways in which children’s well-being is related to their digital play experiences at home.

Current research projects include:

  •  (co-investigator)
    • Awarding body: The Lego Foundation
    • Principal Investigator: Dr Fiona Scott

Recent research projects include:

  • Understanding practitioners’ curriculum decision-making to support complexity in children’s play in a multi-diverse pre-school setting
    • Awarding body: The Froebel Trust
    • Co-Investigator: Professor Elizabeth Wood (University of Sheffield)
    • Collaborative partner: Dr Sharon Curtis (Ellesmere Children’s Centre), (2018- 2021)
  • (Principal Investigator)
    • Awarding body: Economic and Social Research Council Impact Acceleration Fund
    • Co-investigator: Professor Elizabeth Wood
  • Makerspaces in the early years: Enhancing digital literacy and creativity () 
    • Awarding body: European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme
    • Principal Investigator: Professor Jackie Marsh (University of Sheffield) (2017-2019)
Publications

Journal articles

  • Albin-Clark J, Archer N & Chesworth L (2024) . Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 25(3), 347-364.
  • Chesworth E & Hedges H (2024) . The New Zealand Annual Review of Education, 29, 5-22.
  • Salter R & Chesworth L (2021) . International Journal of Early Years Education, 29(4), 455-469.
  • Chesworth EA (2019) . Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 23.
  • Marsh J, Wood E, Chesworth L, Nisha B, Nutbrown B & Olney B (2019) . Mind, Culture, and Activity, 26(3), 221-233.
  • Chesworth EA (2018) . International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, 31(9), 851-862.
  • Chesworth EA (2016) . International Journal of Early Years Education, 24(3), 294-308.

Book chapters

  • Chesworth L, Tatham C, Wilders C & Wood E (2024) , Culture, Schooling, and Children's Learning Experiences (pp. 91-121). Oxford University PressOxford
  • Chesworth L & Hedges H (2023) , International Encyclopedia of Education(Fourth Edition) (pp. 173-180). Elsevier
  • Wood E & Chesworth E (2021) Framing and Defining Play in Early Childhood In Arnott L & Wall K (Ed.), Research Through Play: Participatory Methods in Early Childhood (pp. 3-18). London: Sage.
  • Chesworth EA & Broadhead P (2015) Friendship, Culture and Playful Learning in Early Childhood Education In Moyles J (Ed.), The Excellence of Play (pp. 94-105). Maidenhead: Open University Press.
  • Chesworth L (2014) A deeper understanding of play, Early Years Reflective Practice Handbook (pp. 142-165).

Reports

  • Scott F, Chesworth L, Kontovourki S, Murcia K, Murris K, Balnaves K, Bannister C, Christofi AM, Kuria D, Maditsi K , Menning SF et al (2024) Children’s digital play and well-being. Research Report.
  • Chesworth E, Wood E & Folorunsho A (2022) Understanding practitioners’ curriculum decision-making in a multidiverse early years setting: Final Report.
  • Pearson E, Igali F, Chesworth E, Uttara S & Chhoun P (2021) Project evaluation of Young Bamboo ECCD projects in remote communities (Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces
  • Chesworth EA, Anning A & Spurling L (2005) The Quality of Early Learning, Play and Childcare Services in Sure Start Local Programmes

Datasets

  • Marsh J, Arnseth DHC, Beech A, Bishop J, Blum-Ross DA, Chesworth E, Dýrfjörð K, Ellis H, Erstad PO, Fashanu C , Hjartarson DT et al .
  • Marsh J, Beech A, Bishop J, Chesworth E, Ellis H, Fashanu C, Hyatt D, Kay L, Kontopodis M, Ktenidis A , Lahmar J et al .
Teaching activities

Liz leads the full-time Masters in Early Childhood Education and is module leader for EDU6089: Learning, Development and Curriculum (Early Childhood). As a deputy director for the White Rose Doctoral Training Programme, Liz teaches on the Education, Childhood and Youth pathway.

Professional activities and memberships

Member of Research subcommittee, The Froebel Trust.

Assistant Editor: Journal of Early Childhood Research

Member of Editorial Board: International Journal of Play

Reviewer: International Journal of Research and Method in Education; International Journal of Early Years Education; Early Years: An International Research Journal; International Journal of Early Childhood Research; International Journal of Early Childhood Literacy; International Journal of Qualitative Research in Education; British Educational Research Journal.