One of A. D. Pellegrini’s missions as a researcher is to define what play is (intrinsically motivated activity) and what it isn’t (directed activities such as gamified school lessons). His PhD dissertation on how preschool children talk to themselves during problem-solving launched a lifelong interest in early childhood development and educational psychology, particularly the development of play. His work emphasizes the importance of recess to children’s social development, learning, and engagement in school. A frequent speaker and prolific author, he has published more than 20 books, nearly 100 book chapters, and hundreds of journal articles on the importance of play and the intersection of play, recess, language and learning. He is currently a professor emeritus of psychology at the Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota.
Most Influential Work:
- The Role of Play in Human Development (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009) is an authoritative overview of play research and theories.
- His 1993 article with Peter K. Smith, “School Recess: Implications for Education and Development” (Review of Educational Research 63, (1): 51–67) explores the role of recess in school in terms of educational achievement, classroom behavior, and social competence.
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