Research
I am currently in my seventh year of a PhD in the Faculty of Education at UBC. My doctoral research project was a critical participatory action research (CPAR) project developing a community of practice (CoP) with in-service teachers to bridge emerging and established play theories with teaching practices that include risky play as a pedagogical approach to teaching and curricular learning.
I have 27 years of experience as a professional educator in K-7 public school classrooms, outdoor and garden classrooms. To read more about my teaching practice, read this post.
As a doctoral candidate, I am thankful to be learning with and from expert scholars in my field. The following projects and publications are the result of this learning.
Co-Investigator
Dissertation Research Investigating Education Outside the Classroom
Primary Investigator: Leyton Schnellert, Associate Professor Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Eleanor Rix Professor in Rural Teacher Education, Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia
Funded by: SSHRC
Publications:
Zeni, M., Schnellert, L., & Brussoni, M. (2023). “We do it anyway”: Professional identities of teachers who enact risky play as a framework for education outdoors. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-023-00140-6
Knowledge Dissemination:
Zeni M, Han C, Raaflaub E, Brussoni M,. (2023). Outdoor play and learning online tool for teachers. Available from: https://teacher.outsideplay.org/.
Co-Investigator
ViRMA: Virtual Risk Management – Exploring effects of childhood risk experiences through innovative methods
Primary Investigator Norway: Dr. Ellen Sandseter, Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education
Primary Investigator Canada: Dr. Mariana Brussoni, UBC Faculty of Medicine, Pediatrics, School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) Director, Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP)
Funded by: Norwegian Research Council
Co-Investigator
Bring Education Outdoors (BE OUT): developing a digital tool to support elementary school teachers who locate their curriculum outdoors
Primary Investigator: Mariana Brussoni, Director Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) I Faculty of Medicine | Pediatrics | School of Population & Public Health BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit, The University of British Columbia | BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Learn more: Bring Education Outdoors on the Play Outside Lab website
Co-Investigator
Go Outside and Play! Investigating outdoor play and children’s positive development in schools and communities
Primary Investigator: Eva Oberle, UBC Faculty of Medicine, School of Population and Public Health (SPPH) Human Early Learning partnership (HELP)
Funded by: SSHRC
Publications
Molyneux, T., Oberle, E., Zeni, M. (2022). Choose Your Own Adventure: Promoting Social and Emotional Development through Outdoor Learning. Early Childhood Education Journal.
Oberle, E., Zeni, M., & Munday, F., & Brussoni, M. (2021). Support factors and barriers to outdoor learning in elementary schools: A systemic perspective. American Journal of Health Education.
Knowledge Dissemination:
Paper Presentations
Oberle, E., Zeni, M., & Mundy, F. (April, 2021). Support factors and barriers for outdoor learning in elementary schools: A systemic perspective. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. Virtual conference meeting.
Graduate Research Assistant
Go Play Outside! Early Learning and Child Care (GPO-ELCC)
Primary Investigator: Mariana Brussoni, Director Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) I Faculty of Medicine | Pediatrics | School of Population & Public Health BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit, The University of British Columbia | BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Funded by: Employment and Social Development Partnerships Program Canada
Learn more: Brussoni Lab Early Childhood Outside Project
Publications
Cheng, T., Brussoni, M., Han, C., Munday, F., Zeni, M. (2022). Perceived Challenges of Early Childhood Educators in Promoting Unstructured Outdoor Play: An Ecological Systems Perspective. Early Years: an international research journal.
Brussoni, M., Han, C., Jacob, J., Munday, F., Zeni, M., Walters M., Cheng. T., Schneeberg, A., Fox, E., Oberle, E. (2021). A Web-Based Risk Reframing Intervention to Influence Early Childhood Educators’ Attitudes and Supportive Behaviors Toward Outdoor Play: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols. doi:10.2196/31041
Paper Presentations
Munday, F., Zeni, M., Han, C., Cheng, T., & Brussoni, M (2019). A digital risk-reframing tool to shift early childhood educators’ perceptions of outdoor play: Intervention mapping approach. A poster presented at the Big Difference BC conference. (PDF).
Cheng, T., Munday, F., Zeni, M., Han, C., & Brussoni, M (2019). Challenges early childhood educators face in promoting outdoor play – A qualitative study. A poster presented at the UBC Life Science Research Night. (PDF)
Chan, T., Zeni, M. (2021, March 19). Perceived challenges of early childhood educators in promoting unstructured outdoor play: ‘They limit it because they want always to be safe.’ [Paper presentation]. University of British Columbia, Education Graduate Students Conference: Transformations & Translations – Curriculum and Change, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Knowledge Dissemination: Final Tool
Check out the risk re-framing tool for educators here! Outside Play.ca
Research Collaborator
Capturing pandemic experiences in outdoor learning and applying lessons learned to support equitable access
Primary Investigator: Tanya Halsall, Adjunct Research Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University
Funded by: SSHRC Insight Grant
Publications
Halsall, T., Mahmoud, K., Iyer, S.N., Orpana, H., Zeni, M., & Matheson, K. (2023) Implications of time and space factors related with youth substance use prevention: a conceptual review and case study of the Icelandic Prevention Model being implemented in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well being, 18:1, DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2022.2149097
Research Consultant
Intergenerational Landed Learning Project with The Classroom Gardener
Primary Investigators: Dr. Sandra Scott and Dr. Doug Adler, University of British Columbia Faculty of Education, EDCP
Funded by: NSERC PromoScience
Research Fellow
Van Dusen Gardens Research Fellow
Primary Investigator: Dr. David Zandvliet, UNESCO Chair in Bio-Cultural Diversity and Education; Simon Fraser University, Institute for Environmental Learning.
