Event information

Using Play-Doh as a creative research method - a hands-on workshop

Wednesday 14th May 2025, 12:30-13:30 (BST)

Venue – In person. Information on how to attend is found at the end of your order confirmation email.

Registration - Sign up for this event on the Eventbrite page. 

 

About the event

This event is part of the School of Education's Bristol Conversations in Education research seminar series. These seminars are free and open to the public.

Host: Language, Literacies and Education Network

Speaker: Dr Sarah McLaughlin (University of Bristol)

Join Dr. Sarah McLaughlin for an engaging, hands-on workshop exploring the use of Play-Doh as a creative method in qualitative research. Sarah will share insights from her research study, demonstrating how Play-Doh can serve as a powerful tool for data collection and participant engagement. Participants will have the opportunity to experiment with Play-Doh themselves, gaining practical experience in its application as a research method. Additionally, Sarah will discuss how she integrates Play-Doh as a cognitive strategy in the classroom—an approach that originally inspired her research methodology. This session is ideal for educators, researchers and students interested in innovative, arts-based methodologies.

Dr Sarah McLaughlin is a Lecturer and Co-Lead for the MSc in Health Professions Education at the University of Bristol. With a background in sociology, her doctoral research explored the use of Play-Doh as a creative method, reflecting her broader advocacy for innovative and arts-based approaches to research and teaching. A qualified teacher with experience in both further and higher education, she actively integrates creative methods into the classroom to enhance engagement and deepen understanding.